Buying a new car elsewhere in the EU

Carnmore

Some time ago it used to be cheaper to buy a new car in Ireland and import it in to the UK as the pre-tax price was lower.

Is this still the case?

AdrianC

<shrug>
If only manufacturers had their prices on some kind of easily accessible electronic network.

Mutton_Geoff

Carnmore wrote: »

Some time ago it used to be cheaper to buy a new car in Ireland and import it in to the UK as the pre-tax price was lower.

Is this still the case?

The weakness of the pound has removed any benefit now. In fact the pound is so weak, I'm surprised Euro based motorists aren't buying in the UK.

AndyMc.....

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

The weakness of the pound has removed any benefit now. In fact the pound is so weak, I'm surprised Euro based motorists aren't buying in the UK.

Steering wheels on the wrong side for many.

Mutton_Geoff

AndyMc..... wrote: »

Steering wheels on the wrong side for many.

If you buy new, it's possible to order the correct spec car for your market, eg you can order a UK spec (RHD, MPH speedo) car from a German Audi dealer.


I bought many cars in Europe like this. When the pound collapsed, I then started selling LHD UK sourced exotica (Ferrari, Lamborghini etc) back to European buyers.


There are lots of cars in euro countries (UK included) that have the steering wheel on the wrong side (look on mobile.de to see). They have some value in being repatriated.


Almost all MPH speedo cars have KPH in smaller print, so legal in Europe but not many KPH based cars (even with RHD) have MPH speedos so legally you have to modify them to suit UK MOT regs.

agrinnall

20 years ago when it was quite common to buy in Europe you simply received a UK spec car from a dealer based in Europe, so there was no need to do anything with speedos (or anything else). The only issue with the Ford Puma that I bought was that the warranty was only 2 years rather than the 3 year one offered by UK dealers.

daveyjp

The EU introduced regulations to stop UK buyers being ripped off which came into force in about 2003.

The benefit of buying through an EU dealer therefore diminished as prices levelled off between EU member states.

Carnmore

Thanks for the replies. What about if your earnings are in euro and you already hold euro currency - would there be any advantage in buying in Ireland say?

forgotmyname

Sometimes you get a lower spec vehicle from Ireland. Seen a few people comment on their cars lacking power and found they have a lower spec 90bhp engine instead of the normal 115bhp/130bhp in the UK.

Seen some Ford's without the heated windscreen also, where it would have been a standard fitment on UK sourced cars.

Your bargain may not be all it seems.