Ford have always had different European models than US. So the number one car a few years ago was the Ford Fiesta. Pretty sure that wasn’t available over there? Same with the Escort, KA. Focus and others.
He tried to influence the elections in Germany, I think that hit folks over there much harder than what he did over here hit the Americans…
Diesel gate was bad. But I never really got why people couldn’t figure out they weren’t as environmentally friendly as they claimed. I mean they just don’t give that impression do they with the black smoke? Anyway I never bought a diesel and never will.
I miss the boot (trunk to you guys) on my Golf TSi. But only when I’m going to a trade show for work.
VAT is a consumption tax, a sales tax, it is indiscriminate and is relevant to all sales. That has nothing to do with the US or US cars. Before the tariff 'war', there was a 10% tariff on cars using the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) system from the EU, and please keep in mind tariffs are ultimately paid by the consumer of the country that imposes the tariffs, and even with that tariff most American cars are still way cheaper. But price alone doesn't mean it is desirable. And despite that tariff, the Tesla MY did become the overall bestseller for a little while, and they are still some of the cheapest electric cars one can buy. However, for complete transparency you mustn't forget that the USA also imposed a 25% (that is 15% more) tariff on pickup trucks, by far the biggest segment for car sales in the USA.
Ford is still very popular, but we had typically, since whenever, much smaller models. The largest was like a Scorpio many decades ago. Then a Mondeo for a while. Now probably some SUV. But the SUVs aren't regarded as good, the large cars were not very good. The segment is really little front wheel driven 4 cylinder cars like the Fiesta, Focus, Kuga type things.
My dad spent his entire career in the British car industry, in the latter years he was kind of 'transferred over' to a well known German manufacturer. He always maintained that you never competed with a particular German manufacturer you were trying to compete with the entire German state as well (and by extension their huge influence within the EU), he was always extremely cynical about it.
Is it very democratic when the 2nd largest party represented in that country's Parliament gets an official 'extremist' label which legally subjects them to surveillance?
Yes, though the Fiesta was short-lived. Ever since the Escort era, US market Ford went almost exclusively SUVs and Trucks.
Like I said, no point getting into politics here. It is against the rules.
So easy to look up the few American car costs sold in Europe vs the cost in US. The wealthy scoop them up. Price a Cadillac LYRIQ as one example, or Ford Mustangs as another. Price variances by country are crazy in the EU.
??? And the point being? Prices in the rest of the world, including European countries, are generally quoted included tax. And yes tax varies by country, not just the rate of VAT, but also other taxes and on the flip side subsidies and incentives. It is called consumer law, so as a consumer you know what you'll have to pay to get the car on the road. In the UK typically called the OTR price.
The Cadillac Lyriq is only a $66K car or €87K including taxes, subjectively to European taste anything but sophisticated, and most certainly not in the segment for 'the wealthy'. Not even close. Yes, let's not talk about Ford Mustangs, they are not electric except for the MachE...The MachE is popular, but again not one for the wealthy at all.
Both are from Chevrolet, an operating company underneath General Motors.
I would have thought roof replacement would be the very best time to also install solar, no? That would be the time to ensure all underlayments are without rot or leak, and roof trusses are capable of handling the weight and stressors of the new roof as well as the solar panels and their connection points. But yes, what a hit to the wallet to do both! Very painful but delivers a great result that should last and yield benefits for another decade or so.
Another decade? My current roof is 70 years old. When I replace it it will see my time out on this mortal earth for sure.
Bad grammar on my part; I was referring to the solar panels, not the roof. Around us, solar seems to either lose efficiency, begin breaking down, or just become uneconomical at around the 10-15 year mark. Roofs indeed should last much, much longer. Our tile roof lasted 118 years when due to many leaks we decided to take each tile off, verify the integrity of the more-than-century-old trusses, add a plywood underlayment and water barrier, furring strips, and finally put back each tile breaking as few as possible. All tiles are original to our 1905 house.
