Importing a car from Ireland (Southern) - Anyone done it?

[yoda960]

Hi Chaps

Considering buying an Irish car, but I can't find any definitive threads on the net about how easy the process is.

From what i've gleaned, it appears that I have to insure the car via it's VIN (probably cost a bomb, plus only a few insurers do this), then I can get it MOT'd on it's Irish plates, then re-register here with DVLA and get plates made up once a reg is issued. Now I keep reading about having a certificate of conformity. What the heck is this? The car in question is a Lexus, 2003 I believe.

Anyone bought a car from Ireland recently and can elaborate on the process they followed? Did you fly over there and drive the car back, or get a company to bring it over?

Any thoughts etc would be gratefully received!

[Parisien]

This is the only reference to doing so I could find, I live in N Ireland, its from 2010, not sure if still up to date.


http://www.speedyreg.co.uk/blogs/201...thern-ireland/

I thought if any car was sold within the EU then they all had equal status from a conformity point of view, ie only a car sold outside the EU needed one when being brought into the EU. So if Lexus sold originally in RoI/EU then you don't need one.

I frequently do it the other way around, fly to mainland and take ferry back to N Ireland!

P

[yoda960]

Thanks for the info! Where do you get your cars from in the UK, is it a set place or just used ones from wherever?

[Parisien]

Trade, dealers, private sellers, all depends! Keep us posted of how you get on.

Check this link too.

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk


P

[yoda960]

Thanks for that, I had a gander at that earlier. Just out of interest, might you be interested in driving a car over here for me? I could then take you to your destination? I'd pay of course!

[Parisien]

Let me know details, am back and forth 6-10 times a year, mostly flying of course, use the private messaging system.

P

[Parisien]

Originally Posted by yoda960

Hi Chaps

Considering buying an Irish car, but I can't find any definitive threads on the net about how easy the process is.

From what i've gleaned, it appears that I have to insure the car via it's VIN (probably cost a bomb, plus only a few insurers do this), then I can get it MOT'd on it's Irish plates, then re-register here with DVLA and get plates made up once a reg is issued. Now I keep reading about having a certificate of conformity. What the heck is this? The car in question is a Lexus, 2003 I believe.

Anyone bought a car from Ireland recently and can elaborate on the process they followed? Did you fly over there and drive the car back, or get a company to bring it over?

Any thoughts etc would be gratefully received!

Yoda, did you ever complete this, am just about to do it myself!


P

[volvo always]

When I returned from County Kerry with my Irish registered 1989 240 GLT I found re- registering it in the UK very simple. No COC needed.

Definitely VIN based insurance. Get it MOT'd and then I went into my local DVLA office and asked what form I needed. Filled in there and then and as my old reg hadn't been used had my original reg number re assigned to the car and taxed it. Left and got plates made up and searched for insurance and cancelled VIN based.

Make sure the model of Lexus is sold here as if Jap import may need a COC. When I previously registered my 1989 RHD Volvo 240 in France, I needed a COC from Volvo, which cost around 120 euro.

I have a Lexus IS 220D. Good luck. James.

[DAN AT ADRIAN FLUX]

Hi,
If you need any help with chassis number insurance then please feel free to drop me a line.
Regards,
Dan.

[Parisien]

My current insurer has covered it using the VIN number, plus will cover it after it has a new UK reg., collecting it tomorrow, get it MOTed by Wednesday, have to NOVA it too, such a palaver for an old, not very dear car.

P