The atlantic divide - electronics prices.

[Kurt]

@VJ: Plasma screens are not a commodity (the margin is huge on them) and quality ones are in that price range -if not more. Your run of the mill LG/Taget/etc plasma can come as low as 3000 EUR VAT 21% included. Next day delivery.

@Utwig: unfortunately, you're "not right" about the reasons why the prices are higher at distributors. It's sounds logical but it's not quite that simple. Lots of smaller distributors actually buy from the bigger ones -who get to be "official distributors" thanks to their bigger volume. That's not the problem though. It's not only a matter of volume. I can give you the prices from the biggest suppliers in Germany (biggest EU market) - so you'd think they're the lowest, and quote you some prices in other EU countries that have lower sales volumes and up to a 20% lower price.

Note that 20% is *NOT* in the realm of margins for distributors. Heck I see shops selling AMD chips for lower that I can buy them, and VAT is included!

[Novdid]

Originally posted by GT98
Does the price of the S60R include taxes when you buy it? The price your quoting for the States is just the MSRP, not with Taxes and Tags.

The price of the S60R isnt all that bad...I was bored and optioned out a new S40 with the Tubro 5 in it and it cost nearly $32K! Too much for a puffed up Focus platform without AWD

The price is with all taxes included. Well I guess I didn't check my facts right.

BUT...

I reckon you don't pay that much in taxes for that car...

I did some calculating just right now. ($1=SEK7.32) An S60 R here goes for ~$69800. And I just checked the Volvo site for prices on the new S40 T5 (non AWD) and that one goes for $36300 here that's a lot more than over there. That's with no extra equipment at all (leather seats and 18" wheels etc, etc)...

One more thing, the Focus is a pretty good car in it's pricerange. Your american Focus's can't be the same ones we have over here, or maybe you all have higher demands on your cars!

[GT98]

Originally posted by Novdid
The price is with all taxes included. Well I guess I didn't check my facts right.

BUT...

I reckon you don't pay that much in taxes for that car...

I did some calculating just right now. ($1=SEK7.32) An S60 R here goes for ~$69800. And I just checked the Volvo site for prices on the new S40 T5 (non AWD) and that one goes for $36300 here that's a lot more than over there. That's with no extra equipment at all (leather seats and 18" wheels etc, etc)...

One more thing, the Focus is a pretty good car in it's pricerange. Your american Focus's can't be the same ones we have over here, or maybe you all have higher demands on your cars!

Well in my state there's a 6% sale tax on cars. As for the Focus...well its considered a Compact car here and sells for anywhere from $12-20K USD depending on rebates and what not. Its also consertibly cheaper made then its european counterpart that is considered a Mid-size car in Europe.

I just put together a S60R on the Volvo site and it comes out nearly $42K USD for it farily well loaded

[VJ]

Originally posted by Kurt
[B]Your run of the mill LG/Taget/etc plasma can come as low as 3000 EUR VAT 21% included. Next day delivery.

Yes, but the prices of the more known brands (e.g. Pioneer) still show a huge difference.


Jörg

[Kurt]

There's a promo on a Philips bundle right now: 42" + DVD/Divx player for 3700 VAT included. The normal price for the unit without the DVD player is about 4000.

I think you'll see the price of plasma screens come (crashing ?) down in the coming months as LCD TVs grab market share...

[The PIT]

Plasma screens are they really worth it. The ones I've seen in shops here certainly aren't.

[Kurt]

Frankly: no.

They loose intensity until you need to change them (3-5 years). They cost an arm and a leg. They come with a (usually) poor 1 year warranty.

The LCD TV's are already competitive pricewise (I don't like them either BTW - the image isn't that great) and will supplant them as everybody gears towards LCD production.

Right now I'd invest in an excellent projector, knowing I'd have to spend a little money on the lamps (but still far less than changing the plasma every 3 years or so).

[borat]

you can get a very nice 42" panasonic plasma in the US for the equivilent of £1500 delivered, one that would cost a minumum of £2500 over here. Personally i like the picture you get from plasma's, though when you see them in the shops its usually shocking due to the fact that they connect about 20 TV's to the ssame signal and divide it up amongst them. The picture isnt as good as the best 32" CRT's but its not that far off and its 42" not 32". As far as LCD goes i dont like the current range of models, even the supposedly "ghost free" ones from phillips and sharp. The colours look artificial and they suffer from pixel lag in the fast scenes.