Car Specifications in Ireland

rb25

Possibly this has been addressed before on here but why are the specifications (extras etc.) of cars in Ireland so low?

I've been comparing UK car specs. with what we get here across Ford Mondeo's; Audi A4's; Audi A6's; BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series because I am trying to replace my current car and some of the things that are considered extras here are considered as standard in the UK.

Any car with decent spec. here (e.g. leather seats; parking sensors) has usually been imported from the UK or NI.

Also the price of cars here with extras is usually way higher than the UK. It cannot be all VRT driving up the price. Does this SIMI crowd have some overall say in the type of cars that land on our shores?

Why do we all settle for paying higher prices for cars with lesser "extras" as standard?

mike65

SIMI are a cartell and not remotely interested in good value. Specs here have always suffered in comparison to the UK market so we're used to it.

rb25

Why though? Just complacency?
I'll never get used to getting ripped off.

One of the examples is a Ford Titanium X. There are lots of dealers advertising second hand "Titanium X's" here but they are not the real deal. A Titanium X in the UK is much higher spec. than here. Also you cannot buy a new Titanium X from a dealer here without specially ordering it (I tried as an experiment). The dealer spluttered and coughed and told me the version would cost them more to order especially.

There's something suspect/ripoff going on and has been for a long time.

ted1

Problem is vet is charged on extras including safety options.

Padraig Mor

Initially at least, mondeo titanium x had a better spec here - uk spec had no sensors whereas we had them front and rear iirc. spec identical otherwise. Skoda tend to have a better spec here too.

R.O.R

I really love these totally ill informed rants that appear every now and again.

Audi specification in Ireland is lower than the UK. VW specification is roughly similar. Opels are the same, but we don't get as many models as they do.

Last time I checked, Ford were similar specification to the UK, but we don't get as many models over here as they do in the UK. But, then again - try getting a Mondeo Saloon in the UK in any specification...........................

BMW have been the exact same specification as the UK since 2004. I was looking at used UK 5 series last weekend on Autotrader, and even the 535 M-Sports had the standard interior, the majority of M-Sport models here have the full leather updgrade.

I'll check the ex. VRT price of some of the extra's when I'm back in work to see how badly we are being ripped off :rolleyes:

Ill informed rant is ill informed.

colm_mcm

We get more dole than they do, but how come our house prices are higher?
How come you can get upright vacuum cleaners over there but the shops over here don't stock them

Blah

Blah

-Corkie-

colm_mcm wrote: »

We get more dole than they do, but how come our house prices are higher?
How come you can get upright vacuum cleaners over there but the shops over here don't stock them

Blah

Blah

They have Essex girls....:D:D

bazz26

rb25 wrote: »

Why though? Just complacency?
I'll never get used to getting ripped off.

One of the examples is a Ford Titanium X. There are lots of dealers advertising second hand "Titanium X's" here but they are not the real deal. A Titanium X in the UK is much higher spec. than here. Also you cannot buy a new Titanium X from a dealer here without specially ordering it (I tried as an experiment). The dealer spluttered and coughed and told me the version would cost them more to order especially.

There's something suspect/ripoff going on and has been for a long time.

There are or at least were 3 different trim levels of Titanium models in the UK. You had the base Titanium which was slightly higher spec than the Zetec, it replaced the Ghia. You then had the Titanium X which was higher spec again and then you had the Titanium Sport. Lots of basic Titaniums imports for sale over here being advertised incorrectly as Titanium X models.