If someone showed you a 2018 Mercedes V-Class for around €19,350 in Japan, you'd probably think, "Surely there's a catch." And in a way, there is. By the time that same V-Class is sitting outside your house in Dublin with Irish plates, VRT paid, serviced, registered and ready to drive, it will have cost closer to €40,000. The good news? That's still typically more than 20% less than buying a comparable example already on the Irish market.
The reason is simple. The purchase price is only the beginning. Shipping, import duty, VAT, VRT, registration and a few sensible jobs like servicing, fresh tyres and preparing the vehicle for Irish roads all contribute to the final figure. None of them are unexpected, but they do need to be factored in from the start.
In this article, we'll follow a real 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long purchased in Japan for ¥3,576,000 (approximately €19,350) and break down every major cost from Japan to Ireland. By the end, you'll know exactly where every euro goes, why importing still makes financial sense for many buyers, and how a seemingly inexpensive V-Class becomes a fully registered Irish vehicle worth around €40,000.
Reading time: approx. 10 minutes.
The example featured throughout this article is a 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long (LWB) purchased in Japan for ¥3,576,000 (approximately €19,350). With just 92,000 km (around 57,000 miles), a full service history and an exceptionally high specification, it represents the type of vehicle many Irish buyers struggle to find on the local market.
This particular V-Class is finished in Rock Crystal White with a Black Leather Package and comes equipped with the Radar Safety Package, Panoramic Sunroof, Burmester premium sound system, rear entertainment system with twin monitors, 360° camera, LED headlights, genuine 19-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, genuine navigation, and a spare key. It's also a non-smoking vehicle with documented service records.
Throughout this guide you'll be able to view the full image gallery of this exact Mercedes-Benz V-Class, so you can see the vehicle we're talking about rather than relying on stock photos or generic examples. We've also included the official Revenue VRT estimate (PDF) used for this calculation, allowing you to see how the Irish VRT figure was determined.
Once the vehicle has been purchased in Japan, the next stage is getting it safely to Ireland. That involves far more than simply loading it onto a ship. Export documentation, inland transport within Japan, international shipping, customs clearance, import duty, VAT and VRT all contribute to the final landed cost.
In this example, we'll break down every individual cost using the actual figures for this 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long. You'll see exactly what each stage costs, how Revenue calculated the VRT, and how the original purchase price gradually increases as the vehicle moves from Japan to Ireland. For complete transparency, we've also included the official Revenue VRT valuation (PDF) used for this calculation.
Even after VRT has been paid, there are still a few final steps before the vehicle is ready for Irish roads. Registration fees, number plates and transport from the port are relatively straightforward, but it's also sensible to budget for a full service so you know exactly where your maintenance schedule begins.
Depending on the vehicle, buyers may also choose to replace the tyres, carry out a wheel alignment, change all filters and fluids, or complete any minor compliance work required before registration. Not every imported vehicle will need the same preparation, but allowing for these final costs provides a much more realistic picture of what it actually takes to have a fully registered Mercedes V-Class sitting on your driveway in Ireland.
At first glance, paying approximately €19,350 for a 2018 Mercedes V-Class of this specification almost seems too good to be true. But this is where many buyers make the same mistake—they compare the Japanese purchase price directly with Irish asking prices.
The purchase price is simply the starting point. Before the vehicle can be driven legally in Ireland, it still needs to be exported from Japan, shipped to Europe, imported into Ireland, cleared through customs, registered with Revenue, and prepared for Irish roads. Shipping, import duty, VAT, VRT, registration, and sensible preparation costs all contribute to the final figure.
In the following sections, we'll break down every major cost step by step using this exact vehicle. By the end of the article, you'll see precisely how a €19,350 purchase becomes a fully registered Mercedes V-Class costing around €40,000, and why it can still represent outstanding value compared with buying a similar vehicle already in Ireland.
¥3,576,000 = €19,350 (approx, depending on FX rate)
€2,300.
Subtotal: €21,650
Duty is calculated on the CIF value (car + shipping). 10% of €21,650 = €2,165.
Subtotal: €23,815
VAT at 23% rate is charged on CIF + duty. 23% of €23,815 = €5,477.
Subtotal: €29,292
Typical combined estimate: €1,000.
Subtotal: €30,292
Based on Irish Revenue valuation for this example: €9,982.
Final landed cost: €40,274
Real-world rounded figure: €42,500 all-in
(with service, new tyres, registration and NCT)
The purchase price is only one part of the overall cost. Exchange rates, shipping, import duty, VAT, Revenue's VRT valuation and final preparation all contribute to the amount you'll ultimately pay. Even after every major cost has been included, this high-specification Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long still represents excellent value, typically costing €10,000–€15,000 less than a comparable Irish-market example with similar mileage and specification.
Now that we've worked through the full import costs, the obvious question becomes: what would a similar vehicle cost if you bought it in Ireland instead?
At the time of writing, a 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long with comparable mileage, specification and condition typically sells for between €52,000 and €55,000 on the Irish market. Naturally, asking prices vary depending on mileage, service history and optional equipment, but finding a well-equipped example with features such as a panoramic roof, Burmester sound system, leather interior and rear entertainment system can be surprisingly difficult.
The vehicles shown above were advertised for sale in Ireland at the time of writing on 6th July 2026. Prices naturally change over time, but they provide a useful snapshot of the market and illustrate why so many buyers are now considering importing from Japan.
When you compare those prices with the approximately €41,000 landed cost of this Japanese example, the difference becomes clear. Even after paying shipping, import duty, VAT, VRT, registration and preparing the vehicle for Irish roads, importing still delivers a saving of around €11,000–€14,000 while giving buyers access to a much wider choice of vehicles.
The saving isn't simply down to lower prices in Japan. It's the combination of availability, specification and condition that makes the Japanese market so attractive.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class models sold in Japan are often purchased as premium family vehicles or executive transport and are generally maintained to a very high standard. Many come with comprehensive service records, lower annual mileage and factory options that are rarely seen together on Irish-market examples.
In the case of this V220d Sport Long, the vehicle includes black leather, a panoramic sunroof, Burmester premium audio, the Radar Safety Package, twin rear entertainment screens, a 360-degree camera, genuine 19-inch alloy wheels and a full service history. Finding a similarly specified vehicle in Ireland is possible, but buyers usually pay a significant premium for the privilege.
For many buyers, that's the real advantage of importing from Japan. It's not just about saving money—it's about being able to choose from a far larger selection of high-specification vehicles and ending up with exactly the car you wanted, rather than settling for whatever happens to be available locally.
The numbers become much more interesting when you compare like for like.
One of the biggest misconceptions about importing is that buyers only compare the Japanese purchase price with Irish asking prices. In reality, the only fair comparison is between a fully imported, fully registered vehicle and an equivalent example already on sale in Ireland.
The image below shows a selection of 2017–2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d models currently advertised in Ireland. Most are priced between €52,000 and €60,000, despite many having higher mileage, lower specifications, or both.
Our imported 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long lands in Ireland at approximately €41,000, including the purchase price, shipping, import duty, VAT, VRT, registration and sensible preparation before it reaches your driveway.
That represents a saving of around €11,000–€19,000, depending on which Irish example you're comparing it against. More importantly, you're not simply buying a cheaper vehicle—you often end up with a better specified, lower-mileage Mercedes-Benz for significantly less money.
If you're expecting to buy a €20,000 Mercedes-Benz V-Class and have it sitting outside your house in Ireland a few weeks later, you'll probably be disappointed. As this article has shown, by the time shipping, import duty, VAT, VRT, registration and sensible preparation have all been completed, the final cost is much closer to €40,000.
The important question isn't how much the vehicle costs in Japan. It's what you receive for your money once it's fully landed in Ireland. In this case, you're getting a 2018 V220d Sport Long with around 92,000 km, an exceptionally high specification, documented service history and a condition that's difficult to match on the Irish market for the same money.
When compared with similar Irish-market examples advertised between €52,000 and €60,000, importing continues to make strong financial sense. You're not avoiding taxes—you still pay shipping, duty, VAT and VRT—but you're buying from a market that offers greater choice, higher specifications and, in many cases, significantly better value.
For me, the biggest attraction isn't saving money. It's being able to buy the right Mercedes-Benz V-Class, rather than choosing from the limited selection available in Ireland. I'd much rather spend around €40,000 on a vehicle with the exact specification I wanted, lower mileage and a well-documented history than spend €55,000 or more simply because it's already sitting on a forecourt.
The V-Class is one of those vehicles that rewards long-term ownership. It's practical enough for everyday family life, comfortable enough for long journeys and refined enough to feel genuinely premium every time you get behind the wheel. Buy the right example, maintain it properly and there's every reason to expect many years of enjoyable ownership.
Would I import this exact V220d Sport Long from Japan?
Based on its specification, condition and the numbers we've worked through in this article, I think it represents the stronger purchase over many comparable examples currently advertised in Ireland.
Yes. This particular V220d Sport Long sits roughly in the middle of today's Japanese market. Choosing a higher-mileage example can reduce the purchase price considerably, although condition and specification should always be considered alongside mileage.
Related reading: What €30,000 actually gets you when importing a car from Japan to Ireland.
Absolutely. Finding a similar 2018–2019 V220d with around 40,000 km is possible, but you should expect the purchase price in Japan alone to be approximately €7,000 higher before shipping, taxes and registration are added.
Related reading: Why mileage alone doesn't tell the full story.
The Japanese market often favours premium specifications. Features such as panoramic roofs, Burmester audio, leather interiors and advanced safety packages are considerably more common than on many Irish-market examples.
Related reading: Mercedes V-Class from Japan – better value than Ireland?
A vehicle's condition depends on far more than mileage. Service history, auction inspection reports and overall vehicle grade all help build a much clearer picture before a purchase is made.
Related reading: The truth about Japanese auction grades (and which ones to avoid).
Not necessarily. Lower purchase prices can sometimes reflect higher mileage, lower specification or additional work required after arrival. Looking at the overall value rather than the headline price usually leads to a better long-term purchase.
Related reading: The most expensive mistake Irish car buyers make.
For many buyers it is, but it's worth comparing it with other practical Japanese imports before making a final decision. Depending on your priorities, vehicles such as the Toyota Alphard or large SUVs may also be worth considering.
It depends on what matters most. The V-Class offers a more premium driving experience, while the Alphard typically provides exceptional comfort, reliability and value for money.
Related reading: Mercedes V-Class vs Toyota Alphard: which makes more sense in Ireland?
If you're still comparing different models or budgets, it's worth exploring our buying guides covering luxury SUVs, MPVs and executive cars imported from Japan.
Related reading: Best high-spec cars to import from Japan for €40,000–€80,000 budgets in Ireland.
We'll show you real vehicles that match your budget, with transparent all-in pricing before you commit to anything.
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This article follows a genuine 2018 Mercedes-Benz V220d Sport Long sourced from Japan and uses real purchase figures, estimated shipping costs and an official Revenue VRT valuation to demonstrate how the final landed cost is calculated. Its purpose is to help Irish buyers understand where every euro goes during the import process and how those costs compare with buying a similar vehicle already on the Irish market.
Figures shown are intended as an educational guide.
Vehicle prices, exchange rates, shipping costs, import duty, VAT and Revenue VRT valuations can all change over time. The calculations used in this article are based on the information available at the time of writing and should not be treated as a fixed quotation. Every imported vehicle is different, and final costs will depend on the individual vehicle, market conditions and applicable taxes and charges at the time of purchase.
