Expert answer

Hi Rene,

If the camper was imported into Northern Ireland properly over two years ago and used there - and you can prove that - then you should not be liable for VAT or import duty.

There is no NOx levy on campers, you'll be glad to know, just VRT at 13.3 per cent of what Revenue calls the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP).

Expert answer

Hi Jess,

It's just the document reference number on your logbook (or V5C), found on the top-right corner of the front page, an 11-digit number.

There is nothing unsafe about providing this number to the seller. They may be able to use it to calculate taxes etc. on importing the car. 

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

We'd suggest that a Mercedes dealer would be best, especially given the newness of the vehicle.

Expert answer

Hi Anne,

Based on the information provided, you are only likely to be liable for VRT and the NOx levy. Just the year of the car isn't enough for us to help you estimate all that, however.

First up you need to guess the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), which is the value Revenue reckons the car to be worth after registration in Ireland.

This is not the same as the price you actually paid for the car. A quick look on Carzone.ie reveals 2017 Tiguans ranging in price from about €16,000 to €30,000 so you'll need to compare the one you're looking at buying to a like-for-like model already in Ireland to get a feel for what Revenue might say it's worth.

Once you have a rough idea of the OMSP, you'll also need to know the CO₂ rating for the car you're interested in. We can look that up for you, but we'd need to know the exact spec and engine details etc.

For more information, check out our How Much VRT Is Paid In Ireland? guide.

Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

It might be possible to bring the vehicle in as a Transfer of Residence import as, though it's not quite what Revenue had in mind when it introduced the scheme, you are likely to have the paperwork to support it. Take a look yourself at the official Transfer of Residence page for more details so you can make a decision. 

Expert answer

Hi Nestor,

We'd need a lot more information to be able to give you any estimates of the costs involved, but generally speaking, if the car is coming from England, Scotland or Wales, you will be liable for VAT and import duty on top of VRT and the NOx levy. Cars coming from Northern Ireland usually (though not always) only attract VRT and the NOx levy.

To estimate the VRT you will need the official CO₂ rating and a guess at the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) according to Revenue. Give us the car's engine details and we should be able to make a good guess at all that. 

I highly recommend you read our guides on the subject first:

Guide to Importing Cars from the UK
Guide to Importing a Car from Northern Ireland

And it isn't really possible for us to estimate your insurance cost as there are so many factors involved. Best bet is to ring around with a registration number of a very similar existing car in Ireland to get a feel for the price.

One final thing to be aware of: your Indian licence is only valid in Ireland for 12 months after you arrive in the country, regardless of whether you have access to a car.

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

I'm afraid we have no information at all on the arrival of Jaecoo in Ireland nor on the distributor.

Expert answer

Hi Steven,

We can help you estimate it, but please do note that it is only an estimate and you're kind of at the mercy of Revenue.

First up, we can be certain that car will be in the top band for VRT due to its CO₂ emissions, so that means VRT at 41 per cent.

That's 41 per cent of the so-called Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), which is the value Revenue reckons the car is worth following registration in Ireland.

It's a tricky thing to guess for a rare car such the F-Type, but for the purposes of our calculations let's say it's €45,000. That would mean VRT of €18,450.

The NOx levy is separate to that, but small in comparison.

And if you're bringing the car from England, Scotland or Wales them you'll also be hit with VAT at 23 per cent and import duty at 10 per cent (though these are calculated from the 'customs value' of the car, not the OMSP).

Most cars coming from Northern Ireland shouldn't be liable for VAT or import duty, within certain restrictions.

Make sure you do your homework on all this before committing to bringing the car in.

Expert answer

Hi Homg,

Yes, ownership by a company counts as private ownership, but only if the vehicle was actually registered and used in the North after importation for, as Revenue puts it “a reasonable amount of time”. If that's the case then no VAT or import duty should be payable on importing it south of the border.

If the company in question is a car dealer, however, and they have not brought the car into the North according to the Windsor Framework, then VAT and import duty may indeed be payable.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

New Audi prices may be the same across all its dealers, but each and every one of them will do deals differently, especially when there's a trade-in involved. No harm shopping around.

We know that Audi has an extended warranty, and it's briefly mentioned on Audi Ireland's website, but there's no further information about its cost that we can see. We've sent a message to our contact there to get an answer on that one for you. We'd certainly advocate for extended warranties on high-end cars.

Finally, only you can decide on which of the A6 Sportback e-trons you like, but do you need to absolutely max out the range you can get from the car? Enough to live without the reassurance of quattro four-wheel drive? If so, then perhaps invest in a set of winter tyres and wheels to use when you need them.

I'd just go for the quattro and accept it won't be quite as efficient.