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Hi Bobby,

That model, depending on the engine and spec, is going to be worth in and around €10,000 on the Irish market, so you’re probably looking at a VRT cost of in and around €2,500.

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Hi Meabh,

No, don’t send off the V5 — you’ll need that and Revenue in Ireland will send it off to the DVLA in Swansea when they’re done with it. You’ll also need proof of sale or a receipt, proof of date of the car’s entry into the state, a VRT declaration form that you can download from the Revenue website, proof of your own address (house bills etc), proof of your PPSN number and documentation confirming the vehicle’s CO₂ emissions — the V5 should cover that nicely.

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Hi Pamela,

Yes, this seems to be a very silly oversight by Revenue (possibly they’re a bit petrol-blind because of the preponderance of diesel imports). The VRT on an equivalent 2.0 TDI Alhambra would be in the region of €6,700, so given the 1.4 TSI’s higher CO₂ rating, we’d put around another €1,000 on that for safety’s sake and that should put you in roughly the right ballpark.

Beware though — even once you bring it in for an inspection, you might get some odd valuation simply because there are few, if any, 1.4 Alhambras already in Ireland for them to base a valuation on. It might be a good idea to approach some SEAT dealers and ask them to give you a rough valuation of the car so as you can back yourself up if you have to query Revenue’s OMSP prediction.

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Hi Patrick,

Well, we certainly can’t do it for you, I’m afraid, but the process of importing a car has been made a little easier in recent years. Just make sure you’ve got your paperwork in order and are ready for the dreaded VRT payment.

Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is that going to the UK for a premium model, such as a Discovery, can save you around €4-5,000 depending on your final costs so it’s well worth looking at. Just make sure you’ve done a proper vehicle history and background check with Cartell.ie before committing to anything.

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Hi Bob,

As long as they’re more than six months old, with more than 6,000km on the clock, then you’re right — no VAT, only VRT.

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Hi Alan,

It depends on the condition, history and mileage of course, but your VRT bill should be somewhere in the region of €4,000. 

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Hi David,

It can be, but it depends on the model and it depends on what the exchange rate is doing during a given week. By and large the rule of thumb is that the more expensive the model,  the bigger opportunity to make a saving, but even more humble cars, such as Toyotas and Fords, are becoming cheaper on import now. Do your homework, work out your VRT payment in advance as best you can and then wait for Theresa May or Boris Johnson to say something utterly stupid and drive down the value of Sterling again.

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Hi Michael,

I think your best bet is to sell the car in Germany first, but possibly not to this other person you’re speaking about. If you’re concerned about what a future owner may do with a car, then the best thing is to find someone else to sell it to. Bringing the car into Ireland to sell will involve a large amount of paperwork and a hefty price tag in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), so I think you’re going to be better off by far selling the car in Germany.

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Hi Andreas,

If the car is three years old, and thanks to Cyprus being in the EU, you won't have to pay VAT when you import the car, as that's only payable on cars up to six months old. You will need to pay Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) though, and you'll have just a week from the car's arrival here to inform the Revenue Commissioners of it being here and a month to organise an inspection and pay the charge. If you're trying to reclaim VAT originally paid on the car, then you'll need to get yourself a good accountant as it's a complex process and will depend on whether or not the car is registered as a commercial vehicle. 

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Hi Jim,

It’s a ballpark figure because a huge amount is going to depend on what spec and equipment the car has, and its mileage, but in the region of €7,000 sounds about right.