Rustler

Helpful thoughts here, thank you @mv8 and @croc My gut says that rates as high as 25% across whole countries (Mexico/Canada) or whole industries are leverage for concessions for equal tariffs from trade partners or other unrelated objectives, and won't either take effect or won't be lasting if they do, but I am no expert, and that isn't my world. As Croc said above, there is an element of gambling here. Gambling on things you don't really understand is never a great move. My delivery date is around late summer or early fall, so lots of water under the bridge before then. That could either give things time to settle down, or mean that I just it's that much harder to predict. Hard saying, not knowing. A tariff on specific components like steel or aluminum that looked like 2 to 3% of total purchase price would stink, but I'd hold my nose because I really want this thing. But 25% on the whole package would be a problem on several fronts (my budget, my own perception of what this is "worth", marital relations, etc...). Croc, when you say the big manufacturers "have taken the position" are you saying that they are interpreting the proposed tariff that way, or that they are advocating for the tariff to be imposed in that way?

I'm have a substantial deposit on a new Caterham kit/build coming up, with a delivery date around late summer or fall (when final pricing with exchange rate, duties and tariffs etc... will be calculated). The contract is express that I bear increased cost of any applicable new tariffs. Of immediate concern is the tariff on steel and aluminum and derivative products from the U.K. set to go into effect on March 12. Adding to the murky picture is the announcement this week of a possible 25% tariff on all automotive imports, to be announced April 2nd. Does anyone here have some insight into how the present steel and aluminum tariffs will effect Caterham pricing (assuming the tariffs stay at current 25% levels)? As near as I can tell, you pay the tariff on the value of the steel and aluminum components of the finished product. The example I saw in one financial journal was that the average car has 1,000 lbs of steel and aluminum at a market rate of about $6k, so that would result in an increase of about $1,500 for an average size car, less for the diminutive Caterham. But if it's on the whole product, that is a very different figure. Further, the 25% tariff on all autos is more straightforward in application, but would probably be a deal breaker for me. Will the tariffs ever be applied, or are they threats as leverage, something we've seen in the past? Even if they are applied, will they last until August of September? I am incredibly excited about this order and build, and I'd probably just absorb an added $1,500 and lick my wounds and move on, but an additional 25% isn't something I'm willing to choke down. This feels near impossible to predict, and I'm very bummed to possibly have to make the decision not to move forward because of the risk, even if it ultimately doesn't happen. Any insight here would be welcome.