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Previously answered questions
When to change my BMW 420d's chain?
When is my BMW 420d timing chain due? It is a 2014 BMW 420d F32 M Sport with 216,000km. It is regularly serviced and there is no rattling noises coming from the engine or anything.
Tommy Whyte (Portlaoise)
Jul 2024 Filed under: servicing
Can I import this car from the North without duty and VAT?
I am considering buying a car in Northern Ireland. The car was originally a UK vehicle but was imported/registered in the North since Apr 2023. Would duty and VAT be owed on this vehicle or would the '90-day rule' apply?
Thanks.
Peter Dennison (Kildare)
Jul 2024 Filed under: importing
Can I get my money back on a used car?
I bought a car in April from a dealer that gave me three months of warranty. During this period I paid motor tax (400 euro) and insurance. I also had to do my NCT during which it was discovered that the car was outside the permit pollution numbers, as it was burning too much oil. Also needed to replace two ball joints and the windshield had to be replaced since I bought the car with a small crack.
I then took it back to the dealer that seemed very helpful and said it would fix the car for me since it was still in warranty.
Four weeks later my car is still there. I tried to either get my money back (he offered me €3k less than what I paid) or get another car (he does not have a car with similar price and valued my car €1k less than what I paid).
I decided to wait to get it fixed since it was not worth for me to lose money to get some money back or another car. Now he told me the entire engine needs to be replaced!
Is the engine replacement process good/bad for the longevity of the car? Do I have any legal basis to get my money back?
Thanks
Robert Alves (Drumcondra)
Jul 2024 Filed under: warranty
I'd like to import my 1999 Volkswagen T4...
Hi there,
I want to register my 1999 Volkswagen T4 from Germany. It has about 34,000km on the clock and just two seats. I cannot find this type of vehicle on the VRT calculator. How much will the VRT be approximately?
Thanks in advance
Viktoria Havlik (Killarney)
Jul 2024 Filed under: importing
Is VAT definitely due on importing a used car?
Is VAT in fact due on second-hand vehicles purchased by private individuals - from a foreign motor dealer or from a private person in another country (say Japan)? S.10.1 of Revenue's Tax and Duty Manual (May 2024), VAT and VRT on transactions involving Motor Vehicles' reads "There is no VAT liability in Ireland" in those instances.
Brian M (Bray)
Jul 2024 Filed under: importing
Any update on the Ford Ranger hybrid?
Is there any update on the Ford Ranger hybrid?
Martin Moroney (Dublin)
Jul 2024 Filed under: commercial vehicle
I just won a Mitsubishi Shogun!
Hi
I just won a prize of a Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2. I worked out the VRT at just over €400 is this about right? I want to take out the back seats and use it as a commercial SUV as I have a car already and I just want to use it to tow stuff. It was first registered in March 2010 and has 150,000 miles on the clock. What are the steps I have to take? The car was delivered to me today.
Anita Jackson (Schull)
Jul 2024 Filed under: importing
Which Toyota should I go for?
I do slightly over 15,000km/year. I want to get a new or rather 'new' second hand car. I was thinking Toyota Avensis diesel. But I've heard about issues with the newer engine. And I'm not sure I need a diesel at all. Could you suggest a reliable second hand saloon/SUV with a decent engine? I was considering the C-HR also or a hybrid in general. Any guidance on even the fuel type I should go for would be a help!
Thanks
Stephen Kelly (Dublin18)
Jul 2024 Filed under: choosing used car
Porsche Macan 4 or Audi Q6 e-tron?
I am considering purchasing either an Audi Q6 e-tron or Porsche Macan 4. Which would you advise?
Sean Cotter (Newtownmountkennedy)
Jul 2024 Filed under: choosing new car
Should I buy a hybrid BMW 5 Series?
Hi folks,
I'm thinking of changing my car to a BMW 5 Series. The prices of the hybrids are considerably less than the diesel models, and since I do low mileage anyway, the hybrid would probably fit the bill better. I'm looking at 2020 models, but the problem is they have around 100,000 kilometres on them, and my mechanic said under absolutely no circumstances should I purchase one, as the batteries are a ticking time bomb...
My question is, do you think they're that bad, considering there are so many of them visible on the roads? I intend to keep the car for five years, and around 200,000 kilometers. Can these batteries last 200K? I have read horror stories of batteries costing 10s of thousands to fix, should they fail and that's simply out of the question.
I'm currently driving a diesel Passat, which my mechanic tells me is a far better car than the BMW. Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you
Daniel Dunne (Castlecomer)
Jul 2024 Filed under: choosing used car
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