We certainly get ripped off over here...

[Moonie]

Just looking at the US site while ours is down and a US C350 Sport comes with memory pack, HK sound system, heated seats as standard for £27,000 ($42,000)

The keyless go is only £420, less the half the price over here!

 

[s88]

I suppose if people keep paying the prices then car companies will keep charging them.

Maybe it is the company car culture that inflates prices. Do other countries have a similar system?
I cannto see a German or Belgian paying same as us either.

No excuse really as the shipping to USA should make them more expensive.

 

[renault12ts]

Do we though? What is the average wage in the US in dollars?

 

[TDE1]

We're not as bad as our antipodean friends..

Used Mercedes E55 cars for sale, buy, sell used Mercedes E55 cars - carsales.com.au

 

[John]

We're not as bad as our antipodean friends..

Used Mercedes E55 cars for sale, buy, sell used Mercedes E55 cars - carsales.com.au

I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw these prices a few months back.

I clarified with someone from Oz on another forum and they are the case.

However, if you try and take your Merc over there to flog it for that, the import duty means they and you are no better off - or something like that.

Darn it!

 

[Moonie]

They pay 10% Import Tax, 10% Goods and Service Tax and a Luxury car of 33% on everything over $57,466 inc GST.

 

[markjay]

The usual arguments are:

1) UK prices are generally higher due to our Consumer Protection Act and Sales of Goods Act (i.e. UK consumers have more rights and therefore more scope for dealers to foot the bill if things go wrong).

2) Longer warranties in the UK (typically 3 years compared to just 1 or 2 years elsewhere).

3) Higher production costs for RHD vehicles due to smaller number manufactured (this argument applies to all RHD markets, not just the UK).

4) Higher distribution costs due to general high costs in the UK (i.e. dealer premises, staff salaries, dealership running costs etc).


But... maybe we are just more complacent than the rest of the world?

 

[crockers]

The USA have excellent consumer protection. I know in MA they have the "lemon law". If a car develops a fault and the dealer can't fix it in a set number of attempts you can reject the car on the spot and get a full refund.

Also note all USA car prices are before sales tax and excise registeration taxes. Varies from state to state. Our includes 20% vat.

 

[Red C220]

If you look at the prices we pay compared to our average earnings rather than using exchange rates you'll find we are the envy of Europe.

Second hand cars are particularly cheap here, the benefit of RHD not making them so appealing as an export commodity.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Average Petrol price in the US is exactly 50% of the average price we pay now.

 

[swannymere]

However, if you try and take your Merc over there to flog it for that, the import duty means they and you are no better off - or something like that.

I think that if you've owned the car for more than 2 years and you don't sell it within a certain period of time you don't pay much tax (relative to the cost new).

 

[Cooky]

We need to be ripped off over here How else will the government be able to support all the scallies and freeloaders!!!

 

[Rory]

As others have said, the US prices are ex-tax.

Interesting to see they've added 4cyl cars now, with 1.8L (!) C250 - they never used to sell less than 6cyl in the US.

It's leasing which is astonishingly cheap in the US - couple of hundred pounds a month for the C250, with a fairly low deposit. This is due to their amazing used values - at 3yrs old their cars are worth about the same as ours, despite bing much cheaper upfront.

 

[CKLclive]

The usual arguments are:

1) UK prices are generally higher due to our Consumer Protection Act and Sales of Goods Act (i.e. UK consumers have more rights and therefore more scope for dealers to foot the bill if things go wrong).

2) Longer warranties in the UK (typically 3 years compared to just 1 or 2 years elsewhere).

3) Higher production costs for RHD vehicles due to smaller number manufactured (this argument applies to all RHD markets, not just the UK).

4) Higher distribution costs due to general high costs in the UK (i.e. dealer premises, staff salaries, dealership running costs etc).


But... maybe we are just more complacent than the rest of the world?

No1, high protection for consumers in UK try telling that to MB owners of cars 10 years and under on the rust claims

 

[Bellow]

We need to be ripped off over here How else will the government be able to support all the scallies and freeloaders!!!

Are you confusing MB with the government?

 

[MOCAŠ]

As RedC220 has mentioned, basing price comparisons on exchange rates is illusory as they can and do fluctuate widely. Like everything else, cars are priced in the local currency and in respect of local market conditions.

 

[IlovetheW140]

The purchase price of a car is academic to most people. Affordability is what the monthly budget available for mobility in your household will provide. How many cash buyers do car dealers generally and premium dealers specifically get? I imagine very very few esp. on new cars. Car companies and large dealerships compete on the best finance deal and perceived prestige not ticket price. The question whether we are getting ripped off in the UK is very complex and ought include factors such as the percentage of income spent on mobility. Headlines such as Rip off Britain is something I for one am uncomfortable with. It's populistic claptrap.

 

[snail]

Average Petrol price in the US is exactly 50% of the average price we pay now.

True, but US drivers probably cover twice the mileage of their UK counterparts! Cities are generally really spread out and people think nothing of driving 50-100 miles to visit a restaurant. I lived in Southern California during their 2008 'fuel price crisis', when gas was hitting $4 a gallon. I reckon I spent around the same overall as I would have here to do the same things in terms of commuting and leisure driving. It only took me 25-30 minutes to get to work across town, but that was a 20 mile freeway drive each way at 50-60mph.

 

[GSEH88]

When I look at standard spec for the C63, I've noticed how basic the cars are in the US and Europe. It is an impression I've gained from reading various threads including US websites so I may be mistaken but standard UK items like Nappa leather, two tone interiors, sunroof, intelligent lights, xenons, Comand, split rear seats, etc seem to be extra cost in other countries. And in Germany the C63 costs €72,000! So it's not all bad over here!

 

[renault12ts]

True, but US drivers probably cover twice the mileage of their UK counterparts! Cities are generally really spread out and people think nothing of driving 50-100 miles to visit a restaurant. I lived in Southern California during their 2008 'fuel price crisis', when gas was hitting $4 a gallon. I reckon I spent around the same overall as I would have here to do the same things in terms of commuting and leisure driving. It only took me 25-30 minutes to get to work across town, but that was a 20 mile freeway drive each way at 50-60mph.

It's a big country, but the average driver does no more miles per annum than we do over here.