CompleteCar
Search Ask Us Anything
Showing 61 - 70 results (out of a total of 208) found for "Show" in Ask Us Anything

Should I buy a new Tesla Model 3?

Hi,

I’ve been doing a lot of research into buying a car lately, specifically would love a Tesla Model 3 - Standard range plus. I’ve been looking at price from GB compared to Ireland and it’s around €5k cheaper (around £38k v €48k). I also understand I would be in receipt of €5,000 SEAI grant, but I cannot seem to calculate the VRT.

1. Can I buy in the UK and ultimately would I save money doing so vs Ireland?

2. I live in Dublin and I get the DART to work everyday (roughy €100 per month). I also currently drive home roughy three nights per week to Monaghan (roughly costs me €325 in petrol and tolls). I have a free parking space in work. (Quicker to drive than DART to work) Would I be naive in thinking that I would almost eradicate all of that €425 with an EV? Aside from electricity costs, also what would you estimate those to be?

The alternative for me was to buy an 15/16 Audi A5 or BMW 4 Series in around the €20k mark, but still be subject to aforementioned €425 monthly costs on top.

Am I trying to convince myself that a Model 3 is my best option or is it my best option? NB: I want something that I actually want, i.e. I don’t want a Nissan Leaf; if I’m going EV it would be Tesla or equivalent.

Brendan Traynor (Dublin)

Jul 2019 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

We do love a bit of car-related man-maths around the CompleteCar.ie office. Yes, in theory, you could save that €425 per week travelling cost with a Tesla Model 3, once we make a couple of assumptions, and bearing in mind that a Model 3 is not free — a basic Standard Range Plus model is quoted at €625 per month in repayments on Tesla’s Irish website. With a claimed one-charge range of 409km, your theoretical Model 3 should be able to get from Dublin to Monaghan and back in one charge, with a little left over for safety (assuming it’s around 135km door-to-door). If you can charge at home and charge in Monaghan, then each full charge will cost you around €8-10, depending on your electricity tariff and how low the battery gets before you plug it in. That should put a significant dent in your travelling costs. It would also be helpful if you could charge up at work, but that’s more for ensuring you have a full charge in case you need it — the shorter intra-Dublin commute wouldn’t put much strain on your battery.

So, that’s all good. Buying in the UK, though? Not worth it. We ran the maths on this a while back and working off the base model prices — £38,500 in the UK and €48,900 here, a quick conversion at today’s rates shows that the equivalent Euro price of a new Tesla Model 3 would be €45,069. A saving? No — although the VRT would cost you nothing at the point of import (thanks to the €5,000 rebate), you would have to pay VAT on entry, as it’s a new car, and so the price would go up by €10,350. You’re better off buying local in this instance.

The only other caveat is of reliability. Now, a Tesla Model 3 SHOULD  be more reliable overall than a conventional petrol or diesel car, and require less maintenance, simply because it’s so simple. After all, an electric motor is really just one, large, moving part. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that Tesla has a currently poor-to-middling reputation for build quality and reliability, so bear in mind that you might need to cope with some glitches or the rear bumper flying off if you drive too quickly through standing water (this is seriously a reported issue with the Model 3).
As for the ’trying to convince yourself’ bit? Well, to be honest we’re all rather keen on the Model 3 around here too, so we wouldn’t take much convincing. 


Help me out with some import answers...

Hi,

I'm currently living in London. I've bought a passenger vehicle to beat the VRT when I return to Ireland. It's registered to me, but the wife will be taking it when we get back to Ireland. I plan to buy a Land Rover Discovery Commercial. Will I get away with €200 VRT (as it's an N1 category vehicle) when I return and re-register it, as I plan to use it as a private van? I don't really need the space but could do with a 4x4 for helping out on the farm at home, hence why I'm thinking a commercial would be cheaper.

Thanks a million.

#ConfusedPaddy

Rob Hoban (London)

May 2019 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Rob,

Yes, if you have registered the car to your London address, and can show proof of continuous tax and insurance for six months prior to your move, then you’ll be able to avoid VRT when you import it here. On the Discovery Commercial, you’ll be looking at rather more than €200 VRT to import it, I’m afraid. N1 and Cat B commercial vehicles don’t pay a flat rate any more, they pay 13.3 per cent of the Open Market Selling Price, or the Irish market price as defined by Revenue. The same will go for a crew-cab, and 13.3 per cent is the lowest possible rate of VRT. 


Should I change my Skoda Fabia's belt?

I have a 60-plate Skoda Fabia 1.6 TDI, mileage 91k. My garage keeps telling me I should get the cambelt changed. No record of it having a new one fitted before I bought it, when it showed 48k.

Please advise.

Tim Staveley (Grantham)

Mar 2019 Filed under: servicing

Expert answer

Hi Tim,

It doesn't need to be done until 210,000km on the clock - regardless of time.


When to change my Ford Focus timing belt?

When should timing belt be changed on July 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel with 60,000 miles on the clock?

Anne Hanlon (Dublin)

Feb 2019 Filed under: servicing

Expert answer

Hi Anne,

Our information shows that the recommended change interval is 140,000 kilometres (about 87,000 miles) or every 10 years, whichever comes first.


Is Mercedes doing any deals for 191?

Is Mercedes doing any deals for 191 orders? BMW has the fiv eper cent price decrease as well as the option between a €2,500 deposit contribution or lower APR rate. Is Mercedes providing anything similar to remain competitive? I know it has in previous years done the nine per cent discount, but I cannot see anything on its website for 191. Even its prices have been very slow to be loaded onto the website, with the sales guys not knowing new prices either.

John O'Dowd (Longford)

Nov 2018 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi John,

For the moment, it seems it’s status quo ante at Mercedes for 191. The nine per cent discount on prices, which as you point out was introduced some time ago, basically carries over to the new price lists. Those lists were slightly late in being published, owing to delays in getting cars through the new WLTP-based fuel economy and emissions tests, but they are available now, so dealers should at least be a little more clued up. There are no specific 191 offers available as yet, but we’ll keep an eye out for any that show up.


Do LPG cars cost less to tax?

Are there any motor tax reductions if my car is converted to use LPG?

Thanks

Dave Walsh (Limerick)

Nov 2018 Filed under: taxation

Expert answer

Hi Dave,

Sadly not. You will save around 50 per cent on the price per litre of LPG compared to petrol or diesel (which in and of itself might be a sufficiently compelling reason to switch), but there’s no tax advantage. A car’s motor tax rate is based on the CO2 figure shown on its certificate of conformity document, and a post-purchase conversion doesn’t change that (even though LPG does have a slightly lower CO2 rating than petrol or diesel). Basically, tax is calculated on the car’s official homologated figure, whereas an LPG conversion is something you do yourself afterwards. 


Do I need to pay VRT on a 2018 model?

Hi,

I wish to import a UK car into Ireland. It's a 2018 model, but over six months old - do I have to pay VRT?

KEVIN SHORTT (DUBLIN)

Oct 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

It depends. If you already live here in Ireland, then yes you will have to pay VRT and, depending on the mileage of the car, you may have to pay VAT too. If you’re moving here to Ireland, and bringing the car with you, you can import it without incurring a VRT charge, but you’ll need to be able to show proof of previous road tax and insurance, and your change of address.


How much to import my Porsche from US?

Hello

I'm hoping to import my 2015 Porsche Macan S petrol from New York when I move home to Ireland later this year. I can't find Porsche on the VRT calculator - I have owned the car for nine months and saw there are some exemptions if you have owned the car for over six months. I'm pretty confused and hoping to bring the car with me, but if VRT costs are too high, I'll have to sell before the move - any info is greatly appreciated

Thank you, John

John Walsh (New York)

Aug 2018 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi John,

You SHOULD (emphasis ours) be OK from the VRT perspective. As long as, according to Revenue, you’ve lived at your current address for 185 days or more, and can show proof of your move to Ireland, then you won’t be charged for VRT. Fuel and insurance costs for a Macan are a different story...


My Renault's satnav isn't quite right!

The speed limit indicator on my inbuilt satnav has never worked properly in that it shows incorrect limits especially 60km/h limits show as 40km/h. The car is 171-registered and has been back to the dealers several times. Renault Customer Service has suggested that they would fund the cost of a stand alone satnav as a solution! This seems to be a problem with the particular model of satnav. What can I do to resolve the matter after 16 months of frustration?

Liam Ennis (Skibbereen)

Aug 2018 Filed under: satellite navigation

Expert answer

Hi Liam,

Renault’s satnav software is usually supplied by TomTom, so theoretically an update of the navigation software should do the trick, but there could be an issue that local authorities are altering or moving speed limits and not supplying the information to the mapping companies. You could complain to TomTom directly, and see if that gets you anywhere, but one quick observation — if a 60km/h limit is displaying as 40, is there a chance the satnav is set to miles per hour, not kilometres per hour?


Beeping sound in my Sandero!

My Dacia Sandero Stepway will sometimes make a beeping sound whilst driving but nothing comes up on the dashboard.

Deborah Taylor (Wrexham)

Jun 2018 Filed under: fault

Expert answer

Hi Deborah,

That sounds to us like one of the safety systems, such as lane-keeping assistance, giving a momentary warning. It probably does show something on the dashboard, but only for a very short amount of time. It's very difficult to assess such a thing from afar, so it's probably best to see if you can replicate conditions that make it happen and then report back to us, or get a good mechanic along to have a look.


-->