Boast about your latest purchases here...

[patches]

50 minutes ago, patham said:

Very Nice Patches. I was doing some cross-shopping with the XC40 earlier this year, it's a great car but in the end went for the same vehicle, but just wearing a different skin (test drive image below). Although as delivery is only meant to be in September, I should maybe post in the "Boast about your latest future purchase here" thread.  And the towbar for the bike rack is also ludicrously expensive, so still debating my options. 

 

 

Very nice! Very nice indeed!

I tried really hard to get the Polestar onto my wife's shortlist. She even humoured me by going to the dealer to get more info. Not to mention my "business plan" on how the sub-$80k models qualify for a $7,500 rebate, so it's such a great deal!

I think I over-did it though, as each time we'd drive past the the storage yard, a few km from our house (where all new Polestars park pre-sale), she'd give me a "don't say anything about a Polestar" look.

They're also on the up-and-up here. With that government rebate, Tesla Model 3's have been selling like hotcakes. But not that Polestar stock has landed, they're on the increase too, for those that want a car that doesn't look like a fish.

In the end though, she didn't quite like the design as much as I did. However, its not all lost. She does like the other 2 variants on the CMA platform... the XC40 (clearly) and the upcoming C40.

So maybe in a year or so she'll trade in for an XC40 Recharge when they launch here. Are they available in Aus yet? I've seen some YouTube test vids on them from your side of the Tasman

Oh and did you go for the dual or single motor?

Edited May 15, 2022 by patches

[patham]

7 minutes ago, patches said:

Very nice! Very nice indeed!

I tried really hard to get the Polestar onto my wife's shortlist. She even humoured me by going to the dealer to get more info. Not to mention my "business plan" on how the sub-$80k models qualify for a $7,500 rebate, so it's such a great deal!

I think I over-did it though, as each time we'd drive past the the storage yard, a few km from our house (where all new Polestars park pre-sale), she'd give me a "don't say anything about a Polestar" look.

They're also on the up-and-up here. With that government rebate, Tesla Model 3's have been selling like hotcakes. But not that Polestar stock has landed, they're on the increase too, for those that want a car that doesn't look like a fish.

In the end though, she didn't quite like the design as much as I did. However, its not all lost. She does like the other 2 variants on the CMA platform... the XC40 (clearly) and the upcoming C40.

So maybe in a year or so she'll trade in for an XC40 Recharge when they launch here. Are they available in Aus yet? I've seen some YouTube test vids on them from your side of the Tasman

Oh and did you go for the dual or single motor?

XC40 recharge is available here (managed to get a testdrive) but at an even longer delivery period. The C40 I think can be pre-ordered, but who knows when it would arrive. In QLD, the labour govt has decreed that they won't help people to buy a Tesla, so incentives stop at about the MG electric level price tag, after that the buyers are on their own.

The XC40 Recharge is a really great vehicle, and you will not be disappointed. But driving the Polestar felt like an event. As we already have a larger SUV, the sedan style is just right.

As this is a mid-life crisis purchase, dual motor all the way ! In for a penny, in for a pound, full speed ahead and damn the fines. I have pointed out to the Minister of Finance that I saved about 5% by following the forums and ordering just before they closed out the MY22 order book and applied the MY23 price hike, but I don't think  that line has been accepted. At least I have solar panels at home, so the electrons are cheap. I just need to run it for about 10 years for the spreadsheet to balance !

 

 

[The Ouzo]

8 hours ago, patham said:

Very Nice Patches. I was doing some cross-shopping with the XC40 earlier this year, it's a great car but in the end went for the same vehicle, but just wearing a different skin (test drive image below). Although as delivery is only meant to be in September, I should maybe post in the "Boast about your latest future purchase here" thread.  And the towbar for the bike rack is also ludicrously expensive, so still debating my options. 

 

 

you win this thread.

Much Jealous.

I drove the XC40 P8 a few weeks back, as much as I love internal combustion engines, that electric motor setup has crazy acceleration. 

[patham]

2 hours ago, ouzo said:

you win this thread.

Much Jealous.

I drove the XC40 P8 a few weeks back, as much as I love internal combustion engines, that electric motor setup has crazy acceleration. 

Only when I get it !

I agree the P8 is something else. On my testdrive there were the usual numpties (they are all over the world) who would not let me merge into the highway from the onramp, so I just put my footdown and scooted up to 100+ kays in what was left of the onramp merge, got ahead and left them all behind. And the best thing about it - the loudest noise during this manoeuvre was the air-con fan blowing air into the cabin. 

 

[The Ouzo]

3 minutes ago, patham said:

Only when I get it !

I agree the P8 is something else. On my testdrive there were the usual numpties (they are all over the world) who would not let me merge into the highway from the onramp, so I just put my footdown and scooted up to 100+ kays in what was left of the onramp merge, got ahead and left them all behind. And the best thing about it - the loudest noise during this manoeuvre was the air-con fan blowing air into the cabin. 

 

and the one foot driving is also pretty cool (once you get used to it)

[M L]

On 5/14/2022 at 3:04 PM, madmarc said:

I brought in complete upgrade kits from my last rip to Germany including a spare battery (just to make sure i don't turn into a single speeder on the trails) almost 50% cheaper than local including 19% German VAT - Awesome upgrade very happy with it - changes like butter

So who's making the 50% when we buy locally?

[madmarc]

10 minutes ago, M L said:

So who's making the 50% when we buy locally?

Clearly the importer and the LBS - As an example the spare battery worked out at approx. 830 ronds - cheapest i found online locally was 1 850 ronds.

Maybe freight is a bit cheaper USA to Germany than USA to ZA 

The price included Germany VAT at 19% - so its not that.

Maybe the online store in Germany gets a lower landed cost due to volume, but i doubt its as much as 40 or 50%.

I work for a German OEM and our Master price is the same all over the world, but different countries importers have different discount structures based on various factors like competition prices / like for like specifications and options and volumes. So a customer can look up a product price in UK and see its cheaper than here in ZA - But the spec is different and of course freight is far less, but the UK volume is far higher and competitve prices force us to discount more in UK than in ZA.

I think the volume discount is the issue here (All the components are the same spec the world over) local importers are probably bringing in smaller consignments due to cash flow and lower demand. Bring in 100 units as apposed to 20 units will halve the freight costs and attract a bigger trade discount, but increase the stock holding and the interest.

One huge problem we find with our dealers is they use the importer as a stockist, and still expect to make 35% margin. This is clearly a problem with LBS in the industry - We all heard the "Oh we dont have stock now but we can have it here by tomorrow morning" the dealer network was actually destroying our brand in the past.

We put a stop to this by publishing our retail prices and dealers are not allowed to sell above this price - they have 3 different discount structures, the lowest being ordering for next day delivery - middle being a monthly stock replenishment order and the highest being a consolidated order with the importer. On the the lowest they can make 10 - 12% in the middle 20 - 22.5 and highest they make 35%. 

 

[patham]

1 hour ago, ouzo said:

and the one foot driving is also pretty cool (once you get used to it)

Yep, first few minutes are like learning to drive a manual all over again, with the car running on kangaroo juice. But it gets smoother with practice.

[Pieter1]

On 5/15/2022 at 12:54 AM, ouzo said:

Went in for a roll of rim tape, left with much more. 
 

I’ve been wanting 160mm rotor for the front since I bought the bike, but then you can’t really put new rotor and not new pads

You don't realise the value of those valve adapters until you need one at a garage. 

[patches]

16 minutes ago, Pieter1 said:

You don't realise the value of those valve adapters until you need one at a garage. 

So true! I leave one on each bike as a "valve cap" for the prestas.

[Pieter1]

15 minutes ago, patches said:

So true! I leave one on each bike as a "valve cap" for the prestas.

Ja man. I used to own only one until I lost it... Now I have them packed in everywhere.

[The Ouzo]

4 hours ago, Pieter1 said:

You don't realise the value of those valve adapters until you need one at a garage. 

I have one screwed into the co2 adapter in my saddle bag. Bought these 2 as backup

[Eddy Gordo]

Have one turned onto my valve on my roadbike and on my hardtail it just happens to fit on the bolt under the saddle on the seatpost.

[MongooseMan]

Sick and tired of doing bike tetris and leaving marks on my car, got this to transport all the family's bikes:

 

Now I just need to get that towbar fitted...

Edited May 18, 2022 by MongooseMan

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

15 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

Sick and tired of doing bike tetris and leaving marks on my car, got this to transport all the family's bikes:

 

Now I just need to get that towbar fitted...

Can't see the image.

 

[MongooseMan]

1 hour ago, Steven Knoetze (sk27) said:

Can't see the image.

 

Weird, re-uploaded, how about now?