Michael McAleer answers your questions
From R Wilson, Waterford:
I recently bought a Renault Megane convertible, but on a recent visit to Co Cork and after an encounter with a sharp stone, I ended up with a damaged wheel. As there is no spare wheel - either skinny or full-size - with the Megane convertible, I had to get the AA to tow my car back.
The thing is, there is a well in the boot that would seem to suit a spare wheel. When I contacted Renault they told me that I could buy a full-size spare wheel for my car - for €80 - and then buy a tyre for it myself.
However, it gets more complicated. Since the wheel is slightly deeper than the boot space, I need a new carpet cover that includes a slight indent for the spare wheel, so as to avoid the boot floor being uneven when the tyre is in place. The price for this new cover is €170 plus VAT.
Why is it so complicated to get a spare wheel, and if spare wheels are not part of the car's initial specification package, why is there a well in the boot?
Incredibly, Renault claims that the decision to leave out the spare tyre was because they wanted to give owners more space in the boot.
We've heard some strange excuses for not offering a particular feature, but this one deserves a prize.
However, before you go blaming the Irish for being miserly, this is apparently a European-wide policy.
Of course, most motorists probably will not appreciate that this is an ingenious way to create extra space and may indeed think that it's just a case of Renault scrimping on specification.
I'm sure as you stood on the side of the road waiting for the AA to arrive, you came to appreciate the benefits of that extra little storage well.
From Tim O'Riordan:
I've been living and working in London the past few years and would like to avail of the VRT exemption when I eventually return home to Ireland in 2006 or 2007.
I've been getting conflicting advice, some of the options include the following:
- Option 1: buy a new car in Ireland and then take it back to the UK for six months, paying the VAT in the UK and thus avoid the VRT when returning to Ireland.
- Option 2: buy the car (new or second hand) in the UK where the range of models and extras are much more extensive and potential resale value would be much better due to their scarcity when returning to Ireland.
- Option 3: buy a car in Holland, register in UK for six months before returning to Ireland.
You should certainly take advantage of your potential change in address. The first thing to remember is that while you will benefit from the six month exemption - thereby saving yourself a hefty outlay in VRT - the rules do stipulate that you cannot sell the vehicle for 12 months after you move to Ireland.
Regardless of the savings you make, the sort of depreciation on any new car over the first 18 months can be quite hefty.
As to whether you should buy in Ireland, Britain or the Netherlands, the best reference to look at is the EU pre-tax price comparison that's published every six months.
The last one showed that pre-tax prices in Ireland were higher than those in the Netherlands, but only by a matter of a few hundred euro on the likes of the Audi A4, for example. Every euro counts of course, but there is likely to be a premium for supplying a right-hand-drive model. This can range from a couple of hundred euro to over €5,000 on luxury models.
It's always dangerous to generalise, and it really depends on the car you are thinking of buying. You should take a look at the latest EU pre-tax price survey to get a better feel of which brands are cheaper and where. The detailed reports also include comparisons with specifications. It's available online at: europa.eu.int/comm/ competition/car_sector/price_diffs
The best place to buy at pre-tax prices remains Denmark or Estonia.
With the premium on right-hand drive, however, my advice would be to import a car from Ireland.
This way you would benefit from the pound's strong exchange rate, avoid the VRT and then you can ship the car back to Ireland when you move.
It would be right-hand-drive, come from an Irish dealer - which helps when you go to resell - and even have a km/h speedometer. Best of luck with your purchase.
Send your queries to Motors Help Desk, The Irish Times, D'Olier St, Dublin 2 - or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie