Expert answer

Hi Alan,

Yes, you’ll have to pay import duty, which will be ten per cent of the price of the car, plus transportation costs. You’ll also have to pay VAT twice — once to the UK authorities and again when you complete the import process here. If you’re VAT-registered you should be able to claim back the VAT at this end, but claiming it back  from the UK will be much trickier.

In theory, the Brexit trade agreement allows for such things, but the paperwork’s a mess at the moment, and no-one really seems to know what’s going on. You could make things a little easier for yourself by buying from a dealer in Northern Ireland — you’ll not have to pay the ten per cent import duty and, although you’ll be stung for the VAT, the NI authorities are a little more switched on as there are reciprocal cross-border tax arrangements. 

Expert answer

Hi Danielle,

Yes, you can fill out a TR1 or TR2 form with Revenue to apply for VAT (depending on whether you’re applying as an individual, a sole trader, or a limited company) and you can find full details on that here. If you’re using the van privately (ie for anything other than journeys solely connected to business), then you’ll have to tax it as a private car, which puts you onto the old by-engine-capacity tax system. You’ll need to notify your local motor tax office that you’re doing this, and your insurer too.

We’ve heard tales from some readers that getting private insurance for a van can be tricky, so shop around, and maybe get in touch with a good broker, first.

In the meantime, have a read of our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature.

Expert answer

Hi Maurice,

A car has to be over 30 years old to qualify. See Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained for full details.

Expert answer

Hi Jason,

It’s not a bad thing, at any rate. As far as campers are concerned, you get charged the same 13.3 per cent VRT rate as regular panel vans at the point of import (based on the Irish market price, of course), but the good news is that once you have it converted it’ll only cost you €102 to tax it for a year. 

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

The van still needs to go through the CVRT, not the NCT.

Expert answer

Hi Howard,

If I were you, I'd stick with diesel for now. Assuming that, with such high mileage, you won't have time to plug the car in to charge it up regularly, the 530e won't get near the 520d's average economy. Once the battery charge is used up, you're effectively driving a heavy petrol car. The fact you're VAT-registered and can claim back the VAT on the diesel is another reason to stick with it for now.

Yes, electrification is coming to all cars, but we don't believe it suits all motorists just yet. The beauty of you changing your car every 15 months is that you can react quite quickly to changes in taxation and new model launches.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

If you do manage to get it registered before the end of this month (if you've not already got a VRT appointment, I'm afraid to tell you that you are unlikely to now) then your car will be taxed on its NEDC CO₂ rating, which I believe is 127g/km. That means €270 per annum now and no change for 2021. These guides might be of interest:

Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained

Guide to Importing Cars from the UK

Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

If you tax a commercial vehicle for private use then it goes by its engine size, regardless of how new it is. The X-Trail's engine is a 1,598cc unit so it costs €514 a year to tax privately. Read more in our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature.

As for the X-Trail's economy, it will depend more on how and where you drive it than anything else. The 1.6 diesel car, which is heavier than the van, officially returned about 56mpg. We'd expect you to match that at a 100km/h cruise and maybe average closer to 40mpg unladen for general use.

Expert answer

Hi Sheila,

Well, in theory the only thing you need to do to change the tax status of a car is to call your local motor tax office and tell them that’s what you want to do. As far as insurance is concerned, I think it would be a good idea to have a chat will a well-connected broker, who might be better placed to help you out. You might be able to find a policy that will allow you to insure the Land Rover as a private car even before it has been officially switched over, or possibly one that starts as a commercial policy but changes over once you’ve got the conversion. 

Expert answer

Hi Seamus,

If you're going to use the van for any private reason at all then it will have to be taxed privately. The rate then goes by the old engine size system, regardless of the age of the van.

Read our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature for more details.