Not quite (VFACTS) August

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by prydey

this is it in a nutshell. total new car sales year on year don't vary by much, so essentially the size of the pie (new car buyers) is the same. what is changing is the amount of slices the pie is being cut into. australia has one of the biggest range of vehicles in the world. yes thats right. our piddly little nation has more choice than nearly all other countries in the world.

We have twice as many brands as the US I believe (60 here and 30 in the US).

[flooded one]

its amazing how many cars brands there are for sale here but yet only 3 manufacture cars here!! why doesnt the government step in and increase import tarriffs and tell the importers too set up shop here if they want too sell there cars here or something!!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by vztrt

We have twice as many brands as the US I believe (60 here and 30 in the US).

not to mention models. top seller in the country only 10 years ago used to sell 10000 units a month. the top seller now struggles to crack 3000. this gives a fair indication of the increased spread of sales. there is a type of vehicle to suit every lifestyle or individual choice you could imagine.

[bmorris]

Originally Posted by wildrider

its amazing how many cars brands there are for sale here but yet only 3 manufacture cars here!! why doesnt the government step in and increase import tarriffs and tell the importers too set up shop here if they want too sell there cars here or something!!

Because it would increase the cost of the cars they sell here, resulting in less sales, meaning there would be no point selling cars in Australia. The number of brands here would decrease, meaning less choices for the consumer. The consumer would blame the government because they were then forced into chosing a car they don't really want, helping to remove the government at the next election.

So that's why the government won't do it, plus we live in a capitalist society.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by bmorris

Because it would increase the cost of the cars they sell here, resulting in less sales, meaning there would be no point selling cars in Australia. The number of brands here would decrease, meaning less choices for the consumer. The consumer would blame the government because they were then forced into chosing a car they don't really want, helping to remove the government at the next election.

So that's why the government won't do it, plus we live in a capitalist society.

or at least offer heavy rego discounts on australian made vehicles too help boost sales or something. i know they wouldnt do that because of loss of revenue but it would help australian car manufacturing.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by wildrider

or at least offer heavy rego discounts on australian made vehicles too help boost sales or something. i know they wouldnt do that because of loss of revenue but it would help australian car manufacturing.

Taxpayers already pay $1 billion a year in tarrifs, and the government hands out approx. $450 million a year to the car makers and suppliers. Thats $1.45 billion of "discounts" the three car makers are already getting. Or roughly $10,000 for each locally made car that australians buy each year. Exactly how much more "discounts" do they need.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Taxpayers already pay $1 billion a year in tarrifs, and the government hands out approx. $450 million a year to the car makers and suppliers. Thats $1.45 billion of "discounts" the three car makers are already getting. Or roughly $10,000 for each locally made car that australians buy each year. Exactly how much more "discounts" do they need.

I'm talking about cheaper rego for people who "buy" australian cars not discounts for manufactures!! one example is: alot of people buy 4 cylinder cars for cheaper rego etc. under that idea. instead of charging per cylinder or weight etc. it would be cheaper too register an australian made car then an import.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Taxpayers already pay $1 billion a year in tarrifs, and the government hands out approx. $450 million a year to the car makers and suppliers.

Please give references to show that the government hands out $450 million per year
You can't take one year of forward planning programs and call that $450 million/year.

Ford is lucky to see around $134 million over an 8 year period from 2006-2014..

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Taxpayers already pay $1 billion a year in tarrifs, and the government hands out approx. $450 million a year to the car makers and suppliers. Thats $1.45 billion of "discounts" the three car makers are already getting. Or roughly $10,000 for each locally made car that australians buy each year. Exactly how much more "discounts" do they need.

I would also like some references to the $1B in tarrifs please!!

[aualright]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Taxpayers already pay $1 billion a year in tarrifs, and the government hands out approx. $450 million a year to the car makers and suppliers. Thats $1.45 billion of "discounts" the three car makers are already getting. Or roughly $10,000 for each locally made car that australians buy each year. Exactly how much more "discounts" do they need.

I agree with your sentiment, but as you have proven to be a rusted on Torie your figures are likely skewed to reflect badly on the current govt.

I think we have a good mix of protection and assistance. Certainly better than when a Toyota Sprinter cost more than $40k. We have so much more CHOICE now, and cars are much cheaper since the lowering of tarrifs and the intro of the GST.

****

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by vztrt

We have twice as many brands as the US I believe (60 here and 30 in the US).

We may technically have MORE choice, but the US has far BETTER choices.

Aside from the major brands that we both have in common, most of our additional brands are things like Proton, Sssangyong etc - brands that the US wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.

Oh, and don't forget Mahindra... rofl. There were actually serious plans to bring that brand to the US a couple of years ago, never happened.

What would you rather have the pick of - Mustangs, F-Series, Camaros, etc. or Citroens and Protons Satrias?

You say we have more choice here? Let's look at Nissan and Toyota - Nissan offers 7 additional models/variants that we don't get here (Cube, Altima, Juke, Murano cabrio, Quest, Titan, NV Van), while Toyota offers 11 extra models (Matrix, Avalon, Tundra, Venza, Sequoia, Scion TC, Scion IQ, Scion XD, Lexus ES, Lexus HS, Lexus GX).

In the US, Ford & Lincoln combined offer 19 individual model lines. Here in Australia? 9 - less than half. Let's not even get started on the number of models GM USA offers in it's 4 divisions - it would put Holden to shame.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I would also like some references to the $1B in tarrifs please!!

Just tell me how references you need - government minister speeches? news articles?? Government website references?

I'll take the easy option at the moment and just link something i googled.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/crunc...211-1syck.html


In 2009-10, the industry produced more than 231,000 cars. In that time, total government assistance, including subsidies, tax breaks and tariffs, was $1.625 billion, according to the Productivity Commission. In other words, each car was subsidised by just over $7000. At an average price of $25,000, that means a subsidy of nearly 30 per cent of the price of an Australian car, Mr Pearce said.

[jpd80]

You're kidding, a slanted article from SMH who can't get their facts right.

That $1 billion in import tariffs didn't go to the industry, the government pocketed it and gave back $573 million
and that $573 million wasn't over just 12 months, it was continuing assistance for the next five to ten years.

An I repeat, in Federal assistance, Ford is lucky to see around $134 million over an 8 year period from 2006-2014..
Given the number of Ford vehicles produced locally over the time line, that's about $300/vehicle