Hi,
I am really confused, I have found a good deal on a Mini Cooper S (2002 £7995) and I thought it had private plates. When I asked if these were included in the sale the dealer explained that the car has Irish plates and had been imported at some point.
My mum works at a BMW dealership and they have advised not to touch the car as it is imported? It has Northern Irish plates so this is UK isn't it?
They can't seem to explain why I shouldn't buy an Irish import, though it is orginally from a BMW dealer. Are they just in huff cause I'm not buying the Mini one they offered me and missing out on commision?
Is a car on Northern Irish Plates a major issue?
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
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>>Is a car on Northern Irish Plates a major issue?>>
Not normally. In fact, if it's an interesting number you might get a few hundred quid just for the plate itself. If the vehicle was originally imported from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) where it was also first registered it still conforms with EU and thereby UK standards but the specification might differ slightly from the equivalent car sold via a UK dealer. Just a matter of checking that the standard equipment is up to your expectations.
My FiL has a Scenic bought new from a dealer in the ROI when the Euro was at rock bottom and was able to trade it in without any difficulty albeit for a few hundred less than he expected simply because it was officially recognised as 'an import'. Pays your money, takes your choice.
BTW I currently own 2 cars on N Ireland number plates and they are exactly the same as those I could have purchased from England, Scotland or Wales: the fact that I also live in N Irealnd is neither here nor there :-)
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Thanks for your reply, this is exactly what I was thinking. I see it as a bonus that it appears to have a private reg here in Yorkshire.
I think the BMW main dealers are just trying to put me off as they discribed the garage as a dodgy backstreet dealer, where actually locally it is a quite reputable used car sales, I think it's snobbery!
The car only has 38,000 on the clock so I'm getting a good deal which will no doubt all even out at trade in as you say.
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I had a diesel avensis from Northern Ireland.
Identical car to here, Toyota parts would get the hump when i went to get filters etc (grey import sir, it doesn't show on our database, no trouble getting bits for a landcruiser thats only ever lived in Botswana though...).
Some insureres were funny about it as well, so do check that yours is OK (NFU no probs).
Will you be able to get the BMW dealer to interrogate or repair the car if something serious goes wrong with it.
Edit..just one thought have you checked to see which road tax band this will be in next April?
Edited by gordonbennet on 26/03/2008 at 19:01
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He is telling you rubbish. Northern ireland is part of the uk and as such all cars purchased through franchised dealers will be uk spec. I f you have a look on minis own website
www.mini.co.uk you will find many northern ireland reg minis and can view cars at dealers situated in NI also . Northern ireland does have its own reistration system a satellite of swansea DVLA called DVLNI. Never had any problems with the NI reg cars ive bought and they can continue to be used in mainland UK with that NI reg .
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Thanks Guss, I think they're just a bit peeved that they have missed out on commision, but they are not able to offer me a good deal. Well they think 8k for a 04 mini one with 38k on clock is a bargain and they're doing me a favour.
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Thanks for your advice.
I have checked a few insurance companies online and the reg no was recognised and brought up car details.
I'm not sure I'd want to go with my tail between my legs to the dealer where my mum works as they have made such a fuss, but they are about 50 miles from me. They did however take the chasis number and check the car on their system, so it is on the database.
I haven't checked the tax band, and not sure I want to! I have a 1.2 Clio at the moment so I imagine I'm about to see a increase in motering costs all round! I'll sneak a peek.
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For goodness sake - do people not look at their passport and see its the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland! The cars are British too and if a Mini was made in Oxford and transported to Belfast its no further from home than in Inverness. I know a girls who works in our office who trades her Mini (used to be Clios) every two years. Her cars are kept with total passion and serviced on the nail. Her current registration is FIG **** and as such will be popular with someone. Our local BMW dealership is up among the best there is and the mechanics are trained to full BMW standards. Sounds like sour grapes on behalf of the local BMW dealer who has so little regard for his fellow British dealers. What next? Importing a car from Yorkshire!
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I bought a car in Wales once, never caused a moments problem, wheel was even on the correct side, servicing dealer in the English shires never batted an eyelid.
Oh and own a very foreign Land Rover (all the way from Spain)
Edited by Pugugly on 26/03/2008 at 21:47
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Amusing as your comments are I hope these are aimed at the BMW dealer rather than me!
I am completely on your wavelength, but can be easily confused when about to part with £8k and an 'expert' starts giving really unhelpful and unclear advice.
I persoanlly was imported from Lancashire to Yorkshire some years ago and I have to have my passport checked everytime I cross the boarder on the M62!
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From the registration point of view Northern Ireland is part of the UK so no difference whther the car was registerd in Derry, Glasgow or London. The Republic of Ireland is another EU country.
From the pracical as opposed to the legislative point of view, cars from the Republic tend to have higher milages for their age on worse roads than here. Also, as they get older the maintenace tends to slip more so than here. You will also find that in the Republic cars tend to be of lower trim spec than here to keep the cost down. If you think that Gordon ans Ali are bad you want to try running a car under the Iriah government especialy now that the Greens are in coalition.
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Thanks for the more detailed info, the car has been in England for the last 4 years at least, and is being sold by a Dealer in the North or England. Thanks for the info I'll bare it in mind.
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I don't think it's a particularly good deal - especially with the provenance - the history will always put some people off & may well depress future residual value.
It's also (I gather) not a BMW approved used car - that's worth something. There must be lots of haggle-able BMW approved used MINIs in your price range. I'd take your Mum's advice.
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Original place of registration is one of a zillion factors which affect resale prices (in the trade at least). It used to be the case that a car registered in a coastal area, big city, anywhere outside the mainland (Scilly Isles, Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland) was automatically worth less. A car imported from anywhere, even if right hand drive, UK spec, etc., is automatically given the bargepole treatment. All down to market forces, law of supply and demand, no more no less.
And a car with the "wrong" colour, the "wrong" wheels and tyres combination knocks zeroes off faster than a rumour on Wall Street.
And that's even before considering the "magic" combination of numbers and letters on the registration (ABC is always a better bet than QXW: Can anyone explain why??) and the critical date of registration: a Dec 31st "2008 57" is worth hundreds more than a Jan 1st "2008 57".
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"""Can anyone explain why??) and the critical date of registration: a Dec 31st "2008 57" is worth hundreds more than a Jan 1st "2008 57". """
Because the 31st Dec 2008 would be a 58 reg and not a 57 reg so instantly worth more
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