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Why do Irish car buyers not get discounts?

Hi,

I wonder if you could explain something I don't really understand about the Irish car buying market, even though I have a big interest in cars and the industry. Why is it that Irish car buyers hardly ever seem to get the sort of discounts that buyers in Britain do? I'm not just referring to the fact that overall new and used prices are cheaper there.

I wanted to buy a new or nearly new Peugeot 508 here recently and thought I would get a reasonable discount, which I pushed for, as that model does not sell as well as many of it's rivals and I thought the Peugeot dealer would be delighted to sell a saloon seeing as the market for them is declining so much and so many people now want SUVs instead. Alas, I could not get any sort of decent discount for a new or nearly new 508. It is well known that in Britain the buyer often gets a sizeable discount for car types or models that lag behind many rivals in sales, or for certain brands such as Vauxhall/Opel and Citroen. From what I observe and hear, you don't get decent discounts either for certain makes and models here in Ireland.

Higher VRT and other taxes here, don't explain these differences alone. I thought with Brexit and the vast increase in used and nearly new imports that Irish dealers would be more price competitive, but I'm surprised also that the prices of good fresh second hand cars here haven't come down more in this backdrop. For some good reasons, I'd prefer to buy here than from abroad, but it just seems that Irish car buyers can't catch the breaks that UK buyers get at all! Do you agree with me or can you kindly explain these differences in both markets?

Thanks, JC

JC Holohan (Waterford)

Jun 2018 Filed under: used car values

Expert answer

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.

 

That’s the case for the defence at any rate. The case for the prosecution is much simpler — Ireland has long been a nation that rips off its citizens, and that’s not going to change any time soon.

 


Do I pay VRT importing a Nissan Leaf EV?

I am planning to import a 2017 Nissan Leaf  from the UKl do I need to pay VRT?

Raj Shah (Fermoy)

Jun 2018 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Raj,

Technically, yes, you have to pay VRT, but actually no, you don’t. How it works is this — any car with CO2 emissions from 0-80g/km is in Band A1 for VRT, which means you have to pay 14 per cent of the Irish open market selling price. However, all electric vehicles are given a €5,000 rebate on their VRT, so as long as the 14 per cent doesn’t work out at more than €5,000, you won’t actually have to pay anything. 


Should an older camper mean vintage VRT?

I imported a 1972 Volkswagen T2  van from Europe. It is quite basic and not fully done up yet or restored. Revenue want to charge €800 VRT despite me paying only €800 for it when I bought it. I am being charged as a camper van, but I expected to be charged the flat vintage rate of €200 as it is over 40 years old. Should I not have been taxed the vintage rate? They say that is only for cars, but the website does not state that. It says all vintage vehicles and the VW T2 is a vehicle is it not?

Great if you could advise.

Ellen Armie (Dublin)

Jun 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Ellen,

Yes, theoretically I’d say you’re absolutely right. A classic VW T2 should be considered a classic, and not as a camper or anything else. To be honest, Revenue can be pretty useless when it comes to assessing VRT on classics and vintage cars, because the market in Ireland is so small for cars like that. What you’ll probably have to do is (unfortunately) pay the VRT up front, and then challenge it.

Get on to your local classic car club, or better yet a VW owners club for some expert opinion (in writing, of course) and maybe get your solicitor to draw you up a letter outlining why it’s a classic and not a camper. You should get a rebate, but it may take some time and effort.


How much VRT to impotr a 1995 Porsche 911?

How much VRT would I pay on a 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera Auto from Northern Ireland? I am paying £38,500 for the car, 87,000 miles, in very good condition.

Gerry Monaghan (Dublin)

Jun 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Gerry,

A tricky one, that. Porsche 911 values seem to fluctuate wildly in the Irish market, which means Revenue will be sticking a finger in the air to work out a value for the car. You could be looking at paying anything up to €10-12,000 in VRT. 


Can a company import a car VRT-free?

Hey,

We are an Irish registered company with an office and employees in the UK. We have a UK-purchased car (purchased new in 2015 and in the company name since) that is used by a UK employee as a company car. One of our employees here in Ireland is due a car and is happy to drive the UK car. Thus we wish to import and register the car here in Ireland at the head office. Can we import and register here without incurring VRT?

Thanks

Harry Lawlor (Co Limerick)

May 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Harry,

Probably not, but I think the best person to ask is your accountant. Theoretically, the exemption from VRT for a change of address is a personal exemption, not a business exemption. It’s there so that someone genuinely moving to Ireland from another country can bring their car with them without incurring extra expense. You’re talking about the transfer of a company asset from one market to another, so it’s more than likely not going to be exempt, but as I say, your accountant should be able to give you a more precise answer. 


VRT estimate for a 2017 Honda Civic?

I’m planning to import a 2017 Honda Civic Smart Plus 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo. No databases have this car and I can’t seem to get a VRT estimate anywhere.

Kamil Jastrzebski (Longford )

May 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Kamil,

Depending on the final spec and mileage, I’d say you should be looking at a VRT bill of around the €3,000 mark for that car. 


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.


Is customs duty included in VRT for import?

Is "Customs Duty" on a non-EU import (e.g. a car from Japan) included in the figure got from the VRT calculator, or is it an additional charge?

Enoch Soames (Bray)

May 2018 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Enoch,

No, customs duty, along with VAT, is another charge on top of VRT. Well, actually, VRT is a charge on top of customs duty and VAT. You have to pay the customs and VAT when the car enters the country, and then go and get it assessed for VRT. You can find more details on this from the Revenue website or by reading our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? guide.


How much to import a 2010 Mazda CX-7?

How much to import a 2010 Mazda CX-7?

Eamon Rice (Monaghan)

May 2018 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Eamon,

Lovely car, the CX-7. Never got the love it deserved. Assuming that it’s the 2.2 diesel model you’re looking at, it should work out at around €3,000 in VRT to bring one in, but that will depend hugely on condition and spec.


How much is the VRT on an 2014 Audi A4?

How much is the VRT on an 2014 Audi A4 saloon please?

Gemma Wall (Waterford City)

Apr 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Gemma,

It’s going to vary hugely depending on which A4 model you mean, which engine it has, what kind of spec it comes with etc etc, but as a ballpark you’d probably pay around €4,200 in VRT for a fairly basic 2.0-litre TDI S line with the 140hp engine.


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