Slightly OT: Option packages

You are not alone. My guess would be "corporate market analysts". They are simply tring to maximize the profit model for the corporation, which is what they are paid to do. The crime is that fairness to the customer base is not part of their equation.

The last time I bought a new car, quite a while ago, I bought the economy package, then paid the dealer a few hundred extra for indiviual upgrades. BTW, that dealer was one of the good guys and I would go back if I needed to.

It seems to me that radio and fog lights are both in the category of easy upgrades. Don't play the package game if it doesn't sit right with you. If the dealer balks, then just get the basic package, then take your business to a different dealer for upgrades. If that doesn't work, consider independent shops who will install these as aftermarket accessories.

--Dave

You need to look at another car. I've never heard of the radio or a sunroof being tied into purchase of an automatic transmission. On most cars the auto trans is standard but the manual gearbox is extra.

The car manufacturer - who else?????

Most of the packages I've seen on the cars I'm interested in make sense. And the features are usually available separately but the combined price is usually a lot more than the package.

Possibly not, but I don't see it as a problem. If commonly requested options can be packaged at a good price then I'm for it. And this is the case with thw cars I look at.

Yes, it's silly. I'm not sure why they do it - I think the Japanese started this back in the 70's. I think it's ease of mfr/sales because the number of possible option combos gets totally nuts otherwise.

If it's any consolation, when I bought my Trans Am, this is what I faced:

Firebird Formula. 6 speed std. 4 speed auto +$600. Firebird Trans Am. 4 speed auto std. 6 speed manual +$600.

To me, that was a real WTF moment. of course, I wanted the TA with a stick, so I paid the $600.

You _may_ be able to split the option packages apart. For example, on Camaros (when they still sold them) there was actually a way to get AC delete if you wanted it, but it wasn't listed anywhere. For Firebirds, the Firehawk package was listed... nowhere, you needed to know how to order one. (WU6 was the magic word...)

Ray

Ray

The manufacturer has sat down and figured out what options people want most, and bundled them up with things that people don't want much, in order to optimize their total profits.

From the standpoint of someone wanting to buy a car, it sucks. From the standpoint of the manufacturer's shareholders, it's great.

Buy the car stripped down, with no features at all. You'll find that even without the fog lights, the fog light wiring will be in place since they're using a standard harness. Get the fog lights and the switch from a junkyard and install them. Voila, a nonstandard configuration!

Don't ever spend the money for the upgraded radio... most of the manufacturer supplied sound systems aren't particularly good and they are all very expensive. Remember, the wiring harnessed for the upgraded radio are in place already. Take the radio out and put an aftermarket in.

It's your car. There's no reason to put up with what the dealer wants to sell you. Buy the car stripped down and add whatever you want.

--scott

Most factory fog lights are pretty worthless too; better to buy aftermarket from someone like Cibie or Hella instead.

nate

It's the car manufacturers who do this along with their bean counters. They try to package things for fun & sun such as an upgraded stereo, sunroof, spoiler, wheels, etc. Or Safety such as stability control, airbags for the knees, etc.

Fog lights are probably one of the easier aftermarket things to add.

Sometimes it may not turn out too well with aftermarket stereos, only because the way the dash is laid out in some cars the stereo is really integrated. Take the Honda Accord as an example - looks like you'll have to do some serious modification to the existing system to get something aftermarket in there. Just the big volume control in the center, and the smaller climate control knobs next to them. I've also never been impressed with an aftermarket sunroof...

-Dave