Nissan launches purchase price calculator

Nissan has announced a web-based calculator on its public website to assist buyers interested in the company's new model range.

The importer is believed to be the first to market with the new configurator, which calculates a 'driveaway' price based on the web user's postcode. A number of car companies are working overtime to develop a similar system, in the aftermath of legislation pushed through federal parliament on behalf of the ACCC.

The 'clarity in pricing' bill restricts dealers (and car companies) from promoting new-car prices that might mislead the public. Overnight, car importers and manufacturers were forced to withdraw existing price configuration systems that failed to take into account parameters that would have a bearing on the final price of a new car -- parameters including the differing registration fees from one state to the next.

Nissan's web developers have got around this difficulty by adding a field which immediately updates the price of the car according to the postcode entered by the user and two checkboxes for the user to stipulate the vehicle is to be registered 'private' or 'business'. The Carsales Network has tried it already and found it to be responsive and easy to use.

According to the company, the configurator can be selected from every product page on the www.nissan.com.au website. The company hasn't raised the roof over being the first mainstream car company to market with this type of system, but based on a quick search this morning, Nissan seems to have scored the first goal.

"Nissan continues to be innovative when it comes to customer relationships and this latest initiative creates another level of convenience," says Andrew Holbrook, Model Line Marketing Manager for Nissans' SUVs and commercial vehicles.

Other car companies have been dealing with the new legislation as best they can. We count Citroen, Fiat, Holden, Peugeot, Saab and Suzuki as companies that are limiting their pricing data to national 'driveaway' pricing deals -- prices that include on-road costs, irrespective of the registration charges for each state.

Mazda is one company that provides a range of on-road charges applicable and leaves the onus on the user to add an amount to the manufacturer's list price published on the website.

Until they have their own configurators up and running, other companies are either directing buyers to contact dealers for pricing information or have just loaded a notice advising that online pricing information is not available at this time.