QUOTE(winger7 @ Jul 17 2012, 07:34 PM)
bro, i don't think i have ever seen a new model launched which is priced cheaper than its previous version. the price increase for 2.0 is about 2K. if you averaged out 2K over ~5 years, and factor in the inflation, and some of the features given and also the new 5 years warranty - i dont think the buyers are any worse off. i think the debate between SOHC vs. DOHC will be never ending, but to the normal users - i dont think the difference will be obvious.
btw, i dont understand when ppl debate over if a car is value for money. i always see a car as a lifestyle, and a choice. i've already accepted the fact tht owning a car in malaysia will never be cheap. so the question should always be - how much you are willing to spend? not which offers the best value.. cars that are so called value for money usually have an underlying reason why they are priced lower.. right? haha
Do you know that the manufacturing side always have an opposite thinking than the average consumer like bro? Each year they will strive for the lowest cost and cut cost to lower down the price of the car.
And yet, we keep thinking the car price MUST go up. Gen8 already price up 3x from RM120k if not mistaken. Put in some different design accessory and up the price. The base car it still the same. The torque of the car is still the same. The engine is still the same. So what change?
Does the gen9 better than the gen8? Do the engine have more HP and torque? Does the handling better than the gen8?
This car if not lifestyle. You pay additional RM34k+ stupid tax to the gov. And see this car as an expensive car? The japanese is laughing at me.

Added on July 18, 2012, 10:04 am QUOTE(electron @ Jul 17 2012, 10:54 PM)
local content doesn't mean cheaper parts
typically locally assembled cars has a lower price due to tax differences
but to say that local content means cheaper parts, hence lower car price is not always accurate
you need to look at the volume and economy of scale for the local made parts
which would you think make the cheaper part?
- a factory in japan producing a part at a volume of 100,000 a year
- a local factory making 10,000 of the same part a year
If can't lower the price from the local content, than no point saying want to acheive 60% local content. Does it make sense?

I guess you are more happy if the whole car is made in japan content.
This post has been edited by ozak: Jul 18 2012, 10:04 AM