NewNiceMrMe Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Why the feck are options so expensive on new cars? They're appalling. Some of the manufacturers must be having a right old laugh when they decide on the prices they place on options lists. I'm convinced it follows a process of taking the cost to them, adding their normal 500% mark-up, and then tripling it, with a smattering of zeros just to be sure to upset us. BMW aren't the worst for it, but they are a good place to start as a BMW owner. Take your standard 5 series saloon for example and here are some prices from the options list for a 523i SE (SE meaning Special Edition which you'd hope would mean it has lots of bells and whistles on it to begin with): Black 'Exclusive' Leather - £2,285; what? How many million hides are you charging people for? Bluetooth prep - £535; huh? How much!!! I paid this on my first M3 too. I bet it costs them about £50 tops! Worst of all, you then have to fork out £65 if you want the cradle to sit in the centre console area to charge it! Logic 7 HiFi - £890; imagine how much better spent that could be at an ICE specialist! 6 disc CD changer - £295; this is one that really annoys me. £30 cost to them at the very most I reckon. TV function - £710; for the crappiest TV display you have ever seen. Again, I know because I had it in the M3. High gloss shadow line - £285; for the option dealers laugh their socks off about. You'll notice it because you spent your money on it. No fecker else will! Detachable towbar - £600; how much!!!!!! Floor mats - £110; just include them as standard you tight b*stards! Front centre armrest - £130; ah right, for a piece of moulded plastic with a little cubby section and a bit of leather trim on the top. Yes, that's value I'm sure!!!! These really are NOT the worst there are out there, but they give you a good starting point from which we canhunt out THE WORST VALUE OPTION ON A CAR IN THE WORLD. Let's try to stick to mainstream production cars rather than the exotica of this world - to keep it in context (if such a thing is possible!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 This isn't a recent thing,manufacturers have always taken the p155 with the option mark-ups! When my Citroen was new in 98 the first owner ordered every factory option available. The Elec Heated Leather cost £1500 alone(7 years ago,ouch!)and with the Winter pack/10 CD/quad airbags etc,etc. the final bill was an astonishing 24k! Yep,you read that right,24k!!!! No wonder I've only ever seen one other with that spec. Excellent as the car is,can you imagine what else you could have bought for that kind of price? I won't even tell you what I then paid him for it a few years/tears later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Let's try to stick to mainstream production cars rather than the exotica of this world - to keep it in context (if such a thing is possible!). [/ QUOTE ] You missed the one biggest rip off - METALLIC PAINT It's a fact that most manufactures DON'T charge the importer any extra for 'normal' metallic finishes. The cost is passed on to the dealer in most cases but sometimes (special offers) isn't. Ask any bodyshop and they'll tell you paint costs the same unless it's a very special pearl finish. Also just about every colour now has a clear top coat so there is no justification for the extra cost. Just a thought when you tick the '£450 extra for nothing' box next time . BUB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Floor mats - £110; just include them as standard you tight b*stards! [/ QUOTE ] Standard on my A4 Did have to pay £400 odd for Avus though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 On the A4 the cost of metallic paint went from £430 to £550 when they brought out the new model which is exactly the same size Also, why is the cost of metallic paint the same for tin tops and cabriolets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurfette Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 When I ordered my C2 I wanted it in black. Apparently black is a non-metallic colour but Citroen seem to have some weird pricing strategy that means if you want a black car it's still going to cost you an extra £220!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] When I ordered my C2 I wanted it in black. Apparently black is a non-metallic colour but Citroen seem to have some weird pricing strategy that means if you want a black car it's still going to cost you an extra £220!! [/ QUOTE ] But at least they knock the VAT off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] On the A4 the cost of metallic paint went from £430 to £550 when they brought out the new model which is exactly the same size [/ QUOTE ] Yes good point I forgot that one - Most things went up in the B6 -B7 change over. RIP OFF AUDI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Volvo XC90 6 X CD Player - £250.00 Grocery bag holder (bit of string that goes in front of the bags in the boot) - £100 Premium sound audio + Dolby - £500 RTI without a TV - £2,500 Rain sensors - £145 Passenger airbag cut off - £25 Luxury floor mats £100 Headlamp cleaning system - £225 Sub-woofer - £180 Paint options - £575 Leather seats - £940 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullett Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 MINI is a good one. Not only do they charge you £1500 for Sat-Nav they put it in the place of one of the key design features of the car. Bonnet Stripes - Only a £100 its a sticker ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapsuds Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Volvo XC90 Passenger airbag cut off - £25 [/ QUOTE ] That is a disgrace - dont get me wrong £25 is pennies in comparison, but this is a family car aimed at the family market!!! There are very high chances that the purchasers will want this in the vehicle..... £25 x No. of Sales all adds up.... Wouldnt have expected that from Volvo!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudos Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 I'd say Ferrari are one of the worst at this game; 6 CD Changer - £705 Scuderia Ferrari Shields - £800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurfette Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] When I ordered my C2 I wanted it in black. Apparently black is a non-metallic colour but Citroen seem to have some weird pricing strategy that means if you want a black car it's still going to cost you an extra £220!! [/ QUOTE ] But at least they knock the VAT off! [/ QUOTE ] And I did manage to get a full tank of petrol out of them instead of the usual 'just enough to get you to the nearest petrol station' amount they usually give you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Scuderia Ferrari Shields - £800 [/ QUOTE ] A what? Also, these things get put on in the factory on the line. Therefore, it costs bugger all to fit too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudos Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Scuderia Ferrari Shields - £800 [/ QUOTE ] A what? Also, these things get put on in the factory on the line. Therefore, it costs bugger all to fit too. [/ QUOTE ] The Ferrari badges you often see on the front wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Scuderia Ferrari Shields - £800 [/ QUOTE ] A what? Also, these things get put on in the factory on the line. Therefore, it costs bugger all to fit too. [/ QUOTE ] The Ferrari badges you often see on the front wings. [/ QUOTE ] You want to see what they charge for the stripes on the 360CS..?!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagus Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 dont citroen charge about £50 for an air freshener??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pincher Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] You want to see what they charge for the stripes on the 360CS..?!?? [/ QUOTE ] Go on then, tell us - I'll have a guess at £3K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Audi A8 rear seat entertainment - £5450 For 2 screens and a 6 disc DVD player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Audi A8 rear seat entertainment - £5450 For 2 screens and a 6 disc DVD player. [/ QUOTE ] OMG!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmmlmmam Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I'd say Ferrari are one of the worst at this game; [/ QUOTE ] Probably not quite as bad but the Porsche option list certainly knows how to hit you in the wallet department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Audi A8 rear seat entertainment - £5450 For 2 screens and a 6 disc DVD player. [/ QUOTE ] But it's a big car...the screens are two Hi def 26'' LCD's with a multi region Blue Ray DVD player OMG!!!!!! [/ QUOTE ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] You want to see what they charge for the stripes on the 360CS..?!?? [/ QUOTE ] Go on then, tell us - I'll have a guess at £3K [/ QUOTE ] Close....try £6,500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiftyPence Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 I think the worst may be a special edition Ferrari 360 modena for which you had to pay a few thousand quid extra just to get the white stripes but on the bodywork Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncS3 Posted August 7, 2005 Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 Bit old now, but on the S3 the polished ally mirrors were a £200 odd + vat option in the UK... In Germany...a no cost option So that was Audi UK trying to rip you off! Dunc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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