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,
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.
My car was never imported correctly...
Hi,
I bought a Japanese car, but the person who brought it to Ireland didn't register it when he imported it here. Now I discover that over 6k is owed in penalties... What can I do?
Darren Curneen (Dublin)May 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Darren,
I think the first thing to do is to ‘lawyer-up’. You’re going to need some professional legal advice on this one. Basically, the law is pretty simple - once a car is in the country, you have a week to notify Revenue and make the booking at the NCT centre to have the car inspected, and 30 days to complete the process and get the new plates. Failure to do so means that Revenue can seize the car and they will only release it at their discretion, and on payment of a hefty fine. Plus there’s the issue of any unpaid motor tax.
As a purchaser, you should never buy a car that’s in Ireland, but still on its foreign plates. The law says it must be re-registered before being sold on. However, if you can show that you bought the car in good faith, and intended to follow the normal VRT procedure, then there might be a way through this for you. Clearly, the bulk of the onus is on the previous owner, but you definitely need to have a good solicitor on your side for this one.