Pro & Con between life in UK & US

Hi The Yank

I watch the new and used car markets in both the UK and USA as well as sometimes Belgium and Germany and the 'general' consensus amongst us petrolheads is the following

1. New Cars - Like for like models in the USA are substantially much cheaper in the USA. Even when the exchange rate is at its more 'usual' £1= $1.50/60 range, the list price in the USA for the same 'exact' car is usually around 30-45% less than here.

2. Used cars - Brand imaging has more of a direct impact on used car prices there than here. 'Volvo' in the US is seen as a 'premium brand' over here in the UK it's finally shook off it's 'dowdy old mans' car image it had for decades and in the last decade or so has become more of a premium brand. Used prices have therefore solidified for them here.

3. Engine choice - generally speaking like for like cars will get a similar lineup of engine sizes. Usually the US will get a bigger top model than to us here becuase we get ripped for the worlds 3 or 4th highest petrol prices. On the other end, becuase of that, the UK makes up for it with a Diesel variant or two and recently the hybrids although they're rare.

4. Europe has more 'manufacturers' of cars becuase there's more countries here! and they're closer to each other, the likes of Citroen, Renault, Skoda, Fiat, etc aren't in America becuase there's (relatively) no demand for small cars there. Look carefully though, many of the 40 or so marques you know of are owned by other bigger companies, and quite a few of them are US owned! ! - think (saab (GM) , volvo (ford) , vauxhall (GM), ford (well, ford!) , vw group i.e vw, skoda, audi, lamborghini, seat, Bentley (Daimler -Chrysler) etc, and in fact i think theres only 7 real distinct car manufacturer OWNERS and experts that will dwindle to around 3 or 4 in about 15-20 years or so.



Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Why get an automatic?  Do you not know how to drive manual?  There are very few automatics on British or European roads and there is a reason for it.  Automatics are dangerous and don't allow you to use the engine properly while driving the kind of roads they have out in Devon.  Large portions of America have straight wide roads with less road hazards allowing the lazy automatic to flourish with big gulp holder and all.  Most newer US cars come with a climate controlled glove box to stock your big macs.  I would reconsider that automatic lunchbox on wheels.  

hahaha! where the F did you get that load of tosh from ?!

Can you prove 'automatics are dangerous' ?

My take is that if you think automatics are dangerous on the roads in devon, you are driving too fast for the road conditions and wouldnt make a blind bit of difference if you were in a manual transmission car

You obviously need to sort your driving skills out and research more before coming out with useless comments like that!

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

I think you got that backwards? Or at least wrong.

O dear! I would think not.  Where in the US do they sell Morgan, TVR, Alfa, Fiat, SEAT, Skoda, Hindustan Motors, Renault, Citron, Smart and on and on.  In the UK they also sell models from all the North American auto makers and many more.  More auto makers = more choice

hahaha! where the F did you get that load of tosh from ?!

Can you prove 'automatics are dangerous' ?

My take is that if you think automatics are dangerous on the roads in devon, you are driving too fast for the road conditions and wouldnt make a blind bit of difference if you were in a manual transmission car

You obviously need to sort your driving skills out and research more before coming out with useless comments like that!

  I love you guys!

Hi The Yank

I watch the new and used car markets in both the UK and USA as well as sometimes Belgium and Germany and the 'general' consensus amongst us petrolheads is the following

1. New Cars - Like for like models in the USA are substantially much cheaper in the USA. Even when the exchange rate is at its more 'usual' £1= $1.50/60 range, the list price in the USA for the same 'exact' car is usually around 30-45% less than here.

2. Used cars - Brand imaging has more of a direct impact on used car prices there than here. 'Volvo' in the US is seen as a 'premium brand' over here in the UK it's finally shook off it's 'dowdy old mans' car image it had for decades and in the last decade or so has become more of a premium brand. Used prices have therefore solidified for them here.

3. Engine choice - generally speaking like for like cars will get a similar lineup of engine sizes. Usually the US will get a bigger top model than to us here becuase we get ripped for the worlds 3 or 4th highest petrol prices. On the other end, becuase of that, the UK makes up for it with a Diesel variant or two and recently the hybrids although they're rare.

4. Europe has more 'manufacturers' of cars becuase there's more countries here! and they're closer to each other, the likes of Citroen, Renault, Skoda, Fiat, etc aren't in America becuase there's (relatively) no demand for small cars there. Look carefully though, many of the 40 or so marques you know of are owned by other bigger companies, and quite a few of them are US owned! ! - think (saab (GM) , volvo (ford) , vauxhall (GM), ford (well, ford!) , vw group i.e vw, skoda, audi, lamborghini, seat, Bentley (Daimler -Chrysler) etc, and in fact i think theres only 7 real distinct car manufacturer OWNERS and experts that will dwindle to around 3 or 4 in about 15-20 years or so.



Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Well done you!  You have reiterated precisely what I have already said.  Yes....indeed.  Ford is in the deep and soon to be selling off their more profitable European Volvo.  You are absolutely right that only a handful of makers create 99% of the cars on the road.

hahaha! where the F did you get that load of tosh from ?!

Can you prove 'automatics are dangerous' ?

My take is that if you think automatics are dangerous on the roads in devon, you are driving too fast for the road conditions and wouldn't make a blind bit of difference if you were in a manual transmission car

You obviously need to sort your driving skills out and research more before coming out with useless comments like that!

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

There is crash test data to prove the auto vs. manual argument.  I would suggest reading a little more often.    Also.......read Jeremy Clarkson in The Times about the differences.

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!  Great fun.   

Also.......read Jeremy Clarkson in The Times about the differences.

Ah that it explains quite a lot lol

Ah that it explains quite a lot lol

I was thinking the same thing. 

Jeremy Clarkson is such a non-biased wealth of knowledge. 

The Yank

I understand that 'theoretically' an Auto box is less responsive than a manual gearbox. But the instances where you'll substantially notice the difference is NOT on public roads.

Please post up the crash test data to prove autos are more dangerous than manuals. Statistically, there may well be more 'crashes' in a auto transmission car, but there again, in the world, there are more automatics than manuals!

I read clarky boy and other journalists articles alot, and I cannot recall any of them saying 'automatics are more dangerous than manuals' for the vast majority of the driving population - please post up examples of these!

And remember, the likes of Morgan and TVR are specialist marques, the equivalent in the US were the likes of Shelby etc - Alfa hasn't really made an impact in the USA market, Hindustan motors as far as I'm aware dont export out of India unless to a niche market (i'll have to look at them, some of my cousins work in industries out there supplying the Indian car market)

Theres much more to the differences of each countries car market than just the Auto Vs Manual thing, auto's have become very popular here in the UK recently becuase of their convenience.

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Large portions of America have straight wide roads with less road hazards allowing the lazy automatic to flourish with big gulp holder and all.  Most newer US cars come with a climate controlled glove box to stock your big macs.  I would reconsider that automatic lunchbox on wheels.

I can't stop laughing about my earlier post!  You have to admit.....that is pretty funny!

On to the next subject......

GMOs

The US is all for them and the EU rejects them.  I'm not very happy to know that in the US, food companies don't have to disclose their existence.  In the EU any product containing Genetically engineered ingredients has to be disclosed on the package.  It looks like US food suppliers have lobbied hard to deceive the public.  No real debate has ever existed in the US on the topic.  Just another thing big US business likes to dictate.  There currently still exists a trade dispute between the US and EU over the issue.  The EU refuses to let it's citizens be told by the US what to eat.  It's interesting. 

The Bush wackos seem to support it blindly even though it doesn't jive with their radical religious views.   why fuss about the stem cell issue if you are willing to change the nature of things that you put in your stomach?  I'm not crazy about putting a strawberry in my mouth that has a spliced gene from a Salmon and not being told about it.  This kind of science is only acceptable in the US if it makes a profit for a lobby supporting the regime in power. 

GMOs

GMOs?  I did an acronym search and it came up with 'Genetically Modified Organism'?  Can't be that, but what is it?  I'm curious

Thanks

I can't stop laughing about my earlier post!  You have to admit.....that is pretty funny!

Don't give up yer day job mate....!

DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Don't give up yer day job mate....!

Dennis, you're killin' me! 

Don't give up yer day job mate....!

DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Pretty funny.......from grotty Slough!