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Hi Brian,

There is a way of doing this, but it requires some very careful timing. Once you import a vehicle, you have seven days from its arrival on these shores to notify Revenue that it’s in the country and also to book the NCT inspection to get the final bill for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).

So that gives you a little wiggle room. Ideally, you would be best advised to find a company in the UK who can carry out the conversion and re-register the vehicle with the DVLA in Swansea, before importing it. If that’s not possible, then what you need to do is to make sure you have an Irish conversion company set up and ready to go who can carry out the conversion when the car arrives here, before it goes for its inspection. It’s ever so slightly legally dubious (letter of the law rather than spirit), but if you can keep the timings sharp, it could work.

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Hi Patrick,

Classic cars are, currently, an exceptionally good investment, but I would exercise a touch of caution – back in the eighties, the same was true and values seemed to quadruple every week, but then came a massive crash in classic prices, which saw more than a few investors get their fingers (and in some cases hands, wrists and elbows) burned.

There are a few specific models and makes to focus on, but first off don’t assume that you can buy an old wreck, restore it and make a profit. Sometimes you can, but proper restorations cost enormous amounts of time and money and many restored cars are actually sold at a loss.

There are some cars that are pretty safe bets though (albeit that comes with the caveat that values can fall as well as rise). The best car for investments seems to be the Mercedes-Benz SL, of pretty much any generation. Mid-sixties ‘Pagoda Roof’ SLs are probably at the peak of their values now, but the later ‘Bobby Ewing’ models still have some viable investment room. The better bet, though, could be to get in on the ground floor of the R129 SL model, built from 1989 to 2002. They’re still relatively affordable, and if the values of their predecessors are anything to go buy, you could be looking at a serious rise in values in the next few years.

Obviously almost any Ferrari is a viable investment tool, although you will need to seek out specialist advice on that one, and it’s getting harder to find affordable ones that have a chance of a good rise in value. Porsches, especially early-model 911s, are a good bet too, with original RS and RSR versions being a solid investment.

Beyond that, anything rare, interesting or, better still, with a celebrity name on the logbook, is worth a look, but as with all investments I’d engage the services of a professional financial advisor before committing to anything.

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Hi Philip,

You’ve pretty much summed it up there. I guess it depends where your priorities lie – performance or comfort. There’s no doubting the sheer thrust of the 300hp Audi, but I would suggest that if it’s performance you crave, skip the Cabriolet and buy the Saloon, which is much better to drive. If it’s the open top that you fancy, then go for the Mercedes, forget about performance (although the Merc is hardly a slouch in that regard) and instead revel in the comfort.

Read our Audi S3 Cabriolet review

Read our Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet review

Read our Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet review

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Hi Brendan,

Well, bearing in mind we have literally no idea what the market or running costs are like in Luxembourg, we reckon that a 2.0-litre Golf sounds like the best option there, especially if funds would stretch to either a GTI or GTD.

Read our Mercedes-Benz GLA review here

Read our Audi A3 Saloon review here

Read our Volkswagen Golf GTI review here

Read our Volkswagen Golf GTD review here

Read our BMW 1 Series review here

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Hi Pat,

Here’s our review of the new Toyota Prius.

And as you’ve mentioned Toyota, you could do worse than start with a current Auris or Avensis if you’re looking for something with a comfortable ride on Irish roads. Other good options are the Citroen C4 Picasso or, if you fancy something a little more premium, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

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Hi Joe,

Each has its own charms, really. The 3 Series is an obvious choice – handsome, practical and really good to drive, but you might find the ride a bit too rough at times. The A5 is hugely handsome, has a terrific interior but it’s a bit dull from behind the wheel. I’d go for the C-Class. Not quite as obviously handsome as the other two, but it’s terrific to drive, and really well put together.

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Hi Willy,

Each has its charms – the BMW is the sharpest to drive (although not by the margin you’d imagine), the Volvo is lovely, comfortable and people won’t hate you for owning it and the Mercedes really is built like the proverbial Panzer again these days.  If we’re talking new and current models, then it’s the latest Merc E-Class that gets my nod – I’ve rarely driven a car so all-round competent as it, and the interior is just gorgeous. Worth holding on a couple of months for the estate version though...

Relevant reviews:

BMW 518d review

Mercedes-Benz E 220 d review

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Hi Michael,

I’d avoid the pre-2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – it had no end of reliability issues. Your other two choices, the Mazda and the Lexus, make much more sense as both have excellent reliability. Both are also tremendously enjoyable to drive, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for a hybrid Lexus if your mileage is that low, and especially if most of your miles are in town.

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Hi Denis,

It depends which model you mean. The X3 18d has 150hp, while the X3 20d (using the same basic engine) has 190hp. It’s a grand engine (and seems to have gotten over its tendency to throw the timing chain) and really nice to drive, but a touch noisy at times. The same goes for the Merc alternative, which comes in 140hp, 170hp and 204hp forms. Good and frugal, but noisy. Right now, Audi has the best engine in the class, with its updated 150hp and 190hp 2.0-litre TDI unit, with Volvo’s D4 190hp in a very close second.

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Hi Nick,

A genuinely remarkable vehicle. Seats for seven (and seven fully grown adults at that) and with the sort of on-road refinement and comfort you'd need a Mercedes-Benz E-Class to better. Yet it can get into and out of remote, rocky, boggy, muddy, snowy places in a manner that occasionally boggles the mind. Yes it's big, heavy and thirsty and it rolls a lot in corners, but it's a truly great car. Reliability is the only Achilles'  heel. It's much better now than it used to be, but older models still suffer from gearbox, electrical  and suspension issues.