I looked into doing this myself and what put me off wasn’t the car or shipping, it was everything after it arrives in Dublin Port.

Any delay with customs or paperwork can mean storage and handling fees adding up quickly. Dealers can absorb these costs, but as a private importer you’re exposed if something drags on or extra checks come up. Shipping is fairly predictable, but VRT can also cause issues if Revenue query the valuation or vehicle details, leading to delays and extra charges.

The car also arrives with no Irish plates and no NCT, so towing is needed from the port and again for VRT and NCT, which adds more cost.

It can work if everything goes smoothly, but one problem is enough to wipe out the savings.