Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Where Sunday shopping is banned in the USA
334 posts, read 438,643 times
Reputation: 57
Advertisements
Quote:
Originally Posted by florian73
An average new car in the US cost about 31,000 - 32,000 USD, in Germany it is about 36,000 USD. That's about 15% more. Half of the cars sold in the US are american cars. I guess their average price is lower. But those cars can't be sold in Germany due to design issues or too large. The market share of german cars in the US are about 8%, probably similiar in the US. Those german cars are cheaper in the US than in Germany. But almost no American takes advantage of these.
Cars are cheaper in the US and they are more necessary than in Germany, but why they don't buy much more cars? The age of the average american car is 11.4 years vs. 8.8 years in Germany. It seems to be that even the low car prices in the US are too high for a lot of Americans. They don't replace their old cars. But of course the car density is about 15%-points higher in the US than in Germany.
And once again. The litre gasoline is cheaper in the US. But what's the use anyhow when the average American has to drive so much more than he on the end has to pay more for gasoline than the average German?
The average US household spends 2,655 USD for gasoline per year vs. a german household spends 1,656 USD. That's 1,000 USD less, that the german household is able to spend for nicer things than for gas. I don't know how much taxes are on gas in the US. In Germany it's about 60-65%. So the average german household spends about 650 USD for the gasoline company and about 1,000 USD goes to the goverment. What does the goverment with the money? Flush down the toilet? No, the revenues are for schools, social benefits, parks, streets and so on. It seems to be that Jag_Je thinks that taxes are always bad, something that had to be avoid.
I know that it is inappropriate to highly tax the gas in North America, because of the large distances. But I really don't understand why Americans and Canadians blame about the expensive gas in Europe? It is really not a problem and I think it's good, because that leeds to lower gas consumption and the society save a lot of money, because the taxes aren't lost, they are spend for useful things. I know that most Americans think differently about that toppic, but I think it is really not so difficult to understand that high gas prices are really not such a problem.
There are plenty of new cars in America that starts $10 K to $15 K, something that does not exist in Europe. I don't know where you live, my in NYC metro area people buy/lease new cars every few years'. Vast majority of cars are international brand names as well. This is the case in many areas I've traveled throughout the nation.
North American cars are full equipped while in Europe not all cars are.
Gas prices are getting more expensive in Canada nowadays as well, 60 - 75% the price of Europe while in the USA between 35 - 40% the price of Europe so there is a big difference.
Gas prices are getting more expensive in Canada nowadays as well, 60 - 75% the price of Europe while in the USA between 35 - 40% the price of Europe so there is a big difference.
This annoys me endlessly lol!! Canada has the 3rd largest proven oil reserves in the world
Did you mean Bram"p"ton? I have searched at Google to look at some pictures from Brampton. The pictures looks really not that nice. Than I "drove" through some streets in Brampton. I am not sure which part of Brampton do you mean. I guess the older residential areas (SE of the city center)? They look a little bit like an older single house residential area in Germany, build in the 70's. I grew up in a place that looks quite similiar. Most residential areas in my native region "Unterer Niederrhein" looks similiar. It's the region between Düsseldorf/Ruhr Area and the Netherlands. Such single houses are mostly in better shape in Germany and cables are underfloor ;-) But there are often not so nice huge trees and the streets are narrower. Yards in newer build residential areas in Germany are almost much smaller.
The residential areas in the outskirts of most bigger german cities looks also very similiar. I find Brompton really not that special. I have found many such suburbs in North America.
In my native Region those houses cost mostly between 150,000 and 300,000 Euro. I think that's much cheaper than in a suburb of Toronto. Such a house and yard in a residential area in Düsseldorf cost mostly more than 500,000 Euro.
I have looked at other parts of Brampton. The center looks to me really not that nice. Newer residential areas of Brampton looks really monotonous. It'a a city with over 500,000 inhabitants? The city center is more suited to a city with maybe 30,000 inhabitants. Yes, I know the people shop at malls, so there are not that much shops to see via Google. And of course it's "only" a suburb and therefore are not so many attractions in Brampton. Sorry for saying it ;-) but I don't like such suburbian cities. Why has such a city with a population of more than 500,000 no underfloor parking garages? Without all these huge parking lots, there would be so much more space for parks, lakes, forests or other nice stuff. I don't think that the german way of settlements is better, it's just different. I live in Düsseldorf, and for example, there are al lot of smaller cities around Düsseldorf. They are not that far away, mostly about 10-15 km away from downtown Düsseldorf. Much nearer than Brampton to Toronto. But those cities around Düsseldorf are completely standalone cities with their own city centers, they all have pedestrian zones, parks, pub, bars, restaurants, cafe's. The residents of these cities would never say, that they are from Düsseldorf. They are from Ratingen, Mettmann, Erkrath, Hilden, Langenfeld, Neuss or Meerbusch and they are proud of it. It's not only different to North America, it's also different to France or UK. The best german translation for suburb is probably "Vorort", but we normally don't use such a term, at least not in the Rheinland. I think that most germans would describe Brampton as a "Trabantenstadt" or commuter town. There is missing something, like a walkable city center. Historical buildings are not necessary for me to feel good. The city of Langenfeld by Düsseldorf for example has also no historical city center. But they have build a center in the 80's or 90's, banned cars out of the center and it's quite nice. Even without historical buildings.
Meanwhile I have found a lot of nice places in Canada, but Brampton belongs not to them.
Why do you think that Brampton is nicer than most european cities? If you search for pictures from Ratingen, Mettmann, Erkrath, Hilden, Langenfeld, Neuss or Meerbusch. In my opinion all those cities looks so much nicer than Brampton.
Of course we have a lot of ugly cities in Germany, too. And all cities have nice and ugly parts. For example most bigger cities in Germany have often a lot ugly appartement houses around the city center. Most of them build in the late 50's or at the start of the 60's. Build due to the lack of housings after the war. Fortunately a lot of them get a renovation of their facades in the last years. But it will take decades to replace those ugly buildings.
As someone who lives only a half hour drive away from Brampton I can agree with you that Brampton is not exactly a nice urban place to live lol.. What is good about it is you are a part of the largest economic engine in Canada so while its North American suburbia at its best or worst depending on how you look at it... it isn't a bad place to live in terms of having a job that will pay the mortgage so if you have a family or are raising one it is a good stable place. Most people who want an urban lifestyle in the Greater Toronto Area (which Brampton is a part of), would choose to live in Old Toronto but there are a lot of people who prefer suburban living!
It's all about taxes. In NJ we pay 3.40/gallon (3.78 L) = 89 cents / Liter with full service
That's great!... It is now $1.39 per liter in Toronto
I guess there is a trade off for the higher taxes we pay though - in terms of more generous social programs.. Canada is in the middle of the U.S and Western Europe on the socialism scale so... You guys pay road tolls in N.J?
Location: Where Sunday shopping is banned in the USA
334 posts, read 438,643 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by fusion2
That's great!... It is now $1.39 per liter in Toronto
I guess there is a trade off for the higher taxes we pay though - in terms of more generous social programs.. Canada is in the middle of the U.S and Western Europe on the socialism scale so... You guys pay road tolls in N.J?
In Montreal I heard they pay $1.50 which is among the highest in Canada.
In N.J. we pay toll on Garden State Parkway and the Turnpike only, but not on state highways. Garden State Parkway takes you to the beaches/Jersey shore, but you could take local roads though to avoid paying any tolls.
Actually N.J. has great social welfare as well, but we have high property taxes due to greater infrastructure and greater public schools.
In Montreal I heard they pay $1.50 which is among the highest in Canada.
In N.J. we pay toll on Garden State Parkway and the Turnpike only, but not on state highways. Garden State Parkway takes you to the beaches/Jersey shore, but you could take local roads though to avoid paying any tolls.
Actually N.J. has great social welfare as well, but we have high property taxes due to greater infrastructure and greater public schools.
You do pay high property taxes in NJ.
I was just watching 20/20 and they showed a NJ house for sale at $ 524,000
annual property taxes $ 11,800 (would be half that or less in Ontario).
IMO ...COL....USA cheapest ....Canada in the middle ....Europe more expensive .
same with social safety net....USA least.....Canada in the middle ....Europe best
Of course that's just my take, others I'm sure don't agree.
Location: Where Sunday shopping is banned in the USA
334 posts, read 438,643 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by BMI
You do pay high property taxes in NJ.
I was just watching 20/20 and they showed a NJ house for sale at $ 524,000
annual property taxes $ 11,800 (would be half that or less in Ontario).
IMO ...COL....USA cheapest ....Canada in the middle ....Europe more expensive .
same with social safety net....USA least.....Canada in the middle ....Europe best
Of course that's just my take, others I'm sure don't agree.
I used to own a house that was worth $515 K and property taxes were $14K.
My cousin owns a house worth $1.2M and pays $21K property tax.
NYC metropolitan area has high property taxes
However, in most other parts of America houses are very cheap and very low property taxes... Lucky!
I agree with you. BTW I love Canada and wouldn't mind living there. I love the metric system and the French/English bilingualism.
Actually N.J. has great social welfare as well, but we have high property taxes due to greater infrastructure and greater public schools.
Whether its at the gas pump, through property taxes or the myriad of other endless ways to take your money, they always getcha
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
