Should I register my imported Mercedes now?
Hi,
I have just bought a 2016 Mercedes-Benz V-Class V 250 d in the UK, which is due to arrive into the country this week. The CO2 is 166g/km and NOx is 0.063. What will I be paying to tax the car annually and on the basis there are new rules for registered cars in 2021 is there any sense in keeping the car in UK until January and registering in Ireland then?
I am a little confused now with the new regime!
Brian Carroll (Dublin)Oct 2020 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
There's no doubt that it will be cheaper for you to get that car registered before 1 January 2021.
On that date, the CO2 rating will be 'uplifted' to an equivalent WLTP value. For your car, for example, it will be increased from 166g/km to 202g/km, raising the VRT rate from 27 per cent now to 37 per cent in 2021. The NOx levy will also increase a little.
In terms of motor taxation, if you register and tax the car now, its motor tax will be €570, which will increase to €600 from 2021 on. If you wait until after 1 Jan to register it, then your annual motor tax will be €1,250.
Useful relevant articles for you:
How much will my 2021 RAV4 be to tax?
Hi,
I am expecting to take delivery of a new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD in January 2021. Could you please tell me how much my annual road tax will be based on the new rates of tax announced in the Budget of Oct 13 2020, as I’m totally confused?
Many thanks
Larry
Larry Behan (Dublin)Oct 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Larry,
You're not the only one confused, believe me!
Looking at the Toyota Ireland website, we can see that that WLTP CO2 emissions rating for that car is 131g/km. That means it will fit into the new 131 - 140g/km band, costing €210 per annum.
Read our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature to see all the tax bands and schemes.
How much to buy and tax a new Audi A6?
What will a new Audi A6 cost and how much to tax come 2021?
Terry Fitzpatrick (Carlow)Oct 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Terence,
It's not entirely clear as yet, as Audi has not published its new pricing, and doesn't appear to have changed its online pricing since the VAT reduction last month.
Taking the Audi A6 40 TDI S line S tronic as an example: it's listed as €56,065 as of Jan 2020.
The NOx figure for that car is 41.9mg/km, so the NOx levy right now, within that price, is €5 x 41.9 = €209.
So, the price of the car including VAT and VRT, but without the NOx levy is €55,855.
Looking at our review of the Audi A6 40 TDI from 2018, the NEDC CO2 rating appears to be 117g/km, which would mean 17 per cent VRT on the old system.
So, the VRT was €55,855 x 0.17 = €9,495, which makes the price of the car including VAT at €46,360.
Assuming that's at the 23 per cent VAT rate, it's €37,691 before VAT, or €45,606 at the current 21 per cent VAT rate.
So now we have the core cost of the car and can work on a 2021 price estimate.
We need the WLTP CO2 rating. It varies according to equipment, so let's take the worst case of 158g/km. That places it in the new Band 18 for VRT (see our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? feature), at a rate of 26 per cent.
So the estimated cost of the car including VAT and VRT is €45,606 ÷ 0.74 = €61,630
The NOx levy calculation has changed a little as well. It works out as €238 for this car.
Hence, the estimated total retail cost of the car is €61,868 as of 2021.
With a CO2 rating of 158g/km as used in these calculations, the annual motor tax (see our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature) will be €280.
If I used the minimum CO2 rating for this model of 145g/km, incidentally, the retail cost comes out as €56,891 so the final price is highly sensitive to that, while the motor tax would drop just €10 per year to €270.
Disclaimer: All of these figures should be taken as estimates only. We have rounded off to Euros throughout and who knows how Audi will adjust its pricing to suit the market rather than just calculate the new tax?
Will Budget 2021 impact costs of importing?
Hi,
Will the new budget impact on importing a car from the UK, i.e. extra VRT and NOx charge?
Thomas Rooney (Clane)Oct 2020 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Thomas,
It certainly will.
The NOx levy calculation has been tweaked slightly, as detailed in our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? feature, with the €15 per mg rate starting earlier on.
The changes to the VRT bands will also likely have an effect, but the largest change is the 'uplifting' of the CO2 rating to WLTP-equivalent values.
For a petrol car, the new CO2 rating = (old NEDC rating x 0.9227) + 34.554g/km
For a diesel car, the new CO2 rating = (old NEDC rating x 1.1405) + 12.858g/km
This will significantly raise the CO2 rating, putting the imported cars into a higher VRT band, with likely much higher costs.
We did such a calculation for another reader here if you're interested: Should I register my imported Mercedes now?
Disabled driver that wants to trade up in Feb...
I am on the Disabled Drivers Scheme and want to trade up next Feb '21. I currently drive a Mercedes A-Class hatchback that has been valued at €22,500. I would like to change to something a bit more robust as most of my driving is on country roads. I carry backseat passengers very occasionally and would like a decent sized boot. Automatic gearbox and reversing camera are neccessary. Also something stylish. I have €4,500 to spend with my current car and the DDS allowance. Don't mind petrol or diesel.
Thank you,
Grainne D, Cork
Grainne Dennehy (Rosscarbery)Oct 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Grainne,
As previously noted, you’ll need to have a current and valid primary medical cert as new certs are not being issued right now thanks to a Supreme Court decision that has thrown the rebate scheme for disabled drivers into limbo. However, if you already have the cert, you should still be able to avail of the VRT and VAT rebates, so that should be fine (although it’s worth checking ahead of time — it’s a bit of a moving target at the moment).
I think that a Skoda Kamiq might be the right sort of car for you. Not much bigger on the outside than the Merc, but more roomy within, and with the necessary automatic gearbox and reversing camera on the options list. Get it with the sweet little 1.0-litre petrol engine and you’re onto a winner. It’ll be well within your budget, too.
How to change reg from UK to Irish?
Hi,
I recently bought a car from the UK, through an auction and obviously the car reg isn't Irish, it's British; where do I start in changing the whole process of the reg?
Arunas Daniel (Cavan)Oct 2020 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Arunas,
We're written a guide called Guide to importing cars from the UK to help people like you. You'll need to scroll down through half of it as you already have the car bought, but once you've read that, if you still have questions, feel free to come ask us for more assistance.
My Fiesta's stop-start won't work...
Hiya,
I own a Mark 7 Fiesta that comes with the stop-start button. As I was driving, the light came up saying that the stop-start has been turned off, and I am unable to put it back on again. The light is on and will not turn off. I have read up on possible fixes and attempted most but nothing has helped. I did not have heating or AC running, or lights on. Neither was I doing anything out of the normal. Do you know anything else that may cause this?
Ricky-Lee Morgan (Gloucestershire )Oct 2020 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Ricky-Lee Morgan,
In the vast majority of cases this is down to either a battery that is not in perfect health or a dodgy sensor. See our feature Why won't my car's stop-start system work? and if that doesn't help then you will need to get the car plugged into a diagnostic computer by a mechanic.
Should I wait for the BMW 128ti?
Hi,
I have a question regarding the new BMW 128ti. Having recently ordered a BMW M Sport 118i auto, I am now in a quandary due to the announcement of the 128ti. I have spent a long time driving many cars and ended up making my decision to purchase the BMW 118i. Preferably the car would have had a little more performance (and economy for the level of performance), I waited around a year in the hope that a petrol 120i would become available (diesels are not an option for me), but nothing has yet been announced even though they exist in other markets.
Before placing my order I tried the M135i and, other than the raw power difference I far preferred the driver engagement of the 118i M Sport. I can only put this down to the 200kg or so weight difference? I live in a rural area and most of my driving is on small twisty, hilly lanes with some nice back roads, I rarely drive on main roads or motorways. So suspension compliance and driver engagement are important to me. My BMW dealer has immediately suggested I could change my order to the 128ti once it becomes possible, but it's early days with no hard facts on cost or a test drive available - I have already sold my car so it's a push bike and motorcycle only at the moment.
I would be very appreciative if you could spare some time to consider my position and would value your thoughts on the 128ti versus my ordered car. Having read your account of your experience with the 128ti, i thought you would be the best person to help.
Very best wishes
Tim
Tim Williams (Dartmouth)Oct 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Tim,
The 120i is due to come at the end this year, with 184hp and with the M Sport suspension should be a bit of fun to drive. However, I don’t think it will be as engaging as the 128ti. Not only will the 128ti still have a power advantage, I suspect there will be a noticeable difference in ride quality to what the 120i might offer. The 128ti has compliance in the suspension and involving steering that makes to a real joy to drive. More details for the car are due in the coming days, so take a closer look then and see if it helps make up your mind.
Thinking of buying a Volvo hybrid...
Hi.
I'm thinking of changing my Volvo. Can I ask how the XC40 and the XC60 plug-in hybrid models are set up? Am I correct in understanding that the electric motor and the petrol engine in the PHEV XC40 both drive the front wheels whereas in the XC60 the electric motor drives the rear wheels, so that four-wheel drive would be available when the electric and petrol engines are used in combination? Also, can I ask a separate question about "self driving". In the modern Volvos, they just talk of a lane keeping aid. Does this function in the same way as what was labelled Pilot Assist in models of a couple of years ago?
Thank you
Philip
Philip Donegan (Ballina)Oct 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
The T5 hybrid version of the Volvo XC40 (read our review of it here) is front-wheel drive only, as you said, while the XC60 T8 hybrid (here's our review of that) has an electric motor on the rear axle, giving the car all-wheel drive at times.
As to your second question, lane-keeping aid/assist technology is quite different to what Volvo calls Pilot Assist. The former can warn a driver if they're wandering out of lane and assist with a small steering correction if needs be, while Pilot Assist is an advanced for of active cruise control that also helps with steering inputs.
Can you help me select my next car?
Hi there guys.
Can you help me with selecting my next car? Currently have a 161 BMW 420d Gran Coupe with 50k km on the clock (GB import bought from a main dealer in Dublin). Do 10k km per annum. City center living, on street parking. Very happy with the car - love the drive experience but now it’s a bit small in the back for toddler passenger and all our baggage etc. Looking to change in next couple of months, with a hybrid in mind.
Disappointing range of options though for any of the estate/MPV cars I fancy, e.g. BMW Touring or Volvo XC60. Looks are important but driving experience and space are key. As is easy parking into tight spaces! Did drive a Skoda Superb wagon recently and loved all the gadgets, but felt the ride was spongey. Budget is €45k including trade in/private sale. Open to going the import route again as choice and range much better for hybrids.
Any insight would be really appreciated.
Thanks.
Daragh O’Reilly (Dublin)Sep 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Daragh,
OK, with on-street parking, I’d recommend you steer well and truly clear of a plug-in hybrid for now. I’m in the same position and with the dearth of public chargers, it’s a real nightmare to get a charge into them and use them at their most efficient. Unless you feel happy using local public chargers, of course, but if you’re going to do that I’d make sure to do the literal legwork, and see how far they are from your home as you may sometimes have to leave the car charging and walk home. Not the most convenient.
If you’re looking at a hybrid, of course, that turns us instantly in the direction of Toyota. The Camry is a truly excellent car, but it’s a bit of a mobile sofa. If you thought that the Superb’s ride was a bit too soft, then I don’t think you’d be a candidate for a Camry. Possibly a Lexus, then? An ES 300h is basically a Camry in a smarter suit, but again it’s not the sharpest car to drive. An NX 300h SUV might be a good balance — roomy enough to be toddler-friendly, reasonably sharp to drive and a hybrid without a plug. The Toyota RAV4 is another good (even excellent) option, but again would perhaps be a bit too soggy at the controls for your taste.
There is a hybrid (as opposed to plug-in hybrid) Hyundai Tucson on the way soon, and we mean the incoming new version, which gets much more dramatic styling than that of the current car, and which will have suspension and steering fettled, in part, by Hyundai’s N-Sport division. Could be worth hanging on for that if you like the look of it.