How much to import and tax my Honda?
Hi,
I'd like to live in Ireland and have a Honda Insight Hybrid to import. What will be the cost of import and road tax? I have the car more one year.
Thank you, Jan
Jan Beerens (The Netherlands)Jan 2018 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Jan,
If you’ve owned the car for more than six months and have had it taxed and insured at your previous address during that time, then there’s no import duties (or Vehicle Registration Tax - VRT) to pay. Depending on where you’re moving from, there may be some VAT to pay, and you’ll have to pay for the inspection and valuation at the NCT centre, but other than that there should be no cost to bringing the car in.
The last generation of Honda Insight has a CO2 rating of 105g/km, so that means you’ll pay €190 a year in motor tax.
Read our guide to How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland for more information
You can find much more information on the importing process here: https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/guide-to-vrt/vehicle-registration-tax/index.aspx
How much could I sell my Merc coupe for?
Hi, I’m just in the process of getting Irish plates on my Mercedes E 350 auto Coupe BlueEfficiency (first registered on July 2009), which I’ve had in London for four years. It has a panoramic roof, electric mirrors, heated seats, satnav, AMG seats and 68,000 miles on the clock. How much can I expect to sell it for privately?
Thanks,
DD
Dave Downey (Dublin)Jan 2018 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Dave,
A tricky one to value, mostly because the Irish market tends not to like the big engine option, even in something like an E-Class Coupe. I think you’re looking at a value of around €10,000, but it could be challenging to find a buyer.
Which premium estate for up to €14,000?
Hi.
I'm in a top spec '07 BMW 3 Series 2.0 petrol auto with only 60k miles. I love the car but need more space. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. My overall budget is max €14k (€10k plus €4k that I hope to get by selling privately, as dealers are only offering me €3k). I would like to stick to a premium brand, and would buy a used estate version of my current car, except they're all diesel and I don't do enough mileage to warrant a diesel engine.
Many thanks and best regards
Tony, Dublin
Tony H (Dublin)Dec 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Well, it would certainly be worth trying to track down a petrol-engined 3 Series Touring estate, but as you rightly point out these are rarer than hens’ molars at the moment. Same story for the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate too, I’m afraid. Would you consider a VW Passat Estate? Or a Skoda Superb? A bit of a step down in class terms, I’ll grant you, but good, solid cars and you can track them down with the 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine.
Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento?
Hi,
I'm getting a new company commercial SUV. I regularily drive remote country roads and am mainly based on site. I have the option between a Hyundai Santa Fe or a Kia Sorento with a budget of around €40k including VAT. Which would be the best to go for?
JP Heraty (Dublin)Oct 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi JP,
They’re basically the same car — same engine, gearbox, electronics etc, just with different bodies. Our preference comes down, slightly, on the side of the Kia, just because we prefer the styling and the interior, but you won’t go wrong with either. Here are our reviews:
How will an imported L200 pick-up be taxed?
Hi,
I'm looking to bring in a 2010 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian, but want to bring it in for private use so not commercial. I have called the tax office and Revenue and no one can tell me whether it will be taxed on the CO2 emissions or on the engine size. Can you help?
Karen Odonovan (Carlanstown )Oct 2017 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Karen,
The tax system for using a commercial as a private car is a bit of an odd one, as it means reverting to the old by-engine-capacity rating. No-one seems to know quite why, and I suspect that the lack of knowledge in official quarters is because you’re possibly the only person honest enough to actually ask up front. Most people just tax them as commercials and hope they don’t get caught…
Value for my 2011 Honda Accord?
Hi, I am looking for valuation for my 2011 (revised in 2011) Honda Accord Executive 2.2 D-TEC with 187,000km on the clock, a full Honda service history and in excellent condition. I tried usual car valuation websites, but with imports on market, it looks like they are priced high. Looking for trade in value and private sale value.
Any idea?
Thanks
Garret Hearns (Laois)Oct 2017 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Garret,
I think a realistic trade-in value is going to be around €8-9,000, with a private sale price of around €10,500.
Will hybrid VRT relief change in the Budget?
I would welcome your opinion on the upcoming 2018 Irish Budget in November. The current VRT relief on hybrid cars is €1,500. In light of current poor sales of hybrid cars in Ireland (two per cent of total Irish sales), do you see them raising this value or could they possibly withdraw it?
I ask this because I am planning to purchase a hybrid for 181 and I would like to take advantage of the 'increased' value.
Michael Carey (Letterkenny)Aug 2017 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I would expect to see little to no change in the hybrid subvention in the coming budget. Although there will be some pressure to incentivise low-emissions cars that aren’t diesel, the focus will probably be more on higher incentives for battery-electric cars, and possible plugin hybrids, and some changes to the reclaiming of VAT on petrol for company users. The Department of Finance will be well aware that there is a huge number of new hybrid cars due for launch, and they won’t want to risk a fall-off in revenue by increasing the subvention, so I think, at this point, it’s unlikely to change very much.
Will there be Budget changes for 2018 VRT?
Budget 2018 and the hybrid reduction amount of €1,500 on a new Kia Niro: in your opinion. would you expect this figure (VRT reduction) to increase, based on the fact that hybrids have not been selling very well this year (two per cent of total sales in Ireland), and the government needs to encourage hybrid sales. Hence, I would wait until the budget is announced before buying my 2018.
Thanking you as always for your expert opinion.
Michael Carey (Letterkenny)Aug 2017 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi again Michael,
Our answer on your other question is relevant here too: I would expect to see little to no change in the hybrid subvention in the coming budget. Although there will be some pressure to incentivise low-emissions cars that aren’t diesel, the focus will probably be more on higher incentives for battery-electric cars, and possible plugin hybrids, and some changes to the reclaiming of VAT on petrol for company users. The Department of Finance will be well aware that there is a huge number of new hybrid cars due for launch, and they won’t want to risk a fall-off in revenue by increasing the subvention, so I think, at this point, it’s unlikely to change very much.
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.
Why are cars not properly changed to RHD?
Hi! Hope you're well and hope you don't mind having a read of my rant to see what you think.
I'm wondering lately what is it with car manufacturers, in particular European ones, who in recent years have decided to skimp on doing full right-hand-drive conversions on their cars. For example, in the current Skoda Octavia, the bonnet release is on the left, as it was designed to be. The access buttons for the stereo are also to the left for easy access by the driver. If you take a look at the right-hand-drive model though you see the handbrake, bonnet release and stereo controls still placed for the left-hand-drive market. Same applies to the latest Golf; Volkswagen has been doing that with the Golf since the MK3 model.
And marques outside of VAG are also guilty - in particular Renault and Peugeot stand out as prime offenders for this - so much so as not bothering to convert the wipers to the right side. It looks so lazy - and I presume it's saving a meager sum on each car sold. You'd know this is the case as the premium brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes still go to the trouble of doing the conversions properly - but what's frustrating is that Skoda was doing proper conversions until recently. Their MK2 Octavia, sold until 2013, had it done properly. So it's a shame to see it going in the wrong direction.
Is there any way you could run this by your people in the motoring industry? I love new cars, but I'm sure most people would be willing to pay the extra €100 per car or whatever it is to have it as intended for the market. I'm sure some acknowledgement of it might make them reconsider. The poor attempts at the minute look very, very shoddy and I wish they'd give us the same attention as they do the left-hand-drive world.
Thank you for reading. I know - first world problems right?
Colin Moynihan (Waterford)Aug 2017 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi Colin,
Yup, first world problem right enough, and actually not a new phenomenon at all. The old left-hand-drive-right-hand-drive swapover has been done better and worse by various car makers down the years, and it varies hugely from model to model. Anyone who’s driven a Mazda RX-8, and found the handbrake digging into their left thigh, for example, will have no doubts that even the Japanese, in spite of their right-hand-drive home market, often design cars for left-hand drive and then switch things around on the cheap.
Generally speaking, there should be no safety issues from the switch (wipers, as you point out, should really be swapped across and I can’t think of a model in recent years that hasn’t had that) although there was the old issue with the second generation Renault Megane that used a rod to switch the brakes across and which could still be activated by a passenger poking their shoes into the footwell…
As you point out, some buttons, switches, etc are often left the same and it’s all down to the investment needed to swap them around and the likely return on sales from right-hand-drive markets. Car makers do the maths very carefully, and while you’re right that it might only be €100 a car, that’s a multi-million up front investment, and one with no guaranteed return.
Incidentally, if you think it’s bad now, wait until after Brexit — if the UK car market slips, then the business case for right-hand-drive cars will fall further still.