Stupid 'option' items on new cars

Stupid 'option' items on new cars

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Discussion

Matt UK

17,649 posts

199 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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One school of thought from Economics chapter 1.1: a good or service can be valued at what the market will bear, not its cost to produce or provide.

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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alistairolsen said:
Same with electric windows, even cooking spec models have them now, as I assume tooling up manual winders and introducing the change on the production line is more costly than any saving.
It's a van not a car, but I was surprised to find manual windows in our '59 VW Caddy. Mostly because they come with TC as standard which made me think electric toys might all be on the list.

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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yonex said:
Alex@POD said:
I can't say fixed seats in a saloon have ever bothered me. I can imagine in a 3 series, anything big enough to require folding the seats won't fit through the boot opening anyway!
My old S60 had folding seats and would take a bike easily. BMW in there infinite wisdom decided to make folding seats an option on saloons yet standard on coupes.
My 5 series would be a lot more useful if it had folding seats, my old Passat did and it was brilliant for long items. I've also never understood why folding seats are standard on the BMW 3 series coupe but not on the saloon!

KillerHERTZ

935 posts

197 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Triumph Man said:
My 5 series would be a lot more useful if it had folding seats, my old Passat did and it was brilliant for long items. I've also never understood why folding seats are standard on the BMW 3 series coupe but not on the saloon!
If its anything like the old C-Class/E-Class Mercs the chassis for folding seats is actually different with bracing in different places. Not just a case of fitting different seats.

DavidJG

3,507 posts

131 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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From the Bentley Bentayga driven piece a few weeks ago:

extended paint option £4,285

Seriously, WTAF is that about??

h0b0

7,557 posts

195 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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The standard US spec Chrysler 300 cam with auto lights. The standard UK spec came with an extra piece of plastic stopping you from rotating the dial to auto lights. Knock off the plastic in the knob and you have auto lights. You can confirm you have the auto lights easily. If you have a plastic done in the middle of the dash at the windscreen you have the lights. I assume the option offered at the dealer was to change the knob. No idea what they charged for the new knob though.

Thankyou4calling

10,595 posts

172 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Truckosaurus said:
Isn't the poorest value option the 'Scuderia Shield' on Ferraris? Several hundred pounds for an additional badge on the wing.
I'm not looking to defend Ferrai options but;

1. If you have the scuderia winf badges they aren't just badges. The wing is indented so the badge sits more flushly. You can buy aftermarket badges but they look awful as they are either stickers or don't sit right.

2. The badges are very sought after as a used car option. If you try to sell a used Ferrari without them for many it is a deal breaker.

So yes they are expensive but that's the reason.

IanCress

4,409 posts

165 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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DavidJG said:
From the Bentley Bentayga driven piece a few weeks ago:

extended paint option £4,285

Seriously, WTAF is that about??
Perhaps if you don't spec it you get Ford Ka style black plastic bumpers and wing mirrors.

steveo3002

10,493 posts

173 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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focus ghia came with footwell lights , poverty one had all the wiring and switches in place just no bulbs lol

ChasW

2,135 posts

201 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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One feature that I think is a no brainer but some manufacturers don't even offer it as an option is a heated front screen. I have it on my Mini and it's a godsend. I think you can spec it on Fords. Must be something to with replacement windscreen costs that puts them off. It's far more effective on a frosty morning than using the blower from the heater.

Alfa numeric

3,021 posts

178 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Thankyou4calling said:
Truckosaurus said:
Isn't the poorest value option the 'Scuderia Shield' on Ferraris? Several hundred pounds for an additional badge on the wing.
I'm not looking to defend Ferrai options but;

1. If you have the scuderia winf badges they aren't just badges. The wing is indented so the badge sits more flushly. You can buy aftermarket badges but they look awful as they are either stickers or don't sit right.

2. The badges are very sought after as a used car option. If you try to sell a used Ferrari without them for many it is a deal breaker.

So yes they are expensive but that's the reason.
But you're not buying extra front wings, just ones with a dent in to take the badges. They can't be that much dearer to make can they? I agree about the desirability though.

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Thankyou4calling said:
Truckosaurus said:
Isn't the poorest value option the 'Scuderia Shield' on Ferraris? Several hundred pounds for an additional badge on the wing.
2. The badges are very sought after as a used car option. If you try to sell a used Ferrari without them for many it is a deal breaker.

I wouldn't normally pass comment on something like this, but if somebody wouldn't buy a Ferrari because it doesn't have a particular badge then I'm afraid they are a complete poser and frankly do not deserve a car like that.

sticks090460

1,074 posts

157 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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I am still surprised to find that auto-dimming rear view mirrors are extras on a lot of top-end cars. Who wouldn't spec one, and why?

FD3Si

857 posts

143 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Guvernator said:
I think "premium" brands are particularly bad at this, especially the Germans. You can buy a top of the range AMG\M\RS or even a Porsche and it will often have stuff missing that you get for free on a Fiesta.
Regardless of the rest of the argument about the price of a premium car, this argument is nonsense.

A base Fiesta comes with:

14" 6-spoke steel wheels
AUX Input
Body colour rear spoiler
Central locking
Daytime running lights
Electrically-operated and heated door mirrors with side indicators
Electrically-operated front windows with one-touch opening and closing
Engine immobiliser
Tinted glass
Tyre repair kit

Which of those doesn't come on, for instance, an M3? Before you say tinted glass, the 'tinted glass' on a Fiesta Studio isn't the same as the Sun Protection glass you can spec on an M3, that's 'Privacy glass' in Ford speak.
To more stuff on a Fiesta than an M3, you're at sort of Ti X level, which is nearly 50% over the base price.

Thankyou4calling

10,595 posts

172 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Triumph Man said:
I wouldn't normally pass comment on something like this, but if somebody wouldn't buy a Ferrari because it doesn't have a particular badge then I'm afraid they are a complete poser and frankly do not deserve a car like that.
Fair enough. That's your opinion and I'm not here to try and change that.

What i will say though is that the number of Ferraris for sale of any given model is very limited.

When you reach the point of deciding to buy one you will likely have a very specific specification in mind.

I bought a 360 spider and it had to have an upgraded exhaust, sports seats, manual and not in red. It also had to have wing badges or I wouldn't have bought it, i can tell you that is the case with many prospective buyers.

Am I a complete poser?

No!! I'm just a poser! that's one of the main reasons I have a Ferrari.. if i were a complete poser i'd have a Lamborghini in green.

SirSamuelBuca

1,353 posts

156 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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i paid for a heated steering wheel laugh

ModernAndy

2,094 posts

134 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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IanCress said:
The bottom of the range V60 didn't come with Bluetooth. While searching for mine I saw quite a few with cheap plastic mobile holders and cabling hanging out of the dashboard. Why not spend the tiny amount extra and spec Bluetooth, instead of making a mess of the vehicles interior?
I shall answer that with a dose of my hard-earned motor trade wisdom!

It's most likely because the buyer (and in a lot of similar cases it's a lease company) wanted to get a car with bluetooth quickly when there were none available in stock and the lead time was into a number of months. It has been known for lease companies to get a parrot (or similar) fitted aftermarket to a non-bluetooth car just because it's cheaper to do as well and it rarely becomes a residual price issue.

IanCress

4,409 posts

165 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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FD3Si said:
Guvernator said:
I think "premium" brands are particularly bad at this, especially the Germans. You can buy a top of the range AMG\M\RS or even a Porsche and it will often have stuff missing that you get for free on a Fiesta.
Regardless of the rest of the argument about the price of a premium car, this argument is nonsense.

A base Fiesta comes with:

14" 6-spoke steel wheels
AUX Input
Body colour rear spoiler
Central locking
Daytime running lights
Electrically-operated and heated door mirrors with side indicators
Electrically-operated front windows with one-touch opening and closing
Engine immobiliser
Tinted glass
Tyre repair kit

Which of those doesn't come on, for instance, an M3? Before you say tinted glass, the 'tinted glass' on a Fiesta Studio isn't the same as the Sun Protection glass you can spec on an M3, that's 'Privacy glass' in Ford speak.
To more stuff on a Fiesta than an M3, you're at sort of Ti X level, which is nearly 50% over the base price.
He didn't say base spec Fiesta though. A mid-spec Fiesta will come with heated windscreen, Bluetooth, voice activation, apps for social media and Spotify. There are plenty of cars at 3 or 4 times the price that can't match the equipment list without paying for additional options.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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Thankyou4calling said:
Triumph Man said:
I wouldn't normally pass comment on something like this, but if somebody wouldn't buy a Ferrari because it doesn't have a particular badge then I'm afraid they are a complete poser and frankly do not deserve a car like that.
Fair enough. That's your opinion and I'm not here to try and change that.

What i will say though is that the number of Ferraris for sale of any given model is very limited.

When you reach the point of deciding to buy one you will likely have a very specific specification in mind.

I bought a 360 spider and it had to have an upgraded exhaust, sports seats, manual and not in red. It also had to have wing badges or I wouldn't have bought it, i can tell you that is the case with many prospective buyers.

Am I a complete poser?

No!! I'm just a poser! that's one of the main reasons I have a Ferrari.. if i were a complete poser i'd have a Lamborghini in green.
Must admit I agree with you here - if I was buying a Ferrari I'd want the wing shields because I like them better. It's a novelty with a Ferrari that no-one else does, and I'd want that. (It'd also have to be rosso corsa with cuoio interior)

FD3Si

857 posts

143 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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IanCress said:
He didn't say base spec Fiesta though. A mid-spec Fiesta will come with heated windscreen, Bluetooth, voice activation, apps for social media and Spotify. There are plenty of cars at 3 or 4 times the price that can't match the equipment list without paying for additional options.
I'd kind of assumed he meant base spec, because saying 'you have to pay extra for options that you'd also have to pay extra for on another car, but something not considered to be a "premium" brand', would seem like a really curious thing to say, as the implication would be that you should get everything that you could possibly get on teh top spec of a cheaper car as standard spin


Edited by FD3Si on Friday 27th November 14:30


Edited by FD3Si on Friday 27th November 14:32