New XC40 live reveal today

[Bhowani 2]

Cheer up folks, progress HAS been made as a digital clock is now on the main binnacle.
On my V60, you have to have the radio/media "on" before the clock appears.
I wrote to Volvo, and am pleased they have listened!

Price wise I am saving up starting tomorrow.

Bhowani
2013 V60 T3 PETROL!!

[NewVolvo]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

So is VAT much higher in Germany? Does this account for the difference in the prices rather than the manufacturer charging more?

UK VAT is 20% so you wouldnt pay that on export but would pay the German rate on import to the country....

German VAT is 19%. To me, the manufacturers simply charge more as they know they can get away with it.

In theory buying a car in the UK with give me 1% back on the VAT but the hassle involved is just not worth it.

[Whiterdesign]

As I am seriously think about buying an XC40, I have been reading all the info I can find. Just been trolling through the Volvo web site on the Xc 40 and came across this under a section called Diesel Emmision Contol. Attached was a picture of the filler cap with an AdBlue filler.
I thought that the new engines did not use AdBlue, wonder if this is changing, due to the problems they have had.


The less harmful pollutants in the exhausts, the better for the environment. Our new generation emissions control for diesel engines not only reduces the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC). It also reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In addition, by using Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, nitrogen oxide emissions are further reduced by up to 90%. This is achieved by injecting an additive called Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), such as AdBlue®, into the exhaust system and by means of a separate SCR catalytic converter. The fluid is stored in a separate tank and is always filled up when the car is being serviced. Only small amounts of fluid is consumed, and during normal driving circumstances it can be enough with one refill between services. Depending on driving style, accelerations, high speeds, towing, etc, two or three fillings might be needed. If you need to refill yourself, it is very easy – the blue filler pipe is conveniently positioned beside the diesel filler pipe under the same filler lid.

AdBlue® is a registered trademark of the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA)

[rejm68]

The 15 plate Tiguan I had also promised adblue top up was only required during services. This was not the case at all - was filling up every 3-4 months and not doing more than 12K miles a year.

[Whiterdesign]

The point I was making is that Volvo have not yet used AdBlue in there engines relying on different tech to keep the emissions down. Looks like they might be changing due to the problems they had ,

[AB-UK]

I wasn't sure what AdBlue was so I have just read this helpful article -

http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/tips-and-a...what-is-adblue

Note the last few paragraphs. esp. that you can't keep opened bottles for long, and that even unopened ones have a shelf-life apparently.

[Jimrod]

Originally Posted by rejm68

The 15 plate Tiguan I had also promised adblue top up was only required during services. This was not the case at all - was filling up every 3-4 months and not doing more than 12K miles a year.

My Yeti is pretty much every 4k on the dot, it's a reason I decided not to go diesel again... Until I saw the S90 D4 was cheap on lease deals and didn't need AdBlue.

But seriously, the problematic EGR valve was put in to help emissions, the DPF was put in to help that, AdBlue system put in to help that... It's just one botch after another and the whole diesel thing needs a redesign or frankly binning off. Electric is making leaps and bounds while petrol has gotten far more efficient in recent years.

Last year I kept hearing about some simple Li-ion battery tech (not the graphene thing) that uses a liquid dielectric that can improve efficiency by a large % while reducing size, if that ever comes to light we should start seeing real-world electric car range getting up to that of diesels, if that happens I can see it being the tipping point.

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by Jimrod

My Yeti is pretty much every 4k on the dot, it's a reason I decided not to go diesel again... Until I saw the S90 D4 was cheap on lease deals and didn't need AdBlue.

But seriously, the problematic EGR valve was put in to help emissions, the DPF was put in to help that, AdBlue system put in to help that... It's just one botch after another and the whole diesel thing needs a redesign or frankly binning off. Electric is making leaps and bounds while petrol has gotten far more efficient in recent years.

Last year I kept hearing about some simple Li-ion battery tech (not the graphene thing) that uses a liquid dielectric that can improve efficiency by a large % while reducing size, if that ever comes to light we should start seeing real-world electric car range getting up to that of diesels, if that happens I can see it being the tipping point.

Without wanting to hijack the poor new XC40 thread too much, can I ask out of interest what the problem with add blue is? If you just need to poor a bottle in every now and then and its quite easy to get hold of, then is it a major issue? Expensive?

:wq

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by NewVolvo

German VAT is 19%. To me, the manufacturers simply charge more as they know they can get away with it.

In theory buying a car in the UK with give me 1% back on the VAT but the hassle involved is just not worth it.

I think you are misunderstanding or maybe I am. I will explain

EU law allows you to buy in any member state a vehicle for use in another state. So you can buy a German spec car in England.

Go back to the mid 80s and cars were historically more expensive in the UK and the manufacturers got away with it as you couldnt buy a RHD car is Europe. Then the EU said this was contrary to free market principles and the floodgates were opened. UK customers sourced RHD cars in places like the NL and then brought them back to the UK and saved 1000's of pounds. Quite quickly prices in the UK reduced and the trade dried up.

So.

If the car is 100k Euro in Germany and the equivalent car is 70k GBP in the UK. This is made up of manufacturer price and then VAT on top. Strip out the VAT (which at 19 and 20 percent is pretty comparable) and you get the base price. Convert the currency and you get an idea of savings.

In this example you should be able to save circa 20k Euro by buying a LHD car in the UK and then exporting to Germany.

The pound has weakened significantly against the Euro and the UK price has not rocketed up, so this might be an ideal moment for such a transaction.

[Jimrod]

Originally Posted by familymangreg

Without wanting to hijack the poor new XC40 thread too much, can I ask out of interest what the problem with add blue is? If you just need to poor a bottle in every now and then and its quite easy to get hold of, then is it a major issue? Expensive?

:wq

Not really, just an additional hassle. It's about £20 for a 10l bottle, you have to empty the boot (on the Yeti), pull up all the coverings and try to manhandle that large bottle to fill it without spilling any due to its corrosive nature. Warning comes on with a lovely orange light 1500 miles ahead of time.

When it's designed-in with large tanks is one thing but many are just botched in and eat into space of current models. If you let the garage do it they charge quite a lot. If you're oldschool and top up/check fluids every week then it'll be easy enough, if you buy a new car to simply work with minimal maintenance between services it can be an annoyance.