Paano mabawasan ang stripped-down versions ng cars?

[Dr.Kamiya]

Some features found standard for various comparable vehicle models in the USA do not have the same standard features here.

For example, my FXT's satnav/LCD screen is missing (replaced with a compartment), Kia Carnivals 6 airbags have been reduced to 1, other models' airbags and/or ABS/EBD systems standard on US base models simply don't exist on OUR base units despite same or even higher pricing for us.

I think it's understandable to change the SATNAV to a basic radio, since we don't yet have good, readily available GPS maps, but junking ABS and airbags seems a bit...

[KBR]

man.. here in the US, everything is over regulated. but good thing that SAFETY always comes first.

also, I think the main reason why the cars in the PI is overpriced and "watered down" specially in saftey (or in other features) is that the car's dont really "sell" as much as they would have been sold somewhere else.

kung baga, kung mas maraming bibili.. maraming ma bebenta.. mas maliit ang halaga na babayaran.

I might be "wrong" but thats my opinion. pero siguro kung malakas ang bentahan ng kotse sa PI (thats if the economy is reeeeaaly goood.. like kung nasa 5% nalang ang poverty level.. etc.), malamang bababa ang presyo ng kotse.

like for example here in the US.. sobrang dami ng mga kotse, here in California.. there are more vehicles (cars, trucks, suv's..etc) than the entire population of people in the whole state of California! plus anyone can afford to buy a car, so the market for a car is HUGE & cheap.


aite, peace.

[Jun aka Pekto]

man.. here in the US, everything is over regulated. but good thing that SAFETY always comes first.

OT
You mean California is over-regulated. That's why it's so expensive there and is also why there's been an exodus of Californians moving out and settling in nearby states like Nevada and Arizona. It's been going on in Nevada for a decade or so now. Here in Arizona, it's been pretty recent. Just the same, the increase of people from California to here has caused a big increase in traffic. We moved here in late 2003 and traffic jams weren't as bad then. There were no traffic jams. Now, it sometimes take 2-3 light changes before we clear a stoplight.

As a fringe benefit, Nevada and Arizona are one of the few states not hit hard by the real-estate/housing slump that's gripping the country.

[KBR]

OT
You mean California is over-regulated. That's why it's so expensive there..

oh yes! its definitely IS!.


aite, peace.

[vinj]

It may sound wierd but I have a soft spot for those 'base model' cars. Their inherent simplicity has a kind of appeal for me.

My bro and i have the same sentiment. We grew up with a plain white Pajero box type with vinyl matting, and steel wheels.

I flipped when i saw a white bare bones gov't issued GU Patrol with a what sounded like a TD42 under the hood.

[number001]

Try writing to the local office of the car manufacturers. The more they hear from actual interested consumers, the better they can fine-tune and in-line their marketing strategies. I just emailed Honda Phil regarding the inadequate safety features in the Civic 1.8S.

I think the car manufacturers are either out of touch or simply listening to wrong set of focus groups being peddled to them.

Airbags and other safety features (ie. ABS) cannot be possibly purchased off the shelf so these are better installed with vehicles in the factory. Body kits, HID, alloy wheels, spoilers, cd players, etc. can easily be purchased anywhere and those who need/want these will upgrade their vehicles accordingly and for those who have no use for these items the omission of such is a savings for them.

[pup2]

I have an update on this as well as a theory which I think fits very well.

I had a long chat last night with the owner of a large dealership here and since I knew of the operations of a smaller dealership in the province, I put 2 and 2 together.

Both dealers have told me that they only make a small amount of margin on each unit sold despite the lack of safety features. Since both have told me the same thing, and one is a personal friend, I believe them.

I also happen to know that the provincial dealer I know of (at least), has a separate dealership in car accessories and stereos.

What if, in order to boost their margins on car sales, they order the car as bare as can be, then add their own bling on which they have a higher profit?

The result would be less safety features because of higher taxes but more bling to increase dealer margins!

[pup2]

So if we try to legislate safety features, it would result in EXTREMELY high prices since the result would probably be high-cost base models PLUS high-margin bling!

I think the best situation would be the opposite of this pero how can this be achieved without squeezing out the dealers?!?

[Jun aka Pekto]

I've always said I'd buy the current gen V6 Hyundai Sonata if we ever moved to the Philippines. Since they're US-built, I wonder if the following safety features made it to the RP model:

6 airbags
ABS/EBD
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Active Geometry Control suspension (AGCS)

If not, I probably wouldn't buy it.