Cars & Motorbikes Cars so much cheaper in USA

The car you linked is the TI which was the top of the range, it had the same sporty motor as the SSS (SR20DE) yet had a more luxurious trim with velour seats and wasn't as "sporty" looking.

That motor (one of my fave motors from the past) kicked out an extra 25KW than the base model, whilst 25KW sounds a bit yawn, back in those days the base model pushed out 80KW which was considered acceptable, the 105KW hard revving SR20DE was basically a 30% increase in power.

The base model Pulsar back in 1992 was $17,280 http://www.redbook.com.au/cars/rese...ssan-pulsar-gli-n14-es-manual/SPOT-ITM-264938

Still not far off the 19,990 base price now but under it rather than over

A like for like comparison would be the current day SSS which is $30K (22% more expensive than the 1992 TI)

 

Yep you are correct.

Still $17.3k to $20k is minimal increase especially given how much more gadgets etc is put into cars now days.

With inflation the same car should be selling for at least $31k today.

A basket of goods and services valued at $17,280 in year 1992 , would in year 2016 cost $31,471.97.
Total change in cost is 82.1 per cent, over 24 years, at an average annual inflation rate of 2.5 per cent.

 

Totally agree

This part, when we were kids, the stuff in cars today was science fiction

A full colour integrated screen that has moving maps and TALKS TO YOU!!!!!. Also the ability to hold massive amounts of music and play it back showing the artwork and everything.

Tech just keeps getting better and better .

 

Heads up display..
With navigation with speed just like the games I played growing up

 

Haha yeah, So much cool stuff that as kids we thought "WOW, now that's amazing"

 

Mercedes C250 on show at a shopping centre in Atlanta, selling in low 30s. Think its around $80K in Australia?

 

It's a great move that will bring some decent savings but you need to either get under the LCT threshold or be well above it so that the 33% impost doesn't kill the deal.
Eg a 2017 Merc AMG E63 in the UK $79k GBP = ~$127kAUD
same thing is $250k here
Add
10% GST
33% LCT
goes to $185k

still leaves some room for the other costs.

 

Does the 79K GBP include VAT? If it does then we should really take 20% (VAT) off the price before adding the 10% GST

 

It's not so much cars are very expensive here, more that the USA prices are ridiculously cheap. Compared to Europe and Asia, our prices are reasonable. Asia has a lot of tax on cars (imports)

 

Volume

 

Mumma mia

 

Currently in US, $79,000 for base model Tesla

 

Now would be Great time, to import from the UK, with the AUD/BGP at a much level playing field with the Brexit at play!

 

My company car - Detroit wheels,
Purchased last week - 8800 USD - 2013 model GMC Acadia 65000 miles on the clock.
Drives BEAUTIFULLY. Love this car.

 

That is a beast

 

I remember once an Australian Nissan executive was asked why the 300zx was almost double the price here compared to the states and reply came something like this:
"Australians are prepared to pay more for their cars".
When I heard this comment I got mad and bought a used 300zx from an auction yard instead for less.

 

Two comments on this one.

Some time back one of the motoring magazines ran an interview with the CEO of the Aussie importer of one of the german marques...I don't recall if it was Merc or BMW...following removal of some of the import tarrifs. He agreed they could sell much cheaper, but that would then destroy their "used market" and the prestige of the brand. Kinda similar to @Serveman comment.

At Melbourne's Chadstone shopping centre the Tesla store assured me that the price we paid for Tesla's was on par with the USA considering exchange rates. A Tesla 75D here starts at $121600, a 75D in the US starts at US$74,500 (AU$103,700). Now, I know the Tesla has lux car tax included, but $30K is still a significant difference, though less than I expected.

 

Camaro starts at $25k in the U.S. The version we get here in somewhere in the vicinity of $80k, not a good deal.

 

Damn tax and AUD

 

And transport across the Pacific, and the not insignificant cost of a conversion from LHD as well as associated compliance, and the cost of warranty with no dealer network, and...