My thanks to the EU Commission and CIG for proving this info.
In it's latest new car comparison report the EU Commission states the UK is the most expensive country for buying new cars. UK pricing is upto 57% more expensive than Europe. The reasons?
Is it because 'our' cars are right hand drive? Er, no, European law states any rhd surcharge must be reasonable. The actual cost of rhd is rarely more than £150 per car.
Is it because the pound is strong against the Euro? Er, no, as more than 70% of new cars in the UK are not made here, the strong pound ought to make ALL cars on sale at UK garages cheaper, not more expensive.
Is it because of our tax system? Er, no. Countries such as France and Germany have similar taxation on new cars as the UK but their prices are still way below the UK. Holland, where average tax on a new car is a massive 58% as opposed to our 17.5%, still have cheaper end car prices by some margin.
Is it because 'our' cars are better equipped? Er, no. Even adding major items of equipment to 'European' cars, the EU still found UK prices way above the European average.
Is it because the UK buyer is prepared to pay what the manufacturers asks in the UK and is happy to have 'haggled' maybe £700 or £800 off the screen price? You bet!
UK car prices are also showing signs of going up again with popular small to medium hatchbacks rising 6.4% in the year to Feb 2002.
Import your next car from www.cars4importing.net ! The manufacturers will NEVER make UK prices the same as Europe
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I really don't think you should be using the forum as an advertising hoarding.
Lee.
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Many, many people make 'recommendations' for other services here that are covert advertisements and just the same as what I posted. I don't see anyone complain about them.
At the end of the day, people who read the post will make up their own minds about the price differential about cars in the UK and Europe which was after all, the thrust of the post. They don't have to use my services to import a vehicle.
Im just trying to earn a living.
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I'm not trying to deny you a living. If you're going to advertise, you should make it clear you're advertising and pay the people who are giving you the space.
HJ is providing you with the means to contact an audience and the audience. Try that anywhere else and you'd have to pay. Seems only fair to me (and I'm not linked to HJ) that you should help him, after all he too is
Import-ant wrote:
> ...just trying to earn a living.
Lee.
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Right on the nail!
UK car prices are high because buyers are prepared to pay more here than European buyers.
So why do we all complain about high prices, when the easiest thing to do is not pay them by not replacing nearly new cars. Buyers would get much better value for money by keeping their cars for 5 years instead of replacing at 2-3 years old, whether or not they buy imports or dealer cars. This would soon bring the price down.
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And what't this about which side you drive on.
See here for a list: Which side of the road do they drive on
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I have bought my last 2 cars from Ireland, a VW and Nissan. I dealt with the main dealers in Dublin, negotiated a small discount and saved considerably over the price importers charge.
You have to be watch the specifications match CD player etc(if that is important to you). But you also need to with importers and car supermarkets.
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You do have to be careful the spec matches that of the UK version unless you are intending keeping the car for over 5 years, say.
I have just got a quote for a client for an Audi A4 Avant which does not have cruise control. I've advised my client not to purchase unless he is prepared to accept a lower sale price when he does come to sell.
Car Supermarkets are the worse for UK specs. Often the cars are cheaper because they are right hand drive European car not to UK specs. People think they are getting like for like when they aren't.
If using a Car Supermarket, always, always ask 'Is this car to exact UK specifications?' and get it in writing if possible.
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My mate bought a new BMW from a superstore. It just didn't look right to me. It was T-reg but was the previous (E36?) model when the new model came in here at S-reg, allegedly SE spec, with leather interior but plastic wheel covers. He saved a claimed £3000 (cost him about £20,000) and sold it two years later for less than £10,000. A good buy? I think not.
Haggle hard at the main dealers and get a proper car.
Regards
Pat
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Why didn't he get an up to date BMW brochure to check what he was buying? To spend £20000 on a car when he obviously didn't know anything about them, even which was the latest model, is difficult to understand.
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Keith,
Exactly! His previous car was even a BMW, same model (but coupe) even the same colour, Boston Green. I couldn't understand his reasoning with that purchase.
Anyway, he now owns a Merc C Class, bought from a MB main dealer (no discount, of course!), though this was his second attempt to buy such a car. He placed an order in October 2000 for the new C Class and in February phoned the dealer to check when he could expect delivery, and they had no record of his order whatsoever. No aplogy, no offer to source one from elsewhere, nothing. He went to another dealer who got him the model he wanted within a couple of weeks.
Keep them on their toes!
Pat
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Buying from a car supermarket means you are not getting a full uK spec car.
As for haggling hard with a BMW dealer, you will be lucky. The max discount you'll get is around £500 to 600 absolute tops. Compared to the £5.5k Im getting from the BMW factory sales dept in Hamburg, the UK dealer is offering peanuts.
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Although I agree that there is sometimes a massive difference in price you must also take cost of living into consideration ,the average wage in Germany is only 2/3 of the UK in the construction Idustry about half.So a car in Germany to a normal German is very expensive.In fact I returning to the UK from Germany due to family problems plus price rises and unemployment in Germany are now out of control.
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Why must we take the cost of living into consideration? The current cost of living comparison is largely as a result of the weak Euro. Ten years ago professional salaries in Germany made our incomes look rather sick, yet cars were still very much cheaper then than in the UK. For example 3 series BMs were seen as just another small car and no different to an Opel or Ford and priced accordingly. Surely if the cost of living is less in continental europe it further underlines that the cars manufactured there should be cheap in the UK.
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The car tax position in Germany is 16% VAT compared to our 17.5% yet their cars are still massively cheaper thanours!
Why do UK people fall for this bull?
70% of cars munfactured outside the UK so the strong pound should make the majority of cars cheaper. They aren't.
Even specing up lower spec Euro cars to the UK equivalent makes the Euro cars cheaper by miles. OK so your warranty may be for 2 years instead of 3 but you can stil top thi up and be thousands of pounds better off.
Oh and if you don't believe me, UK car prices ARE going up again, small medium hatchback by over 6% to the year end Feb 2002. Cheaper UK cars? Don't make me laugh. Infact I feel very sorry for the people who have overspent inUK garages.
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What is it then ?
Higher dealer profits or costs ?
higher Manufacturer's profits ?
Something else ?
Who is getting the extra money ?
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