Trend towards option packages simplifies manufacturing process for everybody PICKING AND choosing the right options for a new car 10 years ago was somewhat akin to deciding what to order at a Chinese restaurant — confusing and complicated. A quick browse through a 1982 Buick catalogue, for example, reveals no less than 56 different options in the Skylark Custom model: two different engine choices, eight chussis-related op- tions, 34 comfort & convenience features, and 12 appearance op- tions. In 1981, Pontiac even offered unbelievably “‘minor’’ individual options such as a $7 vanity mir- ror, a $34 digital clock, a $23 reading lamp, and $15 dual front speakers on the sports-luxury Grand Prix model. Some car buyers, including myself, had tots of fun checking off options one at a time —- liter- ally creating a custom-made vehi- cle — but many people found this process too time consuming. Most buyers just picked something off the lot. With so many different com- binations of options possible, manufacturers found themselves caught in a web of unnecessarily long order forms and complicated instructions for the manufacturing people. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the longer the individual option list, _the higher the cost of making a car. Just calculating the total possi- ble combinations with, as in the Skylark’s case, 56 different features is statistically mind boggl- ing. Your $20 Radio Shack calculator wouldn’t get you the answer. Believe me, | tried. Can you imagine the daunting task the plant workers had to face back in the "70s and 80s trying to correcily install optional equip- ment out of so many possible variations? ~. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t long ‘before the North American manu- _ facturers caught onto the fact that one of the most effective cost- OVERDRIVE cutting methods started right at the option list. The Big Three soon began to package options into groups, which simplified the ordering pro- cess. The less chaotic option list lead to reduced manufacturing, engineering, and design costs, al- though it also meant that custom ordering a vehicle was no longer possible. Pontiac, for example, still of- fers about a dozen individual op- tions on the 1993 Grand Prix, but most of the options have been grouped into three packages. The latest Buick Skylark cata- logue shows two major option packages for 1993 — a far cry from 56 separate options offered a decade ago. The first group — code ISD — includes such popular options as air conditioning, floor mats, cruise control, and tilt steering wheel. The second equipment package — code ISE — groups together options like power win- . dows and cassette stereo player, in addition to the options in the first package. Now imagine how much simpler the manufacturing process has become: this translates directly in- to higher quality by the virtue of decreased complexity. Instead of dealing with millions of potential option combinations, the workers are now only faced with a dozen ot so individually available features and a couple of pre- selected packages. It’s nearly impossible to calculate how much a car com- pany might save by adopting this package style, but you’ll get a feel for this if you just think for a moment the amount of time you would waste if you had to shop for Christmas gifts from 56 dif- ferent small stores instead of from just two or three grouped shop- ping centres. You may not like ‘this style because it offers less choices, but the big question is whether you are willing to pay more for a car as a result of increased flexibility and individuality, If the answer is no, you will have to learn to accept the group- ing strategy of the automakers which — as you can probably guess -— is here to stay. If the an- swer is yes, say goodbye to af- fordable cars. Actually, companies like Honda have been following this simple- is-better philosophy for 10 years. Not including options that were offered at the dealership, Honda offered only one manufacturer’s option in the 1982 Accord sedan: a choice of an automatic or a manual transmission. Beyond that, the dealers themselves offered several options like AM/FM cassette, air condi- tioning, floor mats, and pinstripes. installed at their service departments. But by delegating down the re- sponsibility of offering options to the dealers, Honda eliminated the need to complicate its cwn pro- ‘WE ARE ONE OF A VERY FEW DEALERS THAT START WITH THE LOW MANUFACTURER'S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE — RIGHT. ON THE WINDSHIELD — WE GIVE YOU ALL THE BENEFITS FROM THE GENERAL MOTORS' REBATES, SPECIAL RATES, BECAUSE GM PAYS FOR THEM! FROM THERE, WE OFFER A STRAIGHT UP, HEADS UP, BUSINESS DEAL! TRY US — SEE US FIRST — OR LAST — OR IN BETWEEN! DICK IRWI GEO - CHEV - OLDS - CHEVY TRUCKS 845 MARINE DRIVE INCENTIVES AND (CALL COLLECT) NOT vANCoUNER lig wot great What a great, guy yyy! \dd duction flow and saved a bundle in the process. Flipping through the latest Honda Accord brochure today shows the same rigid, money- saving strategy: options at the dealer level only. For those of you who used to spend hours, maybe days, deciding which options to order back in the old days (and having fun doing it}, the whole idea of someone else pre-selecting options for you may not be a welcoming idea. But instead of getting frustrated with the fact, just keep on remin- ding yourself that this strategy has QUALITY WORKMANSHIP PRECISION REPAIRS contributed in closing the gap be- tween North American automakers and Japanese com- | panies in the area of quality issues. You’re also reaping lower price tags as a result of option packag- ing. As a matter of fact, why not keep the package idea in mind when you go out for your next Chinese meal? Even Chinese res- taurants have caught on to this cost-cutting idea — nowadays they offer discounts on the packaged Chinese dishes with, - that’s right, alphanumeric codes. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED lFREE ESTIMATES & 24 CONSULTATION 299-9000 © IGA has chosen Fridays centrefold to tell you all about their renovations, exiting specials and invite you to join them in their celebrations. Welcome back IGA! HR. INFORMATION}.