[Theo]

No discount that I can see, four plugs €97.96 incl. 24% VAT. Before VAT it's €19.75 per unit.

It's not the same for all types of products and services. Everything about vehicles and computers is on 24%, 13% on most food products, hotels, restaurants and 6% on drugs, electricity, theaters and concerts, magazines, newspapers, books etc.

That 24% is among the highest in the EU, 4th highest I think.

 

[Forrester]

No discount that I can see, four plugs €97.96 incl. 24% VAT. Before VAT it's €19.75 per unit.

It's not the same for all types of products and services. Everything about vehicles and computers is on 24%, 13% on most food products, hotels, restaurants and 6% on drugs, electricity, theaters and concerts, magazines, newspapers, books etc.

That 24% is among the highest in the EU, 4th highest I think.

Hungary (27 percent), Croatia, Denmark, and Sweden (all at 25 percent). Luxembourg levies the lowest standard VAT rate at 16 percent, followed by Malta (18 percent), Cyprus, Germany, and Romania (all at 19 percent).

The Greek rate is the result of the last banking crisis and the loan terms to Greece. Let’s hope we don’t see the rates going any higher throughout Europe.

 

[Theo]

I don't wanna talk politics but the Greek banking crisis got a big boost throughout the years 2015-2019 and mostly after what happened in the Summer of 2015. What followed next was the aftermath. "The government you elect is the government you deserve" - Thomas Jefferson.

 

[Turbo Ed]

Hungary (27 percent), Croatia, Denmark, and Sweden (all at 25 percent). Luxembourg levies the lowest standard VAT rate at 16 percent, followed by Malta (18 percent), Cyprus, Germany, and Romania (all at 19 percent).

The Greek rate is the result of the last banking crisis and the loan terms to Greece. Let’s hope we don’t see the rates going any higher throughout Europe.

Does make me me exceedingly grateful for "only" 10% !!!

 

[Theo]

Does make me me exceedingly grateful for "only" 10% !!!

We'll get there some day. You'll be on tax refund by then.

 

[Turbo Ed]

We'll get there some day. You'll be on tax refund by then.

Now THAT was cruel!! (Even for you!! )

However, I suspect you are wrong, unless you can show me a country where a given tax was ever REDUCED!!

 

[Theo]

Now THAT was cruel!! (Even for you!! )

However, I suspect you are wrong, unless you can show me a country where a given tax was ever REDUCED!!

Trust me, you'll be buying wholesale by the time we get down to 10%.

 

[Turbo Ed]

Trust me, you'll be buying wholesale by the time we get down to 10%.

LOL!!
Already am!!
Just purchased another 2,500 Pounds Sterling worth of OEM AMG parts last Friday.
Most on six-to-12-week delivery, (of course); however, received some yesterday.
Most of the components used in the A/C setup under the RHS headlight.

I have to say, some of the things on our vehicle are really nicely done, and that assembly is one of them.
The fan alone would be a radiator fan on most small, typically European, vehicles.

 

[Turbo Ed]

Guys,

If you remember I said I was ordering five sets of plugs as part of a much larger order of components I need, a couple of weeks ago.
I was quoted the 12 weeks leadtime / August, just like all of you in Europe.

Well, they turned up this morning, just out of the blue.
So, if any of you need them and don't mind paying the DHL cost, you know where there is decent stock !!

They are seriously the weirdest spark plugs I have ever seen!!!

 

[colesy]

Hi Guys
Yes mine turned up today also

 

[Turbo Ed]

Obviously, Australia received a shipment!!

 

[Akinen]

My car is currently at the 3 year service at the dealer (in Germany) and it seems that they also got the spark plugs, contrary to what was estimated at the time of my booking.

 

[Forrester]

There is a downturn in car demand from what I am hearing from my son and the stats in general. A lot of orders are being cancelled and normally dealerships then offload surpluses to car hire companies. But they aren’t buying either. Added to which interest rates keep on rising. As they just did in the UK.

I certainly wouldn’t like to be in any selling business right now but especially cars and financial services.

 

[Turbo Ed]

There is a downturn in car demand from what I am hearing from my son and the stats in general. A lot of orders are being cancelled and normally dealerships then offload surpluses to car hire companies. But they aren’t buying either. Added to which interest rates keep on rising. As they just did in the UK.

I certainly wouldn’t like to be in any selling business right now but especially cars and financial services.

@Forrester
In which market are you talking about?
I know in Australia, like most things in such a large country, it is very regional.
In other words, in the lower socio-economic areas, new car sales have almost stopped, while in what I would loosely call "middle Australia", (which constitutes around 2/3 of the population), the biggest problem is still supply.
EG, the Ford Ranger Raptor, a 400 HP twin turbo Petrol V6, if you want specific color / options, is out over 18 months.
There are some Toyota models with deliveries between 18 months and three years!!
Who orders a new car on a three-year delivery???
Well, a lot of middle-class Australians, it would seem.

 

[Forrester]

@Forrester
In which market are you talking about?
I know in Australia, like most things in such a large country, it is very regional.
In other words, in the lower socio-economic areas, new car sales have almost stopped, while in what I would loosely call "middle Australia", (which constitutes around 2/3 of the population), the biggest problem is still supply.
EG, the Ford Ranger Raptor, a 400 HP twin turbo Petrol V6, if you want specific color / options, is out over 18 months.
There are some Toyota models with deliveries between 18 months and three years!!
Who orders a new car on a three-year delivery???
Well, a lot of middle-class Australians, it would seem.

The UK specially where it has been a self inflicted wound but other markets are now starting to wobble, such as the US and Western Europe in terms of their economic activity. Australia is very different as you know. You won’t be impacted in the same way. But you will reap the benefits, such as quicker spark plug deliveries.

 

[Turbo Ed]

The UK specially where it has been a self inflicted wound but other markets are now starting to wobble, such as the US and Western Europe in terms of their economic activity. Australia is very different as you know. You won’t be impacted in the same way. But you will reap the benefits, such as quicker spark plug deliveries.

LOL!!
I guess they don't call us the Lucky Country for nothing!!
Still a bitch of an environment for high performance Tuning though!!

Perhaps our new car deliveries might improve though.

So, how bad am I going to find the UK in September.?
Managed to find a near new Macan S to hire though, so it can't be all THAT bad!!

 

[colesy]

Well that $1200.00 quoted sparkplug change, actually cost me $186.20, and about 30 minutes of my time. Before anyone complains of a DIY, I am a qualified mechanic.

 

[Turbo Ed]

Well that $1200.00 quoted sparkplug change, actually cost me $186.20, and about 30 minutes of my time. Before anyone complains of a DIY, I am a qualified mechanic.

Actually, that is somewhere between funny and pathetic, in what it says about the OEM Dealerships.
Regrettably, only too common, which is why I shall not use them unless there is absolutely no choice.

 

[Forrester]

LOL!!
I guess they don't call us the Lucky Country for nothing!!
Still a bitch of an environment for high performance Tuning though!!

Perhaps our new car deliveries might improve though.

So, how bad am I going to find the UK in September.?
Managed to find a near new Macan S to hire though, so it can't be all THAT bad!!

This is just one example of what's going on in economically shredded UK. The hilarious thing is that Ellesmere Port voted for brexit Vauxhall-maker warns Brexit threatens electric cars in UK - BBC News

You'll probably find the UK cheap as the exchange rate is great for Australians at £1=A$1.87 currently. It was around $2.71 when I first went to Australia. If you need to shop in a supermarket you will find plenty of sections are empty. For instance hardboiled yellow sweets my mother always had have disappeared from Sainsbury's as have their own brand of suncream, I was trying to get before my US trip next month. Their suncream is made in Germany and I guess the sweets are probably made somewhere in Europe too.

 

[Turbo Ed]

This is just one example of what's going on in economically shredded UK. The hilarious thing is that Ellesmere Port voted for brexit Vauxhall-maker warns Brexit threatens electric cars in UK - BBC News

You'll probably find the UK cheap as the exchange rate is great for Australians at £1=A$1.87 currently. It was around $2.71 when I first went to Australia. If you need to shop in a supermarket you will find plenty of sections are empty. For instance hardboiled yellow sweets my mother always had have disappeared from Sainsbury's as have their own brand of suncream, I was trying to get before my US trip next month. Their suncream is made in Germany and I guess the sweets are probably made somewhere in Europe too.

It certainly is sad; however, we are getting seriously off topic so I shall not ask you here the multiple questions which come to mind regarding the current state of play in the Old Dart