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Hi Eoin,

There are a number of UK-based insurers who offer one-day car insurance, usually up to a maximum of 28 days, so a quick run through Google should see you sorted. If you’re concerned about not knowing which company is which, the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) offers a short-term policy, and that should be very trustworthy. Just make sure that you check and ensure that the coverage will extend to Ireland for the time you need to get a local policy sorted out.

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Hi Rob,

No, it sounds like you're covering all the legal bases there. Highly conscientious in fact. 

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Hi Martin,

To be fair to the car companies, they would all like to see the end of VRT – there’s little or no protectionist advantage to them (aside from it causing a small, largely ineffective brake on personal imports) and freeing customers from that yoke would make the Irish car industry much more competitive.

As for lobbying against it, that has largely dried up now. Why? Because of the tacit admission that even if VRT could be dismantled, any Irish Government would simply come up with a replacement for it. Even with the Apple tax decision hanging in the air, no Minister for Finance is going to turn off a €4 billion annual tap of combined motoring revenues, of which VRT makes up a a major component.

As for the application of both VRT and VAT to major safety items, you’re quite right – that is a staggering shame, one that should (but probably doesn’t) weigh heavily on the consciences of all in the Department of Finance, the Road Safety Authority and the Society of the Irish Motor Industry. Whether it’s autonomous emergency or a child safety car seat, adding VRT and/or VAT increases the price and makes it less likely that a customer will spend the extra to buy that system, not least because there is no benefit to your insurance premium for doing so.

Mind you, in some ways, Irish customers have only themselves to blame. Back in the early 2000s, when anti-lock brakes were often an option, and not an especially expensive one at that, most buyers shunned them in favour of a sunroof or a better stereo…

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Hi Sinead,

Expect to see it some time in 2018, although there will be a facelift and an update for the current MkVII Golf later this year.

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Hi Gerry,

Well you won’t have to pay VAT as it’s too old for that, but as for VRT it’s very hard for us to say. There are very few Doblo-based campers on the market for us to be able to try and work out a rough value, and none that we can find in Ireland so quite what view Revenue might take of its value is totally up in the air. Our best guess is that its Irish Open Market Selling Price will be around €7,000, which, with a VRT rate of 13.3 per cent, would suggest a VRT charge of around €800 to €1,000.

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Hi Niall,

Because each dealer’s business is different. Most, if not all, used cars on a dealer’s forecourt will have come in as a trade-in, so the price that the dealer needs to ask (in order to cover their costs and turn a profit) will be different. The amount that they offered the previous owner for that trade-in will be based not just on the intrinsic value of the car itself, but on a number of other factors, especially how many of that make and model the dealer might already have in stock and has to sell before that one moves on. Plus, each dealer has differing overheads such as ground rent, investments in showrooms, staffing levels etc. Beyond that, some dealers offer comprehensive and proper warranties on their used stock, the cost of which has to be factored into the price of each car.

Which is not to excuse dealers from random pricing. One of the great limitations of the Irish used car market is that, unlike the UK where we have access to thinhs such as the CAP Guide and Glass’ to give solid indications for second hand trade values, in Ireland it’s a much more suck-it-and-see, sure-it’ll-be-grand approach.

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Hi Gary,

It’s only available in the 310hp S3 model at the moment, and given the trend for down-sizing and having smaller, more efficient engines, I’d say it’s unlikely to be offered in a lower state of tune in a more affordable version. Mind you, the 1.4 TSI engine has a very healthy 150hp so is well worth looking at.

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Hi Declan,

For a private buyer, once an imported vehicle is older than six months or has more than 6,000km on the odometer then it's no longer liable for Irish VAT. However, it is a little different for a business and Revenue is closely watching such things to ensure that VAT is properly accounted for. We'd advise you seek professional advice from your accountant.

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Hi Lorna,

Do you mean motor tax or purchase tax? If purchase tax (VAT basically) then yes – the VAT must be paid before or when it’s imported. If it’s motor tax, then no. It would help if the car has been declared as legally off the road by the previous owner, and obviously you can’t drive it across the UK to a ferry port to bring it here (you’ll have to put it on a trailer), but the Irish authorities won’t be bothered if it comes in with no tax as long as you pay your VRT properly and then tax it here. Unpaid UK road tax is an issue for the UK authorities and the previous owner.

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Hi Iain,

It should be, but check it with your finance company first. You’ll probably need to keep your Sterling bank account active and transfer money to it from whatever Euro account you’re being paid into when you’re working in the Republic.