Import a Mazda RX-7 FD from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
FD3S, 1991 to 2002, badged Efini until 1997: the twin-turbo 13B-REW rotary in a body that has never gone out of fashion.
The FD is the classic where the 30-year rule and the rotary engine both need respect. Cars built up to 1996 are over 30 in 2026 and pay €200 of VRT; the later Type RS, RZ and Spirit R cars reach 30 between 2027 and 2032, and registered before then they are banded at 41% of a collector’s valuation with no CO2 evidence to argue with.
The engine is the other half of the story. A rotary that has been rebuilt by someone competent, with compression figures to show for it, is a joy; one that has not is a rebuild waiting to happen. The auction sheet, the chassis-number history and a specialist inspection are not optional on this car.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 0% to 0%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €30,630 to €49,546
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 Type R, 100,000 kmPetrol | ¥3,800,000 | €35,000 | 34 years old → vintage rate, €200 | €30,630 | Open |
| 1995 Type RZ, 80,000 kmPetrol | ¥5,200,000 | €48,000 | 31 years old → vintage rate, €200 | €40,438 | Open |
| 1999 Type RS, 70,000 km, registered after its 30th birthdayPetrol · registered 1 Jun 2029 | ¥6,500,000 | €60,000 | 30 years old → vintage rate, €200 | €49,546 | Open |
- 1992 Type R, 100,000 km: An early Series 6 with a documented engine rebuild; price from the 2026 range, value an estimate. Over 30, so €200 VRT.
- 1995 Type RZ, 80,000 km: The lightweight two-seat RZ; price from 2026 specialist listings, value an estimate. Over 30.
- 1999 Type RS, 70,000 km, registered after its 30th birthday: A Series 8 car that is 27 years old today, priced as registered in June 2029 when it turns 30. Registered today it would be banded at 41% of €60,000, about €24,600, instead of €200; the wait would have to happen in Japan (V21, V25).
VRT and the OMSP
Over 30, €200. Under 30, a 1990s car with no CO2 evidence is banded at 41% of Revenue’s valuation: on a €60,000 Series 8 that is about €24,600. The date is the first registration in Japan on the export certificate, to the month.
A later car cannot be bought now and held unregistered in Ireland until its birthday: registration within 30 days of arrival is the rule. It can be held in Japan, which we are pricing (V25); until then, the cars already over 30 are the ones we would source.
NOx levy
None on a car registered at 30 years or more, as the engine and the secondary sources have it; we are confirming this with Revenue (V20). Registered younger, a 1990s petrol car with no NOx evidence pays the €600 default on top of the 41% band.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Japanese-built, so 0% customs duty applies with a Statement on Origin from the exporter, exactly as for a modern car. Heading 9705, the collectors’-piece classification, is the route to 0% duty for a car over 30 that was built somewhere else; on a Japanese-built car it adds nothing, and it does not reduce the VAT: Revenue charges the standard 23% on a vintage car that will be driven, and the 13.5% collectors’ rate is for a piece kept off the road (V19).
Built in: Japan (Mazda Hiroshima). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
Specialist or classic policies only: agreed value, limited mileage, a minimum driver age, and questions about modifications, which on an FD are the norm. Motor tax is the €56 vintage rate once the car is over 30; the NCT still applies until 40, and the emissions test is where a tired rotary shows.
Generations
- Series 6 to 8 (1991 to 2002): 255 to 280 ps from the sequential twin-turbo 13B-REW; Type R, RS, RZ and RB grades, the Bathurst editions, and the 2002 Spirit R run-out.
- Cars built 1991 to 1996 are over 30 in 2026; 1997 to 2002 cars cross the line year by year to 2032.
Before you bid
- Engine health: compression figures from a specialist, evidence of a rebuild, and coolant seals. A rotary is not a piston engine and the auction inspector will not have tested it as one.
- Modification is the norm: single-turbo conversions, aftermarket management and body kits all appear at auction and all affect value and insurance. Originality carries a premium.
- The 30-year date to the month: Series 6 cars clear it now, Series 7 and 8 cars do not until 2027 to 2032.
- Rust is less common than on other classics but check the rear arches and the sunroof drains.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
Where the numbers come from
- Japanese auction and exporter prices in 2026 for a sound early FD ran roughly ¥3,500,000 to ¥5,500,000, later Type RS and RZ cars ¥5,500,000 to ¥9,000,000, and Spirit R cars well beyond that (research assumption; directional).
- There is no Irish market to speak of; UK specialist prices for good FDs sat between about £35,000 and £70,000 in 2026. The Irish values below are estimates for insurance and the estimate range; for a car over 30 they do not affect the tax.
- Engine history moves the price more than mileage: a documented rebuild with compression figures is worth paying for.
Questions people ask
How much VRT does an FD RX-7 pay?
€200 if it is 30 years old or more on the day it is registered, which covers cars built up to 1996. Younger, with no CO2 evidence, it is banded at 41% of Revenue’s valuation.
Can I buy a 1999 Spirit R or Type RS now and register it at 30?
Not by keeping it unregistered in Ireland: a vehicle kept in the State must be registered within 30 days of arrival, and possession of an unregistered vehicle is an offence. The lawful route is storage in Japan until the date, which we are pricing (V25) and confirming with Revenue (V21). The calculator shows both dates side by side.
Is the rotary a problem for the NCT?
Only if it is tired. A healthy 13B passes the emissions test; a worn one smokes and fails. The compression check before the bid is the same check that protects the purchase.
What does an FD cost landed?
Roughly €33,000 to €50,000 at 2026 prices for the cars in the scenarios, and more for a Spirit R: the yen price, shipping and fees, 23% VAT on all of that, €200 of VRT, the Irish-side costs and the fee.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real RX-7 FD
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.