Retro-fit computer

[HEDGEPERSON]

Any thoughts on this: just bought this and then called my local dealer to book my MCS for fitting. They said it would take 2 hours labour, thus working out at £211.50!!

Oh, but it includes VAT, so they said. Which is a relief, of course....

I live in Herts, and thought labour rates such as these only existed in London. Am I being massively naive here?

[Sooperlids]

£90+vat per hour sounds about right

[HEDGEPERSON]

It does? Blimey. Fair enough. Might look elsewhere then!

Thanks a lot.

[zuurg]

What's a VAT?

[MINIAC]

VAT = Value Added Tax

[zuurg]

Meaning? Anything you add to the car after you buy it is considered Value Added & therefore taxed? Is that on top of normal sales tax?

[Pamlico]

Quote: Originally Posted by zuurg

Meaning? Anything you add to the car after you buy it is considered Value Added & therefore taxed? Is that on top of normal sales tax?

I believe it's similar to the GST you guys have.

[MINIAC]

Quote: Originally Posted by zuurg

Meaning? Anything you add to the car after you buy it is considered Value Added & therefore taxed? Is that on top of normal sales tax?

In the UK I believe it is the sales tax ... 17.5% of the price on goods.

[stephenjc]

I probably should not answer this - not being a Brit but I'll give it a go anyway.

In the states when a manufacturer produces a product or say a part and then sells it to a firm that then uses the part to put it into a product there is no tax on that transaction. Here the tax only accrues when a product is sold to the ultimate consumer thus it is called a "sales" tax. As I understand it in the UK that same transaction would result in a tax. Then when the firm that assembles the part into a product and then sells the product to say a distributor then there is another tax on that second transaction but they only pay tax on the increase in value - thus it is called a "value added" tax. And so each step of the way from a raw material to the ultimate consumer the "value added' tax gets attached and of course ultimately the consumer pays all of the value added tax (VAT). That i think is the original theory anyway and I hope I did not mess that up. I suppose you could say more simply put that it is the UK equivalent of a sales tax.

[danb]

As far as Im aware, stephen's explanation is near enough spot on. Basically, when a firm turns over more than a certain amount per year, they must start paying VAT to the inland revenue (which of course is charged to customers), hence why small businesses will always give up to a 17.5% discount for cash transactions. The only difference I can think of between this and sales tax, is that companies that charge VAT can claim back VAT that they pay on products that they buy for their business - but neway this is kinda OT now :P

Hedge, if I were u I would fit the OBC myself. I bought the kit for my ONE and its fairly easy to install, providing you have the right tools. The BMW fitting information is available here http://motoringfile.com/howto/OBC.PDF , or there is another version in the FAQ section of this site.
If you decide to to it give me a PM and I'll try and answer any questions you have.

[xianxuk]

Hi ive brought a light stalk with the OBC switch on it, is there anything else other than the wiring loom which i can get from BMW for £20 i would need for this function to wrk as i already have the external temperature guage.

Also what does it really involve doing. i.e where does the wiring loom go to etc.

thanks