Kinsey Report 2011
Now in its 21st year, the Kinsey Report continues to grow, providing you with all you need to know about parts prices.
By Malcolm Kinsey
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It has been a busy 12 months for the local motor industry since the last Kinsey Report was released, and a recovering market has seen frantic launch activity. One of the surprises has been the increase in retail prices (many above the inflation rate), despite the difficult trading conditions and strength of the rand, which has, theoretically, had a positive effect on the prices of imported vehicles.
The general level of activity has enabled us to include a number of completely new models this year, such as the VW Amarok, GWM Steed 3, Tata Xenon (all adding to the competitiveness in the one-tonner market), Chery Tiggo, the budget Nissan Micra and the upmarket Audi Q5. We have also included several ranges that have undergone facelifts.
As always, we have tried to stick with the volume sellers, asking manufacturers to give us the most popular derivative in a range so that prices are relevant to the widest possible audience. Often the price will apply across a given range of vehicles, but not always: diesel-powered models often have more sound-deadening material and this can extend to a different windscreen, priced differently from other versions. However, if one vehicle from a manufacturer’s range is reasonably priced, the other vehicles in that range should follow suit.
Our parts line-up continues to evolve and this year we have dispensed with the clutch release bearing, which varies considerably in different vehicles and can be simply a slide-on bearing or may incorporate the clutch fork and slave cylinder, with a corresponding price bracket from around R200 to R3 000. We have also dropped the exterior mirror since it varies from a complete unit to a bare framework without covers, and motor and prices differ accordingly. These changes have been made in the interest of making it possible to compare accurately. The only added item this year is the alternator.
A total of 51 vehicles are covered in the 2011 Kinsey Report, and one of the most significant turns out to be the latest Nissan Micra. Considered too expensive in its previous guise, the current one is imported from India and its pricing – in terms of retail and parts – bucks the system somewhat. Vehicles from Korea, India and China are often less expensive, appear to give excellent value and their quality is constantly improving, but they will have to prove their endurance capabilities over the next few years. Local content also relieves the parts pricing costs to some degree and gives homegrown vehicles a pricing advantage.
All parts prices are sourced from the normal vehicle dealerships and are the suggested retail prices, excluding any negotiable discount and all prices include VAT. Some dealerships have a nett pricing policy that prevents any possibility of discounting. All prices were sourced during the month of July to alleviate possible price changes at the end of a month.
When a manufacturer, such as Ford and Mazda, does not stock windows and windscreens, the glass prices are quoted from PG Auto Glass. The quoted amount is the supply price and excludes fitment.
It was our intention to look at hybrid vehicles, but their low sales volumes still make them largely irrelevant in this survey. In addition, when comparing a hybrid Honda Jazz to a conventional Jazz, most of the parts are similar: the body, engine, suspension and brakes are identical. The major differences are the battery pack and electric motor, but according to Toyota, the battery pack in their hybrid Prius should outlast the seven-year warranty.
Service and maintenance plans, which are often built into the cost of a new vehicle, could have an influence when selecting a vehicle. Tata, for example, has 25 000 km service intervals. This means only four services are required within 100 000 km, while vehicles with 15 000 km intervals would need six, thus influencing the costs involved.
