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Hi Ebere,

You’ll need two crucial documents. You’ll need the V5C form, which is the vehicle’s identity papers (it’s the red, pink and blue form with the car’s reg number, VIN number etc.) and you’ll need an invoice showing the date and location of sale and the amount paid for the car.

Other than that, you’ll need the usual proof of identity for yourself (passport or driver's licence, utility bill with your home address etc.).

I’d suggest you have a good careful read of two pages before you start out:

1 - from www.citizensinformation.ie

2 - from www.revenue.ie

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Hi Mike,

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Hi Ciaran,

No major glaring problems. They can develop electrical gremlins, especially with the central locking and alarm systems, and the boot seals can leak, letting in water, but as long as you buy one with a full service history you shouldn’t have too much to worry about.

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Hi Derek,

Well, if the car has been correctly adjusted to meet UK and EU standards  then it should be fine, and for lights there are always aftermarket upgrade options such as better bulbs or extra spot lamps. The IVA test is pretty comprehensive so if it’ll get through that and pass an NCT, then I wouldn’t have any major worries, as long as the car’s history etc all checks out.

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Hi Clare,

Well, if I gave the impression that I wasn’t too impressed, then that’s not quite right as we haven’t yet driven a new Citroen model equipped with the new Advanced Comfort suspension system. It won’t go into production until next year (2017). We have just driven the new Citroen C3, which has a very impressive ride quality on standard springs and dampers, so the omens for the new system are good.

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Hi Fergal,

In a purely objective sense? No, there’s nothing. Will you get an interior that looks and feels a bit classier? Yes. Will you get a badge that has a bit more appeal? Yes. Do these things really matter? Not to everyone. If you’ve got a Mondeo then you already have a well-made, comfortable car that’s good to drive. So upgrading to an Audi or BMW will get you… a shinier badge. If you want something that feels as good as the premium stuff but costs less, have a look at a Volkswagen Passat or Mazda6 as a potential replacement. The only area in which the German cars are quantifiably better is in resale value.

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Hi Michael,

I’d suggest that a Passat GTE or 330e would be about perfect with that kind of mileage and usage. It will help, of course, if you have a driveway where you can fit a charging point, but once the batteries have drained and you’re running on normal hybrid power, both of those cars will average better than 40mpg. Here are our reviews:

BMW 330e review

Volkswagen Passat GTE review

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Hi Des,

It depends on just how big a car you need, and if you need a full seven-seater. The Volkswagen Golf SV, for instance, has the space for three seats across the back, but doesn't have the folding seats in the boot of the bigger Touran. Both are excellent cars, but you'll save a considerable amount of money by going for the SV. Others worth considering are the Toyota Verso (available in both five- and seven-seat forms), Citroen C4 Picasso (ditto) and the Kia Carens (only a seven-seater).

Peugeot's 5008 and Ford's C-Max are also worth a look, but if you need something bigger, if basically boils down to two choices - Ford S-Max or SEAT Alhambra. 

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Hi Brian,

There is a way of doing this, but it requires some very careful timing. Once you import a vehicle, you have seven days from its arrival on these shores to notify Revenue that it’s in the country and also to book the NCT inspection to get the final bill for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).

So that gives you a little wiggle room. Ideally, you would be best advised to find a company in the UK who can carry out the conversion and re-register the vehicle with the DVLA in Swansea, before importing it. If that’s not possible, then what you need to do is to make sure you have an Irish conversion company set up and ready to go who can carry out the conversion when the car arrives here, before it goes for its inspection. It’s ever so slightly legally dubious (letter of the law rather than spirit), but if you can keep the timings sharp, it could work.

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Hi Aiden,

That’s a good-sized budget so you should be able to get a good-sized car. In terms of car-vans, the best ones are the Citroen Berlingo and the Volkswagen Caddy Life, but both are noisier than a conventional car, and less comfortable over long distances. With that in mind, I reckon you need an estate – have a look for a Mazda6 Tourer, Ford Mondeo Estate or Volkswagen Passat Estate – or keep an eye out for the best of breed, the Skoda Superb Combi. All are comfortable, roomy and have frugal diesel options.