I'm not sure what requests GM and Chrysler didn't listen to (other than quality). GM and Chrysler both would offer hundreds of configurations in their options. I'm guessing Toyota, especially lately, would not see the GM and Chrysler marketing plan as desirable.
It seems to me that GM and Chrysler listened to whatever sounded like it would bring in the most dollars as soon as possible -- high-margin SUV production. They produced cars and ramped up their financing arms, all to be able to sell at the highest profit, regardless of whether the whole production scheme would produce long-term corporate strength. I don't think the corporate leaders were blinded by greed, but it sure looks as though the immediate profit point became considerably more important than long-term planning. How this impacts offering fog lamps as an accessory item or as part of a package available on more than the Prius V also is an unknown to me. Why does this also require another new thread? Again, this is a bit beyond by ken.
Imho it produces yet another reason to encourage the buyer "upgrade" to the V model. Which means more money in their pockets. I was also somewhat surprised to see that the Blizzard pearl paint was available on all the models. It's usually reserved for the upper end model.
Maybe it could also have something to do with this: The GII models that came with foglamps I think had HID's. HID's use less power than halogens so the fog lamps back then offset a bit of that difference. Now they again only made the foglamps available on the model with the LED headlamps. If they were to offer them on models with halogen headlamps that's 220W of power. Maybe they didn't want to put that much more load on the battery in the Prius II thru IV, all of which only come with halogen headlamps.
I would guess it's more to do with the blanks than having foglamps. You may say so but it appears that you want Toyota to change it overnight because you keep reiterating it every few weeks as if Toyota isn't listening. Trust me, do it more often and I think you might get the opposite results.
Most of us complained about the poor foglamps on the G2 Prius. This is one possibility why Toyota didn't bother offering them except on the top model. They figured it'll save people some money by not forcing foglights on them.
Exactly, and that is why Toyota made a very stupid marketing decision when they didn't install them on every 2010 Prius.
I have fog lights on our BMW, in the last 4 years I think I have turned them on 4 x Fog lights no big deal
I've always felt Toyota builds car they think people need. Sorta arrogant of them, but that's what it seems to me. GM and Chrylser built the cars and trucks people wanted. Unfortunately consumers were fickle and they changed their minds faster than the companies could react. I've seen some really ugly color combinations back in the 60's and 70's as basically you could option a car any way you'd want. It's nice to have those options, but when you're trying to cut manufacturing costs and then ship a car 8000 miles, having the flexibility many here are asking for just doesn't fit the Toyota plan. Unfortunately though, when they started makeing cars here they stick to that same marketing plan. You only have certain option packages av ailable even on cars made in the USA. You can look at the styling to see Toyota is not into taking chances. I seriously doubt they lose significant sales because of their packaging of options.
There has to be some sort of mounting for the front lights anyway so the gray blank probably doesn't cost them anything extra. Hey, I can't read their minds either. A lot of this stuff doesn't make sense. But they have been doing this for years and it works for them. A couple hundred Prius Crazy people on PriusChat complaining is a drop in the bucket to the total of owners.
People like to blame this all on Corporate greed, but Wall Street expectations go a long way today to push companies to seek short term gain over long term strength. You are only as good as your last quarter results. CEO's realize this and they have to play the game. Complaining Consumers are the same people that have stock in their retirement plans and they demand the results too. It's a visious circle
It does make it easier to have packages so that there's less combinations to worry about at the factory (remember they also have to make combinations for other countries too). It also makes the used car value higher because there's a better chance of the vehicle selling if it was pre-packaged than if it was some random combination that only the last owner could love. If you want a la carte, buy a European vehicle but be prepared to pay for the individual options.
Well said, I guess that's why Honda offers (atleast for USDM) your choice of "LX, DX, EX, etc. Take my relative's 2002 Porsche Boxster S , stripped model with no cruise, no leather in a $50,000.00 car? You gotta be kidding me!!
Yup. Goes all the way down to the entry level 3 Series, A3 and C-Class. Up til the mid 2000s, the C-Class still had an optional single-disc CD player. The 3 and A3 had no cruise (optional "multi-function steering wheel with cruise control), nor did they come with alloys or climate control. Power seats I can understand since they add weight and those going for a strict diet to get the best handling will appreciate it but those buying those cars for the luxury might not lol.
As Paradox recently noted, quite politely, you may want to pull back from this tactic of repetitive reintroduction of the fog lamp question. Pat Sparks and Tideland Prius have noted this in the past, so please do not act as though this is the first time someone has complained about your repetitive complaint, near-litany, really, concerning fog lamps. More than seven months ago you already had raised the ire of more than a few folks on PriusChat by bringing the fog lamp issue into most any thread. When this was brought to your attention, you responded in what appeared to be a very polite and understanding fashion: Forty-Five posts later, and you still harp on this subject. While six out of your next ten posts concerned something other than fog lamps, after that it was back to the same old stuff: 27 of your most recent 35 posts, in 15 different threads, were about fog lamps. Whether it was to complain that Toyota doesn’t listen, or that you want a combo Toyota isn’t offering, or you were threatening to buy an Audi or a Jetta TDI because you then could get fog lamps, you’ve continued to post about fog lamps. Your most recent seven posts: Fog Lamps! Of course, they all have been in the thread you recently started – entitled “Fog Lamps.†You may be quite a reasonable person, but these incessant posts on one subject make your case a bit less inviting.
I'm sorry that sarcasm is your choice of tone for a response. Yes, I pointed out an issue in a strong manner, but it was clear from earlier attempts to do this that you were not truly listening. If I've stepped out of line, I'll hear it, and I'll offer you an apology. I'm not asking you to change your mind about fog lamps. You are free to express your opinion. I am suggesting, however, that you will find a better reaction to your opinions and requests, and a chance for interaction in community, if you drop this incessant plea and ease up on the sarcasm. You are bright, articulate, opinionated -- even pushy, at times. All of these things likely have served you well in life. They also can provide benefits to you and the rest of us on PriusChat, but not if you don't expand your repertoire.
Well, you were stepping out of line, and we do not need a long-winded statistical report on what some member has posted.
OK. Clearly, I didn't see that I was out of line, nor did I believe my one sentence description of the number of posts on the subject was long-winded, but then I did ask to hear about.
