[Aussie_E90_SBLACK_325]

No worries Costa..ill get some pics up tomorrow

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by Costa

Yeah, it's pretty sad what we pay for european cars here ...

You guys complain about paying $2000 for Nav ... hold your breath, we pay $AUD 6800 which is approx $US 5000

The term "luxury car" takes on a whole new meaning in Oz with these greedy tax laws we have

Yeah but what is your purchasing power, that is what matters in economics not the exchange rate. For example in NY USA a bottle of soda is $1.25, that same soda in London England is 2.25 pounds, nearly $5 in US. But based on the salaries and cost of living they are equal. I hope that makes sense. The US dollar on paper is worth less, than some monetary units but we can buy more with it, because the inflation/salary structure and cost of living overall. I hope that makes sense. I am not familiar with Australia. But I am sure if you take the taxes out etc, it is not far off. Taxes are killer.

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

Yeah but what is your purchasing power, that is what matters in economics not the exchange rate. For example in NY USA a bottle of soda is $1.25, that same soda in London England is 2.25 pounds, nearly $5 in US. But based on the salaries and cost of living they are equal. I hope that makes sense. The US dollar on paper is worth less, than some monetary units but we can buy more with it, because the inflation/salary structure and cost of living overall. I hope that makes sense. I am not familiar with Australia. But I am sure if you take the taxes out etc, it is not far off. Taxes are killer.

A common "purchasing power" metric used by Economists is the Big Mac- a standardised good available in most countries around the world. A Big Mac here costs $AU3.15 (or $US2.36) - from what I can see, a Big Mac costs $US2.50 in the US indicating that the purchasing power is on par.

What makes the difference is that in Australia there is Goods and Services Tax (10%) and Luxury car Tax (35% on the value over $57k), Stamp Duty and other On Road taxes. My car's RRP On Road cost was approx $97,000 (see spec and options below, and this price is not what I paid BTW) that included approx $18k in taxes and dutys.

Add to that transport costs, and economies of scale - Total annual sales here are probably less than one month's sales in the US and it starts to add up.

I guess what is relative is that both here and there the car is seen as a luxury vehicle, and those people occupying that position in the demographic profile who are BMW's target market are well able to afford one.

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by Aussie_E90_SBLACK_325

Just got my car and i was wrong about .. locking doors when you drive away and remotely adjusting seats both of these are software updates still not available at BMW Australia. Anyway love the car love driving it..

Aussie, if you don't have iDrive, these options are dealer configurable, you just front up to the dealer and get them to program them in for you. If you have iDrive, you can program configure them in the car's preferences screens (see pic for an example)

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by JamieA

A common "purchasing power" metric used by Economists is the Big Mac- a standardised good available in most countries around the world. A Big Mac here costs $AU3.15 (or $US2.36) - from what I can see, a Big Mac costs $US2.50 in the US indicating that the purchasing power is on par.

What makes the difference is that in Australia there is Goods and Services Tax (10%) and Luxury car Tax (35% on the value over $57k), Stamp Duty and other On Road taxes. My car's RRP On Road cost was approx $97,000 (see spec and options below, and this price is not what I paid BTW) that included approx $18k in taxes and dutys.

Add to that transport costs, and economies of scale - Total annual sales here are probably less than one month's sales in the US and it starts to add up.

I guess what is relative is that both here and there the car is seen as a luxury vehicle, and those people occupying that position in the demographic profile who are BMW's target market are well able to afford one.

You are right on the money! Good to see someone who gets the big picture on the global economy and that numbers never add up..... some people do not get it.
Best of luck to you, and those taxes are crazy! do you not have an income tax or property tax? Just seems like a lot of tax for a car, sounds like Conneticut here in the states (each state has different taxes, and we have federal as well for the country as a whole)

[dxk]

that hamburger analogy is obsolete - have you guys seen how many small and cheap cars are in Europe? They have no big houses either. Point is, the salaries there and the rest of the world, are lower than here and taxes are higher, so all luxury and 'sin' items are more expensive there. They do of course work much less though.

[George Chronis]

Originally Posted by tima

Anyone know if 'clown nose blink when car locked' (sans alarm) is part of the Sept CIP?

TIA
.

I am also very interested in this.

[lxapilot118]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

For example in NY USA a bottle of soda is $1.25, that same soda in London England is 2.25 pounds, nearly $5 in US. But based on the salaries and cost of living they are equal.

Where did you get this information? From what I understand that's a common misconception. London is a poor example, since you're basing the info on the largest economic centres of that comparison. The salaries and cost of living are not equal. In London itself (and only central London), the per capita GDP is roughly 18% above the US average. Every other area including the region as a whole is roughly equivalent to the US' poorest state. So in London, sure that soda may be pocket change. Everywhere else? Not so much. You can get similar information from an American serviceman trying to live in the UK on an American salary. Hard to live in London, easier in other places.

So, I agree that the price to buy a car over is ridiculous.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by lxapilot118

Where did you get this information? From what I understand that's a common misconception. London is a poor example, since you're basing the info on the largest economic centres of that comparison. The salaries and cost of living are not equal. In London itself (and only central London), the per capita GDP is roughly 18% above the US average. Every other area including the region as a whole is roughly equivalent to the US' poorest state. So in London, sure that soda may be pocket change. Everywhere else? Not so much. You can get similar information from an American serviceman trying to live in the UK on an American salary. Hard to live in London, easier in other places.

So, I agree that the price to buy a car over is ridiculous.

Not a misconception as the other poster mentioned, purchasing power is directly rated to where you live and that is why i used London and NYC both more expensive areas, obviously it is cheaper to live in Mississippi than NY, and the salaries there are usually less than NYC so a 40k car there seems more expensive than a 40k car in NYC, this is true in other areas in the same state as well, things cost less in rural areas and more in cities, salaries are more in cities than rural areas.... not a tough concept. This purchasing power stuff is basic economics and is published all over the place, the economist for one. The purchasing power of the dollar is greater in the US than the pound is in GB, that was the entire point, and when you convert you lose that. Same with any conversion.....does that make sense? You basically proved the point, that the $5(converted pounds in London) soda is expensive.... with $1.25 in the NYC I buy the same soda. It takes more to buy less there than in the US. I have discussed this with others in the field before, and they helped me make sense of it, and the Swiss have lost their minds as far as prices of things go if you want to laugh... check that out. Best of luck!

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

Not a misconception as the other poster mentioned, purchasing power is directly rated to where you live and that is why i used London and NYC both more expensive areas, obviously it is cheaper to live in Mississippi than NY, and the salaries there are usually less than NYC so a 40k car there seems more expensive than a 40k car in NYC, this is true in other areas in the same state as well, things cost less in rural areas and more in cities, salaries are more in cities than rural areas.... not a tough concept. This purchasing power stuff is basic economics and is published all over the place, the economist for one. The purchasing power of the dollar is greater in the US than the pound is in GB, that was the entire point, and when you convert you lose that. Same with any conversion.....does that make sense? You basically proved the point, that the $5(converted pounds in London) soda is expensive.... with $1.25 in the NYC I buy the same soda. It takes more to buy less there than in the US. I have discussed this with others in the field before, and they helped me make sense of it, and the Swiss have lost their minds as far as prices of things go if you want to laugh... check that out. Best of luck!

I have some training in economics (not that that really helps understand this very basic concept) but through both extensive travels and other economic interpretations I have found in the literature, mapezzul's argument is very clear and correct. The poor sap who said that the BigMac index is obsolete (in an earlier post) is clearly misinformed. The Economist's accidental creation (which started almost as a joke) is a very reliable economic indicator of relative/local purchasing power.

[fabolous]

I have my car at the dealer right now getting the update. I will report later to let you guys know how it goes. I am hoping mostly for the Mp3 functionality and being able to turn the DRLs on throught the iDrive.

Btw, I have iDrive.

[itznin]

Originally Posted by fabolous

I have my car at the dealer right now getting the update. I will report later to let you guys know how it goes. I am hoping mostly for the Mp3 functionality and being able to turn the DRLs on throught the iDrive.

Btw, I have iDrive.

No cost for the software right? you just simply say you want the latest software, etc when you bring it in?

[dxk]

Originally Posted by JSpira

I have some training in economics (not that that really helps understand this very basic concept) but through both extensive travels and other economic interpretations I have found in the literature, mapezzul's argument is very clear and correct. The poor sap who said that the BigMac index is obsolete (in an earlier post) is clearly misinformed. The Economist's accidental creation (which started almost as a joke) is a very reliable economic indicator of relative/local purchasing power.

The 'poor sap' also has some training in economics, well, actually a lot of training, and he is well aware of this concept. I have also found there are too many wholes in the econ. theory. I was just pointing out that in practice, there are more real and more visable metrics for comparison, being this a car place, it is very easy to prove that the 330I is the most affordable in USA. As far as London is concerned, the financial district there should be compared to Manhattan or financial district in Boston. The latter two are still well ahead in salaries. By the way, in my comany, there are lots of Brits, who have chosen to stay here mostly for economic reasons. Having said all that, I would probably rather live in Europe, it's more fun

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by itznin

No cost for the software right? you just simply say you want the latest software, etc when you bring it in?

For it to be free you need to have a problem that is fixed by the new version

BMW is starting to make dealers submit what the problem was with each car before the allow the upgrade to be claimed via warranty

[Barry626]

Originally Posted by fabolous

I have my car at the dealer right now getting the update. and being able to turn the DRLs on throught the iDrive.

Keep hoping because not gonna happan.
330i has had DRL for months now why not your car?
They are turned on @ dealer only not via iDrive, etc.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by Barry626

Keep hoping because not gonna happan.
330i has had DRL for months now why not your car?
They are turned on @ dealer only not via iDrive, etc.

Actually it will be available via IDrive. Im not 100% shure if it is added in this update, but im 100% shure it will be available in the Idrive menu soon

[DarellS]

I picked up my 325i touring yesterday and the DRL CAN be activated / deactivated through the iDrive. I am still not sure about the MP3 CDs (I have the Navi Pro). The dealer told me the MP3 CDs work in both the dash slot and the CD changer. However, it did not want to play my CD with MP3s when I tried. I am going to experiment a bit with the CD formats before I make any conclusions (I think I read somewhere here that CDs recordable at high speeds may not work even if actually burnt at a lower speed???)

[Barry626]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Actually it will be available via IDrive. Im not 100% shure if it is added in this update, but im 100% shure it will be available in the Idrive menu soon

Sure hope US gets DRL via iDrive, but pretty sure not gonna happan?
Dealers here either set them on or off whatever customer prefers?

[Costa]

Originally Posted by Barry626

Sure hope US gets DRL via iDrive, but pretty sure not gonna happan?
Dealers here either set them on or off whatever customer prefers?

Apologies in advance for asking, but dudes ... what is DRL

[sunchild]

Originally Posted by Barry626

Sure hope US gets DRL via iDrive, but pretty sure not gonna happan?
Dealers here either set them on or off whatever customer prefers?

My 330 does not have DRLs... thank good ness.

[Xens]

So this update doesn't do much for idrive owners right?

[fideba]

DRL=Daytime Running Lights