In the news: Ireland is experiencing a phenomenal increase in the luxury car importation market and with Audi alone practically doubling in the last two years basing on the new figures that were recently released by Cartell.ie which is by the way is the only used car history check in Ireland.

Cost saving and specification benefits are available in the UK which explains why both private buyers and Irish car dealers who are looking for bargains fly to Ireland to purchase cars. The Cartell.ie holds various information on every car registered in Ireland, and when importation figures dating January 05, 06 and 07 were compared, it showed that the number of Audis—luxury unit of Volkswagen and recipient of quality VW ignition coil --- imported into the country more than tripled.

According to Nicola Aherne, Director of Cartell.ie such trend is the due to the fact that more and more high specification car buyers wants to avoid Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT). She also said, “We’re not in the least bit surprised by these figures. Discerning car-buyers are still eager for a bargain and know that they can save thousands on the vehicle of their choice by buying overseas. The number of luxury vehicles such as Audis and BMWs being imported from countries like the UK will only increase in the next few years while the anomaly in Vehicle Registration Tax remains in place. It’s widely believed that many people importing UK cars are deliberately understating their specification, and in consequence the VRT they pay is substantially lower than it should be. Given that approximately 80,000 vehicles are imported annually, the likelihood of Revenue inspecting the vehicle is minimal.�

It was just recently that the deadline closes for the submissions to the Department of Finance on how a new emissions-based vehicle tax system should operate. This subject has ignited a broader debate about the Irish car taxation system and one of its key elements is the Vehicle Registration Tax.

Cartell.ie has always warned car buyers to be extra cautious when searching for bargains in the UK since there have been reports already about car buyers having problems re-selling their purchased cars in the UK once they return to Ireland.

Nicola said, “Individuals buying overseas need to be just as careful as those buying at home. Every day, we hear from customers who’ve picked up cars in the UK only to find when they attempt to sell them in Ireland that they’ve purchased a car that’s been previously written off or had its mileage altered. Unfortunately, unscrupulous sellers go out of their way to disguise some of the less desirable elements of the car’s previous history. We caution all car buyers to conduct a thorough background check on the vehicle of their choice before they hand over their hard-earned cash. At Cartell.ie, we’ve come into contact with many car owners who have been duped by vendors overseas and are left with very little course of redress.�

Cartell.ie also reminds car buyers to always conduct a thorough background checks on vehicles via a similarly reputable car history provision service such as the HPI. It will also help if car buyers would familiarize themselves with the UK versions of Irish vehicle documentation.