Is it true that the have higher spec cars in the UK and if so why is this?

petronius

I think it is changing. Before you could buy a car up north, or even sourced in the UK and bring it down here, even with VRT it would be cheaper and with a higher spec, also there was just a higher number and variety of vehicles avaialble. Up to a few years ago, it was even, better value with the exchange rate, but since the euro has gone down vs sterling I think prices are much closer and maybe not worth the hassle.

Hotblack Desiato

In the 80s Ireland was one of the last, if not the last, country in the EEC to legislate to make laminated windscreens compulsory.

So cars were coming out of the factories with laminated windscreens as standard, but the Irish importers made them an optional extra. Most didn't pay up so they removed the laminated windscreens, sold them into the European aftermarket, and fitted much cheaper, but much less safe, toughened glass windscreens...

We were way behind the curve with unleaded petrol as well. Keeping cars a bit cheaper at the expense of kids' brain cells.