Importing

[Dragonheart]

Does anyone know anything about importing? I'm just after importing, well, its on the ocean at the moment, and I'm trying to find out how to pay taxes, duties, that sort of thing.
First of all, I think its an absolute disgrace the amount of taxes, I have to pay a duty tax of 10% the price of the car when she comes in, after that, a VAt of 21%, then of course the famous VRT, which BTW went up from being €1308 last week to €2236 this week!!! How can that happen!?
As its my first import, I was lucky to have put in a bit of a contingency fund into my reckoning, but if I hadnt I would have been well caught out with all these fees.
At the moment I'm trying to sort them out and pay them off so that I can drive the car straight away. Dont want to be travelling to Dublin from Cork to be told everything is not sorted and I cant take it, so any information or help would be greatly appreciated. I know I can get a broker to do all this, but I would prefer to do it myself if possible as its experience for the next time if nothing else.
Thanks.
(P.S. Sorry about the length of the post, just blowing off some steam)

[paulkenny]

Yeah the taxes are a b*tch arlight ...almost half the total price of mine was taxes in one form or another. Anyway in regards to getting them paid you should contact a shipping agent (costs about €40) ...they'll be able to take care of getting the car from the boat then paying any handling charges, import and vat for ya. (I think MCI was the name of the crowd I used).

Once these are paid you are free to take the car from the docks but bear in mind that it can't be vrt'd and therefor registered till you present it at the VRT office. So to take it away you'll need either a transporter, garage plates or persuade your insurance company to insure it using the chassis number in place of a registration.

[kevinod]

Imported myself just over 2 years ago, have you seen the import guide? http://www.fto-ireland.com/importguide.html

Since you're going up from Cork like I did, your best bet is to get a local agent to sort out the customs for you. Check out the import guide, most of it should be covered there but any questions shout.

[Dragonheart]

Nice one, I didnt actually see that guide no. I'll check that out.
I rang MCI as well, got onto a fella called Greg, very helpful, but it costs €108 to take the car off the boat, he didnt say anything about that he would sort out tax and VAT, said that usually lads get a Dublin broker to do it, which as far as I know costs €210. Got an offer all right for an importer in Wexford to do it all and take it down to Wexford for €300, he'll sort out VRT and all that, all I have to do is send the documents and pay the fees.
Good offer do ye reckon?

[AL]

i brought my last few cars in through connelly frieght, 90 euro to collect 2 cars, do all paper work for VRT and drive away from customs yard, i called MCC and MCI originally (same company, so ive been told?) , but found them more expensive.

[gtoirl]

Just a note the (10% + 21%) 33.1% is changed on the total cost of the car, shipping and insurance while shipping! as per the invoice. The important words in this sentence are "as pre the invoice"

The VRT on the other hand is based on the street value of the car. Including all taxes of course. So you have room for play here.

[gtoirl]

You can do the VRT yourslef. You'll need the documents from the docks and will need to bring them to the VRT office to pay the fee, they will give you a reg number then all you have to do is get the plate made up and you can drive the car. Remember you can't drive it without plates but you could get it towed.

[kevinod]

Got an offer all right for an importer in Wexford to do it all and take it down to Wexford for €300, he'll sort out VRT and all that, all I have to do is send the documents and pay the fees.
Good offer do ye reckon?

With bringing it down to Wexford and all for ya on top of doing the paperwork, for the €300 you can't go far wrong there I reckon!

[Dragonheart]

You havent got a number for Connelly freight by any chance Al have you?

[PT FTO]

then of course the famous VRT, which BTW went up from being €1308 last week to €2236 this week!!! How can that happen!?

OMG !!!!!! I just went on the VRT online calculator thingy. Punched the details of my FTO in........ 4 months ago I paid the VRT on my GPX €465............same car, same details and now they're quoting €1441 The robbing B******S............. Damn gald I paid it when I did

[Dragonheart]

How come your GPX is still nearly €800 cheaper than mine? Is it a Mi-Vec too? Least you got away with it!! Damn them and their illegal taxes....

[Muad_dib77]

This is an absolute disgrace.. I thought VRT was on the way out!..

The b"rstewards!

[PT FTO]

How come your GPX is still nearly €800 cheaper than mine? Is it a Mi-Vec too? Least you got away with it!! Damn them and their illegal taxes....

Yours must be a later year, mines a 95 so if yours is younger then they put a higher market value on it, also differs with tip or manual. The VRT is calculated at 30% of their current market value. 4 months ago their value of a 95 GPX was €1650, now its bloody €5K

[Dragonheart]

its a '97.
tell me this, is the Mi-Vec engine really that good or is it just letters and nothing else?

[ikeane]

is the Mi-Vec engine really that good or is it just letters and nothing else?

Personally I love the mivec roar, well worth waiting for a gpx

[Dragonheart]

Just saw an engine readout some fella got done in US comparing the GR with the GPX, impressive! Putting out 192 hp at 7500 revs. with an induction kit should go up over the 200hp? The one I got has an Apex kit, no experience with them, use the K+N all right, but I presume its as good. Looks identical anyway.

[AL]

Dragonheart wrote:
Just saw an engine readout some fella got done in US comparing the GR with the GPX, impressive! Putting out 192 hp at 7500 revs. with an induction kit should go up over the 200hp?

you'll be lucky to hit 190 to 195 bhp, depending on state of engine, if its standard with an Apexi induction kit added.

you have to factor in irish petrol 95RON, compared to 100 in japan.................... it a crying shame i know, consider this i was on holidays over a year ago on Zacynthos (Greece) its a tiny island and most of the garages had 100RON

[Dragonheart]

Ah well, i'll settle for 190, its still more than a lot of machines out there.