Expert answer

Hi Dean,

I'll address your questions in reverse order.

It may be possible to make savings if a dealer brings a car in for you, but we've never been through the process so couldn't say for sure. They obviously will still want to make a profit out of the sale, so I suspect most will be reticent to get involved in sourcing a specific car in the way you’re describing. If you know one personally, it’s worth having a conversation about it of course.

If you go it alone, sourcing a car from Northern Ireland should work out cheaper than from England, Scotland or Wales if the car has actually been registered there and then used by a private individual for “a reasonable period of time”. Those are Revenue’s words and it’s widely accepted that three months minimum is acceptable. The car in question should therefore be free of any VAT or customs duty on import to the south.

No matter where you import the car from, you will be liable for VRT and the NOx levy, depending on how much NOx and CO₂ the car emits according to its official numbers. I suggest you read our How Much VRT Is Paid In Ireland? feature to gain a full understanding of that.

According to our records, the BMW described should have a CO₂ rating of 119g/km, putting it into Band 10 for VRT, at a rate of 16 per cent. Just to confuse things, Revenue calculates VRT based on what it calls the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP). This is not what you actually paid for the car, but the value Revenue reckons it is worth on the Irish market. It’s difficult to predict as it’s not confirmed until you bring the car for inspection on arrival in Ireland, and extra equipment etc. can raise the price. Our guess for that BMW would be €28,000, meaning a VRT bill of €4,480.

According to our records, the BMW described should have a NOx output of 38mg/km, meaning a NOx levy of €190.

The equivalent data for the Audi shows a CO₂ rating of 135g/km, meaning Band 13 for VRT at 19.25 per cent of the OMSP. If that’s €28,000 again (and always bear in mind Revenue may say it’s higher), then the VRT bill would be €5,390.

The Audi’s NOx rating is 45mg/km, meaning a NOx levy of €275.

Finally, if you import a car from outside the “customs union” - e.g. England, Scotland or Wales - it will be subject to VAT at 23 per cent and import duty of 10 per cent. Those are calculated using the price you actually paid for the car, plus transport costs.

Hopefully that has helped you understand a little more.

I’d also recommend you read our Guide to importing a car from Northern Ireland feature for more on that.

Expert answer

Hi Brian, 

That document is confusingly laid out, because, if you look further down, in section 10.3, it clearly states that VAT is due on importation of the vehicle to the EU. In summary, no, you don't pay VAT to the Irish government when you buy the vehicle from the foreign seller, but you do on importation.

Expert answer

Hi Ger,

There's no harm in changing a belt early, other than additional cost. It could well be that the dealers have been given more up to date information. If in any doubt, call up a different dealer and ask about the schedule for your car. 

Expert answer

Hi Ger,

The belt in that car was designed for long life, so the advice is to have it checked by a qualified mechanic at 240,000km and then every 30,000km after until it's deemed necessary to have it replaced. 

Saying all that, if I owned the car, I'd have it checked much earlier, at 100,000km or so. 

Expert answer

Hi Teresa,

We used to get so many queries on this subject that we published a feature called Why won't my car's stop-start system work?

If you read that you'll discover that the systems are highly sensitive to battery charge and load, even when working perfectly. Could it be that you often have high-load items switched on? Things like heated seats, air conditioning, rear window demister, that sort of thing.

Now, in a DSG-equipped automatic car, you shouldn't need to put the car into neutral to get the stop-start system to work - that's only on manual cars. You can leave it in D (drive). What does affect it, however, is how firmly you are holding your foot on the brake pedal when at a standstill. Sometimes it's necessary to give the brake pedal a firm push before the engine will cut out.

Other things to watch out for: if you move the steering wheel, it is likely to cause the engine to restart. And if you're in the Sport driving mode or you've selected the Sport gearbox setting, then stop-start might not work either.

If none of the above changes your experience, I suggest getting a mechanic to come out in the car with you to check it over and observe how you drive, and then let them do the same.

Best of luck with it - come back to us and let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

That's trickier than ever to predict right now as prices of used cars have gone through the roof. A dealer would likely try to sell that car for around the €29,000 mark, which means they'd offer you a few grand less as a trade-in. 

Do yourself a big favour though: get offers from several different dealers, as the price will vary.

Let us know how you get on so we can pass the knowledge onto other readers.

The BMW i4 is a great choice by the way!

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

I’m assuming that’s the 1.6 petrol engine, with a five-speed manual gearbox? If so, that has CO₂ emissions of 155g/km, which will mean motor tax of €390 per year. 

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

It goes by the engine size when you're taxing a commercial vehicle privately, so it works out as €710 per annum for that Ranger. Read these for more info:

Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained

Buying a commercial vehicle for private use

Expert answer

Hi Thomas,

It will depend on the detailed specification of the car (manual or DSG; hatch or estate; which wheels?), but it looks to be 67-71mg/km.

Expert answer

Hi Tanya,

There should be a manual external boot release — on an 07 Jetta it’s a rubberised switch, up under the VW logo and above the number plate. If that’s not working then it could explain why the key fob release is being inconsistent. Either way, a visit to your Volkswagen dealer is probably in order. It may just be that the battery in the key needs replacing, but you may need a new key, or at worst a replacement boot release.