Used car imports into Ireland are climbing quickly.
SIMI recorded 63,815 imported used cars between January and August 2026, up 37% from 46,661 during the same period last year. August alone brought 8,093 imported used cars into the market, a 36% annual increase.
That is a sizeable change in the amount of used stock entering Ireland.
It also comes at an interesting point for dealers. New car registrations are up 5% this year, while used imports are growing more than seven times faster.
For Irish dealerships and motor finance brokers, the import figures raise a few commercial questions. Where is the extra stock coming from? Are movements in UK used car prices creating sourcing opportunities? What will increased supply mean for Irish retail prices? And does your finance panel match the stock you are putting in front of customers?
How Fast Are Used Car Imports Growing In Ireland?
The pace has increased sharply during 2026.
SIMI’s figures show:
63,815 used imports from January to August 2026
46,661 during the same period in 2025
37% year-on-year growth
8,093 imports during August alone
August’s figure was 36% higher than the 5,963 vehicles imported in August 2025.
For context, 71,813 used cars were imported during the whole of 2025.
Ireland therefore imported almost 89% of last year’s full-year total during the first eight months of 2026. If you’re buying stock, that deserves attention. More imported vehicles mean a larger sourcing pool, but they can also change competition within individual price points, age groups and models.
Why Should Irish Dealers Pay Attention To UK Used Car Prices?
The UK remains central to the Irish import market. Revenue says most used vehicles imported into Ireland from overseas come from the UK.
That makes current UK pricing useful intelligence for Irish buyers.
Auto Trader’s August 2026 Market Intelligence report found that UK used car retail prices fell 0.4% month on month. The movement was larger than normally seen at this time of year.
There are also signs of downward pressure on UK trade values, while retail prices remain broadly flat year on year.
For an Irish dealer buying from the UK, softer values could create opportunities. The opportunity needs to work once the car reaches Ireland, though.
Purchase price, exchange rates, transport, VRT, NOx charges, VAT and Customs Duty where applicable, preparation and expected retail margin all affect the final calculation.
The cheapest car at auction rarely sends an invoice for just the hammer price.
The UK Market Is Moving At Different Speeds
A 0.4% fall across the UK used market does not mean every vehicle has become 0.4% cheaper.
Auto Trader’s data shows large differences between age groups.
Retail prices for cars aged up to one year were down 2% year on year in August. Cars aged one to three years were down 1.8%.
Cars aged 10 to 15 years moved in the other direction, with retail prices up 6.9% year on year.
Fuel types and body styles also show different patterns.
That makes model-level research important for Irish dealers sourcing UK stock.
A dealer buying five three-year-old hatchbacks faces a different market from one sourcing eight-year-old SUVs or 12-year-old petrol cars.
The useful question is therefore quite specific: what is happening to the UK wholesale and retail value of the stock you actually buy?
More Imports Could Change Competition For Irish Used Stock
A 37% increase in imported vehicles adds more stock to the Irish market.
The effect will vary by segment.
If large numbers of similar cars arrive within the same age and price bracket, dealers may face more competition when those vehicles reach retail. If imports fill areas where domestic used supply is tight, dealers may gain access to stock that was previously harder to source.
The overall import figure cannot tell us which outcome will apply to a particular vehicle.
Dealers need to go deeper. Look at how many comparable cars are already advertised in Ireland. Track days to sell. Monitor retail price changes. Compare likely Irish retail value against the full landed cost. Review enquiry levels by model, age and price.
Then make the buying decision. The 37% figure tells us that more stock is entering Ireland. Your own data tells you whether you need more of it.
Landed Cost Matters More Than UK Purchase Price
A softer UK price can look attractive on a buying sheet.
Dealers need to calculate what that car will actually owe them when it reaches the forecourt.
The tax treatment varies depending on where and how a vehicle is sourced.
Great Britain is treated as a third country for Customs purposes. Vehicles brought directly from Great Britain require a Customs Declaration, with Customs Duty where applicable and VAT accounted for before registration. VRT also applies.
There are specific B2B VAT rules too. Revenue says qualifying used vehicles that meet the relevant conditions may use postponed accounting, while the UK’s Second-Hand Motor Vehicle Payment Scheme can apply to eligible VAT-registered dealers buying vehicles in Great Britain for resale in Ireland.
Northern Ireland requires a different calculation.
Qualifying vehicles purchased in Northern Ireland can enter the State without additional Customs Duty and import VAT where they meet the conditions set out by Revenue. Dealers need evidence that the vehicle qualifies.
For stock buyers, that makes provenance part of margin. Two apparently identical cars with the same purchase price can produce very different landed costs depending on their history.
Check Northern Ireland Stock Before You Buy
The paperwork around Northern Ireland stock deserves attention before money changes hands.
Revenue’s current guidance says a used vehicle purchased in Northern Ireland can avoid Customs Duty and import VAT where it was legally imported into NI under the Windsor Framework, or where the relevant historic conditions apply.
Dealers need evidence.
An NI Import Declaration can provide that proof. Where one is unavailable, Revenue may consider other evidence, including the original V5C showing an NI keeper, service history in Northern Ireland and MOT history. Revenue warns that a vehicle may not be registered in the State where the required evidence cannot be provided.
That creates a simple buying rule for dealers: check provenance and paperwork as part of the appraisal.
The vehicle history affects more than risk. It can change the tax treatment and therefore the margin available when the car reaches retail.
Stock Age Is Worth Watching
The age profile of imported stock matters as well.
Auto Trader’s UK data shows particularly strong retail price performance among older cars. Vehicles aged 10 to 15 years recorded 6.9% annual retail price growth in August, compared with a broadly flat market overall.
That does not tell us that Irish dealers should buy more 10-to-15-year-old vehicles. The data covers the UK market.
It does tell Irish stock buyers that different age bands are behaving very differently in one of Ireland’s main sourcing markets. If older stock forms part of your buying strategy, check the numbers at vehicle level. Purchase price, mileage, condition, preparation cost, expected retail value and days to sell all matter. Finance criteria belong in that calculation too.
Your Finance Panel Needs To Match Your Imported Stock
Stock strategy and finance strategy can easily become disconnected.
A dealer may start sourcing older cars, higher-mileage vehicles or stock at a different retail price without reviewing whether their existing lenders can finance those vehicles.
Every lender has its own vehicle criteria.
LMO can consider eligible petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles from 2014 registration onwards, up to 250,000 km, with a maximum vehicle age of 15 years at the end of the agreement.
That final point matters when buying older stock.
A car can meet a lender’s age criteria today and fall outside them once the proposed agreement term is taken into account.
Dealers should therefore look at likely finance terms while assessing stock, particularly where older vehicles form a growing part of the forecourt.
More Stock Only Helps When Dealers Can Convert The Sale
There is another side to the 37% rise.
Dealers can source the right vehicle, price it correctly and generate an enquiry. The deal still needs to get funded where the buyer needs finance.
Customers arriving on the same forecourt can have very different credit profiles. A lender that works well for one applicant may have little appetite for another.
That makes lender coverage important.
Prime lenders will remain an important part of most dealer panels. A non-prime lender can provide additional coverage for customers whose circumstances fall outside mainstream credit criteria.
Previous credit issues, self-employment or more complex circumstances can all require a closer underwriting review.
LMO specialises in non-prime Hire Purchase and takes a human approach to underwriting.
Our underwriters can consider the circumstances behind an application rather than relying solely on an automated decision. Applications still need to meet our responsible lending, affordability and credit criteria.
For dealers and brokers, the purpose is straightforward: another lending option can give a suitable customer another route when their application does not fit elsewhere.
Our guide to getting more car finance approvals for Irish dealers and brokers looks at lender mix, application quality and finance conversion in more detail.
Brokers Should Watch The Change In Stock Mix Too
The import boom matters to brokers as well as dealers.
Brokers may not make the stocking decision, but the vehicles entering the Irish market shape the applications they receive.
Changes in vehicle age, mileage and value can affect which lenders are suitable for a case. That makes up-to-date lender criteria useful when routing applications.
A broker dealing with an older imported vehicle should know the lender’s maximum vehicle age at the end of the agreement. The same applies to mileage, advance, term and vehicle type. Good lender placement can reduce avoidable declines and save time for the broker, dealer and lender.
What Should Dealers Review As Imports Rise?
Start with your own stocking data.
- Review which imported vehicles sell fastest, which produce the strongest margin after preparation and which sit beyond your normal stocking period.
- Compare UK purchase prices with Irish retail values at model level. Include the full landed cost rather than the purchase price alone.
- Check provenance before buying UK stock, particularly vehicles sourced through Northern Ireland.
- Track age and mileage across your imported stock. Then compare that profile with your lender panel.
- Finally, look at finance conversion.
- Where are applications being declined? Are those declines concentrated around certain customer profiles or vehicle types? Could another lender provide sensible coverage in an area where your current panel has a gap?
That gives the 37% import figure some practical use.
Used Car Imports Are Reshaping The Irish Stock Market
Ireland imported 63,815 used cars in the first eight months of 2026, up 37% year on year. August alone brought another 8,093 vehicles into the market.
At the same time, Ireland’s main overseas sourcing market is showing signs of movement. UK used retail prices fell 0.4% in August, trade prices face some downward pressure and different vehicle age groups are moving in very different directions.
That combination gives Irish dealers more information to work with when buying stock.
Watch the UK market. Calculate landed cost properly. Check provenance. Buy against actual Irish demand. Track stock turn and margin. Make sure your lender panel keeps pace with the vehicles you source.
For brokers, the same market shift makes lender knowledge increasingly useful. More varied stock means more varied finance cases.
LMO works with motor dealers and brokers across Ireland, providing non-prime Hire Purchase for customers who may fall outside mainstream lending criteria. We combine clear vehicle criteria with a human approach to underwriting, giving our partners another option for suitable applications that need a closer look.
If you are reviewing your finance panel or looking for more non-prime coverage, speak to LMO about becoming a partner.