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Hi Anita,

A Credit Union loan is still, to be honest, a very good idea. As long as you’re getting a decent interest rate and the repayments are comfortable, it allows you to go into the dealership, cash in hand, and argue a better deal for yourself. You will need to do your research ahead of time to make sure that you’ll be able to get the specification you want. PCP is a good option for keeping monthly repayments lower, as it defers part of the repayment to a ‘bubble’ payment, theoretically covered by the value left in the car, at the end of the deal. PCP is really only good for you, though, if you want to go back in every 2-3 years to change your car for a new one. If you’re intending on keeping the car for longer, then Hire Purchase or the good old Credit Union makes more sense.

Read the CompleteCar.ie guide to car finance here

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Hi Joan,

You can do searches on the major used car websites for left-hand drive, but there’s no one single best source for left-hookers. It’s just a matter of shopping about. 

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Hi Jim,

It should do, but it would be no bad idea to check with your nearest Hyundai dealer first. In theory, the Hyundai five-year warranty is a pan-European one, so it should transfer without any issues, but of course there is always fine print attached to these things, so check the documentation that comes with the car, and make sure  that it’s been serviced at a Hyundai main dealer in the past.

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Hi Gary,

It's a fixed price for motor tax for motor homes and campervans, at €102 per annum.

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Hi Pat,

The problem is that Ford Ireland, legally, cannot impose delivery charges on its dealers. It can suggest recommended delivery charges, but according to Irish law (and companies have, in the past, had their offices raided for this sort of thing), dealers are allowed to charge what they want for delivery and related. A spokesperson for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission told us that: "Consumer law requires traders to provide the total cost, including extras, of a product to a consumer before they buy. In the specific instance of when a manufacturer is advertising a car for sale, the manufacturer can only advertise the recommended retail price and state that delivery and related charges will be extra. If a consumer then decides to buy that car, they should be provided with the total price by the dealer before they buy. Auxiliary costs such as motor insurance, tax etc. are not dealt with specifically under consumer protection law. However, through our information campaigns, we would encourage consumers to do their homework about such costs before making a purchase."

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Hi Philip,

It’s a tricky one. Technically, you’ve owned and used the car in Spain (and presumably taxed and insured it), which could, theoretically, mean that you can bring it in VRT-free, but the problem is your residency issue. As this was a holiday home, more than your full-time residence, it might not count. Usually, Revenue wants to see proof of change of address (rather than the end of use of an address) to give you the waiver on VRT. I think a chat to your accountant might be a good idea...

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Hi JC,

The big issue, really, is the size of the market. In the UK, vast dealer groups, with multiple outlets, are the norm and, obviously, these groups can be more cost-efficient and can potentially offer bigger discounts. Although there are dealer groups in Ireland, the norm is still very much the individual family-run business. That’s equally true on the import side of things — although there are now importers here that are tied directly to the car maker itself, many are still private, individual, locally-owned companies and those struggle to match the sort of discounting that is more common in the UK market. Plus, the fact that we buy in and around 100,000 to 130,000 cars a year here means that there’s less volume to spread discounts across. The UK market shifts two million cars a year — a considerable difference. VRT and VAT costs also play into it, as the wholesale price is often kept artificially lower to try and keep the added tax price down as much as possible.

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Hi Ellen,

Yes, theoretically I’d say you’re absolutely right. A classic VW T2 should be considered a classic, and not as a camper or anything else. To be honest, Revenue can be pretty useless when it comes to assessing VRT on classics and vintage cars, because the market in Ireland is so small for cars like that. What you’ll probably have to do is (unfortunately) pay the VRT up front, and then challenge it.

Get on to your local classic car club, or better yet a VW owners club for some expert opinion (in writing, of course) and maybe get your solicitor to draw you up a letter outlining why it’s a classic and not a camper. You should get a rebate, but it may take some time and effort.

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Hi Gerry,

A tricky one, that. Porsche 911 values seem to fluctuate wildly in the Irish market, which means Revenue will be sticking a finger in the air to work out a value for the car. You could be looking at paying anything up to €10-12,000 in VRT. 

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Hi Harry,

Probably not, but I think the best person to ask is your accountant. Theoretically, the exemption from VRT for a change of address is a personal exemption, not a business exemption. It’s there so that someone genuinely moving to Ireland from another country can bring their car with them without incurring extra expense. You’re talking about the transfer of a company asset from one market to another, so it’s more than likely not going to be exempt, but as I say, your accountant should be able to give you a more precise answer.