Buying a car

Buying a car is only the first step in being able to drive and might not even be the most expensive part. You should consider the total cost of owning and running a car before you buy. Some common costs include:

• Petrol/diesel/electricity for charging
• Car tax
• Car insurance
• Tolls
• Parking charges
• Servicing and maintenance

When calculating your costs for running a car, you should also consider how the type of car you get will impact these costs. Cars with larger engines, such as SUV’s, tend to have higher tax and insurance and will also use more petrol/diesel.

If you are trading-in your existing car, you need to consider the “cost of changing”, i.e. subtracting the value of your trade-in from the price of a new car. To give you an idea of your trade in value you can:

• Look at similar models online.
• Take your car to three or four used car-dealers and see what they will give you for the car.

After you’ve done your research, you will know the lowest and highest sale values for your car. When the dealer asks what you want for your car, have a strategy to get the best price you can.

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars are the number one choice for more and more people. If you’re considering buying one, there are a few things to think about first.

• Charging at home
  The cheapest and easiest way to charge a car is generally by charging it at home. If you don’t have an existing charger, get a few quotes to compare your options and factor this into the cost of buying. You should also think about when the best time is to plug in, electricity is often cheaper at night.
• Charging on the go
  If you don’t have a driveway at home, or will regularly be going on long drives, you will also have to factor in charging on the go. There are many different charging providers, and each have their own charges. Charging also tends to be more expensive the faster you want to charge your car. If you’re going to be using this option, we recommend you plan your routes and know which chargers are the best value in advance.
• Range
  While plug-in hybrids can run on their petrol/diesel engine when the battery run out, fully electric cars all have a limited range before they need recharging. You should consider what range you need to complete your normal driving and search for a car with this range. Extended range models are available but can be much more expensive, so it’s worth calculating in advance how much range you need.

Visit the SEAI electric car hub for more information.

When buying a car, you generally have the option of buying from a trader or a private seller.

Traders are often called “dealers” and sell cars as part of their business. Private sellers generally have only one car to sell and are selling it in a personal capacity, not as part of their business. Your consumer rights will depend on whether you buy from a dealer or a private seller.

Buying from a dealer

If you buy from a dealer, you have some protection under consumer law. Learn more about your rights when you buy goods and when you buy second hand goods.

Buying from a private seller

If you buy privately, you do not have the same consumer rights. If you decide to buy from a private seller, make sure you have an expert examine the car for you before you buy. It is advisable to bring a mechanic or someone who is experienced with cars or buying cars.

Disguised traders

A trader trying to sell as a private individual may be doing it to deny you your consumer rights. If a trader does not disclose that they are selling the car as part of their business, they may be guilty of a disguised business sale, which is against the law.

If you are buying privately, try to check if a seemingly private seller is in fact a dealer by ringing and asking about “the car”. If the seller asks you to be more specific, it is possible they are a trader selling more than one car. If you suspect that someone may be a disguised trader, you should report it to us.

Before you buy there are some checks you should do to make sure you know what you are buying. You can also use our printable car buyers checklist to help you compare cars.

Questions to ask the seller

• Has the car ever been crashed?
• Is the mileage correct?
• Is there any outstanding finance on the car?
• Have you carried out the appropriate checks on the car and are you satisfied that the car has no major faults?
• Has any bodywork been done to it (by you or by others)? This may have been done to cover up serious issues such as rust or damage from a previous crash.
• Has any major mechanical work been done on the car (by you or by others)? For example, has the engine been replaced? Ask if this is unusual given the age and mileage of the car.
• If it’s a private sale, ask if the car belongs to the person selling it or if they are selling it for someone else. If it is someone else’s then you need the name, address, and contact details of that person so you can contact them to ensure everything is in order.
• Is it an import? If so, ask for the original registration number and do an online check.
• Check that the car has all the features that you would like. If the car was an import, it may have different safety features to what you would expect.
• What features does the car have?

Check the history

There are several companies who can check the history of a car for you for a fee, you can search online to find one. These checks can give you details that the seller may be trying to hide. For example, if the car was ever written off, the true mileage or if there is outstanding finance on the car.

You should get the previous recorded odometer readings, details of any insurance claims, if the car has been used as a taxi and details of any crashes. You can find out if someone else has just bought the car, realised it has a fault and sold it again quickly.

You can also check and see if a car has changed hands within the last three months on motortax.ie.

Check if there is outstanding finance

Check that the car is not under an existing finance agreement. This means there is still money owed on it and you could find yourself liable for the outstanding amount, even after you have handed money over to the seller. In addition, the person selling you the car does not actually own it and may not have the right to sell it to you. There are companies that keep records of cars subject to hire purchase and PCP agreements; check if they have details of the car, you are looking at. You will be charged a small fee for this service.

If you buy a car with outstanding finance on it, the car could be repossessed by the lender even if you have already paid the previous owner for it.

All SIMI (Society of Irish Motor Industry) dealers have access to a car history check service, and they cannot sell a car which has outstanding finance on it.

Check the paperwork

Ask the seller to show you the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) if the car is Irish. This shows the current owner so the name should correspond to the person selling the car, and you should ask for proof of identity if you are buying privately.

The VRC has a 10-digit number on the top right-hand corner of the first page. It should look like C061234567. Take a note of this and use it when getting your car history check. If the number does not match the car, the document could be forged, and the car may be stolen.

The engine size, fuel type, date of registration and colour will be detailed on the VRC. Make sure the specification matches what the seller has told you about the car.

Make sure that all other documents, including NCT, VRT, motor tax disc and car handbook, relate to that car. Make sure all documents are originals, not photocopies.

The NCT Certificate now shows a car’s mileage history. Where available, it will show the mileage reading for the most recent and three prior NCTs. The most recent reading is also recorded on the NCT disc which should be displayed on the windscreen.

Check the condition

You should always try to examine a car and take it for a test drive before you buy it. This may not be possible if you buy a car at an auction. During the test drive, turn off the radio and air-conditioning so you can hear any sounds that might indicate a problem. For complete peace of mind, get the car independently checked by a mechanic.

Deciding how to pay for your car is a big decision, and you may have several options to choose from, from paying cash, to getting a personal loan or arranging finance through a garage. Before you start looking at cars, work out how much you can afford to spend.

The main options are:

• Cash or savings
  Saving the money is the cheapest option to pay for your car as you will not pay any interest. Rates of interest you can earn on savings can vary, so make sure you use our savings comparison Money Tool before you start.
• Hire Purchase (HP)
  Many car finance loans offered by dealers and some lenders are actually hire purchase agreements. Find out more about how they work.
• Personal Contract Plan (PCP)
  PCPs are similar to hire purchase agreements, but there is a balloon payment at the end. They are quite complex compared to other types of finance so it’s important to fully understand what you are signing up to.
• Personal loan
  Using a personal loan to pay for your car means you own the car from the day you buy it, unlike PCP and HP where you do not own the car until the final payment is made.

If you import a car into Ireland, you will need to pay certain taxes. The main taxes are VAT and VRT (Vehicle registration tax). You must pay VRT at the NCT centre within 30 days of receiving the car. Revenue has more information about registering an imported car and the documents you need. They also have a VRT calculator to give you an idea how much you will be paying.

If you buy a car abroad with the intention of importing it into Ireland, you will not be covered by Irish consumer legislation if things go wrong. The law in the country in which you bought the car will apply.

When importing a car, check that the car has all the features that you would like. Cars sold in other countries may have different safety features to what you would expect.

If you are considering buying at auction, you should visit one first to see how they work before actually making a bid. If you buy a car at an auction, you will have to pay a fee and you will generally not get a warranty unless the manufacturer’s warranty is still valid.

Remember, it may not always be possible to take an auction car for a test drive so make sure you get a mechanic to examine the car. Make sure you read and understand the auctioneer’s terms and conditions, before you make a bid.