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      02-05-2013, 09:46 AM   #6
Rich4
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Drives: F25 30d SE
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Surrey

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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodchuck1 View Post
I REALLY wish BMW would let people order cars equipped exactly the way they want them (not counting conflicting options, of course.) I thought computerized manufacturing was predicted to make things like that easy to do.
Hey, surely you didn’t expect the ‘computerised manufacturing’ (or spec order selection) to be there for your benefit? — its more for BMW’s use rather than yours as it allows them to more easily determine what and where to offer particular options and at what price, or combinations of options in a package depending on that particular market in order to maximise profits for the company – you are a secondary consideration.

A case in point—in the UK where metallic paint is the norm for most cars, it is an equivalent US $980 option (2012 pricing excluding 20% local taxes); however, in a market such as S. Africa, where a non-metallic colour such as Alpine White is a popular colour and probably accounts for 40% of cars sold, metallic is only a $420 add-on; that is 57% LESS than UK. However, in S. Africa, where a panorama sunroof is likely high on the customers’ option list compared with UK because of a better/warmer climate, it costs about 20% MORE than the UK.

Its where the profits come from – so if the uptake on an option is low it makes sense not to over-price it, but if demand is strong, lets make the bucks. At the end of the day, that philosophy also determines which items are included in the various packages and also accounts for the alterations and changes in selected packages and individual options on offer.
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