Who wrote the first paragraph? You call yourself a journalist? Ever heard of spell / grammar check?

Like Navigation to drive to work everday.

Even Honda is getting crazy with the combos back about 12 years ago it was dx LX and EX with the occasional special edition which was basically an LX with better wheels
Honda now has ex ex l ex l dvd nav but considering all the options available now Its still understandable and reasonable
Nissan is another story You had to get a Bose radio to get leather and a sunroof in the older Maxima’s
It took Ford and GM 20 years to learn this lesson huh lol
The American car companies dont have a clue

I think this was written by one of you nerds.

I was surprised to get the car I wanted with DVD and Without Navigation.

I say let people pick their options a la carte!

I like options. On the other hand, that only works when you can have a build to order system. Say have a standard set of options with every trim level, and other stuff can either be built to order or dealer-installed. The problem really isn’t with options, it’s with inventory.

Acura is the only company I know of that does it right. Luxury cars should only come one way–loaded.

Also, it’s almost impossible to find a used car that has the options you want because there are too many flipping variations.

I’ve been saying this for years. All of the options packages and choices are pretty ridiculous these days. Also, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why more materials aren’t shared across a company’s complete lineup-especially interior parts and components. There are so many ways that these companies could cut costs without sacrificing sales. Sell for the masses, folks, sell for the masses.

By the way, I love my 2008 V6 Accord Coupe, love the manual passenger seat adjuster-it’s quick and easy-but hate the electric-powered driver seat. It f’n takes forever to move.

@Ray Sinclair: Materials DO get shared, and then people complain about it. Like the hate that people directed against the Viper for having a standard Mopar radio, or the hate that people had for the Corvette for sharing a steering wheel with a G6, or the Ford GT for lifting the steering column from a Focus.

Double standards much?

Ray I envy you That Accord coupe is beautiful I have to get one

no ****

Ditto the comment on Ray’s Accord. The V6 6spd redefines the term ’sleeper’. Is it a 6spd Ray?

More to the topic, the numbers game is a part of American automotive history. Watch Barrett-Jackson: numbers are everything. As much as many of us seem to be sick of the new Camaro before it’s even released, it seems to be pointed in the direction of a ‘numbers’ car. Is Chevy wise in potentially offering what seems to be endless variations of its new pony car? In a nutshell- yes. They have to in order to compete with the Mustang. As for the Challenger, I don’t think Chrysler has the resources at this point to compete to this degree. Fortunately for them, there seems to be more buzz around their offering than the Camaro. All three of these models are betting their history on the numbers. Nobody wants a car in this niche that looks like their neighbors. I’ve said it before but this could be our last shot at the late ’60’s early ’70’s before we never see cars like these again. The real gearheads will be scanning those option codes like no body’s business. Good for them. The Mustang, Camaro and Challenger are all great cars and even from the viewpoint of an innocent bystander I want 10 of them to go by and be able to say they’re all nice but that one looks really, really cool.

‘Ray’, glad you’re happy with your Tori Spelling of autos. Whatever makes you happy.

5-6 years ago when I rented “stripper” on vacation with children (car not hooker, you pervs) children were amazed that they could not press buttons to open windows. They did not remember a crank. I don’t believe today you can rent car with a crank (or manual tranny). Even cheap cars today have options which were luxury only 10 years ago.The “science” of short list of options and clever packaging is practiced by Honda (not Toyota). It saves company money in manufacturing and distribution, It also helps dealers to swap cars for their customers. Regardless of what manufacturers want us to believe, special ordering a car is practically non-event today. So for who’s benefit is a long list?

“while Toyota and Honda — Nissan’s cross-country rivals — do a very good job at keeping vehicle combinations simple and logical.”

Total BS. They package “must haves” like cruise control with options that are high profit to sucker you into paying more than you should. Simple and Logical way for them to rip you off.

Get those numbers way down and let the aftermarket and the dealers add on the options. This a formula for less vehicle aging on the lots and a better feel for what really is selling…the car or the options? At the end of every model year, the big three pile on the big incentives to move the old vehicles out the door…problem is that most of the ones left for sale a bastard vehicles with bad option mixes no one wants at any price. Then they add even more money and finally they go away. The Ford Ranger in 2005 had over 1.3 million ways to order it, and in 2008 it has only 480,000 ways..quite a reduction I say!! Hopefully they get their act together (the big 3) and start taking good advise from the Japanese and Germans…keep it simple and let the aftermarket thrive!!

Unfortunately, guys, I got the auto. It’s more the wife’s car than mine-you could bet I would have gotten the 6-speed for myself. Anyway, love it…drove my friend’s
LS460 the other day, which to me felt no different than driving a ‘91 Lexus LS400 (which I had) and honestly preferred the feeling of the Accord. I was definitely surprised and disappointed with the new Lexus-thought even though it’s a big car-that it would feel more crisp.

04FOCUS…I know some materials get shared and people complain. The truth is that automakers SHOULD spend some time developing quality switches and quality components to be shared. People care more about the quality of the product than with the exclusivity of the parts. The reason why the steering wheel of the Corvette/G6 drew criticism was because THAT STEERING WHEEL SUCKED. If the steering wheel was awesome, people would praise it whether it was in the Aveo or the Corvette ZR1. I am optimistic that you could develop “Perfectly engineered” interior parts, use them for the next 20 years, and ultimately keep costs down. Who’s with me? There is no doubt that certain things need to change with respect to car design and engineering, but what about A/C vents, window switches, cup holders, etc?

Ray, like you mentioned, things need to change with a change in design. Even these pieces that you’ve mentioned couldn’t possibly be relevant for 20 years. Although, I do agree that they shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re going to swap steering wheels thru your lineup they shouldn’t suck.

Well, I have been buying cars for 20+ years. I like the old days, when I did not need to cr that cost me 3K more, because the lower model could be had with automatic/ac/stereo, and cruise and sunroof optional. Good enough for me.
They don’t even do this anymore… you want cruise? Buy the middle model, for 1,500-2,000 more. Want a sunroof, buy the top model…aanother 1,500-2K more.
So, you go from a 15K car(that they won’t let you get what you want..automatic..cruise, sunroof) to paying 19K+(civic)..
4K More, just for Sunroof , Automatic, and cruise? i don’t need the other stuff they put in the cars.. give me a base,or midlevel car, with sunroof.cruise.a/c, automatic, and save me 2K up front..
Nope… they won’t do that.
Someone wants to pay 19-21 k for a top model(astra xr…civic,etc), and give me the car.. fine by me.. if not, quit saying “we’re going broke, we need to do this”….
and be done with it.
I say 2 models of cars:
“base” version, with automatic, etc…sunroof s optional(tilt/telescopic steeing column, bs, etc… std or optional)…
and top model, Leather(ette),Satellite Radio option,
maybe slightly nicer trim/interior…etc…

Or wait until the end of a model’s run,a few months before a new one is introduced, aand save 2-3K, and get the top version for bottom price.
I dunno.

tilt/telescopic steeing column, bs, etc… std or optional

Sorry, from my post above… ABS….this keypad’s about shot on my computer.

This is weird to me, being European. I was always under the impression that cars in the States have fewer versions than the European ones and usually are cheaper and come better equipped.
If you think you have too many versions, come to Europe and try to buy a VW Golf 5 for example… You can have at least 7 model options and about 5 engines to choose from. Not every engine goes with every version, but still, you get the idea…

Other than color combinations and transmission choice, I think everything else should just come with the ****ing car at one fixed price. This is ****ing dumb.

I disagree. I think the whole car whould be optionable so you can get the engine/trim combination you want and not get lumbered with toys if you just want a basic fast car.
German manufacturers have extensive options lists and so did American manufacturers until recently

You can see the temptation to minimize base features by looking at the lease rates for an Acura TL. They are usually way over that of a 3-series since the 3 comes with cloth and a manual tranny while the TL is loaded with everything except nav. The TL always looks like a bad deal in the paper, but try to find a 3-series on the lot for the price shown.

the main thing i loved when i got my ‘05 G35 was the fact that there was just ONE engine choice for the 6spd or Auto- all their 6spd models came with sport tuned suspensions standard, while Auto’s was an option, you could get the ‘base’ G35 6spd with no sunroof/20957927509 watt radio or whatever it was, and anything else that you didn’t need- i wanted a perfermance G35 instead of a diluted option based G35

Mike FX exactly
A couple of months back some jack off (JJcay I think) was trying to compare the TL to the 3 series. His bull**** argument was that the TL was overpriced.
He tried to compare a base 3 series to the TL bc the price of the base 3 was 32k and the TL with nav was 36k.
He convientley ignored the fact that the TL is loaded and has 3 options (Nav, Manual or Auto and the tires)
Add one package on the 3 series (or any BMW)and it will cost you 4k The cold weather package the leather or leatherette and the Idrive and your 3 series will be around 46k
Sure its rear drive and German but rear drive isnt needed when you are using it as a commuter car and its dangerous in bad weather conditions

Frankhoffy: “Luxury cars should only come one way — as something other than a rebadged accord.

The new H-accord coupe didn’t really look good in the photos, but it was much more impressive when I stood next to it. I drove the sedan, which I think is the better-looking of the 2.

autonut: “Even cheap cars today have options which were luxury only 10 years ago.” Yep. A lot of that has to do with old people buying compacts instead of Detroit Whales.

Ray Sinclair: I am optimistic that you could develop ‘perfectly engineered’ interior parts, use them for the next 20 years, and ultimately keep costs down. Who’s with me? ”

Me, but if one company did that, then competitors would just make something “more perfect.”

bcjohnso99: “They package ‘must-haves’ like cruise control with options that are high profit to sucker you into paying more than you should.”
Simple and Logical way for you to not let them to rip you off: add up the costs of the options you want, and offer them that much. If they bitch, walk away.

deantj: “Other than color combinations and transmission choice, I think everything else should just come with the ****ing car at one fixed price.”
That’s a legitimate attitude.

MikeFX “The ‘TL’ always looks like a bad deal in the paper ….”
Because it IS a bad deal.

1115: you convientley (sic) ignored the fact that the “TL” is a rebadged accord.
But I wouldn’t pay $46K for a 3-series. I’m not even interested in a 3.

my Mazda was RWD, and I lived in NE. Just fine, except for a few sideways travelling incidents

DO NOT force me to buy a package full of ****ty features I don’t want. Either remove the ****ty features or provide them at NO markup. Like ‘LJ’ posted … with me, you want to force me to pay up for what I don’t want? Then I’m out the door looking elsewhere.

I am for a la carte. I hate forced combinations.

Sunroofs and cruise should be standard on everything nowadays. As are power locks and windows. Colors and transmission should be options, that’s it.

Sounds like a good plan.

I think things like leather sunroof navigation and others should be standard on luxury cars. I cant stand when I see luxury cars without all the options. Its silly if you dont want luxury options dont get a luxury car
This Focus oesnt even have rear headrests that should be standard