Why do we pay more for cars?

The Pulsar SSS. The new Pulsar's price will start from $19,990, the same price it was in 1996. Source: News Limited

NEW car prices are at record lows and driving a sales boom but Australians are still paying more than buyers in the USA.

In some cases the prices are more than double.

A survey by News Limited found the Nissan Pulsar and Toyota Corolla have both limboed to $19,990 locally in the past six months - the same price they were 10 years ago.

But the same models in North America start at between $16,140 and $17,850 respectively.

The Australian dollar has had parity with the greenback for more than a year.

Australia's top-selling car, the Mazda3, has a recommended retail price of $20,330 locally (before on-road costs are added) but the same car starts at $18,370 in North America.

The gap widens as prices rise. A Toyota Camry starts from $30,490 locally but the same model is $24,460 in the USA.

Mazda's mid-size sedan, the Mazda6, has an even greater price disparity-- more than $10,000. It's cheaper than the Camry in the USbut dearer than it in Australia ($33,460 versus $22,968).

The Mazda3 is $20,330 here and $18,370 in the US. Picture: Supplied

Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver said standard equipment varies from country to country: "We look at how we compare to our rivals and we are happy with our prices.We believe we offer good value for money."

More glaring examples begin in the $50,000 price bracket.

A BMW 320i sedan in Australia costs $58,600 (just below the Luxury Car Tax threshold) but in the USA can be had for the same money as a Holden Commodore: $35,805. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan has a greater disparity: $67,900 here versus $35,350 there.

The car industry argues new-car prices are higher in Australia because it costs more to recoup the development costs of right-hand-drive cars given that the markets are smaller.

"Volume is king and more cars are sold in left-hand-drive countries than in right-hand-drive countries, so the customer has to pay," said Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy.

"We have worked hard to make our cars as affordable as possible, and put more equipment in them, and still make a profit."

Mr McCarthy said shipping costs are also higher because the distance is greater and the car carriers mostly leave Australia empty: "It's a one-way trip".

A BMW 320i wills et you back $58,000 in Australia. They're $23,000 less in America.

The cost of financing vehicle orders also ties up more money because of the longer delivery time from Europe.

"We as a wholesaler pay for each car as it leaves the factory gate, then it's in transit for up to three months before the customer pays for it."

German sportscar maker Porsche last week slashed prices across its range by as much as $36,000 in some cases but Australians still pay more than double than those in the US for one of its speed machines.

A Porsche Carrera 911 was $229,400 in Australia before the price cut, but will drop to $206,500 from June 1. That might be cause for celebration for some, but the champagne loses its fizz when you discover the same car starts at $92,730 in the USA.

Australia's Luxury Car Tax accounts for an extra 33 per cent of the Porsche's price above $59,133 (the threshold set by the Federal Government). But that still doesn't explain why the Australian price is more than double what it is in North America.

When asked why there was still such a large price anomaly, Porsche Australia spokesman Paul Ellis said: "You don't price your car against what it costs in other countries, you price it against its local competitors. It's market positioning."

Prestige brands have strongly opposed Luxury car Tax since its inception in 2000, even though Toyota now pays more LCT than any other brand due to the large number of SUVs it sells over the threshold.

Porsche says the LCT is a "discriminatory tax".

"There isn't a tax on other luxury goods. Cars are seen as a soft target," said Mr Ellis.