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Subject:Re: Nvc-but maybe future vans-pretty please VW
From:BenT Syncro
Date:Sun, 2 Jan 2005 12:34:23 -0800

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 11:54:06 -0800, Jeffrey Schwaia
<jeff@vanagonparts.com> wrote:
> I always laugh when people complain about the import duty the USA has put on
> commercial vehicles.  They always get in such a huff about something that
> nearly EVERY other country does as well.
>
> Anybody ever import a vehicle into Germany?  Their fees make ours look like
> chump change.  Face it, only countries that do not have their own auto
> industry to protect will have low duties on imports.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>

Jeff's right. I was chatting with a pal in Manila (Philippines)
recently. He was raving about the changes in the country from when I
lived there 32 years ago. The import duty in luxury cars has dropped
from 205% down to 100%. Yeah-hey!!!!!! Wait that is still double the
price for anything more than a Toyota Corolla. They are now more
inline with places like Singapore where 100% tax is required every ten
years. In Sing, they expect you to throw your car away every ten
years. Either that or pay for it again. Funny, there were no Vanagons
there. I wonder why? =(

We have it pretty good here, chicken tax or not.

BenT