Why so few options/trim levels?

[Foxtrot685]

The more trim levels and stand alone options you have, the harder it is for dealers to figure out what to order and what to sell. Then, you have a whole bunch of cars with features no one wants sitting on the lots losing money, that dealers now have to deeply discount to move.

Al a carte options packages only seem to work on premium cars, like BMW or Porsche. The customer doesn't mind ordering their custom premium car and waiting 6 weeks for it to be delivered... but once you cross under the $40k threshold, especially with volume makes and models (like Accords, Escapes, Corollas) customers want the car on the lot that day! This is typically because buyers in that demographic have a 1 car household and not having a car for 6 weeks will really cripple them. Plus, don't forget the incentives from dealer sales promotions typically only apply to whats on the lot. Even the volume sellers of premium makes are getting away from al a carte options; the 3-series BMW seems to have fewer and fewer stand alone options with each new generation.

Dodge has done a combination of option packages and stand alone options with the Dart and that experiment has been nothing less than a complete failure. Dealers have too many variations of the same car to try to order, and with so many Dodge dealers, customers will just keep shopping around until they find the Dart they want. VERY VERY few customers order the configuration they want and wait 6 weeks.

In Mitsubishi's case in the US and Canada, when selling such a small amount of cars, it would be way to risky to sell too many variations of the Mirage. Because if a customer didn't like how a Mirage was configured, they more than likely wouldnt order one, nor go to another Mitsubishi dealer to find one, they would probably just go buy a Chevy Spark instead.

[Canoehead]

FoxTrot made what I think are excellent and interesting points. As I consider my own experience - the Mitsubishi dealer had a few Mirages for the base price of $12,500. Going to a Honda or Toyota dealer it is very unusual to find the base model - and rather than offering to order one, the dealers will most often push a model with extra options that is on the lot. I always suspected this was just to move their inventory, but I suppose it also may be to avoid losing the sale if the customer thinks he/she will have to wait.

Last month Toyota had great rebates and 0% for 84 months on 2013s, so I called about a base model Yaris. There were none in the country, and only one base model Corrolla!

[Clessy]

Keeps the cost down and once you start putting a ton of options and pricing into it you get ridiculous. Kinda like how the ford fiesta ST is a awesome car but its $30,000 when fully equiped. $30 for a fiesta no matter how you look at it is beyond stupid.

I wont lie though I think there needs to be some changes.

6 Speed Manual over 5 speed
Rockford fosgate thats offered in every other car needs to have a choice.
Leather
Heated seats
Sunroof

If they could offer all that for under $20 i'd of willing gone up to that trim instead. The fiesta offers all that for under 20k.

[Dorifuta]

If they made a true SVT Focus instead of this ST garbage and brought back the Getrag 6-speed among other things, it would be worth every penny.