Foreign cars more pricey than ever compared to Detroit's

[sufrommich]

Source: USA Today

The selling-price gap between imported cars and models from Detroit's Big 3 is the widest in almost 12 years, Bloomberg News reports. Result: Chrysler and Ford are flying high.


According to Bloomberg News:

The average selling price for a new imported car climbed to a record high of $31,536 in August, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. That was $7,614 more than the average domestic-made car, the biggest gap since December 1999. With Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics in short supply, more Americans have turned to Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Fiesta cars.

Foreign-car makers are in a box:

The weak dollar discourages them from importing lower-priced cars, which have tiny profit margins. Japan's earthquake and tsunami, which caused widespread shortages of Japanese-made cars and parts, didn't help either. They continue to build more plants outside Japan, like the many that dot the U.S.


Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/10/foreign-cars-more-pricey-than-ever-compared-to-detroits/1

[safeinOhio]

1. MY 2012 may be the best

car I have ever owned. I've owned lots of them over the last 45 years, bought my first in 1966.

[sufrommich]

2. What did you buy? nt

[safeinOhio]

4. Ford Focus

[Warpy]

9. The Focus barely lost out to my little Kia for two reasons

and I could have coped with the slightly smaller cargo space by packing it with my foot when I visit wool growers.

What really caused it to lose out was the fact that I had to add an expensive "package" to get the AC that came standard on the Kia. Since I favor standard transmission and as few bells and whistles as possible, that was offensive.

If Detroit ever smartens up a bit and gets rid of those stupid "packages" that drive up the cost over the base price, maybe they can compete head to head.

The Focus is a great little car and I'd be happy to be driving one.

[Dover]

3. Hyundai, Fiat and others have set the bar for low prices

while also giving a lot of quality for the price (around $17,000). They are challenging other foreign companies as well as Detroit to do the same.

[Atypical Liberal]

5. Yup, just bought a Mazda 2.

When our 1998 Ford 150's third engine died a few months ago, I shopped around for the cheapest new car that had air conditioning, cruise control, and anti-lock brakes. The winner was the Mazda 2, at $17,064. The clincher was the dealer I found that had a dealer-offered lifetime powertrain warranty. After all the engine problems with the Ford, the powertrain warranty was a great assurance.

I was considering the Ford Focus, as I wanted to buy an American car, but after my experience with the engines in my Ford truck and the price, I went with the Mazda 2.

[Dover]

6. Have you figured out your mpg yet? Curious what it gets...n/t

[nichomachus]

8. What's really interesting

Is that in Europe, the cars get significantly higher gas mileage than in the US -- for the same make and model.

I have a friend who had a BMW here and it got 18-20 miles to the gallon. In Europe the same year and model got over 50 mpg.

[Dover]

11. As I understand it, there is a difference in the two fuel rating systems

so that the European mileage is not that different. I read that was a common misconception.

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. In Europe fuel economy is expressed in terms of litres per 100 kilometres

in the UK it's usually miles per gallon, but it's miles per Imperial gallon, not US gallon (an Imperial gallon is equivalent to 4.546 litres; a US gallon is 3.785 litres). So a car with a fuel efficiency of 47 miles per Imperial gallon would get 39 miles to the US gallon.

[Dover]

16. Thank you for clarifying that! n/t

[nichomachus]

18. My friend is well aware of that and considered it

[Atypical Liberal]

10. It has a computer that tells you.

I'm surprised by the features it has. Electronic traction control and even Tire Pressure sensors - you'll get an on-dash warning when your tire pressure gets low.

It has an information display that tells you your current MPG, outside temp, average MPG, and average speed.

My average speed is 33 MPH, and my average mileage is 32.8 MPG.

[Dover]

12. Just posted an article in the Env. forum about how those in-car digital

readouts are not dependably accurate. But I'm sure it's in the ballpark. Thanks.

[Atypical Liberal]

17. Seems to be.

The car is rated as 28 city / 33 highway.

[Kolesar]

7. Toyotas are way overrated

The Matrix is a noisy rattletrap.

[Dover]

13. I don't think they're overrated, just over priced.

There is still no hybrid on the road that beats a Prius. But more people are finding that they can get
improved mileage in a regular car for much less cost (if cost is the main parameter).

[Lars77]

14. Its built i the US for the NA market

Seems to me that Toyotas built in the US has a cheaper feel to them. Maybe more unreliable too. In Europe Toyotas and Hondas are consistently the most reliable cars according to statistics from independent organizations such as ADAC (German AAA).