Posted by Bob Aldons – Managing Director, Northstar Motor Group

EOFY is getting closer and closer, June 30th will be on us before we know where we are. It’s high time to look at maximizing all available tax deductions on items that you may be contemplating over the next six months and as importantly, Julia Gillard still has the accelerated deprecation offer on the table for eligible businesses for purchases prior to June 30th.

Tax minimization is legal and in fact is encouraged by the vast majority of accountants. Don’t leave for the Tax Man what you can legally deduct. Remember the old proverb – The Tax Man Giveth and the Tax Man Taketh away. Reduce what he takes and keep what you can.

As a small businessman myself, I encourage you to look at every conceivable way to reduce your taxable income.  Have a close look at any equipment. If it’s at the end of its life or old technology is costing too much to repair, the impending financial year closewould be the ideal time to upgrade.

When you finance your equipment replacement, the payments will be classified as business operating expenses and deductions can be claimed on them immediately. If you choose to use Goods Mortgage as your preferred method of finance, you can claim the interest content of that payment and depreciate the item as well. And a bonus till June 30th is that you can claim the accelerated depreciation on this item up to $5000. Be warned though – you can’t claim the depreciation if you lease it. It must be done through a hire purchase style arrangement - and besides equipment, Northstar Financial Services can also help you with your vehicle replacement. The same rule applies for the accelerated depreciation – Hire Purchase is the way to go here too.

Our car dealerships currently have some amazing end of financial year offers on the table – Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Volkswagen, Mahindra and of course Isuzu Ute.

Northstar Financial Services can work with you to arrange your finance before EOFY arrives – competitive rates and terms, a great understanding of what your business requires and also competitive insurance products as well.

Contact one of my Finance and Insurance Professionals directly. You’ll find their wealth of experience and attention to detail refreshing.

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Northstar continues to expand its brand portfolio. Along with the original Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands since 2003, Isuzu Ute and Volkswagen since 2008, Mahindra in 2012, Northstar now has Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Fiat Professional, and Abarth.

We'll happily arrange a drive home registration and you know the best thing about this? The drive home gives you just the best running in you'll ever get. New engines love a long drive to bed everything in and you'll get the best economy you've ever experienced. Alternatively if you're time or distance poor, check us out online at www.nsmg.com.au or read more reviews at www.mycarreview.com.au . Finally, if you can't come to us, we'll come to your home, workplace or worksite - call Northstar on 1300 NTH STAR or 1300 684 782.

Posted by Bob Aldons – Northstar Motor Group

The Mazda6 is cheaper than the Camry in the US but dearer than it in Australia ($33,460 versus $22,968).

Australian buyers pay more for cars than those in the US.

New-car prices are at record lows and driving a sales boom, but a survey by News Limited has found Australians still pay more than buyers in the USA. In some cases the prices are more than double.

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 US dollar for two years.

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 US but dearer than it in Australia ($33,460 versus $22,968).

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.”

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”. 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 USA 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 Ellis.

Call into Northstar Motor Group at 320 Anzac Avenue Kippa-Ring on the Redcliffe Peninsula,  739 Deception Bay Road Rothwell, or at 266 Morayfield Road Morayfield (Opposite Bunnings Warehouse)

 We're only 15 minutes or so from Brisbane Airport and a leisurely drive down the highway from Noosa, Bundaberg, Maryborough, and a short trip from Nambour, Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Bribie Island. We also get a lot of our customers as FIDO - that's not a dog by the way, that's fly in drive out. With cheap airfares, our customers come in from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mt Isa and even Sydney, Melbourne and as far away as Perth.

Northstar continues to expand its brand portfolio. Along with the original Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands since 2003, Isuzu Ute and Volkswagen since 2008, Mahindra in 2012, Northstar now has Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Fiat Professional, and Abarth.

Source: www.carsguide.com.au 

Posted by Bob Aldons – Northstar Volkswagen

Diesel Passat and CC models are now 5kW and 30Nm healthier.

Volkswagen has improved things under the bonnet for diesel Passats.

Four models in the Volkswagen range have recently received an engine upgrade with a power and torque increase.

The Passat Sedan, Passat Wagon, Passat Alltrack and the CC with 2.0-litre common rail turbo diesel engine now come with 130kW (+5kW) of power and 380Nm (+30Nm) of torque, and now carry 130TDI badging.

This change also results in a fuel consumption change on some of the models.

The Passat Wagon and CC see reduced fuel consumption figures of 5.4 litres/100km (-0.3l) while the Passat Sedan now consumes 5.6 llitres/100km (-0.1l).

Pricing has increased by $500 for most of these diesel variants, with the Passat Highline sedan now $44,990, Highline wagon at $46,490, and CC at $55,490.

The Passat Alltrack remains at $47,790.

If you want to experience Volkswagen Passat in person, call into Northstar Volkswagen at 322 Anzac Avenue Kippa-Ring on the Redcliffe Peninsula. We're only 15 minutes or so from Brisbane Airport and a leisurely drive down the highway from Noosa, Bundaberg, Maryborough, and a short trip from Nambour, Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Bribie Island. We also get a lot of our customers as FIDO - that's not a dog by the way, that's fly in drive out. With cheap airfares, our customers come in from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mt Isa and even Sydney, Melbourne and as far away as Perth.

We'll happily arrange a drive home registration and you know the best thing about this? The drive home gives you just the best running in you'll ever get. New engines love a long drive to bed everything in and you'll get the best economy you've ever experienced. Alternatively if you're time or distance poor, check us out online at www.northstarvw.com.au or read more reviews at www.mycarreview.com.au . Finally, if you can't come to us, we'll come to your home, workplace or worksite - call Northstar on 1300 NTH STAR or 1300 684 782.

Source: www.carsguide.com.au 

Posted by Bob Aldons – Northstar Volkswagen

Volkswagen has given a revealing insight into its next-generation powertrain technology, confirming development of a 10-speed DSG, a high-performance diesel engine and a focus on plug-in hybrid and natural gas propulsion systems for its future vehicles.

Speaking at the 34th International Vienna Motor Symposium, Volkswagen Group chairman Martin Winterkorn said the medium- and long-term strategies were part of the company’s plan to reduce its European new car fleet’s CO2 emission level to 95 grams per kilometre by 2020.

Leading the charge will be a 10-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission, which is set to succeed the brand’s current six- and seven-speed units and offer improved fuel efficiency.

Joining it will be a family of high-output diesel engines, which Volkswagen promises will achieve peak power of 100kW per litre of displacement. The engines will have a variable valve-train assembly, a high-pressure injection system at up to 3000 bar and combined charging with the brand’s e-booster technology.

If you want to experience Volkswagen in person, call into Northstar Volkswagen at 322 Anzac Avenue Kippa-Ring on the Redcliffe Peninsula. We're only 15 minutes or so from Brisbane Airport and a leisurely drive down the highway from Noosa, Bundaberg, Maryborough, and a short trip from Nambour, Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Bribie Island. We also get a lot of our customers as FIDO - that's not a dog by the way, that's fly in drive out. With cheap airfares, our customers come in from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mt Isa and even Sydney, Melbourne and as far away as Perth.

We'll happily arrange a drive home registration and you know the best thing about this? The drive home gives you just the best running in you'll ever get. New engines love a long drive to bed everything in and you'll get the best economy you've ever experienced. Alternatively if you're time or distance poor, check us out online at www.northstarvw.com.au  or read more reviews at www.mycarreview.com.au . Finally, if you can't come to us, we'll come to your home, workplace or worksite - call Northstar on 1300 NTH STAR or 1300 684 782.

Source: www.carsguide.com.au

Posted by Bob Aldons – Northstar Isuzu Ute

The Isuzu D-MAX was today announced winner of the 2013 Australian 4WD Action Magazine’s Ute of the Year, along with two international awards.

Widely respected as this country’s toughest 4x4 ute test, the D-MAX triumphed over the full-gamut of Australia’s one-tonne ute segment; the Toyota HiLux, Mazda BT-50, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Holden Colorado and Volkswagen Amorok.

“Judging criteria for the 4WDer’s Ute of the Year was simple – we wanted to test the vehicles in a way that mimics how they’d be used in real life,” said Australian 4WD Action’s editor, Brendan Seymour.

“This meant loading them almost to their GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass), and then putting them through their paces in every off-road terrain imaginable, from mud, to steep hills, sand and long stretches at higher speeds ... finally, we enlisted the help of seven real 4WDers to test the vehicles like only a true 4WDer can – and the D-MAX came out on top,” he added.

Not only did the Isuzu D-MAX pick up the overall award, but it also proved the most fuel efficient of the seven utes tested.

Giving further insight to the comprehensive assessment regime, tester Steven Collins explained; “We broke the off-road performance portion of the judging down into five categories and scored each ute based on how they performed off-road. We then compared and scored fuel economy (as tested), purchase price, running costs per year (comprehensive insurance and servicing) and payload to determine the final outcome.”

Today’s accolade comes hot on the heels of two recent international gongs for the Euro-spec Isuzu D-MAX – the prestigious “4x4 Vehicle of the Year” by readers of the influential Auto Bild Magazine in Germany and the “2013 Vans A2Z Pick-Up of the Year Award” in the UK.

The Auto Bild Allrad, is Europe’s version of our “Car of the Year” awards and is organized by the continent’s most widely read magazine - Auto Bild. Based on a poll from over 100,000 readers, the new Isuzu D-MAX took the honours in the imported pick-up category.

Across the Channel, the Isuzu D-MAX again proved it can take on the best and win - scoring the 2013 Vans A2Z “Pick-up of the Year” award in London. The Vans A2Z team noted, “Unlike the latest generation pick-ups from Ford and Volkswagen it retains the external dimensions of the traditional one-tonne truck and is all the better for it … it feels more nimble and less bulky to drive, while retaining an impressive work ethic.”

These recent awards again demonstrate that the Isuzu D-MAX is universally revered as one of the world’s best utes and further enhances the D-MAX’s solid reputation for reliability, economy and durability.

If you want to experience D-Max for yourself, call into Northstar Isuzu Ute at either 739 Deception Bay Road Rothwell or 266 Morayfield Road Morayfield (Opposite Bunnings).  We're only 20 minutes or so from Brisbane Airport and a leisurely drive down the highway from Noosa, Bundaberg, Maryborough, and a short trip from Nambour, Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Bribie Island. We also get a lot of our customers as FIDO - that's not a dog by the way, that's fly in drive out. With cheap airfares, our customers come in from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mt Isa and even Sydney, Melbourne and as far away as Perth.

We'll happily arrange a drive home registration and you know the best thing about this? The drive home gives you just the best running in you'll ever get. New engines love a long drive to bed everything in and you'll get the best economy you've ever experienced. Alternatively if you're time or distance poor, check us out online at www.lovemyisuzu.com.au or read more reviews at www.mycarreview.com.au . Finally, if you can't come to us, we'll come to your home, workplace or worksite - call Northstar on 1300 NTH STAR or 1300 684 782.

Source: www.iua.net.au