Worth importing a van for private use?

Hi,

I'm looking at importing a Volkswagen T5 or 2006-2007 SWB Kombi, 2.0 TDI diesel, windows and seats in the back with no bulkhead. First thing is, can I tax and insure it privately? Secondly, could I buy a commercial van in Ireland, remove the bulkhead, add rear windows and seats and tax and insure privately for roughly same price as import?

Thanks in advance for your experience.

Brian

Brian Mulroy (Drogheda)

Jan 2016 Filed under: commercial vehicle

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Expert answer

Hi Brian,

Yes, you can tax and insure it privately, and indeed you should do because if it were taxed as a commercial, you'd be caught rotten if you were stopped with the kids in the back and it's a €4,000 fine. However, you can legally have it assessed for VRT as a commercial so that's a saving. The odd thing is that taxing it as a private car means, under the current rules, you'll revert to the old pre-2008 tax system, which is based on engine capacity. Odd, but there you go.

As for whether or not an import will be cheaper, it probably depends on how many of the specific style of T5 you want are available on the ground here. All I can suggest is that you do your sums, figure out how much the import will cost, and then have a shop around Irish dealers and ask them if they can match the numbers.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe