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Hi Pat,

I can imagine that was a bit of a shock, but I’m sure Carzone has disclaimers on its site warning users that its automated valuations are to be taken as a guide only. Looking through its own listings I can see 2021 Corollas from as low as €18,000 and examples of the 2023 Yaris Cross priced as high €35,000.

Even so, a dealer won’t offer you a price for your Corolla that they will sell it at as they must prepare the car for sale, offer a warranty and still make a profit.

And it’s also worth bearing in mind that each and every transaction is different. On any given day, any given dealer may or may not want your trade in as, for example, they already have plenty of 2021 Corollas in stock. Or they have had lots of calls about the Yaris Cross and know they can go for a high price.

I can only suggest you shop around to get the best deal for yourself.

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Hi Matt,

Assuming you mean VAT on importing from the North, then the answer is no for the most part. The exception is on cars that are less than six months old or with fewer than 6,000km on the clock, as they are treated as new.

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Hi Bill,

That’s because the OMSPs are listed for second hand cars. As a new car, the Tesla Model 3 sells for €48,900 (basic) here, so Revenue will treat that as the equivalent to the OMSP for a new Model 3.

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Hi Pete,

Yup, if it’s been registered as a commercial vehicle in the first place, and you’re using it only for work purposes, then you’re entitled to continue to tax it as a commercial. 

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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 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 David,

Well, the issue is actually that all those people going and buying in the UK are pushing down the values of second hand cars here. Cheaper imports, which have been flooding into Ireland since the decimation of Sterling following the Brexit vote, have been putting major pressure on second hand car prices in Ireland, and I’d say your VW’s value is something of a victim of this. It also, to be honest, doesn’t help that it’s the 2.0-litre version, as most second hand buyers are more likely to want the cheaper-to-run 1.6 TDI instead. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the market is, to put it lightly, in turmoil right now.

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Hi Dawn,

Yes, getting it checked by Cartell.ie should flag up whether there is anything dodgy in the car's history. Have a look through the service book too and maybe have a ring around the various garages where the car has been looked after.  If the car was regularly serviced and/or they know the owners, that should be a good sign. 

If you're still concerned, get the AA to inspect it for you. They go through second hand cars with a fine tooth comb and will flag up any potential issues.