2007 LaCrosse/CARS.com

[Tailfin61]

Saw my first 2007 LaX on the road this morning, a CXL with the new 17" 10 spoke wheel. What a difference nice wheels make!! BIG improvement. The car was silver so it wasn't one of the new colors

Also, CARS.com has been updated for 2007 if you want to build your own. Just select any BUICK model on the main page and click build your new car button. When the page comes up it will be for 2006, so select the "Model" link where it says Change Vehicle . . . it will then prompt you to choose either 2006 or 2007 and go from there.

One thing I noticed is that the Lucerne option packages have been revised. The heated washer fluid is now a part of the Driver Confidence package, no longer tied in with the heated/cooled seats.

The Luxury package no longer includes heated seats, that is now bundled with the "cooled" feature. So that means in order to get heated seats, you also have to have cooled seats with the perforated leather. KA-CHING

A heated steering wheel, however, is a part of the luxury package . . . go figure.

[Tailfin61]

Well that's what I get for smoking crack I checked under the 2006 Luxury package and it never included heated seats. So it looks like they only added the heated steering wheel to the Luxury package and moved heated washer fluid to the Confidence package . . .

[ponchoman49]

Whatever happened to choice? Some of these features should be free standing options and not bundled in these rediculous overpriced option packages.

[The O.C.]

Whatever happened to choice? Some of these features should be free standing options and not bundled in these rediculous overpriced option packages.

189084[/snapback]

It's all about reducing build combinations.....which is a HUGE part of any product plan.

That's why someone else (Fly?) was asking why Saturn forced buyers to take a sunroof if they got leather on an AURA. By packaging the sunroof with the leather package, they reduce yet another build combination.

These are the things that seem trivial to the outside world....but companies spend HUGE amounts of time and manpower to work on reducing build combos.

[Drew Dowdell]

It's all about reducing build combinations.....which is a HUGE part of any product plan.

That's why someone else (Fly?) was asking why Saturn forced buyers to take a sunroof if they got leather on an AURA.  By packaging the sunroof with the leather package, they reduce yet another build combination.

These are the things that seem trivial to the outside world....but companies spend HUGE amounts of time and manpower to work on reducing build combos.

189410[/snapback]

Since you've been in the industry, maybe you can explain to us lay people why it matter.

I don't understand if I'm ordering a car, and it's coming down the production line, why seemingly completely unrelated options can't be individually selected.

Get me an Aura shell with a sunroof opening... and when you're building it, take a set of seats off the cloth seat rack and throw them in. If I've ordered and put a deposit on the car, why should this matter?

On the otherhand, I do understand drive train combos since those have to be certified.

[Paolino]

Since you've been in the industry, maybe you can explain to us lay people why it matter.

I don't understand if I'm ordering a car, and it's coming down the production line, why seemingly completely unrelated options can't be individually selected.

Get me an Aura shell with a sunroof opening... and when you're building it, take a set of seats off the cloth seat rack and throw them in.  If I've ordered and put a deposit on the car, why should this matter?

On the otherhand, I do understand drive train combos since those have to be certified.

189420[/snapback]

Yup. I always thought it was ridiculous that you had to choose certain things in packages rather than as individual options. I even commented on this a few years ago and my father told me, "When I was young, and I got my first car, a beautiful Bonneville, I was able to choose exactly what I wanted and what I didn't want."

I know for a fact, I'd love to get auto climate control as an individual option rather than a package deal. I prefer nice cloth seats (if the quality is nice--would be great if velour came back), to leather--which I love in the beginning, but hate the way it ages.

[Cananopie]

The logistics would be staggering if car companies individually tailored each and every vehicle to the customers order- downpayment or not. There are over 330,000 potential customers in the US and Canada alone, how do you individually tailor a vehicle when each and every car coming through the assembly line has to be put together just a little different than the last and then ship them cost efficiently. Vehicles don't just appear in lots after they are made and workers at the factory would have to have individual orders that get passed along with every passing vehicle (thousands upon thousands) to tailor it to your specific design.

They'd make mistakes and the customer would get furious after waiting 6 months that their car isn't exactly how they wanted it-denounce the company for its slow building and go buy a car that isn't exactly how they want it from another company because they are at least more efficient...

that is why they don't do it.

Edited September 5, 2006 by Cananopie

[Paolino]

The logistics would be staggering if car companies individually tailored each and every vehicle to the customers order- downpayment or not. There are over 330,000 potential customers in the US and Canada alone, how do you individually tailor a vehicle when each and every car coming through the assembly line has to be put together just a little different than the last and then ship them cost efficiently. Vehicles don't just appear in lots after they are made and workers at the factory would have to have individual orders that get passed along with every passing vehicle (thousands upon thousands) to tailor it to your specific design.

They'd make mistakes and the customer would get furious after waiting 6 months that their car isn't exactly how they wanted it-denounce the company for its slow building and go buy a car that isn't exactly how they want it from another company because they are at least more efficient...

that is why they don't do it.

189737[/snapback]

I figured that's why they don't do it--I don't have to like it though. It'd be awesome if they made more options/packages though. Oh well, I can dream.

[trinacriabob]

I don't know. My 1992 had some nice stand-alone options that I preferred to get by themselves.

Now, I would like to get the leather wrapped wheel W/O the audio controls or the telescoping wheel W/O the other stuff. But I can't.

Still, LaX offers the wheels and the fold down rear seat as stand-alones.

[Paolino]

I don't know.  My 1992 had some nice stand-alone options that I preferred to get by themselves. 

Now, I would like to get the leather wrapped wheel W/O the audio controls or the telescoping wheel W/O the other stuff.  But I can't.

Still, LaX offers the wheels and the fold down rear seat as stand-alones.

189783[/snapback]

Why wouldn't you want the audio controls on the steering wheel? I absolutely love them--wish I had them on my car--don't have to reach to adjust anything or look away. I wish they were standard equipment on every Buick.

[pow]

The logistics would be staggering if car companies individually tailored each and every vehicle to the customers order- downpayment or not. There are over 330,000 potential customers in the US and Canada alone, how do you individually tailor a vehicle when each and every car coming through the assembly line has to be put together just a little different than the last and then ship them cost efficiently. Vehicles don't just appear in lots after they are made and workers at the factory would have to have individual orders that get passed along with every passing vehicle (thousands upon thousands) to tailor it to your specific design.

They'd make mistakes and the customer would get furious after waiting 6 months that their car isn't exactly how they wanted it-denounce the company for its slow building and go buy a car that isn't exactly how they want it from another company because they are at least more efficient...

that is why they don't do it.

189737[/snapback]

I know they come from a smallish company, but all BMWs are individual orders, either by the dealer or a customer who has put down a deposit. We did that with our 5-series six years ago, and it took slightly less than three months. If you really want to screw things up, order a 7-series in green-beige with the most obscure of options, and then cancel it once it arrives.

[The O.C.]

The logistics would be staggering if car companies individually tailored each and every vehicle to the customers order- downpayment or not. There are over 330,000 potential customers in the US and Canada alone, how do you individually tailor a vehicle when each and every car coming through the assembly line has to be put together just a little different than the last and then ship them cost efficiently. Vehicles don't just appear in lots after they are made and workers at the factory would have to have individual orders that get passed along with every passing vehicle (thousands upon thousands) to tailor it to your specific design.

They'd make mistakes and the customer would get furious after waiting 6 months that their car isn't exactly how they wanted it-denounce the company for its slow building and go buy a car that isn't exactly how they want it from another company because they are at least more efficient...

that is why they don't do it.

189737[/snapback]

Nicely put, C.

Honda does it best.

Every vehicle they build is "hard packaged" with no options. You have DX, LX, EX, EX Nav, etc.

The only "options" are dealer-installed accessories.

I can't pretend to understand all the cost and engineering reasons behind it....all I can tell you, is when I was in Buick product planning, reducing build combos was one of our TOP priorities.....and they told us it was ultimately because of cost to the company.

Plus....the VAST majority of vehicles ordered are ordered by dealers or manufacturers' district managers. Actual customer orders are SO small, it's almost insignificant.

[The O.C.]

I know they come from a smallish company, but all BMWs are individual orders, either by the dealer or a customer who has put down a deposit. We did that with our 5-series six years ago, and it took slightly less than three months. If you really want to screw things up, order a 7-series in green-beige with the most obscure of options, and then cancel it once it arrives. 

189802[/snapback]

Ahhhh....BUT....

BMWs are "hard-packaged" too......

You have usually two or three models (525, 530, 550) and multiple "packages" such as the "Premium", "Sport", "Cold-Weather" packages.

Sure you'll always have some stand-alone packages.....but the best you can do to combine popular options in one package, seriously reduces your build combinations.

[Northstar]

Ahhhh....BUT....

BMWs are "hard-packaged" too......

You have usually two or three models (525, 530, 550) and multiple "packages" such as the "Premium", "Sport", "Cold-Weather" packages.

Sure you'll always have some stand-alone packages.....but the best you can do to combine popular options in one package, seriously reduces your build combinations.

189889[/snapback]

I think this works fine on luxury cars, but it wouldn't work that well if someone wanted a base G6 with a sunroof and nothing else, but couldn't get it without checking off an additional $5k in options. Now, I don't think that's the case, that's just an example.

[pow]

Nicely put, C.

Honda does it best.

Every vehicle they build is "hard packaged" with no options.  You have DX, LX, EX, EX Nav, etc.

The only "options" are dealer-installed accessories.

I can't pretend to understand all the cost and engineering reasons behind it....all I can tell you, is when I was in Buick product planning, reducing build combos was one of our TOP priorities.....and they told us it was ultimately because of cost to the company.

Plus....the VAST majority of vehicles ordered are ordered by dealers or manufacturers' district managers.  Actual customer orders are SO small, it's almost insignificant.

189886[/snapback]

That's true... it makes it seem all Hondas are loaded with standard equipment. Ditto Acura.