Prius Prices In Ireland

[Titch_Ryan]

Further to my post regarding my initial impressions, you might be interested in the costs of the vehicle and its options over here in Ireland.

First thing to appreciate is that automobiles are VERY expensive here! This is largely due to the taxation, but there are other factors. Since the vehicle is not made in the European Union, it is subject to import duties. When it is sold, it is also subject to Value Added Tax (VAT) which is the equivalent of Sales Tax in the US, and Goods & Services Tax (GST) in Canada. When I last lived in the US I seem to recall that sales tax was around 8%, similarly when I lived in Canada in Ontario, it was 8% there. Here VAT is charged at 21%. Then, for our added pleasure on top of the price, import duties and VAT we also have a one-time Vehicle Registration Tax, dependant upon engine size and for a vehicle with a 1497cc engine like the Prius, this is 25%, calculated on top of the other taxes, so it is a tax on a tax. As a small concession, the Irish government will refund half of the VRT for hybrid vehicles, but that still means 12.5%. The European Union Commission has ruled VRT as being illegal, but it still does not stop Ireland, Belgium, and Denmark charging it.

Option Pacakges
There are only three options available in Ireland, the Luxury or Premium Pack, the Sat nav Pack, and the Leather IPA pack. These options are cumulative.

Luxury Pack
This adds to the base package cruise control, front fog lamps, JBL Audio system with 9 speakers and a CD changer.
Satellite Navigation Pack
Adds to the Luxury Pack full map navigation.
Leather Pack
Adds to the Satellite Navigation Pack leather seats and Intelligent Parking Assist.

The Base price of a Prius is 30,580 Euro, which at today's exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.28 USD this equates to $39,142 on the road including taxes.

The Luxury Pack is 1,388 Euro, the Satellite Navigation Pack is 4,257 Euro, and the Leather Pack another 6,372 Euro. Add to this sundry other minor options including color matched door mouldings and fender mouldings amounting to 1,300 Euro, and the grand total on the road is 43,897 Euro or $56,188 - staggering isn't it!

Then there is the annual road tax based on the engine size which is 313 Euro, or $400, and insurance, fully comprehensive, with a full no-claims discount, amounting to about $900, and fuel is today 1 Euro/litre or $1.28/litre, or $4.81/US gallon.

People in Ireland don't tend to buy cars very often. There seem to be two types of car owners here - those that really look after their vehicles, and those who laregly ignore them, do no maintenance, and don't fix things. After 4 years all vehicles are subject to a National Car Test, which is then repeated every two years, and tests all aspects of the vehicle, including brakes, lights, steering, oil/fluid leaks, corrosion, emissions, etc.

I would be interested in seeing how these costs compare with the US/Canada.

[nerfer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Adrian Ryan @ Feb 16 2007, 03:06 PM) [snapback]391703[/snapback]</div>

Further to my post regarding my initial impressions, you might be interested in the costs of the vehicle and its options over here in Ireland.

First thing to appreciate is that automobiles are VERY expensive here! This is largely due to the taxation,
The Base price of a Prius is 30,580 Euro, which at today's exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.28 USD this equates to $39,142 on the road including taxes.
:
The Luxury Pack is 1,388 Euro, the Satellite Navigation Pack is 4,257 Euro, and the Leather Pack another 6,372 Euro. Add to this sundry other minor options including color matched door mouldings and fender mouldings amounting to 1,300 Euro, and the grand total on the road is 43,897 Euro or $56,188 - staggering isn't it!

Then there is the annual road tax based on the engine size which is 313 Euro, or $400, and insurance, fully comprehensive, with a full no-claims discount, amounting to about $900, and fuel is today 1 Euro/litre or $1.28/litre, or $4.81/US gallon.
:
I would be interested in seeing how these costs compare with the US/Canada.
[/b]

That is staggering! I knew Singapore had high prices, perhaps even higher than that, but they're also a strictly controlled state, and have an excellent public transportation system. They have a quota for the number of car registrations available (which is set a value that keeps roads busy but virtually eliminates traffic jams). And, a car can only be operated for ten years, after that the government takes it from you and sells it (keeping the money of course) outside the country (city).

For me in Illinois, I paid about $23K - $4k for trade-in = 19K, taxed on the 19K. Can't remember what the tax was, but the net effect of the $4K trade-in was a benefit of about $4,500 which would imply a tax of over 10%. That doesn't seem right. I got the service package and weathertec cargo mat, with taxes it all came back to about $23K (pkg 1 = base model + side airbags). Same as I paid new for my '99 Outback.

When I lived in northern VA, they had a county-based property tax based on the blue-book value of the car which you paid every year (good thing I had a dirt-cheap car when living there!). In MD you have to pay a sales tax when bringing in a car from out of state, even though you paid sales tax when you bought the car initially as well. Still, I guess we shouldn't complain, based on your experience!

Gas is now about $2.20- $2.35/gal here.

[David Beale]

In Canada, GST was reduced to 6%. Ontario has a sales tax as well, but this varies by province - here in Alberta there is none so we just have to pay the 6% GST, plus a federal air conditioner tax (around $150), plus a provincial tire recycling tax (around $50). Then there is dealer prep and delivery (trucking the vehicle from Richmond BC to here).
We have the Base - $34,757.40 Can. including taxes and delivery. $29,543.79 US

Add all options except nav. - Pack B - $39,082.20 Can. $33,219.87 US

Add nav to that - Pack C - $42,633.20 Can. $36,238.22 US

No leather option, no Touring model.

It's possible to negotiate below those costs - perhaps $2000 less.

It's also possible to purchase an American car and import it. Both the US and Canada have an import duty of I think around 4.5%. If I were to import into Canada I would have to pay this duty again, then apply the GST to that value. Then get the car "certified" as meeting the Canadian standards (only change for Prius is DRLs must be added). This certification costs around $150, adding DRLs costs around $500. It's about $6000 Can. less expensive to purchase in the US and import after all duties, fees, and taxes. This varies by the exchange rate, of course. Last summer it was almost $11,000!

[cwerdna]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Feb 16 2007, 01:29 PM) [snapback]391737[/snapback]</div>

That is staggering! I knew Singapore had high prices, perhaps even higher than that, but they're also a strictly controlled state,
[/b]

I'd heard about insane car prices in Singapore before from former roommates who were from there. From http://www.toyotasingapore.com.sg/cars/new...prius/price.asp, it looks like Priuses are 85117 Singapore dollars which Yahoo finance says is $55,581 USD.

[Oxo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Adrian Ryan @ Feb 16 2007, 04:06 PM) [snapback]391703[/snapback]</div>

Further to my post regarding my initial impressions, you might be interested in the costs of the vehicle and its options over here in Ireland.


I would be interested in seeing how these costs compare with the US/Canada.
[/b]

Interesting but I don't think one should compare costs in isolation. Costs are relative to net incomes and the general cost of living. Is there a "minimum wage" in Ireland? If so, how much? And what is a typical annual salary? (Not an average, which can be very misleading).

Prices may seem high to many of us but ask yourself why there are so many potential immigrants from Eastern Europe, Africa, etc clambering and taking enormous efforts and risks to get into our countries. (I'm not sure if Ireland has an illegal immigrant problem.)

[Balt]

I just paid AU$49600 for a new 2007 Prius (i-Tech, i.e. with nav system, keyless entry, all leather, rear view camera) plus dealer installed and lifetime warrantied tinted windows (we have a lot of sun here in Oz) and FREE FLOORMATS, WEE! (cynical). That's US$39k and includes one year of road taxes.

[Titch_Ryan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Feb 17 2007, 09:52 AM) [snapback]391963[/snapback]</div>

Interesting but I don't think one should compare costs in isolation. Costs are relative to net incomes and the general cost of living. Is there a "minimum wage" in Ireland? If so, how much? And what is a typical annual salary? (Not an average, which can be very misleading).

Prices may seem high to many of us but ask yourself why there are so many potential immigrants from Eastern Europe, Africa, etc clambering and taking enormous efforts and risks to get into our countries. (I'm not sure if Ireland has an illegal immigrant problem.)
[/b]

You are right, of course, prices of goods and services without relating to percentage of annual disposable income are somewhat meaningless. I don't have accurate figures for Ireland, but my guess, and it is only what might be called a SWAG - Scientific Wild-Assed Guess, is that the median salary scale is about 30,000 to 40,000 Euro. (Based upon income tax rates, and average costs of living relative to other parts of Europe.) Perhaps there is someone with accurate statistical data that can update this. Equally, I think you need to factor in the typical Prius buyer profile - this is not your average middle-of-the-road vehicle.

I should also have added that here the dealers are allocated two vehicles a year. I have been interested in a Prius for some time and I kept in touch with my local dealer. But when his 2007 allocation became available he informed me that he was not going to order anything other than two base models to his colour choice, and it was take it or leave it. I then went to another dealer and he still had one free allocation slot, and was happy to order what I wanted. Delivery was 16 weeks, and I have to say the whole experience was very pleasant, unlike some auto purchases I've had in the past. So, I guess the "bottom line" of all this is, enjoy it while you still can, eventually we will run out of oil and that might be sooner rather than later.

[David Beale]

I have it on good authority that oil will last for a long time to come.
Remember your history lessons where "experts" claimed coal would run out just after the turn of the century - the 19th century? I think oil is in the same catagory.

Whether we can actually continue to burn it without dire consequences is another matter.

Here in Alberta we have the worlds second largest reserve of oil. And most people drive either an SUV, large pickup, or a mini-van (who named them that - they weigh almost 4000 lbs - nothing "mini" about that!). So we're using the reserves up well, but they'll last at least another 50 years at current comsumption rates, and they're still finding more.

It's appearant most don't care about their "carbon load".

But the oil boom is financing the vehicle purchases. A spiral into doom?

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Feb 16 2007, 01:29 PM) [snapback]391737[/snapback]</div>

That is staggering! I knew Singapore had high prices, perhaps even higher than that, but they're also a strictly controlled state, and have an excellent public transportation system. They have a quota for the number of car registrations available (which is set a value that keeps roads busy but virtually eliminates traffic jams). And, a car can only be operated for ten years, after that the government takes it from you and sells it (keeping the money of course) outside the country (city).

[/b]

Err.. no. There are traffic jams on the major expressways (CTE and PIE). But on the major roads, it's fairly smooth going.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Feb 16 2007, 02:41 PM) [snapback]391754[/snapback]</div>

In Canada, GST was reduced to 6%. Ontario has a sales tax as well, but this varies by province - here in Alberta there is none so we just have to pay the 6% GST, plus a federal air conditioner tax (around $150), plus a provincial tire recycling tax (around $50). Then there is dealer prep and delivery (trucking the vehicle from Richmond BC to here).
We have the Base - $34,757.40 Can. including taxes and delivery. $29,543.79 US

Add all options except nav. - Pack B - $39,082.20 Can. $33,219.87 US

Add nav to that - Pack C - $42,633.20 Can. $36,238.22 US

No leather option, no Touring model.

[/b]

Remember that our import duty (b/c it's built in Japan) is 6.1%

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Feb 17 2007, 12:45 AM) [snapback]391954[/snapback]</div>

I'd heard about insane car prices in Singapore before from former roommates who were from there. From http://www.toyotasingapore.com.sg/cars/new...prius/price.asp, it looks like Priuses are 85117 Singapore dollars which Yahoo finance says is $55,581 USD.
[/b]

That's just the vehicle price. There's also COE, road tax, GST (3% I think), licensing.

[nerfer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Feb 17 2007, 11:18 AM) [snapback]392018[/snapback]</div>

I have it on good authority that oil will last for a long time to come.
Remember your history lessons where "experts" claimed coal would run out just after the turn of the century - the 19th century? I think oil is in the same catagory.
[/b]

The coal question is rather misleading. That was the subject of a paper by Jevons in the 19th century, and he was looking at England's production of coal over the next 100 years. They didn't have the term "peak coal", but that's basically what he was saying - that after about 60 years, it would be too expensive to get at the remaining coal for England to remain economically competitive, particularly in their steel manufacturing and other heavy industries.

Fortunately England was able to switch to oil, although that didn't save their steel industry from hard times. England now imports the majority of the coal it uses, so Jevons had it right.

Today it is often said we have a 200-year supply of coal. That's at today's rate. Consider an average 2% growth, all of a sudden it's a 75-year supply. If we need to rely on coal for more things due to reduced petroleum (such as coal-gasification to replace gasoline), it drops even sharper.

But that's coal. Peak oil follows its own path, but is also limited. There's quite a bit there, and we're figuring out how to get more of it out of a field and how to get to more deep-water fields, or from tar sands, heavy crude, etc. but it all adds to the cost. So we might have enough oil for several years, a decade or so, but it will cost more money. Once again, the rich nations win. After that the price will go up enough that even the rich will be affected.