Why don't they configure cars how we want?

Nilrem

Mobeer wrote: »

If customers could specify just which options they want then they might spend less than having to buy a certain trim to get a mix of options, some of which the customer wants and others they don't.

The alternative is to make everything an option and charge a lot of each option individually - some makers seem to do this.

I suspect a large part of the reason for set trim levels with standard sets of options is the fact that most car manufacturers are setup to do production runs in fairly large batches, with "just in time" supply chains.
That doesn't work well with too many options, when you start to need to ensure that each of the (largely automated) steps in the production line gets the right option at the right time, rather than loading it up with a stack of the same option.

Back in the old days of human production lines it was done largely by an instruction sheet with each selected option being sent along with the chassis and at every step of the way a human would choose the right part for the order from a selection, and the factory would likely have several days stock on site (something that went well for choice, but had a very high chance of an incorrect option being fitted, requiring either the correct part be fitted if it was spotted by QC at the end of the run, or a disgruntled customer spotting they'd not got the right thing).

Now a factory is likely to make thousands of identical cars with the same primary options in a run, then do another run with say the paint and interior trim colour changed.

The brands that still offer a very high level of customisation are often largely using humans for a lot of the work, and charge a premium for it, often also having longer lead times for delivery as a relatively small number of options for paint, radio, interior trim etc soon adds up to tens of thousands of possible combinations so they don't necessarily hold stock in advance of most of the options but make them on demand (unlike Ford of Vauxhall who might have dozens of every common trim level and colour sat ready in a holding area near the port).

edit.
It actually says something about the cost of options from a logistics and production point of view, that after a while it becomes cheaper for the manufacturer to fit what were "add on" features to the car than to keep the option open and fit it only when the customer specifically asked for it.

PasturesNew

Mr Ford had it right .... you either have it, or not. One car. Want it?

Car_54

lincroft1710 wrote: »

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

Going back slightly further, my dad's first car was a 1953 Ford Popular 103E.

When that was launched as Britain's cheapest car, the heater was an optional extra to keep the headline price down, though I don't believe any were actually built without.