Very expensive cars,what do you think?

[agn71]

So what is the point of this discussion?
We all know and acknowledge that cars are expensive here. I mean if we talk prices after taxes. If we talk tax free prices they are almost the cheapest in Europe. Because EU have not been able to agree tax harmonisation, well they haven't so far even started to think about seriously, every country can do almost whatever they want.

What comes to dealer profits it varies greatly between car brands and models. Generally speaking profits are not any higher or lower than other EU countries.

Tax harmonisation might help to lower taxes, but it is very difficult to achieve.

[kristheo]

I have a question... it might be a stupid one, but... here we go... does it matter where you buy the car in FI? i mean, if i live in Oulu and bought my car there (and use it there also) would it be more cheap?

I am asking this because, I agree that car should be expensive in Helsinki. There are too many cars in the city... but if you live in a remote area, then I guess cars should be a little cheap there.

[Hank W.]

foreign resident people can bring in a "tax-free car"... foreign resident people are privileged...

I drive an imported car. At the time such a car cost 8000 in Finland, I paid tax on it 10 000, the car was free...

[Hank W.]

I have a question... it might be a stupid one, but... here we go... does it matter where you buy the car in FI? i mean, if i live in Oulu and bought my car there (and use it there also) would it be more cheap? .

Probably more expensive, depends on the dealer's expenses to bring it all the way to Oulu from Hanko.

[mumboman]

old cars are cheap here hank
it's the new ones that are on the pricey side
if you prefer to drive junk, and not neccesarily like it to start all the time the car is quite cheap

[haahatus]

alintatoc I didn't understand what you were saying. You say cars should be more expensive so people buy less of them and drive around less??? I dont know

No I think it sucks. Old cars pollute more

Given the amount of energy it takes to build a new car, it's more environmentally friendly to keep on running an older car.

Yes but atleast the parts are recycled. Atleast the energy inefficiency is further away from you than coming trough crannies next to your window. If windows get black after a few years there is a problem. Even though Finland is massively better than many many places on this planet.

[mumboman]

It's a 7-7 game. Can someone please explain why cheaper cars would benefit Finland.

[alintatoc]

It's a 7-7 game. Can someone please explain why cheaper cars would benefit Finland.

Because instead of paying 10000 on a second hand car,you pay only 5000 euros like a normal european citizenship...

What I'am trying to say is that cars should be cheaper, because cars are things that anyone should have!

[Mook]

It's a 7-7 game. Can someone please explain why cheaper cars would benefit Finland.

Because instead of paying 10000 on a second hand car,you pay only 5000 euros like a normal european citizenship...

What I'am trying to say is that cars should be cheaper, because cars are things that anyone should have!

Ah, you mean that cars are a basic human right... just like Television!

Of course, if everyone had a car, they'd need to build more roads

[Mook]

If windows get black after a few years there is a problem. Even though Finland is massively better than many many places on this planet.

I'm not sure that this holds, given that since 1992 all new cars in the EU have had Catalytic convertors.

[Hank W.]

old cars are cheap here hank
it's the new ones that are on the pricey side
if you prefer to drive junk, and not neccesarily like it to start all the time the car is quite cheap

Well, not necessarily. There is a reason I have older 1970's and 1980's cars. The reason is I can fix them myself or then take to a shop where one needs the manual and basic tools. My 1973 VW starts "turn of the key" always - my 88 Opel needs a few pigeons sacrificed...

Now when you talk about "new" cars (after 1990 or so) the amount of fix-it yourself starts dwindling. Thats why I'd rather opt for a Mahindra, Niva or something like that as they're made for "middle of Siberia 300km to nearest anything- fix it - situations.

Taking the car to the dealer to get some "light treatment" is expensive, so basically those 1990's cars are so cheap because tha maintenance costs become prohibitive. I mean some of the 2005 cars you cannot even change the lightbulbs yourself (or without dismantling half the car!)

So cheap vs. cheap the total cost needs to be calculated.

[Hank W.]

Ah, you mean that cars are a basic human right... just like Television!

I bet someone is going to have orgasmo spirituale finding out of the tv licence

[Xochiquetzal]

old cars are cheap here hank
it's the new ones that are on the pricey side
if you prefer to drive junk, and not neccesarily like it to start all the time the car is quite cheap

Taking the car to the dealer to get some "light treatment" is expensive, so basically those 1990's cars are so cheap because tha maintenance costs become prohibitive. I mean some of the 2005 cars you cannot even change the lightbulbs yourself (or without dismantling half the car!)

So cheap vs. cheap the total cost needs to be calculated.

That definitely is the frustrating thing about cars from the early 1970s (when they started introducing distributor brains) and up. I almost blew up the main computer on my mother's 80s Grand Prix while trying to fix a stupid thermostat that was stuck closed. After that, I swore off touching the 'technological terrors'. But at the same time, I *hate* having to pay exorbitant amounts just so a guy can plug in a computer to my car to tell me what code pops up as a problem (which may not even BE a problem). *sigh*

Ok, I'm done whining, back to your regularly scheduled discussion about taxes....

[korppu]

The Swedes are introducing an extra tax on huge ego-boost cars. I hope it happens here, too.

[watsonwatson]

Placing high taxes on products that are not produced domestically is a classic form of protectionism. Here's the deal with protectionism

1. It preserves jobs domestically therefore, it can keep unemployment down, but only in the short run

2. It pushes up prices for consumers, less choice too

Finland is very unusual. Its the only place that I've ever been to, apart from maybe Austria, where the general public are prepared to pay over the top to buy a product that has been produced domestically even if its worse value for money than an import

Adam Smith wrote that individuals within a market economy are rational and motivated solely by self-interest and nothing else. If an import is better value for money the consumer should buy it. I suspect that even when given they have the choice many Finns continue to buy over-priced domestic goods because they receive some sort of psychic utility from consuming a Finnish product. One of the weaknesses of mainstream microeconomics is that it assumes that consumers are rational decision makers. Economics doesn't take into account racism. Recently one of my students explained that a number of her friends refuse to eat in Turkish owned pizza outfits. Instead they go to Koti pizza. I asked why. The answer according to her wasn't anything to do with value for money. She actually said that Koti pizza pizzas are small and expensive in comparison. Her friends were willing to pay the Koti pizza price premium to obtain a psychological benefit- the emotional pleasure obtained from supporting a Finnish business.