RE: UK v. US parts prices...

["Ian J Haseltine" <Jim_Haseltine@classic.msn.com>]

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From: 	owner-quattro@coimbra.ans.net on behalf of Jeffrey J. Goggin
>How about starter motors for GBP95 v. US$225; fuel pumps for
>GBP99.99 v. US$190; lower control arm for GBP39 v. $115; front balljoint
>GBP42 v. US$89 ... all prices taken from the October 1997 issue of >VW/Audi 
Car (UK) and my receipts (US).  Not half-price but definitely >cheaper ...
>and let's not forget about all the used parts available over there! ;^)

The bit you missed was the small print, 'all prices + vat' or 'prices exclude 
vat'
(with the exception of Peter Reeve who doesnt charge vat).
That means you have to add another 17.5%.
My starter motor cost 101.56GBP (incl vat) a month ago, this was for a Bosch 
exchange rebuilt unit and I got it at trade price (sometimes it really is WHO 
you know that matters) the retail is 129GBP + vat, a total of 151.57GBP.
The 99.99 fuel pump will actually be 117.48GBP, painful as my pump has started 
buzzing very loudly in the last couple of weeks and considering all the recent 
posts on the subject...
 
A friend of mine returned from a cycle-touring holiday in the States a couple 
of months ago, and he said that when he had to buy some spares for his bike, 
he was surprized how similar the prices were compared to here in the UK, that 
was until he realized that the prices were in USD not GBP.
'Looks like all they do is change the currency signs on the price tags' was 
one of his remarks.


Jim Haseltine
88 Ur quattro