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Car shopping can be both exciting and an absolute nightmare. So, if you’re upgrading to a brand new car, we have some tips to help you secure the best deal. 1) Identify the models that hold their value One of the biggest concerns when buying a new car is how quickly it could potentially lose its value. It’s not surprising that the amount your car decreases in value throughout the years is typically the largest cost and should be taken into consideration. When you create your shortlist of cars, it’s a good idea to search through older models of that car on DoneDeal to give you an idea of the price you expect your car to be worth in a couple of years time. 2) Estimate running costs Make sure you have an indication of the running costs of the car you intend to purchase. This will mean no nasty surprises down the line. Consider all or some of the below: Purchase price of the car Potential finance repayments Fuel cost (you can read more about petrol versus diesel cars here) Motor tax Car insurance Servicing 3) Haggle Haggling can be daunting, especially if you’re dealing with a seasoned car salesperson. If you’re new to the world of negotiation, an easy starting point is to ask the salesperson to include something for free with the sale. Whether that’s a sat-nav or a roof rack, if you need an add-on try not to pay extra for it. Another great way to leverage your buying power is to visit a number of car dealerships. In doing so, you’re armed with deals from a variety of dealerships meaning that the salesperson will have to make you a better offer if they want to secure the sale. Finally, walking away from a purchase if you’re not happy with the deal can show the salesperson that you’re not super keen and are happy to hold-off for a better offer – another tactic which is likely to lead to a better deal. 4) Ensure those extras are needed Make sure that any extras that you buy are needed – and most importantly worth the money. It’s very easy to get swept away in the heat of the sale and the novelty of a new car and add some features such as sat nav or cruise control when you’re purchasing a new car. All of these extras will certainly bump up the cost so you should be sure that you really need them. And if so, can you get them cheaper elsewhere? To avoid adding unnecessary extras which increase the purchase price, it helps to create a list of all of the features that you’d like your new car to include. Ideally, this list should be prioritised so that you can add the most important extras first and still stay within your budget. 5) Choose the correct finance Often when you’re buying a big ticket item like a new car, you will need help to finance the purchase. While it’s important to visit a number of dealerships to get the best car deal, it’s also important to shop around for the best finance offer. Car finance is on every salesperson’s lips right now, it’s likely that PCP or HP finance will be offered to you when purchasing a new car. Before you commit, make sure you are fully informed about the pros and cons of both PCP and HP finance so that you can make the best decision for you. Also consider a car loan from your local credit union or bank. Don’t be overwhelmed when the salesperson begins to talk finance. Ask as many questions as you need and take any calculations home with you to look over – choosing a finance type for your new car is a big decision and should not be taken lightly. 6) Test drive Although this seems obvious, this step of the new car buying journey can often be forgotten. The car may appear perfect to you on paper but once you take it for a test drive you may not be convinced that it’s the right car for you. Check out our top tips for test driving a new car here. #CarBuyingAdvice #Motors

Clothes, shoes and accessories are topping the list of items being listed online by Irish adults in the days after Christmas, according to DoneDeal.ie & Adverts.ie. The online marketplaces have noticed a surge in these listings since Wednesday with 15% of all ads placed now falling inside the clothing category. Mobile phone listings have also increased over the last number of days ( accounting for 10% of all ads now) along with Home and Garden items (13%). In a survey conducted by DoneDeal.ie & Adverts.ie ahead of the Christmas holidays, 21% of Irish adults said they would sell their unwanted Christmas gifts online while one in three of us indicated that sentimental gifts were the most valued of all. Martin Clancy from DoneDeal.ie said “Over the last two days, particularly yesterday, people are going online and listing items. Tech listings are very big, but clothing is the category with the most activity this year.”

There was a time when diesel cars were the obvious choice thanks to better fuel economy and lower tax. But with growing concerns surrounding the impact of diesel engine emissions on the environment and people’s health in urban areas, coupled with petrol engines becoming more economical – the decision is no longer as clear cut. We’ve created a straightforward guide for those who don’t speak in “torque” or “MPG” so that you can make an informed decision when choosing between a petrol or diesel car. Purchase Price As a result of the huge investments that manufacturers have made in the development of diesel engines in recent years, diesel cars can be on average €1,000 to €2,000 more expensive to purchase than petrol cars. Running Costs Generally speaking, if you cover mileage of over 18,000km a year and most of your driving is on motorways, a diesel car is more economical as diesel cars cost less to fill and you will make fewer trips to the fuel pump. If most of your journeys are local and you’re covering less than 18,000km a year, a petrol car will likely suit your needs better. Put simply, if you purchase a diesel car the amount that you save on fuel over the lifetime of ownership should make up for the higher purchase price. When comparing the running costs of petrol versus diesel cars, tax and insurance should also be considered. Insurance tends to be slightly higher for diesel cars because of the increased value. Currently, diesel cars have cheaper motor tax than petrol cars but with mounting pressure to address the pollution concerns associated with diesel cars, motor tax for diesel cars may increase in the future. Performance & Maintenance Here’s where we delve a little into comparing the performance and maintenance of diesel versus petrol cars (not to worry though, we’ll still keep it as straightforward as possible). One unique feature for diesel cars is the diesel particulate filter, otherwise know as the DPF. In order to keep the filter unblocked, many owners’ handbooks advise running the engine at high speed, for example on a motorway. If you don’t regularly drive on motorways, you run the risk of blocking the cars DFP which can cost thousands to replace. Maintenance costs are similar for a petrol and diesel car but it can be more expensive to repair a diesel car is anything serious goes wrong. With that being said, most newer diesel cars only require a service every 2 years or 30,000kms compared with petrol cars which need to be serviced once a year or every 15,000kms. We should also mention the obvious when talking about the performance of diesel versus petrol cars, which is that diesel engines offer a smoother driving experience. As a result, a diesel engine is best suited to larger cars such as SUV’s and 4×4’s. The Future of Diesel While covering the basics, it’s important to briefly acknowledge the future of diesel cars. As we’ve mentioned already, there are rising concerns over the effects that diesel emissions are having on the environment and on people’s health, particularly those in urban locations. In the short-term, this could potentially have an effect on motor tax prices and even fuel prices which in turn may cause fluctuations in the trade-in value of diesel cars. When deciding on whether a petrol or diesel car will best suit your needs, your best bet is to weigh up the pros and the cons above according to how you use your car and use independent car reviews like those featured on the DoneDeal Motor Magazine to make sure your purchase is right for you. Still not sure if petrol or diesel will suit your needs better? Here’s our quick guide: Choose a diesel car if: You regularly drive on motorways You travel over 18,000kms per year You have the budget to cover additional insurance and maintenance costs You’re looking for a larger car like an SUV or 4×4 Choose a petrol car if: Most of your driving is local or within a city You are concerned about the future trade-in value of your car You are price sensitive when it comes to purchase price, insurance and maintenance costs You’re not concerned with engine power or performance #CarBuyingAdvice #Motor

Buying a used car can marry excitement with dread. You put yourself in quite the pickle when rocking up to somebody’s house to look at their used car with absolute trust. How can you believe everything they’re saying? How can you trust that the details they are spouting to you about the vehicle are the absolute truth? And moreso, what questions should you be asking to ensure you get as much honest information as possible? Well, have no fear. We are here to guide you. Below are the ten questions you should ask when checking out a used car. 1) Can you show me the logbook? This should go without saying. You will need to see a log book when purchasing a car, but make sure you ask to see it whilst viewing, because it will prove the legitimacy of ownership and will get you off to a good start in terms of trustworthiness. 2) Has the car ever been in a crash? After you’ve seen the logbook and are viewing the car, casually throw this question in the direction of the seller. It may throw him or her off guard, but you are looking for honesty in their response. The key here is to try to come across as if you know what you are talking about. 3) Is this the original paintwork? This should have the same effect as the previous question. You are looking for the honesty here before you pose the next question. 4) Does the car have service history? Can I see the relevant paperwork for this? This will hopefully prove whether or not the last two answers you received were honest. You will be paying out (likely) thousands of euro for this vehicle, so ensuring it has a history of being looked after in the best possible way proves reliability. You are essentially looking for a consistent history of care. 5) Does the car have in-date NCT? Obviously NCT is compulsory but a car will have added value if an NCT has been completed recently, If a car is coming to its NCT deadline and somebody is selling, perhaps they are dreading that NCT for a reason. If the NCT is approaching, ask the seller if they would put it through the test before you part with your money. 6) Do you have both keys for the vehicle? This is an essential requirement for any vehicle. Beware the ‘one key seller’. There should be two keys for every vehicle. 7) How many previous owners has the car had? You will be able to find this information on the logbook, but it’s always a great question to ask. If there are plenty of owners, it’s unlikely ALL of them took care of the car. You’d also need to ask yourself why so many people have sold this car at some point. One or two owners is always preferable and adds value to the vehicle. 8) Why are you selling this car? Great question. It’s also self explanatory. If this car is so good, why do you want to get rid of it? Of course, there are always legitimate reasons. ‘I am upgrading’. ‘I have now got a company car.’ ‘I need a bigger car for my growing family’ etc. But make sure you put the seller on the spot with this question. 9) Can I take the car for a test drive? This should go without saying, Make sure you give the car a good run before parting with your money. I would recommend getting the car into every gear during a test drive and also make sure you check the lights/indicators and electrics during this trial run. Also, check each of the four seat belts to ensure they are all in working order. 10) Can you reduce the price? If the answers to all of the above are satisfying, it’s time to negotiate. At a guess, I would say there is always room for manoeuvre. Nobody advertises at their rock-bottom price. Start your negotiations low and try to meet at a satisfactory price that suits you. Things you should look out for when looking at a used car: Does the car sit squarely on the road or does it appear higher at one end or on one side? Check for chips or cracks in any glass. Check all electrics work, windows, doors. Are there any body panels that appear a slightly different colour to the others? Do the gaps around the doors and between body panels appear even? Do the bonnet and boot close squarely and easily? Do the front and rear bumpers sit with the bodywork squarely at both sides? Are there any decorative trims that are cleaner or newer on one side of the car than the other? Read more of DoneDeal’s top tips for buying a car here. #Motor

Car manufacturers are paving the way with innovative safety features designed to keep you as safe as possible while on the road. If you’re in the market for a new car, you’ll know how hard it is to keep track of all the new car safety features available – let alone understand their importance. Let’s take a look at some of the latest safety technologies, most of which are available to you either as standard or an option for new car models. Tyre Pressure Monitoring System A tyre pressure monitoring system senses loss of pressure in individual tyres and provides a visual warning to the driver, most often on the dashboard. While this feature is primarily for safety purposes, a soft tyre can also accelerate tyre wear and reduce fuel efficiency, making a tyre pressure monitoring system a hugely beneficial feature for your new car. Lane Departure Warning & Assist Lane monitoring uses road markings to detect if you’re drifting out of lane without indicating to do so and will alert you with a sound, flashing light or steering wheel vibration depending on the car make. Some more advanced systems even offer corrective steering or braking in the event of no action. This feature favours motorways and main roads so may not be suitable for those who spend a considerable amount of time driving on country roads. Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) AEB is a feature which detects a potential crash with another vehicle and offers preventative alerts and actions. AEB systems first try to avoid the impact by warning you that action is needed. If no action is taken and a collision is still expected, the system will apply the brakes to prevent the collision or reduce the impact speed. AEB is available for all driving requirements including; a low speed system suitable for avoiding collisions while travelling in congested areas, a high speed system suitable for detecting potential obstacles when travelling at speed and a pedestrian system which alerts you to pedestrian movement in your path. Blind Spot Warning System Serving as a second set of eyes, this feature can detect a vehicle in any one of your blind spots and provides an audible or visual alert, most often displayed in your wing mirror. With certain car models, a more urgent warning is provided if you indicate to change lanes when a vehicle is driving in a blind spot. As crossovers are continually growing in popularity in Ireland, this feature would prove useful for those getting accustomed to driving a larger car. Rearview Camera Rearview cameras are becoming more and more popular as a standard safety feature on new cars. This feature provides a live feed of what’s behind your car once it’s in reverse gear, viewable from a screen on your dashboard. Not only is a rearview camera handy when getting out of tight spaces, it also helps to ensure that you don’t hit any objects behind you. Traffic Sign Recognition A traffic sign recognition system consists of a forward-facing camera which scans the road for traffic signs. Any changes detected in traffic signs, namely changes to the speed limit, are then displayed in real time on your dashboard. Some car models can also monitor the speed limit through your sat nav system in the absence of traffic signs. With a lot to watch out for when driving on the roads, a constant display of the speed limit could be invaluable if you happen to miss the last speed sign. Driver Alertness Monitoring The RSA estimates that driver fatigue is a contributory factor in as many as 1 in 5 driver deaths in Ireland every year. While the RSA have issued helpful advice for tired drivers, car brands are also playing a part to help combat driver fatigue. Driver alertness monitoring is designed to analyse your characteristics as a driver and identify signs of inattention or drowsiness. This may include behaviour such as drifting lanes, sudden deceleration or a long period of driver inactivity. In the event of suspected driver drowsiness, an audible warning or visual alert is provided. Some car models also vibrate the steering wheel to ensure the driver regains attention. #CarBuyingAdvice #Motor

If you’re in the market for a new car, you’ve likely heard about an increasingly popular car finance option called PCP or Personal Contract Plan. But what is PCP and is it a suitable car finance option for you? PCP stands for personal contract plan and is a type of hire purchase. A PCP plan is made up of 3 stages. Deposit: this is typically between 10% and 30% of the value of the car which you can pay in cash or cover with the value of a trade-in. Monthly Repayments: PCP’s generally have low monthly repayments compared with other forms of finance. Repayments are made over a fixed term, usually 3 years. End of Term Options: When the PCP contract term comes to an end, there are 3 options available to you. The first option is to make a final payment known as the GMFV (guaranteed minimum future value) to own the car. The second option is hand the car back. Generally there is no additional payment required with this option unless the terms and conditions of the contract have not been met. The final option available is to use the car as a deposit on a new car and enter into another PCP agreement. Before entering into a PCP contract, it’s important that you’re fully aware of the terms and conditions involved. Many car dealers now market PCP as their primary method of finance and should be in a position to answer any questions you have, from the basic to the complex. As with every car finance option, there are advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of PCP: Low initial deposit required. You have the option of a brand new car when the PCP contract comes to an end. Low monthly repayments over the contract term. Disadvantages of PCP: You won’t own the car unless the final GMFV payment is made at the end of the contract term. A charge will be incurred for excess mileage if the contract mileage is exceeded. There is a penalty fee if you decide to return the car before the PCP contract ends. Still feeling a little confused as to which car finance option is best for you? Here’s our quick guide. Choose PCP if… Low monthly repayments are important. You have concerns about the car depreciating in value. You’re not sure what you would like to do with the car at the end of the agreement. Choose Hire Purchase if… You’re sure you’d like to keep the car at the end of the contract term. Fixed monthly repayments are important for budgeting purposes. You don’t want any restrictions on mileage, car care and servicing. You can learn more about Hire Purchase from our “What is Hire Purchase?” article. #CarBuyingAdvice #CarFinance #Motor

A test drive is a crucial part of the car buying process. On paper, a car may appear perfect for you but once you take it for a drive, you may feel entirely unconvinced. With this in mind, here are some tips to make the most out of your test driving experience. Research First When you visit a car dealership, you should already have researched what models of cars you’d like to test drive. It’s important to test drive the exact model and spec of car that you’re looking for as changes in engine size can greatly alter the feel of the car. Try to test drive your shortlist of cars on the same day so that you can make a clear comparison. You should also consider bringing a member of family or a friend with you to offer a second opinion and to point out features you may overlook. Exteriors and Interiors Although your first thought will be to hop in the car and start the ignition, it’s important to take a look at the interior and exterior of the car first. Is the car big enough to meet your needs? Are the primary controls laid out to suit your driving needs? Are the interiors finished to your required standard? It’s a good idea to create a checklist of some of the features which are important to you when buying a new car and take the list with you on the day of the test drive. Here are some new car safety features which you can keep a look out for. Before starting the car, you can ask the salesperson to go through these features with you. The Test Drive Spend a few minutes familiarising yourself with the car and adjusting the seat and mirrors to make sure you’re comfortable. When driving, take notice of some of the key features such as: Smooth acceleration Effective braking Fluid gear changes Clear visibility from the rear window and mirrors Electric features (bluetooth, air conditioning, sat nav, park assist etc) Easy to read gauges and display screens It’s always a good idea to try and take the car overnight so that you can test the car on different road surfaces and to inspect the lights at nighttime. If the car dealership doesn’t offer this option or the option of a test drive alone, make sure the salesperson doesn’t act as a distraction during your test drive. Don’t be pushed into a quick drive around the forecourt and don’t be afraid to ask for some quiet while you get a feel for the car. Take Your Time Even if you’ve decided that this is the car for you, it’s still worth taking some time to think it over. It’s also important to go through this process with the rest of the cars on your shortlist so that you can find the car best suited for your needs. When buying from a car dealership, remember that the salesperson is there to answer any questions or concerns you may have, so don’t be afraid of asking too many. Don’t hesitate to ask for a second test drive if you’re still not sure too. #CarBuyingAdvice #Motors

Buying your first car can blend excitement with frustration. You are most likely just finished all of your driving lessons and have applied for your license. Exciting. But you have most likely thralled through For Sale guides and spoken to your family and friends about which car you should and shouldn’t buy. Everyone has an opinion. Frustrating. Well, as always, we are here to help. We take a look at the Top 7 cars you should consider for your first ever motor purchase. Best of luck with the car shopping! 7 Skoda Citigo Hatchback Source: Sköda Media Cost; New: €11,800 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: The Skoda Citigo is placed in the low-end of Insurance companies’ cost guides due to its small engine size. Of course, as it with all of these Insurance gauges, so many other variables have to be taken into consideration. The Citigo is a very comfortable drive. Slow on the uptake, it is an ideal first car, especially if you live in a city. It’s handling is superb. The engine is annoyingly loud for some unexplained reason. 6 Kia Rio Hatchback Source: Kia Press Office Cost, New: €16,000 Engine size: 1.25 Insurance costs: This will set you back a little more than the Citigo and is in the third band of insurance costs. The Rio has a gorgeous interior for such a small vehicle and that will probably win you over. It handles well too, though not as neatly as the Citigo above. Suspension is not great however, and you will feel it. 5 Volkswagen Polo Source: Volkswagen Newsroom Cost, New: €15,400 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: This will be in a similar bracket, albeit slightly dearer, than the Citigo. This is a comfortable as a small car gets but be wary that the engine is quite sluggish, especially for a Volkswagen. Aside from that one negative, it’s quality and reliability are top notch. It’s a more refined car than others on this list and should be highly considered. 4 Hyundai i10 Source: Hyundai News Cost, New: €13,000 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: It’s in the low band, which makes this an ideal first car. Hyundai are aiming for ‘best in class’ with this new version of the i10. The styling is right on point with ample interior space. The dashboard can be loved or loathed, depending on personal taste. The car’s handling can’t be considered strong but it does house a refined engine which ensures a very smooth driving experience. 3 Ford Fiesta Hatchback Source: Ford Media Cost, New: €12,000 Engine size: 1.25 Insurance costs: The Fiesta Hatchback is not the dearest car on the list, but insurance-wise it is. Sorry! Let’s get the downsides out of the way. Some of the trimmings are very cheap looking it must be said. And it’s not a very versatile vehicle. But it is hugely fun to drive and handles as good as any of the cars on this list. The comfort levels of the Fiesta beats everything else in its class. 2 Peugeot 208 Source: Peugeot Media Cost, New: €14,800 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: Again, this is in the first band when it comes to insurance so should be cheaper than most depending on your personal details of course. The 208 is one of the classiest cabins in the small car class. There is no question about that. It has a great look both internally and externally and has been brought on even more by great dashboard technology. It may not be the best city drive and handling is poor. But if you want cool, this is should be your option. 1 Toyota Aygo City Source: Toyota Cost, New: €13,400 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: On the lower side of insurance costs for the 1.0l version. It’s never a coincidence that Toyota top these lists, no matter what the class. But the Aygo City is cheap to run, is a flawless city drive and has stunning new touchscreen infotainment system. All you need is at your fingertips. If there is a downside then it could well be space in the back and in the boot, but the room could be described as average, at worst. And don’t forget, no car brand holds their value quite like a toyota, so it would be a wise investment. #Motors

Up-cycling is all the rage these days. It’s a great way to recycle old pieces of furniture and give them a new lease of life. Emer here at DoneDeal is a dab hand at it. In this blog, she’s going to focus on paint – chalk paint and eggshell. Chalk Paint Without blabbing on about the reasons why I ended up with just one kitchen chair out of a set of six, that chair had a sentimental value which meant I just couldn’t throw it out even though it was a bit bashed up. Chalk painted chair So, I decided to try out the much talked about Chalk Paint as opposed to my usual choice which would be Eggshell Paint. The main attraction of chalk paint is that there isn’t as much need for the sanding and preparation you need to do to use normal paint. The finish from Chalk Paint is kind of part of its charm… its not perfect, nor is it meant to be. In fact, giving it a distressed look seems to be a preference for many. Anyhow, with a quick wipe and clean down, I set out painting my chair. The paint itself was easy to use (I found it best to water it down a bit), but it does dry very quickly and the coverage is excellent. If its a quick project you want to spruce up something that is looking a bit dilapidated, then Chalk Paint is a great choice. After you’ve finished and your work is dry, you do need to seal it off with wax, and you can distress it a bit with sandpaper on corners etc, but this is where I felt what is gained in not preparing is lost in the importance of the finishing off. Waxing takes a bit of time, I didn’t feel you could just lash it on and then buff it off. You needed to make sure to get the wax all over the piece of furniture, make sure you didn’t leave any lumps of wax anywhere and then come back and buff it up the next day. Eggshell painted drawers Onto my little project with Eggshell Paint. I had a little chest of drawers, not a spectacular piece of furniture but a useful piece. I knew I could use it in a living room area in my house but it was very worn out looking. I spent a little bit of time sanding, cleaning down and preparing it for undercoat and an Eggshell top coat. The result was lovely, and when you are finished with the paint brushes, that is it, no waxing. The paint is more durable also, a bit of a more professional finish I feel. Try it out though, get started with small pieces and enjoy it! #HouseampDIY

It’s now FREE to place your ad in these sections on DoneDeal: Clothes & Lifestyle, Baby & Kids, House & DIY, Sport & Leisure & Music & Education. These Freebie ads are exactly what they say they are – totally FREE so there’s nothing stopping you selling off  what you don’t want and try something new without breaking the bank! Everyday there are over 500,000 people searching DoneDeal for the kind of stuff you no longer want. No time like the present to clean out the playroom, wardrobe, shed, attic and sell the stuff you no longer want at no cost to you at all. So how do you get a Free Ad? From today, when you’re placing an Ad one of the above sections, you’ll be able to choose to place a Free Ad. You can place as many of these ads as you like so if you’ve a whole wardrobe of clothes you want to get rid of, or loads of toys the kids have grown out, you can place an ad for each item and not be charged a penny to sell them! Freebie Ads stay on the site for 30 days, plenty of time to get your things sold. You can still choose to place a Regular Ad in these sections for the usual €1 for 60 days, but now we’ve made that option even sweeter too and included a free scheduled bump to the top of the list! So what are you waiting for? Click here to see the full list sections which are FREE to advertise in and get your free ad on DoneDeal today 😉

Our tech guys have been really busy….as always, they’re all working super hard to enhance the features for our DoneDealers! So again, we went back through all your feedback and noticed that lots of you wanted us to make some further improvements around our new message centre. People said they’d like an option report a user if they wanted to during the conversation. Some other users felt they wanted to stop a conversation... So now we’ve made both of these options available for our DoneDealers now!

Take the stress out of buying a camper van and avoid extra expense with our guide to VRT on imports and conversions. If you’re buying a camper van advertised on DoneDeal it’s very important to be aware of vehicle registration tax (VRT) obligations before you pay over any money. Camper costs If the VRT is not already paid you will want to ensure you can afford the VRT due – it’ll be 13.3% of the taxable value – and the taxable value could be well more than what you’re paying for the vehicle. How camper VRT is estimated There are no trade guides that track the value of motor caravans because there are so many variables. The official word will come from Revenue who calculate VRT for these vehicles individually following presentation for registration or declaration of conversion. Eamonn Campion is Assistant Principal, Central Vehicle Office, Revenue Commissioners, based in Rosslare Harbour. “It’s not what you or I might sell our camper van for, it’s what we think a dealer in the State would sell it for,” he explains. It’s important to understand that private advertisements (such as on DoneDeal ) aren’t a great guide to the taxable value: “I’d expect it to be cheaper actually [on DoneDeal], because the private seller is not trying to cover overheads and he’s not trying to make a profit and doesn’t have tax obligations.” Left-hand drive versus right-hand drive However, if the byroads of Ireland or the UK is as far as you will venture, then a right-hand drive camper van is more your style. Paying VRT on imported factory-built camper vans Before you buy check that the logbook describes the vehicle correctly so that you don’t have to make a ‘declaration of conversion’ (see converted van section below). Imported factory-built camper vans must be presented to the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) which Revenue has outsourced vehicle registration to. The NCTS does a physical examination of the vehicle and will send Revenue over details so they can calculate its taxable value. Revenue uses photos of the vehicle to judge the condition, and do their valuation research. It can be a good idea for owners to submit photos (external and internal to illustrate make, model, version, extent and quality of conversion, overall condition) to the NCTS who may be able to transmit them as scans to Revenue in addition to electronically messaging the vehicle details. Revenue may have to contact owners where the NCTS is unable to provide scans to Revenue in time, or of a sufficient quality. The NCTS then asks you for 13.3% of the taxable value. When you pay you will get your registration number from the NCTS and when you tax the vehicle you will get the vehicle registration documents. Appeals are possible but must be supported with valuation research. VRT on converted vans There are also plenty of vans that have been converted to camper vans as a pastime or as a means to sell on a commercial vehicle. Campion recommends that camper van buyers mustn’t assume that the VRT has been paid on that conversion. “I think they should ask to see the vehicle registration documents. And they should try to satisfy themselves from the description on the vehicle registration document that the vehicle has been declared to Revenue as having been converted into a motor caravan, because otherwise they may find themselves liable.” The typical candidate for conversion is be an older van, with three seats in the front – on which VRT of €50 VRT had been paid, explains Campion. However, the VRT is unlikely to remain at €50 once converted. “When it’s converted into a motor caravan it attracts additional VRT and the rate then is 13.3% of its tax and duty inclusive retail value in the state.” If someone who’s gifted with their hands converts a Transit, for example, into a motor caravan, they are obliged to declare that conversion to Revenue. However, this isn’t just clear-cut form filling – the vehicle must be first declared roadworthy by a suitably qualified individual. What owners have to do Download the VRT CONV form. Fill out the Vehicle Owner’s Declaration of Conversion on this form. Get a suitably qualified person e.g. an engineer to draw up a declaration of conversion (details on form). What Revenue does On receipt of the form Revenue is likely to request photos and other details from the owner to try and gauge the standard of conversion and the condition of the vehicle. Revenue will invariably ask for photos, so it would be more efficient for all concerned if owners enclose photos (external and internal to illustrate make, model, version, extent and quality of conversion, overall condition) with declarations. Revenue researches and calculates the taxable value of the vehicle, factoring in: age mileage the make condition the standard of conversion The owner’s local Revenue tax office will request payment (not MotorTax or the NCTS) Once payment has been confirmed the owner will be sent a document to submit when renewing motor tax for that vehicle. Who to contact Your local Revenue office is your first point of contact on a VRT matter. Official terminology Campers or camper vans are officially known as motor caravans. A motor caravan is a defined term in EU law and Revenue uses that definition as a tax category. To be deemed a motor caravan, a vehicle must be a special purpose EU category M1, M2, or M vehicle 3, and must be constructed to include living accommodation which contains at least the following equipment: seats and table, sleeping accommodation – which may be converted from the seats cooking facilities and storage facilities Quality of living accommodation It should be noted that this equipment must be rigidly fixed in the living compartment; however the table may be designed to be easily removable. Be aware some people have converted vans into motor caravans to a very basic standard. Have a think about whether you are looking for luxury or the bare basics before buying. While you may be tempted to just pick up a camping stove for your camper van – it should be rigidly fixed in the vehicle. Any gas cooking appliance should be installed properly and safely. If you’ve put in the cupboards yourself ask if you brake suddenly, are the cupboards going to stay where you put them? Also consider extra weight of what you install in the camper van and how this effects Gross Vehicle Weight e.g. the gauge of plywood that you might use in your home could be pressure heavy. #Campervans #Holidays #Motors #Summer