Why don't they configure cars how we want?

UKSBD

Went to have a look at a new car today Mazda 2


They basically have 5 versions but none which are right
for me.


Sport Nav has a lovely interior but not so nice exterior


Sport Black has nice exterior but tacky interior


SE-L version without satnav has cheaper wheels tacky interior and not so nice exterior


When I asked the sales guy why you can't get the nice exterior with the nice interior his reply was that everyone would want that one and they wouldn't sell any other versions.


Crazy

beardiedog

:rotfl:

Der...surely it would make more sense to produce the ones that everybody would want to buy.

Car_54

UKSBD wrote: »

Went to have a look at a new car today Mazda 2


They basically have 5 versions but none which are right
for me.


Sport Nav has a lovely interior but not so nice exterior


Sport Black has nice exterior but tacky interior


SE-L version without satnav has cheaper wheels tacky interior and not so nice exterior


When I asked the sales guy why you can't get the nice exterior with the nice interior his reply was that everyone would want that one and they wouldn't sell any other versions.


Crazy

I'm sure the spotty youth in the showroom was not actually involved in the marketing srategy decisions at Mazda HQ.

When you asked him a difficult question, he was too proud to say "I don't know".

marlot

Car_54 wrote: »

I'm sure the spotty youth in the showroom was not actually involved in the marketing srategy decisions at Mazda HQ.

When you asked him a difficult question, he was too proud to say "I don't know".

In my line of work, I need to people who are happy to say when they don't know. Anyone who makes up an answer rather than admit they've reached the end of their knowledge isn't invited back.

Society would be much better if we had more people who were happy to say when they didn't know something. And even better again if they then made it their mission to find out!

facade

UKSBD wrote: »

When I asked the sales guy why you can't get the nice exterior with the nice interior his reply was that everyone would want that one and they wouldn't sell any other versions.

He is quite right.

"The Marketing Department" are paid very handsomely to decide what "everybody" wants and decide what versions to produce.

Clearly you, and his other customers don't fit the carefully researched profiles.

In The Olden Days you used to sit down with the salesman and tick what options you actually wanted (a bit like Mercedes today, where pretty much everything is an expensive option), then men with hammers built the car for you to handwritten dockets.

Nowadays, everything is controlled by computer, and it is much harder to make a "one off" (yes it should be easier :rotfl:), so they build half a dozen "one size fits all" trim levels.

So if you want one tiny thing, like air-con, you end up with fog lights, auto wipers, body coloured door handles, cruise control, silver faced clocks, gradient tinted windscreen, 6 coat pearlescent dayglo paint, rubber band tyres etc. that costs £3000 extra over the poverty spec. (which would be fine if it had air-con).

UKSBD

facade wrote: »

So if you want one tiny thing, like air-con, you end up with fog lights, auto wipers, body coloured door handles, cruise control, silver faced clocks, gradient tinted windscreen, 6 coat pearlescent dayglo paint, rubber band tyres etc. that costs £3000 extra over the poverty spec. (which would be fine if it had air-con).

Virtually the opposite for me.
I have no need for the sat Nav at an extra £500, but the ones without the satnav have nowhere near as nice interiors and exteriors

vikingaero

It's down to cost. BMW/Mercedes will allow you to customise a car at vast cost. It's easy to spec a £30k car with £15k worth of options. Being a few days shipment away makes it logistically possible.

For Mazda the quickest sea route is around 30 days and they will order the specs of cars in that they think will sell best.

UKSBD

Just did a quick search and you can buy the extra little spoliers and skirt kits separately http://mazda-2.sgpetch.co.uk/pages/accessories/categories/model=548/category=ROOT-exterior


Would the dealer but these on the Sport Nav version if you spoke to the right person at the dealership?


Edit:
If not, is it a simple job to just buy them and get local mechanic to fit them?

WobblyDog

With some cars, the cheapest version in the range seems to be configured to discourage people from buying it, so that the manufacturer can say "prices start at £8000" or whatever. For example, the cheapest Fiesta doesn't have air conditioning or alloy wheels, which probably makes it almost unsellable.

Billy_Bullocks

WobblyDog wrote: »

With some cars, the cheapest version in the range seems to be configured to discourage people from buying it, so that the manufacturer can say "prices start at £8000" or whatever. For example, the cheapest Fiesta doesn't have air conditioning or alloy wheels, which probably makes it almost unsellable.

The style comes with aircon and the lack of alloys on a sub nine grand car wouldn't be a deal breaker.

lincroft1710

Back in 1959 when Ford introduced the 105E Anglia, alongside the DeLuxe was a Standard version.

The Deluxe had a full width fancy chromium plated radiator grille, chromium plated windscreen and window surrounds, rearlight trim and side rubbing strips plus glovebox lid. The Standard had none of these and with a narrow painted grille, looked very plain and unloved, which is why most private buyers paid extra for the DeLuxe