General Optional extras?

[MrBoney]

The only thing I can't stand about Fiat, but I've never bought a new car from anohter manufacturer so maybe it's the same with all cars.

On the Grande Punto the Eleganza came with a front armrest and electric lumbar support as standard. Some sportings did too I believe. However on the EVO I had to get the leather pack to have this function which was the ONLY way ... WHY?! (On the continent they have armrest on non leather models)

When I bought my Grande Eleganza early 2007 they had JUST overhauled the model and others, on mine they removed the 1.4 16v 6 speed engine for the inferior 1.4 8v 5 speed. Gave you smaller 15" alloys that the Dynamic model had, they did update the interior colours too but thats just personal taste. They removed some options so you could no longer have rear electric windows or a tyre pressure mointoring system ... then they bumped up the price! But I got it at the older price as they couldn't guarantee interior colour or the alloy wheel size/design at the time ...

Now I just bought the EVO, but I couldn't purchase privacy glass or different style alloys or the subwoofer which is possible to buy extra on the GP and Sporting. AGAIN WHY?!

Can't they just give you every option for every model ... OBVIOUSLY NOT .

 

[rosshutchie]

Yeah Fiats options are all over the place, its a joke!

In the new Punto Evo I actually prefer the GP spec interior over the Sporting interior, ideally id want a white sporting with the Red interior off the GP, but can you spec this no!!

 

[punto_matt]

Because br providing certain options on certain models it is likely to push people into the more expensive car if they want certain stuff. Also by offering every extra on lower spec models then where is the incentive to buy a more expensive version of the car? If you compare Fiat standard specs to other similar manufacturers they normally give you a lot more as standard than their rivals for the same price.

When you get a new model so soon after release there will always be a few restrictions on what is available as options as over time they release more and more to add onto the car.

 

[matty seasider]

:yeahthat:

 

[MrBoney]

Yeah fair enough about the incentive thing of buying a higher model, but I have to buy a 3dr sporting (no I want a 5dr) to get rear tints and sub or a GP 5door, then pay LOADS more to end up with the same spec as the Eleganza with uglier wheels and harder suspension which I don't want. They just don't make the option available full stop on some models, and I'm buying an eleganza with every optional extra but couldn't have tints or sub ... and there is no excuse for this.

And about the making more options available they REMOVED the rear elextric windows, tyre pressure monitor, gave your crappier engine and smaller wheels and charged you more for the same car. Kinda doesn't add up!

 

[punto_matt]

Build cost/raw material cost may of greatly increased so by leaving all that other stuff on it may have made the car even more expensive. Dont forget the exchange rate isnt helping car prices at the minute. If you think Fiat increasing their prices is bad then have a look how much ford have put their prices up over the last 12/18 months.

 

[MrBoney]

Build cost/raw material cost may of greatly increased so by leaving all that other stuff on it may have made the car even more expensive. Dont forget the exchange rate isnt helping car prices at the minute. If you think Fiat increasing their prices is bad then have a look how much ford have put their prices up over the last 12/18 months.

I'm talking about when I bought my Grande Punto they had put the price up after the Grande had been on sale only one year. I got it in Feb 2007 before the recession had started so thats not the reason why they removed some of the (at the time) standard spec and put prices up.

This also still doesn't give any excuse for not having the sub/privacy glass available on the Eleganza either, but you can on a sporting or GP model of the EVO.

One last thing ... which ever moderator changed the title of this post to 'Optional Extras?' from 'One thing I hate about Fiat' .... why?

It's what I hate about Fiat, isn't criminal ...