Complete Car | Search Questions

What do I need to tax my car-van as a CV?

What do I need to tax my car-van on commercial tax?

Sydney James Hill (Ballinsloe)

Jan 2019 Filed under: taxation

Expert answer

Hi Sydney,

Simple — you need your van’s registration number, a PIN code (which is usually the last six digits of the registration document number), your insurance details and a way to pay — usually a credit card or debit card. Head on over to motortax.ie and it should be all pretty simple.

Unless of course you mean that you’ve got a conventional car and you want to tax it as a van. You’re into the world of conversions at that point, and will need to permanently remove the rear seats and blank out the rear windows. There are plenty of firms that can do that, and which will help you with the taxation side of things too, but make sure you shop around and pick a reputable one.

Do I need to pay VRT on a 2018 model?

Hi,

I wish to import a UK car into Ireland. It's a 2018 model, but over six months old - do I have to pay VRT?

KEVIN SHORTT (DUBLIN)

Oct 2018 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

It depends. If you already live here in Ireland, then yes you will have to pay VRT and, depending on the mileage of the car, you may have to pay VAT too. If you’re moving here to Ireland, and bringing the car with you, you can import it without incurring a VRT charge, but you’ll need to be able to show proof of previous road tax and insurance, and your change of address.

How much to import my Porsche from US?

Hello

I'm hoping to import my 2015 Porsche Macan S petrol from New York when I move home to Ireland later this year. I can't find Porsche on the VRT calculator - I have owned the car for nine months and saw there are some exemptions if you have owned the car for over six months. I'm pretty confused and hoping to bring the car with me, but if VRT costs are too high, I'll have to sell before the move - any info is greatly appreciated

Thank you, John

John Walsh (New York)

Aug 2018 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi John,

You SHOULD (emphasis ours) be OK from the VRT perspective. As long as, according to Revenue, you’ve lived at your current address for 185 days or more, and can show proof of your move to Ireland, then you won’t be charged for VRT. Fuel and insurance costs for a Macan are a different story...

What to do with my converted UK campervan?

Hello,

I have a 2005 Citroen Relay 2.2-litre van I converted to a campervan in the UK. I am looking into registering it here, as I have moved back permanently. I went through the UK DVLA and converted it officially, but they did not change the vehicle category. It is N1. I checked this with them when I got the log book back and they said it remains as is, a commerical vehicle.

Here I understand I need to go through the whole palaver again and get an engineer to sign off the conversion, so it is MI, passenger vehicle. If I am looking at this thing correctly, I would be paying €900+ tax? Onto insurance, any idea what I would be paying on this size vehicle? I have two years' no claims driving it in the UK. Do they accept UK no claims here? It's hard to find the information online as you need to enter your reg and as it doesn't have an Irish reg yet, I have met some dead ends. The van is not worth much and it looks like it will cost me a whole lot more to run it here than in the UK. I am trying to get an idea before I start spending money, if it's a good idea to keep it, leave it on the drive or see if I can take it back or sell it to a UK driver. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

E O'Mahony O'Mahony (Cork City)

Jul 2018 Filed under: commercial vehicle

Expert answer

Hi there,

OK, as a camper van or a van, you’re going to be paying the same Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) when you bring it into the country, which will be 13.3 per cent of the Irish market selling price, as decided upon by the Revenue Commissioners. Now, whether they will accept the vehicle as being a camper van or a plain van is a bit of a finger-in-the-air exercise, but the most likely outcome is that they’ll take whatever the DVLA tells them, and it’ll remain as an N1 vehicle. That’s bad news from a motor tax point of view, but it’s equally not the worst news ever — it means you’ll pay €333 a year to tax it, rather than the camper van rate of €102. As for insurance, sadly no-claims bonuses are very rarely, if ever, transferable between jurisdictions so you’ll most likely be starting from scratch. I’d try and find a good broker to see if they can track you down a deal.

Why do delivery charges vary so much?

Hi,

I am interested in buying a new Ford Fiesta; the model I am interested in is priced online at €20,150. One dealer in the Cork area quoted me €22,000 for the exact same thing, another quoted €21,395, making delivery charges €1,850 and €1,245 respectively. Audi quotes €650 delivery for the A1. Would you ask Ford Ireland for a comment and if it intends to do anything about it?

Thanks

Pat

Pat Mc Sweeney (Cork City)

Jun 2018 Filed under: miscellaneous

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

The problem is that Ford Ireland, legally, cannot impose delivery charges on its dealers. It can suggest recommended delivery charges, but according to Irish law (and companies have, in the past, had their offices raided for this sort of thing), dealers are allowed to charge what they want for delivery and related. A spokesperson for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission told us that: "Consumer law requires traders to provide the total cost, including extras, of a product to a consumer before they buy. In the specific instance of when a manufacturer is advertising a car for sale, the manufacturer can only advertise the recommended retail price and state that delivery and related charges will be extra. If a consumer then decides to buy that car, they should be provided with the total price by the dealer before they buy. Auxiliary costs such as motor insurance, tax etc. are not dealt with specifically under consumer protection law. However, through our information campaigns, we would encourage consumers to do their homework about such costs before making a purchase."

We did contact Ford about the issue too, and it said: "It is an anomaly of the Irish market that has come down to us from our forebears. It is just the way the market is set up and all brands operate the system. Pretty much since the first Model Ts were hitting dealerships across the country, car brands always quoted an 'ex-works price' [in other words, the price of the car as it leaves the factory gates, not when it rolls off the dealer forecourt] for a car on top of which an extra charge was added. What is covered by that cost will vary from dealer to dealer, but for all of them, it covers the cost of delivery of the vehicle to their dealership. Many dealers will also include such items as the cost of the pre-delivery inspection (PDI), new plates for the car, perhaps a full tank of fuel. Each dealer will have their own range of items that are covered. So, ‘headquarters’ does not get involved in the setting of that cost or what is covered, it is all at the discretion of the dealer. In today's very competitive new car market, everything is up for negotiation and I am sure that many customers push the dealer on all aspects of the 'deal' including the delivery and related costs. Customers are savvy enough to do their homework, shop around and compare what is on offer across dealerships and indeed, across brands. More than ever, real value is what will win out in the marketplace.”

Insurance cost for learner on 1.4 Peugeot?

What kind of price range would a learner driver be looking at for insurance of a 2013 Peugeot 307 1.4 HDi?

Cathal Flannery (Limerick)

Jun 2018 Filed under: insurance

Expert answer

Hi Cathal,

Sadly, that’s just impossible for us to answer. Insurance prices have gone crazy in the past few years, and while they’ve calmed down a bit, insurers do love to hammer younger and learner drivers. It doesn’t help that you’re learning on a 1.4-litre engine. If you could get a car with an engine closer to 1.0-litre in size then you might do a bit better, but even then you’re looking at a four-figure first-year policy.

How to sort insurance with US experience?

How do I insure my wife who has been driving on a USA licence for the last year, but is now transitioning to a learner permit as is required by the law in Ireland? Insurance underwriters don't seem to be able to flex to someone who has 17 years driving experience, has been driving an Audi A6 legally for a year, but now is mandated to hold a learner's permit until the mandatory 12 lessons and test is passed.

Paul Schneider (Dublin)

Apr 2018 Filed under: insurance

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

A very tricky one, and as ever with Irish insurers, you’re quickly going to run up against a brick wall of intransigence. My best advice would be to get in touch with a good local insurance broker, as they can often find ways around issues such as this, and can sometimes track down policies that mere mortals cannot find.

Which car for my graduating daughter?

I’m looking for best all round, safest, reliable car for my daughter (22-25 yrs) who will be needing a car once she graduates from university. I’m torn between the Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Suzuki Swift or Opel Corsa. All too confusing to make a wise decision...

Sharon Adderley (Sandy)

Nov 2017 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Sharon,

If it’s safety and reliability you’re looking for, choose from either the Yaris or the Fabia. They’re the safest bets in the car market in general, and certainly the strongest cars of the ones you’ve suggested. The Yaris, with its insurance-friendly 1.0-litre engine, is probably the best overall. Here are our reviews of each:

Tricky to import a petrol Dacia Duster?

I'm interested in a new Dacia Duster, but petrol not diesel. Dacia Ireland doesn't offer the petrol model, so I'm contemplating a new UK petrol Duster imported by me. I'm aware of the import process, but are there any likely problems? I'm especially thinking about insurance issues if it's a model not routinely sold in Ireland and also the VRT valuation process for a model not usually available here.

Any thoughts, please?

Paul Marsden (Mohill)

Oct 2017 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

It depends. If it’s the basic 1.6-litre petrol model, then your VRT will be around €3,000 (ish, depending on spec) and that model already appears on Revenue’s system. If it’s the more expensive version with the 1.2-litre petrol turbo, then it’s trickier as, you’re quite right, Revenue doesn’t have that car on its systems.

I would think they’ll hit you up for around €4-5,000 in VRT for one of those. The process isn’t too difficult, as such, but if you don’t fancy it, the new, updated Dacia Duster will be launching next year, and that should finally come with a petrol engine option here.

Latest exhaust tech in Skoda's 1.6 TDI?

Hi,

Does the relatively new 1.6 110hp diesel engine in the Skoda Octavia have the new manifold in head technology that's meant to make real world emissions lower and make the EGR valve more durable or do you have to have the 1.6 diesel 120hp engine up, say in the Volkswagen Passat, to have this more modern technology?

I'm not really interested in the 2.0-litre diesels as I'm still a relatively young male driver and I believe you pay too much of an insurance penalty for this engine size.

Thanks

Kieran, Thomastown.

Kieran Hallligan (Thomastown)

Aug 2017 Filed under: diesel

Expert answer

Hi Kieran,

Yes, the 1.6 TDI engine in the Octavia should have manifold-in-head tech. All EA889 derivative engines, built from 2013 onwards, have manifold-in-head construction, and that goes for 1.6 as well as 2.0 diesels.