Meh, I used to complain about SA car prices, Norway is shafting me badly...
Entry level Polo Comfortline equivalents:
SA: R226k
Norway: R325k (202k NOK) 31% more expensive
Entry level Golf trendline equivalents:
SA: R273k
Norway: R414k (259k NOK) 35% more expensive
http://www.vw.co.za/en/models/polo/prices-and-options.html
http://www.volkswagen.no/content/me...file/volkswagen-polo-prisliste-27-07-2015.pdf
Stoopid taxes.
As far as I recall, South Africa has the most expensive cars in the world, when compared with income, so, yes, they may be more expensive in Norway in Rand terms, but not in terms of earning power.
Car prices here have been merrily climbing since the early 90's and there must be a point at which even the stupid buyers cry "Enough" and stop this madness.
As you know, I was in the business, and I was nauseated when I saw the Quarterly price increases come through from CJD and Fiat/Alfa with total disregard for any sort of cost of living increase. In other words, they have been running well ahead of COL for years, but still the idiots buy them! At Subaru, we had ONE price increase per year, and even then it was held back as far as possible, but there too, after about 2007, the prices were already too high.
The weak Rand is rightly blamed, in some instances, but don't forget that Fiat introduced the 500 originally, at a starting price of R 180 000, and when they discovered that it was just too expensive, they had a re-launch at R 125 000, completely screwing the poor idiots who had bought the first batch. Now....think of it, if you can DROP the price by 55 k and still make a profit, what are those cars actually costing you in the first place?
I know that it's not just Fiat and Jeep that do this, but you have to question the ludicrous prices of the 500 X and the Jeep Renegade - totally ridiculous to the point where they don't deserve to sell at all.
In 2010 the new Subaru STi was launched at R 470 000, today, basically the same car ( the engine and drive train are identical) will set you back just under R 640 000 - and this is with a company that worries about price increases - the comparative exercise with other models from other companies will probably be worse.
BUT - the SA buyer has himself to blame as well, as there should have been some sort of backlash donkeys years ago - far too many of our over priced cars are bought on Company/Government schemes, and in that case, who gives a damn about cost?!
