General The new Lounge and S price changes

[KaZetec]

These were always the same price but now the S is more expensive. Not sure of the Lounge has had a price reduction or if the S has had an increase.

Does this mean there have been changes to the spec? Anything obviously changed?

 

[chips1]

I think price increase and possible spec change, have to admit I have never looked but I am waiting on 500L (I know completely different) which has had a price increase but also spec changes, I believe the Lounge has been hit the biggest.

 

[PsFiat]

The entire Fiat range in Oz jumped about $1000 per model about a month ago.

 

[arorat]

The prices are up, I was looking to exchange for a new one and with all the additions (minus leather) looking at almost £16000- for both Lounge & S. I also note the finance deals are higher then the were when I bought in 2011.

The 500 marketing brings out pre-defined models rather than allowing you to chose what the hell you like from the candy store and design your own car, long term agony for most of us.

 

[PsFiat]

The prices are up, I was looking to exchange for a new one and with all the additions (minus leather) looking at almost £16000- for both Lounge & S. I also note the finance deals are higher then the were when I bought in 2011.



The 500 marketing brings out pre-defined models rather than allowing you to chose what the hell you like from the candy store and design your own car, long term agony for most of us.

That's quite pricey ! Just doing a quick conversion back in to £'s, in Australia a 1.4 6sp manual S sells for about £8000, with many standard features inc fog lights and traction control... Lounge is a couple thou more.

 

[arorat]

i had priced a Lounge and S with low powered TA, Xenon, parking etc but with dualogic. Even the base price is over £12k.

Are you serious when you say £8k gbp for S model as described !! If so we in good old are being taken for ride (on a badly designed suspension).

Do you guys pay any premium on duty to bump the price up !! if not then its unfair as you have Sunshine and a booming economy

 

[PsFiat]

i had priced a Lounge and S with low powered TA, Xenon, parking etc but with dualogic. Even the base price is over £12k.



Are you serious when you say £8k gbp for S model as described !! If so we in good old are being taken for ride (on a badly designed suspension).



Do you guys pay any premium on duty to bump the price up !! if not then its unfair as you have Sunshine and a booming economy

I'm paying slightly more as I've ordered an electric sunroof. The basic Pop 1.2 is under £8 thou.
We do have import duty here, but we are also a very low volume country for car sales. 23 million people. But, it's also the world's most competitive sales environment.
About a year ago Fiat took over distribution of cars here from a local distributor. They immediately slashed the price of the range by thousands of dollars- upsetting buyers who paid the 'old' price.
The S went from about £14000 to about £8000 literally overnight and sales and demand boomed. We now have an odd situation here where owners of say, 2011 cars are trying to sell them for more than a brand new car, due to how much they paid for their car a few years ago. Cars here across all imported brands are offered with lots of standard equipment that is only an option in other countries. Keep in mind we also have a smaller range on offer. No diesel 500's are offered here. The S is only available with a 1.4 as is the 500C.Pop is a 1.2 only. Fewer cars, better equipped and low prices to compete here with Hyundai - it's main threat in Oz.

 

[UFI]

Are you serious when you say £8k gbp for S model as described !! If so we in good old are being taken for ride (on a badly designed suspension).

Do you guys pay any premium on duty to bump the price up !! if not then its unfair as you have Sunshine and a booming economy

Fiat is trying to break into the Australian Market so they're probably loosing money on every car they sell.

Two years ago a 1.4 Sport would have cost $25k (only Lounge C and Sport were sold here at the time). A Punto (with A/C of course) is currently $13k registration and taxes included.

Our economy is hardly booming. Commercial real estate stays vacant for years. Plus our PM is keen on destroying any industry we have left.

 

[44sunsets]

its unfair as you have Sunshine and a booming economy

Everything here is really expensive, and the booming economy thing is a bit of a furphy as there are only a few sectors that are doing really well. People are starting to struggle and mass layoffs are becoming more regular.

 

[PsFiat]

Still a great country to live in, and Fiats are still incredibly good value for money here. I feel for our UK and European cousins who pay more for what is effectively a 'locally' made car. Distance from Warsaw to London is about 1600kms, from an Oz perspective that's local.

 

[306maxi]

Everything here is really expensive, and the booming economy thing is a bit of a furphy as there are only a few sectors that are doing really well. People are starting to struggle and mass layoffs are becoming more regular.

Yeah, that was my opinion when I was back there in December 2012, Perth was bloody expensive. Brits always talk about rip off Britain, but Perth was ridiculously expensive. When I moved to the UK in 2006 I would say the UK was a touch more expensive, then when I was back in Perth at Easter in 2008 it was about even and sadly Perth has become more and more expensive since then. The only thing that's really expensive here is fuel and perhaps insurance.


Fiat have obviously made a conscious decision to go in cheap and gain a bit of market and mind share. In a few years I'm certain that 500's will be more expensive than they are in the UK.

 

[PsFiat]

Agree with all that 306maxi. Definitely a loss leader to gain a foothold in the market after sluggish sales at the old pricing. Fiat are also blitzing the airwaves with lots of TV spots. Alfa prices also slashed... It's like Alfa is the premium version of the Fiat.

Oz is very expensive for us locals too. Visitors are amazed at the high cost of groceries and even the cost of a coffee.

 

[306maxi]

Well I'm not really a tourist when I visit oz, I stay with my parents

 

[arorat]

Agree with all that 306maxi. Definitely a loss leader to gain a foothold in the market after sluggish sales at the old pricing. Fiat are also blitzing the airwaves with lots of TV spots. Alfa prices also slashed... It's like Alfa is the premium version of the Fiat.

Oz is very expensive for us locals too. Visitors are amazed at the high cost of groceries and even the cost of a coffee.

Points noted as to why Fiat / Alpha's are cheap there, luckily groceries are cheap in UK, we have loads of competition - well in populated areas anyway.