UK Imports - What to Consider

Ireland is continuing to see an increase in used cars entering the country via the UK. But while importing cars from the UK has been on the increase in recent times, some would say that it is creating a problem and that is best left to the experts.

According to data published by the LGA (Local Government Association), the United Kingdom is experiencing a record number of clocked cars on their roads with over two million vehicles having a mileage discrepancy on the odometer. But the issues don’t stop there, according to Cartell.ie "Up to 17% of UK checks have write-off alerts." This is a staggering figure, as some of these cars fall into the A and B categories which state that the vehicle should never appear on the road again.

Another thing to be considered is the emission standards of cars that are being imported from the UK. Some of these vehicles do not meet the Euro 6 emissions standard in place in Ireland. According to Nissan, “Ireland is currently importing 100 polluting dirty diesel's for every 1 electric vehicle sold”.

If that’s not enough the rise of UK imports is also affecting Irish car sales, which undoubtedly puts Irish jobs and local businesses at huge risk.

Here are Carzone’s list of top things to consider if you are thinking about importing a car from the UK:

• A lot of organisation is involved in importing a car – VRT, Export permit, UK History check, Car inspection, acquire NCT within 7 days of arrival in Ireland, register the car in Ireland, acquire Irish registration plates and more.
• Imports may have a lower resale value due to the concerns
• The speedometer will be in miles rather than kilometres 
• The majority of these vehicles are sold without warranty
• It can be difficult to deal with Irish-based manufacturers and approved service centres when it comes to warranty, recall and other after-sales requirements.  
• There can be difficulties in organising a trade-in further down the line

If you are still thinking of importing a car from the UK make sure you carry out a full check it on Cartell.ie