reduce the options list in return for a cheaper car

[Hat]

heres a question (purely hypothetical): would you be happy with Mini reducing the quite frankly huge options list in return for a reduced base price of the car(s)?

whiel being able to spec everything individually down to choice of headliner colour & endless choice dealer options, all of this affects the price we pay for the car. The brochure price of the option doesn't cover the full cost of developing those items & the logistics of running a build-to-order factory, the Mini is more tailorable than many luxury cars.

[ButtonIt]

I think the speccing is one of the most fun parts of the car.

[lattehiatus]

The answer is that no, I wouldn't be completely satisfied if I didn't spec all the options I wanted. Every time I'm out motoring, I would think, "This is great, but it could be so much better if I'd gotten _______!" Consequently, I have a MCC on order with options that cost almost half of what the base model itself costs.

That's just one of the problems associated with having way too many options to choose from, aside from the stress right before spec lock.

[wibbly]

Isn't the car already built down to a price in order that we, as customers can spec it to our own requirements and they can build it...... Don't modern production techniques, Just In Time deliveries and scheduling mean little disruption to production builds regardless of whether we want a choice of headline colour or not..... After all most car plants have no more than about 4 hours stock of most products on site nowadays of most major components at any one time!

I, for one wouldn't think the cost would differ if the options list were slashed to a bare minimum, I just think a little of the appeal of the car may be lost......

[Raify]

I agree in part, that it's fun to spec your MINI, but I do think that BMW have been very cheeky with the MINI options list.

Take the glovebox for example. AFAIK, gloveboxes have been standard on cars for 20years, just because the original Austin Mini had no glovebox, BMW decide they can charge £50 for it!

Passenger airbag deactiviation - another £50. i'd say almost every car with passenger bags has this function as standard. How are you supposed to know, when you buy your MINI that you'll never need a rear facing child seat?

I think, that if you're spending circa £18k on a small car (Cooper S eg) then you should get A LOT as standard. Alloys, xenon lights, a/c etc etc. I sat in a BMW dealers, and specced a new JCW, putting only the necessaries (+ works seats) and managed to spend £24k!

Just my tuppence.

[Hat]

i agree it fun & nice to be able to spec exactly the car you want but at what cost? are you saying that the price of the car is secondary to this?

how about if they brought out a basic car with the sort of options you normally see on a budget car in just one or two trim levels for say £8k?

[ButtonIt]

"Hi I'd like to buy a MINI Coopers S LX please"
"But sir you get half leather and air conditioning on the GLX"

[jasonfields007]

speccing is the way. i went to a honda dealer the other day to look at a Civic Type R with my dads friend. the options were.... Aircon or No Aircon. I did think ahhh if it was only that simple on the MINI, but then I slapped myself and said, "but they would all be the same!?" apart from the colour of course.

speccing is what makes our minis individual and personal to our tastes. take that away and many people wouldn't buy it.

[wibbly]

But are you not buying an inherent quality on a MINI that justifies the price anyway.......

Suspension to start with....And of course, the base argument could be that it comes from an expensive cost base to start with over some of its rivals..... ie Made in England

[Raify]

There was an article in Evo last month about the MINI manufacture costs. Apparently, they're considering ditching the Z axle and the 'clam' bonnet with integrated lights in an attempt to reduce costs.

Still think that a glovebox option is too far.

[northandy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hat

heres a question (purely hypothetical): would you be happy with Mini reducing the quite frankly huge options list in return for a reduced base price of the car(s)?

whiel being able to spec everything individually down to choice of headliner colour & endless choice dealer options, all of this affects the price we pay for the car. The brochure price of the option doesn't cover the full cost of developing those items & the logistics of running a build-to-order factory, the Mini is more tailorable than many luxury cars.

You have a good point there Hat.... all these options and different specs must cost money, the company I works for is loosely based on the Automotive industry (Caterpillar Tractors), we supply to a production line on a JIT basis... I know they often have issues with supplies becuase of the huge range of products and options you can have, but insignificant to the amount the Mini has !!....

I think the speccing is part and parcel of a mini, but lets remember not many other cars are like this, the original mini certainly wasnt (I dont think an option list even existed, apart from colour).... and i'm sure there would be much lower production costs if this was the case now...(wether the consumer would see that is another question !!)....

I'll have a Cooper S..... GT please

[Nameless]

Quote: Originally Posted by northandy

You have a good point there Hat.... all these options and different specs must cost money, the company I works for is loosely based on the Automotive industry (Caterpillar Tractors), we supply to a production line on a JIT basis... I know they often have issues with supplies becuase of the huge range of products and options you can have, but insignificant to the amount the Mini has !!....

I think the speccing is part and parcel of a mini, but lets remember not many other cars are like this, the original mini certainly wasnt (I dont think an option list even existed, apart from colour).... and i'm sure there would be much lower production costs if this was the case now...(wether the consumer would see that is another question !!)....

I'll have a Cooper S..... GT please

I wonder what the Value Stream Map for the Oxford plant looks like..

[northandy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Monkeyhanger

I wonder what the Value Stream Map for the Oxford plant looks like..

probably full of lots of non valued added tasks !....

[Hat]

oh god here they go........

[brett]

IN Australia you can buy a Basic Cooper S, ie no leather, cloth seats, no sports steering wheel etc
Then you can option it up. I like that