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Hi Nicola,

Sadly, that is the correct rate. A 2009 Auris, which would have been on the CO₂ tax system from the get-go, with the 1.4-litre VVTi petrol engine, has CO₂ emissions of 163g/km, and is therefore liable for €570 a year in motor tax or, as you currently pay, €160 every quarter. 

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Hi Derek,

It depends on which petrol-engined version of the Audi A1 that you mean. The basic 1.2 TFSI, with 86hp, has CO₂ emissions of 118g/km, so will cost €200 a year to tax. The 122hp 1.4-litre TFSI has CO₂ emissions of 126g/km, so will cost €270 a year. Oddly, the more powerful 140hp engine is rated at between 109g/km and 113g/km, so will cost between €190 and €200 a year. 

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Hi David,

OK, this one could be a bit of a problem. We’ve asked Mercedes about this but so far no-one there has been able to track down a correct or reliable figure. The problem is that the law states "If satisfactory evidence of NOx emissions cannot be provided the following maximum charges will apply: For Diesel vehicles that is €4,850.” Which is a lot of money.

If the car comes with an original certificate of conformity (unlikely) then the NOx figure may well be on that, but it was not a figure that many took much notice of in the nineties. Perhaps the best bet would be to wait until 2023, when the car will be 30 years old and then you can import it as a classic?

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Hi Mark,

There was indeed a clampdown on crew-cabs and five-seat SUVs qualifying for commercial rate VRT and tax, but being as (a) this Defender pre-dates the clampdown and (b) it has a separate and un-glazed cargo compartment, it should just squeak through. 

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Hi Alina,

It’s actually a pretty easy distinction. Motor tax is the Irish equivalent of the UK’s Road Fund Licence. It’s paid annually, and is based on the CO₂ emissions of the vehicle. The cheapest rate is for  cars that emit no CO₂ (i.e. electric cars), which cost €120 a year to tax, while the most expensive rate is for cars emitting more than 225g/km of CO₂, which is €2,350 a year.

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Hi Brian,

It’s difficult, to be honest. There are some online resources for NOx emissions, but they’re flaky at best, and the only number that Revenue will accept is the one on the car’s Certificate of Conformity. The best figure we can find for a 2017 Golf 1.6 TDI is 130mg/km of NOx, but that’s not necessarily the 100 per cent accurate figure for the car at which you’re looking. 

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Hi Joe,

If you are moving to Ireland, and bringing the car with you, and you can show proof of at least six months’ tax and insurance, as well as proof of change of address, then you’ll be exempt from paying VRT.

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Hi Gerry,

As we’ve mentioned before, finding accurate NOx emissions is a bit of a minefield, and ultimately the only figure that actually counts is the one on the car’s Certificate of Conformity (CoC) document. We believe that the 2016 Panda MultiJet has NOx emissions of 161mg/km,  but I’d ask to see the car’s CoC before making any final decisions. 

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Hi Patrick,

It’s a bit of a catch-22, adding two-stroke oil to your RX-8 rotary. In theory, it can help with delaying the onset of rotor tip wear, but the problem is that it will destroy your catalytic convertor and that means you definitely won’t pass the NCT. I wouldn’t recommend it. Much better merely to make sure that the engine is properly and regularly serviced, rather than trying any short cuts like two-stroke oil. 

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Hi Jacqui,

With CO₂ emissions of 173g/km, a 2009 RAV4 diesel is going to be in Band E for motor tax, which means €750 a year. As for insurance, it shouldn’t be too bad, but as ever, Irish insurance is a minefield and often depends more on you and your record than the car, so make sure you take the time to shop around.