Do Americans not like options?

Vertigo · 15 Nov 2006 at 08:27

As anyone who's ordered a new car will know, one of the pleasures of this is picking your way through the myriad options to get exactly the spec you want. If you take a look at the BMW or Audi specs for the UK or Europe you'll find a shedload of individually priced options which you can mix and match to your heart's content (with some restrictions on combination).

Go to the US sites for these manufacturers however, and no such flexibility exists. They bundle their options into packs with names such as "Cold Weather" or "Premium", allowing nowhere near the flexibiliy we get on this side of the pond.

Why is this? Do the Americans not want the ability to specify a precise combination of options or is it that the manufacturers have some reason for offering things this way over there?

Oakesy2001uk · 15 Nov 2006 at 08:31

if there was a demand they would, seems thats the way they like it!

Mickey_D · 15 Nov 2006 at 08:37

A lot of the time it's down to cost effectiveness. As an example, offering 60 different types of audio means that they won't get a bulk rate discount on purchasing them. Then you add on the 60 different wiring harnesses these stereos will need, the 60 different speaker grills, door cards, rear dashes, centre console plates, etc and you can see where it would add up.

And also after quite a bit of marketing research they've discovered that a lot of the things that are optional on cars are the things that people will be going out and buying aftermarket versions anyways, so why stock thier own if they're just going to end up in a bin anyways?

So lumping those two together, they'll offer two or three options packages on each model variant and call it quits there. So you can get poverty spec, mid range, and super toys of the S version, LS version, and the SE version of a model meaning they only need to make 9 wiring harnesses (or sometimes all three will use the same harness, just have left over plugs on the lower spec).

Then if the customer wants it a little different, they'll stop by Car Toys and pick out what they want, which is what they'll be doing anyways no matter what's there to begin with......

Which is why we can buy a Mustang GT for $26,106.00 (13,779 quid) or a Toyota Camry LE for $19,938.00 (10,523 quid). Bulk rate purchasing and smaller storage requirements for repair/replacement parts.

Vertigo · 15 Nov 2006 at 08:42

Interesting. I suppose the relative "cheapness" of these cars in the US compared to over here means they have to economise more. Basically, if you want our cars cheap, you're going to have to live with a more restrictive options list.

flat-6 · 15 Nov 2006 at 08:43

Isn't it more to do with the way cars are sold in the US? Here if you buy a new car the manufacturer will generally make one to order unless it is a huge volume model when they likely already have the spec you want already built. In the US dealers buy in new stock with popular options so punters can turn up and drive away.

Vertigo · 15 Nov 2006 at 09:12

Possibly, but that assumes that the majority of US buyers value the ability to drive a new car away immediately over the "spec-and-wait" factory orders we're used to here. You'd think they'd at least offer the option to have a totally customised spec ordered direct from the factory for those buyers that want it and are prepared to pay for it but apparently not.

lordrobs · 15 Nov 2006 at 10:46

I agree that it must be to do with economies of scale. With America being such a huge market its probably easier to just churn out similar specced cars. Infact they can probably assume that 9 out of 10 people who go for the climate pack will also go for the audio pack etc. which would make mass production even easier.

Guigsy · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:46

lordrobs said:
I agree that it must be to do with economies of scale. With America being such a huge market its probably easier to just churn out similar specced cars. Infact they can probably assume that 9 out of 10 people who go for the climate pack will also go for the audio pack etc. which would make mass production even easier.

Surely it goes the other way? With more people buying them, they get economies of scale because they know that thousands will buy even the most obscure options. :confused:

[huzeeee] · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:45

Lol when old redneck Jimmy builds a car from girders and lorries, i doubt he really gives a crap if you dont like the interior.

Mickey_D · 16 Nov 2006 at 07:31

Vertigo1 said:
Possibly, but that assumes that the majority of US buyers value the ability to drive a new car away immediately over the "spec-and-wait" factory orders we're used to here. You'd think they'd at least offer the option to have a totally customised spec ordered direct from the factory for those buyers that want it and are prepared to pay for it but apparently not.

You can go in to a dealership and "custom order" a detailed spec list of options, they just don't offer that kind of thing on the websites.

My father went in when he went to go buy the Neon and said he wanted one with all the toys except power windows. Guess what he got 3 months later?

The ability to special order options is there, but some options aren't availble in all 50 states So it's left up to the individual dealerships to know what they can offer and then offer those options up to the customer. As an instance, here in Minnesota almost all cars come with a block heater as standard, but it's not even offered as an option in California. In contrast, a lot of upper class sedans in California can get the headlamp wipers, but they're not offered up here due to them freezing during winter......

[TW]Fox · 16 Nov 2006 at 08:44

Mickey_D said:
My father went in when he went to go buy the Neon and said he wanted one with all the toys except power windows. Guess what he got 3 months later?

Why would he possibly want to do that? Seems like a lot of unncessary hassle and I doubt it reduced the bill by much more than $10?

SB118 · 16 Nov 2006 at 08:48

[TW]Fox said:
Why would he possibly want to do that? Seems like a lot of unncessary hassle and I doubt it reduced the bill by much more than $10?

Because parents are awkward?

Mickey_D · 16 Nov 2006 at 19:55

[TW]Fox said:
Why would he possibly want to do that? Seems like a lot of unncessary hassle and I doubt it reduced the bill by much more than $10?

Because he wanted all the toys, but he only wanted the ones that would continue to work past the warranty, which Chrysler is not known for in thier power windows department.....