An Irish Branch?

[Slaphead]

If it's not against the wishes of the UK association would it be an idea fro the Irish memebers here to form a separate, but associated, branch based in Ireland? There seems to be quite a few of the lads here living in Ireland so it makes acertain amount of sense.

I'd view this purely as a means to getting a decent insurance deal, providing a database of MB garages and specialists, parts distributors etc.

Anybody interested?

 

[mike65]

A sub-forum? Start that sort of thing and they'll ALL want one!

"We want a Scotish branch" "Up Yorkshire" etc!

Mike.

 

[pascal]

TAX

I see your point Slaphead. Seeing as Ireland has the second highest
amount of Mercedes owners (percentage wise) in the world, you'd think
there would be enough interest. But alas, a lot of my friends that own MBs
only drive them for their status (not love).
Also, I like the Guys (and Gals) (including the ones with SILVER SL500's)
on this site.
It would be no problem to start a forum on this site, dealing with with the
specific points you mention.
Also because it only takes 3hours 15min to take a car to Britain, or 30mins
flight to Liverpool the Irish sea should not be a barrier.
The biggest barrier is our revenue (robbers), who took almost E15,000 in
VRT from me to import my SL; thats over £10,000.

 

[Slaphead]

Re: TAX

Also, I like the Guys (and Gals) (including the ones with SILVER SL500's)
on this site.
It would be no problem to start a forum on this site, dealing with with the
specific points you mention.

I don't want to form another forum or sub-forum, this one works fine!
What I'm suggesting is a "real world" association..... whereby we could approach insurance companies/parts suppliers etc and do deals for members.

 

[gfern]

An Irish Branch

Thats not a bad idea if there are sufficient people interested. I take Mikes point about the split but if thats what people want why not. Any information posted would still be generally available. In any event I suppose that you could simply start the topic as now and those interested simply add to the contacts and information on an ongoing basis. As for better insurance deals here I think we would all subscribe to that if it were possible. Most people in UK are quite shocked at our cost of insurance and tax my car costing around ?1300 alone to tax let alone the insurance. Wait see how many reply to Slaphead and any further ideas on the issue but I wouldn't mind sharing my contacts for parts,servicing,insurance deal Etc.

 

[Mark Little]

I think its an excellent idea.

 

[mike65]

Don't mention the split!

Second highest per capitia ownership of Mercs in the world??? I'll need to see that stat.

Earlier today I was musing on this topic and maybe a register is needed with a free site on Yahoo Groups to pool information. And pics and links etc...whatever. They already have a general Mercedes Benz section
http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=mercedes benz&ss=1

Mike.

 

[Slaphead]

Can I reirerate something? There is no split! OK? there is no split! Are we clear on that? :?

I think that this forum works very well for all MB owners and I have no intention of setting up a similar one just for Irish MB owners.... the info available here is relevant to us all is it not?

I'm talking about physically, in the "real world" setting up an Irish Branch to help MB owners - and perhaps point them towards this forum should they have either questions or advice.

I don't think we'd have any hope of getting a reduction on road tax, VRT or import duty (there's too much of a swing against "big" cars) but insurance. parts and servicing are all commercial ventures and as such are all up for discounts - if we can form a big enough group of owners to attract those discounts. So...... how many Paddys interested then?

 

[pascal]

Yea Slap, your right about the VRT and road tax on larger engines. Nearly
1400 for a 3.2
This is as a result of a trend towards green party views. In the UK the general
public have come out against 4x4s a couple of weeks ago, even though
some of them (ie 2.5L to 3.0L diesels) cause less pollution than some
so-called family cars.
But insurance and service is another matter. We have choice there.

Sorry Mike, It was not per capitia. It was a percentage of MB cars on the road
against other brands. I read it in an Irish newspaper over a year ago.
PS Germany was no. 1

 

[190]

Check out this link this might be the cause of not having irish forum if you can't recover cars . :lol:

http://www.difflock.com/discus/messages/28438/63257.html?1106522594

 

[mike65]

190 stop recyling old jokes!!!! :lol: I swear if I see that picture sequence again...

Mike.

 

[Chode]

I'd just like to add that the revenue commissioners(robbing b*****ds) stung me for 1600yo,yo's for an '89 230ce after quoting me 750 over the phone and if you want to appeal it, you gotta pay it first.

 

[Slaphead]

I'd just like to add that the revenue commissioners(robbing b*****ds) stung me for 1600yo,yo's for an '89 230ce after quoting me 750 over the phone and if you want to appeal it, you gotta pay it first.

Can I just point out that the Revenue only implement government policy, they don't set the criteria themselves...... Keep all that in mind next time you're voting.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

I did a very interesting calculation when I got the 320CDI. The VRT in Ireland is horriffic....but then the price of diesel is much less, currently about 88c a litre, or 61 pence. It worked like this...if I kept the car for 10 years, despite the higher purchase cost and road tax at ?1300 [about £825] by year 10 it was break even because of the lower price of diesel in ireland compared with England. Dealer labour is seemingly lower too, about ?75 or a little under £50. An item I got a quote for in Ireland and England turned out to be 25% cheaper in an Irish dealership. If you have a serious bill coming up then maybe it's worth taking the car across the Irish Sea. . . .

However, a comparative calculation between the 320 CDI and Lexus was even more interesting. The Lexus is cheaper ot own over 10 years, despite a big brute of a v8 petrol engine. Why? Mercs are troublesome, what you save on diesel is eaten up in repair bills. Diesel, 12 cent per mile, breakdown repairs [excluding any routine servicing, excluding tyres etc] 28 cent per mile. Total 40 cent per mile. Thats equivalent to any ordinary petrol car doing 3 miles on one litre.....even a Lexus won't drink that in city driving and they go on forever. Dealers in Ireland are clueless and downright dishonest. Thats only one year......car heading for garage again for 4 new doors.....at least Merc are paying for this one.

They used to laugh about FIATs being Fix It Again Time. Mercs are try to fix it again...at customers expense of course.

Not sure though its good to split the site. Its easy to get over to England for specialist work and good to know what the problems are. A bigger database is better because we can find more information to pass to others.

 

[Slaphead]

Not sure though its good to split the site. Its easy to get over to England for specialist work and good to know what the problems are. A bigger database is better because we can find more information to pass to others.

Once again........ :roll: I reiterate... there's no proposal to split the site at all! Simply a suggestion that those of us in Eire could set up an Irish branch so we have a valid reason to meet up for pints and discuss all things tutonic. Certainly we could use the existing website to give a database (well a list anyway :wink: ) of reputable MB specialists and parts suppliers and hopefully broker a deal with some insurance house whereby we could pay a realistic prise for a large engined, but let's be honest, comparitively slow (and thereby safer) car.

No split is proposed... got it!

 

[pascal]

Pints Did you say Slaphead
I've changed my mind now.
All for it slap.

 

[gfern]

An Irish Branch

The split reference is my fault it was a poor choice of words and I am sorry for causing the need for slap to deny this on every posting. However I think we all know what he means in practice, and again I will say that this is a good idea. Therefore slaphead ( strange name) do you want to suggest a meeting, venue, time and see who turns up and is interested in developing a network of Irish Mercedes owners and see where it goes.

 

[Slaphead]

Pints Did you say Slaphead
I've changed my mind now.
All for it slap.

That was my secret weapon! :lol:

I'm a bit up to my eyes at the moment (death in the family) but in a few weeks I'll suggest a venue, probably Dublin, and most likely with a large car-park.

BTW gfern - my name comes from being completely bald.... do you grow on a mountain side? :wink:

 

[SLinKyjoe]

did any of this get anywhere?

 

[OlafMaxwell]

Are there any good Merc service centres in Ireland?

For a start there is MSL who seem to be mediocre to say the least. They are the most incompetent cowboys you could ever meet here in Cork. Why else does everyone in Cork go to Tom Murphys in Waterford.

M ighty
S loppy
L angers

MSL Dublin is no better. Just as good cowboys but more expensive.