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Hi Pat,

VRT first as that's an easy one - no matter where it's coming from, as it's over 30 years old, VRT will be just €200.

No NOx levy applies.

I'm assuming the car is not coming from Northern Ireland, but if it is, and it has been in Northern Ireland a long time, then there will be no further charges other than the VRT outlined above.

Coming from England, Scotland or Wales, there will be VAT at 23 per cent due, unfortunately. This is calculated on the customs duty (bear with me) plus the 'customs value', which is generally accepted to be the purchase price, plus the transport costs, plus the insurance costs.

There may actually be no customs duty if the car was manufactured in the UK, though you'll have to prove that. If not, it'll be 10 per cent of the customs value above.

Hopefully that all makes sense

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Hi Solomon,

I'm afraid there has been no announcement yet. We would be surprised if the Jaecoo and Omoda brands don't arrive at some stage in 2026, though.

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Hi Frank,

There's nothing stopping you importing a car from the UK regardless of where it was made, though there are potential savings so long as you can prove the car and most of its components were made there.

That's potentially tricky to do, as the car would have to qualify as UK-origin goods under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

All it saves is the import duty, however, typically 10 per cent of the customs value. You'd still have to pay VRT (including the NOx levy, potentially) and VAT if it's coming from England, Scotland or Wales.

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Hi Shane,

We don't believe that is an official name for anything on the A290, but it likely refers to the optional stripes the car can be fitted with. They're French tricolours, harking back to the car's heritage.

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Hi Niall,

I'm assuming you're thinking of snowy winters past where many a rear-drive car is seen struggling for traction. That's mostly down to the vehicle's weight distribution as those cars have their engines up front and very little weight over the rear wheels.

The rear-drive EX40 wouldn't have that issue - within reason - as the heavy electric motor is over the driven axle and the battery pack is mounted low down in the middle of the car.

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Hi Bart,

Revenue itself states that the information on its website is for guidance only, so you have no comeback with it. Saying all that, if it gives an OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) for the same car on there, then that is likely to be quite a good guide. 

For cars coming from Japan, however, they will ask for proof of the CO₂ and NOx emissions, so that's the tricky part. Make sure you get that documentation from the seller before proceeding.

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Hi Ian,

Yes, we believe so given the information provided. You will have to prove that the car was registered/in use in Northern Ireland for that duration, so gather as much paperwork as you can.

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Hi George,

Yes it does, both the Elegance and GS trim levels get heated front seats - only the entr-level SC model does without.

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Hi Kieran,

That's frustrating on the resale value of your car, but we're in no better position than the dealers you've spoken to and they hold the 'power' in that regard so the cost-to-change will all come down to the deal any one showroom is willing to make. Anecdotally, you'll get a better deal if you go back to a BMW outlet, but it doesn't sound like any BMW is on your radar this time around. 

The three cars you've listed are decent enough, but I'd strongly urge you to test drive them before you make any decisions as they'll all feel a big chunky and heavy next to your BMW i4. 

Have you considered Polestar at all? Both the Polestar 2 and Polestar 4 are within the same price ballpark as you're looking and are both great to drive with a bit of an SUV vibe. The Polestar 2 has been around for a while (I own one as it happens) but it was significantly upgraded last year for more performance, spec and efficiency. It's now either rear-drive or all-wheel drive.

Again, take the time to go and test drive all of these cars before you bother trying to make deals, as the driving experience of the BMW i4 is a hard act to follow.

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Hi Alf,

I'm afraid so, yes - it's effectively part of the VRT process and it has to be paid even if VAT and customs duty are not payable.