Consumers can save thousands on a used car by shopping outside of Ireland.

Consumers can save up to €7,000 on a used car by personally importing one from Britain or Northern Ireland, according to a new survey by the Consumers Association of Ireland (CAI) and published in its Members magazine Consumer Choice.

With used car values in Ireland at an all-time high, Irish motorists should look to Britain or Northern Ireland, where values for equivalent cars are much lower, the CAI advises.

Even taking into account the costs of transport, and the costs of new plates, car tax and Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) when re-registering the cars in Ireland, motorists can end up paying thousands of euro less than suggested values of equivalent cars listed in popular Irish used car price guides.

A 2002 Honda Accord 1.8 SE costs roughly €15,000, according to the Irish Used Car Price Guide. Yet a similar example with 30,000 miles can be bought in Britain for €7,200 which, adding Irish VRT and other costs, will set you back just over €10,000, a potential saving of €5,000.

Big executive cars, which depreciate very quickly in the British market, offer very attractive savings to Irish buyers. A 2003 Peugeot 607 2.2HDI SE with 20,000 miles would cost about €16,000 in the UK, according to the well-known Parkers Used Car Price Guide. Add VRT and other costs and the final price to an Irish motorist would be about €23,500. The suggested value in Ireland of a similar model is €30,000, according to the Irish Used Car Price Guide.

Used cars in Britain are often better looked after, with lower mileages and better specifications than equivalent models sold in the Republic of Ireland, says the CAI.

The survey shows that more adventurous buyers can save even more if they opt for a private sale as opposed to sourcing from a franchised dealer, particular for older models.

For those wary of private sellers, the CAI says that one strong safeguard for used car buyers in Britain is that anyone can order a HPI history check, which can find out if the car you want to buy is stolen or clocked, check for any undeclared accident damage, check the car’s true identity and date of registration and check whether the number plate and chassis number match.

“There is a little bit of research and effort involved in finding a car, checking it over, buying, organising transport back to Ireland and re-registering it,” says CAI researcher John Cradden. “But it’s easier than you think and the savings that are possible over equivalent cars in Ireland makes it well worth considering.”

The survey, presents a useful update on the Association’s well-known car importing information pack “How to import a car into Ireland”, which was first published in 1996.

Dermott Jewell, CEO of the Consumer Association, commented that “Consumers need to be regularly informed and made aware of what is within their personal capability to save very significant amounts of their money. With this survey I think we have accomplished that”

Contact:
Dermott Jewell
Chief Executive

Tel: 01 - 497 8600