US vs Aus pricing (or, My Second Gripe for the day)

[MikeVictor]

Fact- you can buy a Porsche Carrera S in the USA for about the same money as a 135i Down Under

What gives? I know tax(es) are a contributing factor.

[larryn]

Move here. :biggrin:

We're a volume country.. push way more product than AU. Also, Our government doesn't have a huge import tax. Because there is a BMW factory in the States, there are likely additional savings for BMW that they can pass along to keep price-competitive in our market.

[cozza]

^ Exactly. BMW USA sold 20,944 cars in June, compared to BMW Australia's 2,258, which was a record-breaking month, too.

[xa-coupe]

We are also getting stiffed trying to prop up a failing local car industry.. tarrifs were supposed to drop but somehow the prices never do so I smell the eu de bullshit wafting from the government's way.
I do note that we get less choice of BMWs but a higher spec. The 'stripper' versions available in the US simply can't be got here. The base AU delivery 135 for instance is very well equipped compared to the base US 135. I believe it's about branding and image here.
Still really annoys me though.

[Wraith]

Originally Posted by mattyv

Fact- you can buy a Porsche Carrera S in the USA for about the same money as a 135i Down Under

What gives? I know tax(es) are a contributing factor.

Agree with xa-coupe ^^^^

Geeze Matty, I for one don't need to be reminded about this fact, it irritates me to the bone every time I think about it and then you get some yanks complaining about how expensive cars are over there my goodness, if only we had their pricing on cars and fuel and everything else, as ATM we are almost on parity with dollar values...

If our car prices were the same as the U.S. I probably wouldn't even be considering a 135i, instead I'd be getting an R35 GT-R for the same price we need for a 135i

[Zuzu]

For the price we are all paying for our 135's we would all be driving M3's...mmmmmmmmm

[Wraith]

Originally Posted by Zuzu

For the price we are all paying for our 135's we would all be driving M3's...mmmmmmmmm

Indeed yes - we'd have a choice of M3, GT-R or ZR-1 (if imported)for this price bracket !

In fact we'd have change left over as well !!!

God I hate imported car pricing in this Country

[MikeVictor]

^^^^^

*DROOL*

[e36chris]

yeah but you guys have those really big and long semi-trailer trucks that we dont here!!

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by e36chris

yeah but you guys have those really big and long semi-trailer trucks that we dont here!!

They're called road trains. Fun overtaking when there's a strong cross wind...:eyebulge:

[harpoon]

Originally Posted by e36chris

yeah but you guys have those really big and long semi-trailer trucks that we dont here!!

haha...yep it's good times.

[Alext]

The Australian Government are not unknown for taxing their people. It is the income tax that is the real bugger....and is compounded by all these other taxes and 'levies'.

[Yep 135]

I talked to my Bmw Dealership about this very subject not long ago. some reson they gave me -
import taxes, LCT (usual stuff),transport costs from the port is alot higher because of distance (a big one), wages , fuel prices.
It costs more here to run a dealership, wages double US, fuel, taxes (not the car ones), advertising is more.
Im in Bussiness too so I know what he was talking about, wages,extra taxes and cost of supply because of distance impacts (about 5-7%) thats what puts our prices higher than the US.
I said "well what about the our better exchange rate lately"? His answer was that BMW add more features to the later model cars as STD or at no (or really reduced) cost so as not to upset the used car market or existing owners. ( imagine buying a BMW 135 for say $85K in may and next May a newie is $80K on the road. I'd be shitty) so they up spec them.
Oh and there is more luxo cars for them to compete with.
Yep

[AussieRacer]

Don't know if it is true, but I remember hearing that when the Aussie dollar was at the low point against the USD, BMW Aust switched to paying for the cars in Euros to better protect the Aust market from the ever moving USD. Make sense given BMW AG is in Europe....

[TimH]

Don't forget the Americans have to tip the salesman 10% too !

[Yep 135]

Originally Posted by TimH

Don't forget the Americans have to tip the salesman 10% too !

even at the car yard?

[Guran]

Hey guys, don't complain too loudly. Imported cars are actually about the same price now as they were 15 years ago! That's been due to reduction of import duties and changes in the exchange rate. If you factor in the CPI, then cars today are cheaper than they've been in decades! That's not to say there's no room for improvement. The damned LCT is a disgrace and something that is actually hurting the local industry too.

[DTNJNQ]

On my recent trip to the USA I was shocked when I saw the prices of the cars there. M3's for $69K on the road with all options. Porsche Turbos for $90K, M6 for $90. They were even giving Porsche away if you bought an apartment.

Not sure if the extra tax, duty, wages and transport cost justifies us paying more than twice the price. I think we just get ripped off.

[Guran]

USA = cheap cars and cheap fuel. But would you really want to live there?

[AussieRacer]

Those two things sound pretty good to me :biggrin:

[Timbo]

yeah... except for the Americans.... whoops. Did I say that out loud?

[Zuzu]