How much would a 2007 Ford Mondeo be?
Hi,
How much would a 2007 Ford Mondeo be worth? It has 84,000 miles on the clock, an NCT until April 2017, heated windows, parking sensors, new flywheel fitted. I'm wanting to update a few years for tax reasons but went to few dealers and it was an insult for what they were offering. Really I think it's because I'm a woman on my own going to a garage, but one dealer told me to sell it private so I'm looking for some advice on the price.
Thanks
Deirdre McMullan (Cavan)Sep 2016 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Deirdre,
Prices for a 2007 Mondeo seem to hover at around the €5,000 mark, so as a trade-in you’re only likely to get offered €3,500 or so – dealers have to allow for some profit margin and expense when it comes to valuing cars.
If you’re going to sell privately, I'd pitch the price at around the €4,500 mark and see how you go.
What warranty for on my Volkswagen CC?
Hi, I'm going over to buy a 2013 Volkswagen CC in England at the weekend. There's 66,000 miles on it. I'm looking at buying a private warranty for it that gives me some cover when it's back in Ireland. Would you be able to recommend a private warranty company? I'm getting mixed messages about Mapfre and Carprotect.ie.
Many thanks
Eoin Kelly (Naas)Sep 2016 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Eoin,
Mapfre and Carprotect provide decent cover, but, as always with these things, you need to make sure you read all of the small print, and we mean ALL of it, to ensure you know exactly what’s covered and what’s not and in what circumstances. Basically, rather like accident insurance, aftermarket warranties are there to cover utter disasters, not replacement of day-to-day items.
Does the Irish car industry care about VRT?
Hi,
Do Irish car importers actively lobby the government concerning VRT or does this arrangement actually suit them as some form of protectionism? I realise that VRT denies the Irish consumer choice/ranging/specification and all at higher prices than elsewhere in Europe, but was shocked to read that new cars being imported into Ireland are not being 'offered' with hi-tech safety features as standard (presumably standard in other markets?) because the VRT and VAT added on these safety features makes the cars too expensive!
Martin Smith (Naas)Aug 2016 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
To be fair to the car companies, they would all like to see the end of VRT – there’s little or no protectionist advantage to them (aside from it causing a small, largely ineffective brake on personal imports) and freeing customers from that yoke would make the Irish car industry much more competitive.
As for lobbying against it, that has largely dried up now. Why? Because of the tacit admission that even if VRT could be dismantled, any Irish Government would simply come up with a replacement for it. Even with the Apple tax decision hanging in the air, no Minister for Finance is going to turn off a €4 billion annual tap of combined motoring revenues, of which VRT makes up a a major component.
As for the application of both VRT and VAT to major safety items, you’re quite right – that is a staggering shame, one that should (but probably doesn’t) weigh heavily on the consciences of all in the Department of Finance, the Road Safety Authority and the Society of the Irish Motor Industry. Whether it’s autonomous emergency or a child safety car seat, adding VRT and/or VAT increases the price and makes it less likely that a customer will spend the extra to buy that system, not least because there is no benefit to your insurance premium for doing so.
Mind you, in some ways, Irish customers have only themselves to blame. Back in the early 2000s, when anti-lock brakes were often an option, and not an especially expensive one at that, most buyers shunned them in favour of a sunroof or a better stereo…
I want to import a used Fiat Doblo van.
I want to import a used Fiat Doblo highroof van with 1.9 JTD diesel engine year 2007, mileage 114,000. This has been professionally converted to a two-berth caravan. Can you estimate VRT, VAT and any other costs
Thanks
Gerry Boylan
Gerry Boylan (Limerick , Ireland.)Aug 2016 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Gerry,
Well you won’t have to pay VAT as it’s too old for that, but as for VRT it’s very hard for us to say. There are very few Doblo-based campers on the market for us to be able to try and work out a rough value, and none that we can find in Ireland so quite what view Revenue might take of its value is totally up in the air. Our best guess is that its Irish Open Market Selling Price will be around €7,000, which, with a VRT rate of 13.3 per cent, would suggest a VRT charge of around €800 to €1,000.
Will we be charged VAT on UK car import?
Hi,
We are a VAT-registered business in Dublin, If we buy a VAT-qualifying car in the UK that is over six months old and over 6,000km, will we be charged VAT in Ireland?
Declan Coghlan (Dublin)Jul 2016 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Declan,
For a private buyer, once an imported vehicle is older than six months or has more than 6,000km on the odometer then it's no longer liable for Irish VAT. However, it is a little different for a business and Revenue is closely watching such things to ensure that VAT is properly accounted for. We'd advise you seek professional advice from your accountant.
Do I pay UK tax on a car before importing?
If a car has outstanding tax from the previous owner in the UK, will this need to be paid before importing it to Ireland?
Laza R (Dublin)Jul 2016 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Lorna,
Do you mean motor tax or purchase tax? If purchase tax (VAT basically) then yes – the VAT must be paid before or when it’s imported. If it’s motor tax, then no. It would help if the car has been declared as legally off the road by the previous owner, and obviously you can’t drive it across the UK to a ferry port to bring it here (you’ll have to put it on a trailer), but the Irish authorities won’t be bothered if it comes in with no tax as long as you pay your VRT properly and then tax it here. Unpaid UK road tax is an issue for the UK authorities and the previous owner.
Do we need to pay VAT on importing?
Are we liable for VAT as well as VRT if we are bringing in a 13-month old company car that has done 39,000 miles and is still being purchased by monthly payments under a lease agreement?
The sale price the company is asking is just the amount to pay off the lease. Is the company legally able to sell the car yet or does the lease have to be paid off first? Also, if a company buys a car under a lease agreement do they pay VAT? We don't want to be stuck with a car we can't import or has hidden costs like VAT. The asking price does seem very good though: £11,000, which is what made me think we will have to pay VAT too. Any feedback will be very helpful.
Thank you
Debbie
Debbie Borton (Letterkenny)Jul 2016 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Debbie,
No, you shouldn't have to pay VAT. VAT is only payable on vehicles younger than six months and/or with less than 6,000km on the clock. Unless it's a very unusual lease that you're paying off, the vehicle's VAT will have been included in the original lease cost.
As far as the legality of the company selling it is concerned, it's up to them if they want to. The leasing company won't care one way or another as long as they they get their money. Just make sure it's a reputable company from which you're buying and make sure you carry out a history check with Cartell.ie on the car to ensure that there are no other outstanding loans or finance agreements. Make sure you get a letter in writing that the firm undertakes to pay off the lease when you buy the car and insist on having proof of that in writing too.
Hyundai Montana or Mercedes V-Class?
Hyundai Montana versus Mercedes-Benz V-Class? Which is the best one to run, fuel wise, resale value, tax and reliability? I know there's a big difference in price, but just wondering which is better to invest in long term.
Jenny Lynch (Navan)Jun 2016 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Jenny,
The Montana will be cheaper to buy of course, and I'd say overall reliability should be roughly similar. Tax is exactly the same if you're taxing them as commercial, but it gets a lot more complicated if you're taxing them as a private vehicle. Lots of hoops to jump through.
Audi A3 TDI or Toyota Auris Hybrid?
Hi,
As our family is fleeing the nest, I am hoping to buy a new or nearly new slightly smaller and economical (possibly hybrid?) car. Changing up from a 2009 Toyota Avensis 2.0-litre high-spec diesel with 98,000km on the clock. Do about 15,000km per year mostly in the city and trips to Wicklow, and odd long trip to West Cork for pleasure.
Not sure if I should go for diesel again, or hybrid. Is hybrid risky and will the residuals drop as newer technology comes onstream? Offered €6K by Audi for my Avensis (poor!) against a brand new A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI diesel (net after discounts and trade in = €25K) or €10k by Toyota against brand new 1.8 Auris Hybrid Luna (€26,225 + €575 + €180 road tax + €575 metallic paint = €16,980). Love the look of the A3 Sportback, but in my heart think Toyota is more practical for a privately run car. I am paying cash so am conscious I might have this car a while, i.e. five years.
Do you think a new car is advisable, or good demo, and also will the Audi be expensive to run?
Thanks,
Linda DJ, Dublin
Linda Dwyer Joyce (Dundrum)Jun 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Linda,
€6k is at the bottom end of 2009 Avensis trade in values and your Toyota dealer is possibly boosting your trade in a bit (€10k is definitely top end) to keep you in the family.
I think with 15,000km annual mileage you definitely don't need a diesel - you'll really struggle to make back the extra purchase cost in fuel savings and if you're not doing lots of long journeys you could run into problems with the particulate filter. The Audi wouldn't be expensive to run at all - they're reliable and frugal, but the servicing would probably be slightly pricier than for a Toyota.
As for the Auris Hybrid, I think it sounds like it might be just about right for you, especially as most of your mileage is around town and that's where it works best. You may find it hard to get the best economy out of it on that long run to West Cork, but the rest of the time it should be about right, and super-reliable too.
An ex-demo is always a good idea as you'll get it cheap with minimal mileage, but there are fewer of them around these days.
Relevant reviews on the site:
Does a 2011 Audi A4 have a timing belt?
2011 Audi A4 2.0 TDI: does this have a timing belt or a chain?
Sonia Olejarz (Belfast)May 2016 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Sonia,
It turns out that there are 2.0 TDI engines from 2011 with chains and with belts - according to our date. So we'd need either your registration or the engine code from your car to check for sure. You can send those in private using the comment section below.