Steve,
The next time I get ready to buy another Zeiss item, I'll take a moment and hoist a pint in sympathy with my fellow Contaxians in the UK. We really do have it great over here in the US as far as buying items goes.
You know, from a quality standpoint, I am incredibly happy with my 28/2.8, my 35/2.8, both of my 50/1.7's and the 1.4 (all bought for next to nothing), the 85/2.8, the wonderfully inexpensive (by Zeiss standards) 135/2.8, the 200/3.5 and even my 80-200 f/4 zoom. My average cost on these lenses including highs and lows was just below $200 US each. Actually, my most expensive CZ lens to date, the 28-85, about $500 delivered with filter and hood, I could actually take or leave. It makes great pictures, but is so darned big and intimidating to some subjects that I am really not using it as much as I thought I would when I bought it.
I was also recently able to assemble a minty looking G1 outfit with 45/2, 28/2.8, 90/2.8 and a TLA140 flash for $750, which I felt pretty good about. It is getting a lot of use these days.
For each of the Zeiss SLR focal lengths I have, I have the Yashica ML or MC equivalent for comparison. In a few cases, any differences are very hard to spot, and most have to do with the Zeiss lenses having more vibrant colors. But in other cases, the comparison is glaring in favor of the Zeiss in terms of sharpness and I am glad I bought the Zeiss glass.
By the way, as a teenager in the early 70's, I can remember passing on buying several Ford Mustangs for $500.00..don't I feel like an idiot now?
Cheers,
Tom