Expert answer

Hi Paul,

I asked Dave and Neil on the team to answer this as well as myself so you get a cross-section of opinion. Here's what Neil said: "There’s no point in going for the Audi over the Golf. Sure, it has more power and 4WD but it’s no more fun to drive, and will be more expensive to run. The GTI is the better of those two. However, the M340i — Touring especially — is one of the best BMWs that has ever been made, and I reckon if you have the chance to own one, you should take it. "

Dave was in agreement: "I’m with Neil on this one, the move to the Audi or the Golf 8.5 R from the Golf 7.5 isn’t going to deliver as much overall fun, even if the performance figures increase. The BMW is not only a lovely thing, but it’s a different style and should be much sweeter overall. "

I have to admit, I'd agree with them both. The S3 is good, but very subtle, perhaps too subtle? The 8.5 GTI is notably changed from the 7.5 (I'm the only one of us that has driven it so far and it's a cracker), but even so, I'd find it difficult to ignore the allure of the BMW's six-cylinder engine and rear-lead chassis balance.

Do let us know which way you go on this.

Expert answer

Hi Liam,

Our understanding is that the car needs to be in private use too. Read our Guide to importing a car from Northern Ireland for more, though this excerpt, a quote from Revenue, might be of interest:

"Revenue will consider that a vehicle has been imported to NI in accordance with the Windsor Framework where a copy of the import declaration lodged in NI, or proof that the vehicle has been in private use in NI for a reasonable period of time, is provided as part of the VRT process. What is considered to be a reasonable period of time, for the purposes of private use, depends on the facts and circumstances of each case."

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

Nothing more since our news story last September (read that here) where it was noted it wouldn't arrive until early next year.

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Hi Sean,

I drove the Macan 4 at its international launch (read that review here) and today the Audi Q6 e-tron on Irish roads so I can have a stab at comparing them, though bear in mind that both were high-spec cars. The Q6 e-tron I tested was the quattro model using the same two electric motors as the Macan 4, as well as the 100kWh (95kWh of which is usable) battery so these are quite comparable.

The Audi had loads of options though, including air suspension, so that undoubtedly alters how it drives. On that note, the Audi is a little more comfortable than the Porsche, but a little less involving and slower to respond to steering inputs and accelerator inputs. Both are very quiet, refined and smooth to drive, with the Audi slightly better in that regard. The Porsche has fractionally better 'blending' of the friction brakes and recuperation via the motors.

There's nothing to choose between them in terms of range, efficiency and charging capabilities.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Macan 4 has a marginally bigger boot and extra storage under the bonnet included in the price, while you have to pay Audi more to get the 'frunk' insert in the Q6. The rear seats of the Audi feel more spacious, however, than the Macan's.

The cabins are vastly different, but both of very high quality. I prefer the perfectly round steering wheel in the Porsche.

Finally, pricing: the comparable Audi is cheaper than the Porsche and there are more affordable versions of the Q6 e-tron - one with a smaller battery, another with rear-wheel drive - that there are no equivalents to in the Macan lineup.

So as you can see, no clear 'winner' as there are too many variables at work, but hopefully this helps you choose which is for you and your budget. 

Do let us know which one you go for. Both are lovely.

Expert answer

Hi Deirdre,

Yes, we have to agree - the whole process is completely over-complicated and difficult to understand at times. And it would appear some of the rules allow for real grey areas.

For example, according to Revenue: "There are no customs obligations for a vehicle that has been brought into Northern Ireland after 1st May 2023 and where the vehicle has been in private ownership in Northern Ireland for a reasonable period of time." This would suggest that Car 1 in your question would attract VAT and import duty if it has actually not been used by a private individual. I.e. it has been imported by a dealer to sell on. It doesn't matter how long it has been in the country if it is sitting on a dealer forecourt and switching it to NI plates before selling it to you doesn't change that.

Car 2 would also, we believe, attract VAT and import duty. The 'made in the UK' thing is tricky as you need to prove it yourself and it comes down to more than just the factory the car was made in - it depends on its components as well.

Sounds like you've read a lot already, but you want our take on it, look at our Guide to importing a car from Northern Ireland.

Expert answer

Hi Rebekah,

1: You'll need to inform your local motor tax office of the change of use of the vehicle. VRT is only paid the first time a vehicle is registered in Ireland so don't worry about that. Your annual motor tax rate will be different to the fixed commercial vehicle tax, however. It will be calculated based on the engine size. The table of prices is the top one in our Motor Tax Prices in Ireland Explained guide.

2: Taxing is straightforward, as above. Insuring a van for private use can be trickier so take your time and shop around on that before you commit to buying the vehicle.

3: Correct, it's no more complicated, really, and a modern van like you're looking at should sail through for many years.

For further reading check out Buying a van for private use on our van website, CompleteVan.ie.

Expert answer

Hi Rachel,

As it stands, the vehicle would be treated as a van on importation unless the UK logbook is changed in the UK to reflect the conversion. Importing from Northern Ireland can be complicated now so it's worth reading our Guide to importing a car from Northern Ireland.

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Hi Matthew,

I'm afraid it's not as simple as that at all. Take a read of our Guide to importing a car from Northern Ireland to fully understand the situation.

Expert answer

Hi James,

You've not told us which engine this car has, and that's crucial to the calculations as we need that to look up the official NOx rating. Once you've done that, you can calculate the NOx levy using the formula on our How Much VRT Is Paid In Ireland page.

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

Stop-start systems can be tempermental. We get so many queries about them that we decided to write a feature explaining the potential issues - Why won't my car's stop-start system work?

Nonetheless, issues with it are regularly caused by weak batteries. Saying that, I wouldn't expect your car to start properly in the morning if there was a big battery problem, so I don't think the boot opening problem is linked to the battery. The Fiat 500 has a known issue where the wiring near the tailgate hinge can become damaged or broken - I suspect that's where your problem lies.

A decent mechanic should be able to quickly fix that for you.