5l V8. Petrol. 8 seats (plus huge luggage) all for £40k

[Alan_I_W]

Matt Harper said:

L1-A - but there were several after that.

Thanks, we're moving our firm to the US in 2020 and we hope to bring as many of our team as possible. Got my eyes on an Escalade when I get there, although they're all pretty much the same.

[Ares]

Matt Harper said:

Ares said:

Jeez..... it was a general comparison. the $51,000 I was quoted for a Yukon XL is worth £40,000 at the moment. 10 years ago $51,000 was closer to £25,000.

It was just a headline comment as to a lot of car for not a lot of cash (for those sat in the UK). See you didn't take irony or a chilled demeanour when you migrated to the US, but picked up a chunk of Pedantic Yank when you got there*


(*for the avoidance of doubt, that was sarcasm, a tongue in cheek comment. Assuming your lost that whilst on US shores, google it ;-) )

FWIW, my brother moved to the US 5 years ago. He is still paid the salary that was calculated on his UK salary from day one in the US. From day one, he has had markedly more disposable income. Alas he spent $40,000 on a 2.0 VW Tiguan....!

You can see why it is a meaningless calculation though, right?

This has been a bit of a point of irritation for me, I have to admit. The consensus that American cars are cheap, based on what they cost us here, compared to what they might theoretically cost (but NEVER do, in reality) if they were paid for in GBP is spurious.

Now maybe to some people, 50K (in dollars or pounds) is not a lot of money. But I think you'll find most people consider that a fair old chunk of change for a mainstream SUV.

I've lived in the SE USA for considerably longer than your brother. When I moved here I was very pleasantly surprised by how much house I could buy, compared to my previous circumstances in Yorkshire.

However, this is a very difficult place to be if you are skint, or just keeping your head above water.
Property taxes, health insurance, hurricane insurance, car insurance, education, utilities and used cars are all significantly more expensive.

Similar to your brother, I had/have more disposable income, but that's not because my living costs are lower. I've no doubt this can vary significantly, given the size of the country and where you've moved from. So living costs in San Francisco, LA, NYC, Chicago etc are a damn sight higher than in rural Nebraska, or suburban Detroit. But if you moved from Central London, or Tokyo, you might find things pleasantly inexpensive.

In my experience (perhaps not typical, I don't know), I moved from Baildon, in West Yorks, to Orlando FL and my day to day living costs went up, not down.

He's in Chicago. Paid $425,000 last year for a 2000sq ft detached house that would cost c£750-800,000 where I am in Cheshire, albeit the UK house would be better built, it would have less garden. Even after his $12,000 per year for his equivalent of Council Tax (against my £2,200), he's a lot better off there than he was in the UK, ironically also from Yorkshire.

Agree on the tough place to be if you are skint....but that motivates people moreso to not be, than our arguably too soft, 'hand-out' culture.

[Matt Harper]

Alan_I_W said:

Thanks, we're moving our firm to the US in 2020 and we hope to bring as many of our team as possible. Got my eyes on an Escalade when I get there, although they're all pretty much the same.

By 'moving your company', I assume you mean opening a US subsidiary (which would require you to keep the UK operation going). I don't believe there is a means by which you can simply relocate an entire business entity. Shutting down the non-US entity would rule out the most obvious visa routes (L1-A and B and E1/2) for non-US employees.

The Caddy "Excalade" does have something of an image issue here, I think you'll find.

[Alan_I_W]

Matt Harper said:

By 'moving your company', I assume you mean opening a US subsidiary (which would require you to keep the UK operation going). I don't believe there is a means by which you can simply relocate an entire business entity. Shutting down the non-US entity would rule out the most obvious visa routes (L1-A and B and E1/2) for non-US employees.

The Caddy "Excalade" does have something of an image issue here, I think you'll find.

I meant we're moving main operation there but we're keeping a smaller firm here to deal with our existing clients. The Escalade would be for my wife, although she has here eyes on a G Class. For me I'll be looking at the 8 Series when it arrives or maybe the next gen S8. We did aim to set up in the US by 2013 but the recession made that too risky especially in our line of work. What area of work do you do?

[Matt Harper]

Ares said:

He's in Chicago. Paid $425,000 last year for a 2000sq ft detached house that would cost c£750-800,000 where I am in Cheshire, albeit the UK house would be better built, it would have less garden. Even after his $12,000 per year for his equivalent of Council Tax (against my £2,200), he's a lot better off there than he was in the UK, ironically also from Yorkshire.

Agree on the tough place to be if you are skint....but that motivates people moreso to not be, than our arguably too soft, 'hand-out' culture.

It looks like we're on the same wavelength after all. I'm guessing your brother doesn't recalculate his purchases into sterling equivalents either

[Matt Harper]

Alan_I_W said:

I meant we're moving main operation there but we're keeping a smaller firm here to deal with our existing clients. The Escalade would be for my wife, although she has here eyes on a G Class. For me I'll be looking at the 8 Series when it arrives or maybe the next gen S8. We did aim to set up in the US by 2013 but the recession made that too risky especially in our line of work. What area of work do you do?

We seem to be straying into a topic area that is not relevant to this thread. I established a US subsidiary here which is now market leader by a huge margin. I'd be very happy to share my experiences in a more appropriate forum.
Scroll down to "International PH'ers" (USA and Canada) - more than happy to discuss it there, if you'd care to.

[Alan_I_W]

Matt Harper said:

We seem to be straying into a topic area that is not relevant to this thread. I established a US subsidiary here which is now market leader by a huge margin. I'd be very happy to share my experiences in a more appropriate forum.
Scroll down to "International PH'ers" (USA and Canada) - more than happy to discuss it there, if you'd care to.

We have gone massively off topic haven't we? Getting back to topic what car is it you drive stateside? Something as monstrous as a Yukon?

[Matt Harper]

I have a 1992 Ford F150 Flareside pick-up truck, a 2006 Chevy Suburban LT and a 2015 Dodge Challenger 392 Scat Pack.

When I first moved here, I repatriated a 2000 Corvette that I drove in UK, but have also owned a 1999 Dodge Ram pick-up, a 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 and a 2012 Ford Mustang GT.

I also have a couple of other motorized toys that have either two, or no wheels. We like our toys over here.

[dvs_dave]

Alan_I_W said:

I meant we're moving main operation there but we're keeping a smaller firm here to deal with our existing clients. The Escalade would be for my wife, although she has here eyes on a G Class. For me I'll be looking at the 8 Series when it arrives or maybe the next gen S8. We did aim to set up in the US by 2013 but the recession made that too risky especially in our line of work. What area of work do you do?

All fine cars, but they all (Audi aside) have a particular image associated with them (UK equivalent would be rich chavs) that you probably won't appreciate until you've spent some time here.

Edited by dvs_dave on Wednesday 16th November 19:44

[Alan_I_W]

dvs_dave said:

All fine cars, but they all (Audi aside) have a particular image associated with them (UK equivalent would be rich chavs) that you probably won't appreciate until you've spent some time here.

Edited by dvs_dave on Wednesday 16th November 19:44

My wife is the one who won't be seen in anything that doesn't have a badge. I couldn't care less about badge if it's a car I won't regret buying. The car I have a high school crush on is the Expedition EL Platinum.