Does this VRT bill for a 2016 Golf seem right?

Hi,

I am looking to buy a 2016 VW Golf 1.6 Match Edition TDI. The car is imported from Northern Ireland. When I use the VRT calculator it gives me a VRT rate of almost €8,000. Does this mean that I have to pay €8,000 on top of the €13,000 I’m already spending on the car?

Kindest regards,

Tony

Tony McBrien (Dublin 8)

Feb 2021 Filed under: VRT

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Expert answer

Hi Tony,

Are you sure you’re putting the details in correctly? As we’ve just run a quick calculation for a 2016 Golf Match 1.6 TDI and it’s giving us a VRT charge of just under €4,000, which sounds a lot more like what we’d expect.

Did you perhaps put in the wrong NOx emissions figure? We’re estimating that at 129mg/km, but if you put in a higher figure that could give you a much higher combined VRT charge and NOx levy.

On the other part of your question: yes — you pay VRT in addition to the cost of buying the car, and it’s calculated as a percentage of the Irish market price (as defined by Revenue) not the price you actually paid for the car.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe