Can we import our two cars from the UK?
Hi,
With reference to your importing feature, I was wondering how much of this would apply to me? I am moving to Ireland with my partner who is an Irish citizen and we both want to bring our cars with us. Both are UK-registered in 2015 and both have been owned for around three years. Are we going to get charged large fees to do this or are we going to exempt due to having owned them and not just buying to import i.e. is the terminology related to the latter and we have nothing to worry about?
One of the cars is a 3.0-litre diesel, so wondering what tax band that would fall under?
Many thanks
Alex
Alex Parris (Gorey)Jul 2021 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Alex,
The good news is, you shouldn’t have to pay anything. As long as you can show proof of ownership for at least six months prior to your move, at your previous address, and can show documentation confirming your move to Ireland, you should be exempt from both VRT and VAT.
You can find more details on the Revenue website.
With regards to motor tax for your diesel, it depends when it was registered and, assuming it's post-2008, what its CO2 emissions rating is. Read our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature for full details.
What to replace my Mondeo with?
Please point me in right direction. I have a 2018 Ford Mondeo and would like to change in January 2022, so I need some advice. I like diesel. What three cars should I be test driving? Around the size of the Mondeo with five doors. Help!
Fergal Reidy (Celbridge, Co. Kildare)Jun 2021 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Fergal,
OK, at the very top of your list should be the Skoda Superb. It’s massive inside, hugely comfortable, has a huge boot, is well made and has an excellent 2.0-litre TDI 150hp diesel engine. It’s well worth checking out the 150hp TSI petrol too though — it's smoother, quieter and nearly as economical unless you're driving at motorway speed all day.
Next go and check out the Mazda6. Now, there’s no five-door fastback version, but there is a hugely handsome Touring estate model, and it’s very good to drive. Tremendous interior quality too. Only problem? Mazda has dropped diesel engines from its line-up, but the 2.0-litre petrol is an excellent unit, and surprisingly economical.
Finally, you could go for one, last Mondeo. It’s coming to the end of its production life right now, but it’s still a firm favourite of ours, and with it being on run-out, you’ll get some proper bargains if you want to buy one of the last ones.
How much to tax a commercial privately?
Hi,
How much would it cost roughly to tax a commercial van like a Ford Transit ot Transit Connect LWB or something similar for private use?
Thanks.
Rhys Rutherford (Ballinasloe )Mar 2021 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Rhys,
If you tax a commercial vehicle for private use then it reverts to the old by-engine-capacity system that was there pre-2008. You'll find the rates in our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature, and it might be worth your while reading Buying a commercial vehicle for private use as well.
Is the VW Grand California in America?
Hi,
I would like to know if the Volkswagen Grand California van is available now in America? I’m looking for this type of camper. It has everything I need and it’s very compact, not huge like most RV campers, this is about the size of a conversion van or little bit bigger. Also, can I get this camper in the State of Georgia?
Please get back to me.
Thank you, John
John Blane (Valdosta, Ga. )Mar 2021 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi John,
Bad news, I'm afraid: the Grand California is not for sale in the States at all. You can tease yourself and find out more about it in our review.
Will there be a hybrid Tiguan in Ireland?
Will there be a VW Tiguan PHEV in Ireland?
Bob Butler (Lucan)Mar 2021 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Bob,
There will indeed, though we don't know how it will be priced as yet. Read about it in our news piece about the updated Tiguan.
How much VRT on a €37,000 car?
Hello.
If I buy a new car with an on-the-road price of €37,000, how much is the VRT in cash and also the VAT? If VAT is 23 per cent does that make €8,510?
Thanks
Martin.
Martin Dunne (Dublin)Mar 2021 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
I'm afraid we can't answer that without knowing the CO2 rating of the car, as the percentage of VRT paid is dependent on that.
Read How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? for more info.
Cost to use a Transit Connect privately?
I am currently office based for work with the requirement to visit building sites from time to time. I am considering buying a Ford Transit Connect van, 1.5-litre that is more practical than my current car for visiting sites. I would therefore need the van for work and private purposes as I cannot afford to have a seperate car for private use only. What type of tax and insurance by law do I need for this scenario (private/commercial) and what would be the approx cost of same?
Thanks
Ronan Toft (Kilcullen)Mar 2021 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Ronan,
You will have to tax the van as a private car if you’re going to use it for social, domestic or pleasure purposes. That’s relatively easy to do — you just need to ring up you local motor tax office and ask them to make the switch for you. Annual motor tax will cost you €413 a year for the 1.5-litre engine (taxing a commercial as a private car means you go back to the old engine capacity based system).
Insurance is the trickier aspect, and we’ve heard from a lot of readers that they struggle to find cover for commercials as private vehicles. We always advise to try and track down a good, reputable, broker and get cover sorted before you make any decisions.
Take a read of Buying a commercial vehicle for private use for more information.
How to change from N1 van to M1?
Hi,
I want to buy an N1 van and change to M1 status. How do I do this?
Mohammed Ahmed (Midleton)Mar 2021 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Mohammed,
If you mean changing the tax status on a van to a private car, then really all you have to do is ring up your local motor tax office, and tell them that you want to change the tax status of your vehicle. Insurance is the tricky part — some insurers don’t like covering vans being used as cars, so make sure you shop around carefully before you decide.
Read Buying a commercial vehicle for private use for more.
Start-stop issues with my Tucson...
Hi.
I have a 2017 Hyundai Tucson and the auto stop-start button has a light on it at startup and the light on the dash is amber permanently. When I press the stop-start button nothing happens, the light remains on. None of the stop-start functions have worked for a while but I put that down to not driving a lot during lockdown. I’m now beginning to suspect there is a fault.
Justina Plaxton (Hull)Mar 2021 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Justina,
Start-stop issues are common with a lot of cars and we get many queries about it. If your car is not being used much right now, then the battery may not be in great condition and that's a leading reason for stop-start problems. It could be something else of course. Your car should still be under warranty if you want to talk to your Hyundai dealer about it.
In the meantime, read Why won't my car's stop-start system work? on the subject.
Looking at buying a 2017 BMW 330e...
Hi,
I am looking at a 2017 BMW 330e Sport. At the moment I travel 30km per day on average so expect the battery-only power to cover most of my driving outside of the weekend. Can you let me know of any issues I should be looking for with a plug-in hybrid of this year? Do you know if there are any battery life issues starting to crop up? My budget is around the €20K mark and the car is for a family of four; are there any other plug-in hybrids (saloon or SUV) I should be looking at for this budget?
Thanks, Joe
Joe Harbourne (Dublin)Mar 2021 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Joe,
There aren’t any specific battery issues to look for, and the good thing about a plug-in hybrid is that you can’t fast-charge them, so there’s less likelihood of wear and tear on the battery cells from repeated rapid charges. Obviously, batteries do degrade a little over time, but you shouldn’t see more than a few percentage points wiped off the performance. Make sure you go for a fully-charged test drive first though, and if the range seems abruptly short (allowing for weather, traffic etc) then the battery might have been physically damaged at some point.
Other plug-in hybrids worth considering would be a BMW 530e, although that probably won’t squeeze into your budget, or a Volkswagen Passat GTE, which provides performance almost as good as that of the 330e, but for a much lower cost overall and it's more spacious. Don’t forget that the battery eats considerably into the 330e’s boot space, and it was never a big car inside to begin with. The updated Passat GTE (2020) was available as an estate, too...