Michael McAleer answers your queries
From D O'Callaghan:
I'm sure you deal with this query on a weekly basis, but I was wondering if it's worthwhile to look at importing a car from the North? A relative imported a used Land Rover some weeks ago and made a saving of about €2,000 over the same vehicle at a dealer in Dublin.
Your friend deserves credit for discovering such a price difference. However, we would not be as confident that those sort of savings can be made on a regular basis, certainly not in the new car market.
One dealer in the North suggested that the rate would have to be €/£0.75 to make it worthwhile and then it would really only make sense to buy big. At the current exchange rate importing even mid-sized family saloons such as the Toyota Avensis would not make sense.
The most significant factor is the pre-tax price. Over the past year or so manufacturers have been harmonising these prices across the EU as new models are introduced. So it's important to look at the current exchange rates and then keep an eye out for special offers in the Northern market, along with specification levels to see if real savings can be made.
Perhaps the greatest savings are to be made by importing from the likes of Denmark, where pre-tax prices are still very low compared to the rest of Europe. However, the effort involved can be time consuming. You need to find an authorised dealer prepared to supply a right-hand drive car for which a supplement will have to be paid. This supplement can vary form 4 to 10 per cent of the price.
It all requires a good deal of research and you should always factor in the cost of visiting the dealers - even in the North - to see if it's worthwhile. If, for example, you spot a special offer in Britain, don't forget the cost of travelling over to collect the car and all the time and effort in registering it over here.
There may be more value in buying used rather than new in Britain, where a larger pool of used models is on offer and some good deals can be spotted through a quick internet search.
However, be careful about the sort of mileage on the car and as Keith O'Brien pointed out last week in an article about importing a motorbike from Britain, it's best to get a HPI check carried out to see if the car has been "clocked, nicked, knackered or is still on the never-never".
The HPI is a British motor industry database that's a vital part of buying a vehicle of any sort in Britain. It offers the peace of mind that all owners seek. It's also a worthwhile exercise for Irish buyers who are thinking of buying a vehicle already imported from Britain and on sale through an Irish dealer.
Ask for the original registration number of the vehicle and get a check done on mileage etc to ensure that nothing underhand took place between its sale in Britain and arrival over here. There have been claims in recent months that some used cars from Britain - particularly at the premium end of the market - are making their way onto the Irish market with questionable mileage.
From P Nelson:
My wife suffers terribly from car sickness. Is there any tricks or cures to this limiting ailment? She even gets sick at the thought of a long journey.
Sadly, there's no single cure for car sickness and Ireland's winding roads don't help. The choice of car can help - choose regular car rather than an SUV. Make sure there's plenty of visibility and open the windows. These steps limit the problem rather than prevent it.
Car sickness affects more passengers than drivers, so you could ask your wife to drive. It seems that keeping your eyes on the road can help.
If children are travelling in the back seats, make sure they can see out the window. At all costs, avoid reading.
If other readers have any tips on this, let's have them.
Send your queries to Motors Help Desk, The Irish Times, Fleet St, Dublin 2 - or by e-mail to motorshelp@irish-times.ie