Feature disparity (from Interesting Discoveries Thread)

[Mike_TX]

I still don't get what you or others are talking about--next gen? The 360 camera (and every other thing in my list) is already in this gen--I have it. KIA just decided that as an American you didn't deserve to have access to it, for free or as a paid option.

And I have the 360 camera in my Optima!

 

[Marc Collins]

And I have the 360 camera in my Optima!

Right, so given your little story above, what is the logic or justification for it not being offered even as an extra cost option in the US Stinger?

 

[Marc Collins]

I'm always reminded of the old Ford Motors story when I see posts like this.

The story is that Ford gives employees a cash reward for suggesting improvements that are actually implemented in the manufacture of their vehicles. This one guy suggested that by pulling wiring tight instead of leaving a little slack in it would save "x" number of feet of wire per car. The wire cost averages only a few cents per foot, but multiplied by the miles of wiring in a car and the millions of cars and trucks Ford produces, it added up to millions of dollars in savings.

The point is that little things make big differences in car production cost, so manufacturers often cut out "little" things that we think wouldn't cost them squat. It's true it's only a dollar here and a dollar there, but the bean counters chase every penny, and if withholding some little feature will save dollars (and therefore millions), you can bet they will seriously consider doing so.

It's frustrating to us buyers, but the whole reason for being for the bean counters.

None of the items on my list qualify as cost-savings measures of the type you describe. For those we have the low quality leather or carpeting in the car that saves them a lot of money over the whole production run.

The items on my list all exist as one-off/completed technologies or options. No one expects KIA to offer all of them for free or for some set price. But denying their availability at any cost on a regional basis is stupid and counter-productive, as we can see from the universal disappointment expressed about the lack of availability of most of them. The only people not complaining are ones who don't realize they could have got item X or Y if they lived somewhere else.

 

[DaJackson]

Right, so given your little story above, what is the logic or justification for it not being offered even as an extra cost option in the US Stinger?

I’m pretty sure they did it specifically to make you mad.

 

[Marc Collins]

I’m pretty sure they did it specifically to make you mad.

LOL. Yep, but the fact that most people are willing to ignore it or not care is exactly how and why KIA screwed over the US customers in the first place. And the rest of us for a smaller list of transgressions.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Oh, another one: the rear "brake cooling vents" on the GT, aren't: aren't vents at all. Like the hood "intakes" they are merely decorative. So I have a question: are these pop outable? And are there real rear wheel well vents as a modification? My assumption is that both rear wheel "vents" and hood "intakes" are there to take modifications. And I would like to know more about how those work.

Rear vents are pop outable...no vents currently in the wheel liner...does not mean you could not add them yourself however.

As to the missing items debate...i can find valid arguments on both sides. Personally i think Kia "cheaped" out on the US market in favor of the G70. The absence of the SVM as well as the Alcantar type headliner really drags the "luxury" side of this down. For me, i can live without as i really wanted a Yellow One and having Yellow was more important than SVM and Headliner. Nonetheless, i would have like to see these options as at least available for purchase. Just like an airline...price EVERYTHING and then people can pick and choose what they want. I understand this could make the assembly line a bit more dynamic but you'd at least understand what people are and are not willing to pay for.

For me, i will hope that the SVM can be retro-fit in and the ECU will magically see it and make it work liek the wireless chargers did! I'd even consider a retro fit headline at a reasonable cost to install. i wont hold my breath

 

[DaJackson]

LOL. Yep, but the fact that most people are willing to ignore it or not care is exactly how and why KIA screwed over the US customers in the first place. And the rest of us for a smaller list of transgressions.

I don’t get why you take this so personally. Someone or some team at KIA, which has far more info than anyone here, made the decision that the US market didn’t need these features. Did they determine that they might have lost some sales because of this, probably. But that number wasn’t enough to convince them to offer the features.

These decisions are made every day by every manufacturer. There are very few world wide market cars that are exactly the same.

 

[ScottM]

As to the missing items debate...i can find valid arguments on both sides. Personally i think Kia "cheaped" out on the US market in favor of the G70. The absence of the SVM (Surround View Monitor) (Surround View Monitor) as well as the Alcantar type headliner really drags the "luxury" side of this down. For me, i can live without as i really wanted a Yellow One and having Yellow was more important than SVM (Surround View Monitor) (Surround View Monitor) and Headliner. Nonetheless, i would have like to see these options as at least available for purchase. Just like an airline...price EVERYTHING and then people can pick and choose what they want. I understand this could make the assembly line a bit more dynamic but you'd at least understand what people are and are not willing to pay for.

For me, i will hope that the SVM (Surround View Monitor) (Surround View Monitor) can be retro-fit in and the ECU will magically see it and make it work liek the wireless chargers did! I'd even consider a retro fit headline at a reasonable cost to install. i wont hold my breath

I can definitely agree with the "'Cheaped out on the USA market..." part. This is kind of why I'm thinking they'll offer them in the next gen american side of things. And I'm pretty sure we'll be able to somehow retrofit things if need be. Maybe it won't be as it is with the current canadia, etc version... but maybe even better! 720 degrees perhaps? << Kidding.

 

[Rango]

I knew what I was purchasing up front. To buy a Stinger and then complain about what you did not get is a bit "after market". I am 100% happy with my purchase and am not looking back ... cause I drive in sport mode like Batman!!!

 

[SEA Stinger]

I don’t get why you take this so personally. Someone or some team at KIA, which has far more info than anyone here, made the decision that the US market didn’t need these features. Did they determine that they might have lost some sales because of this, probably. But that number wasn’t enough to convince them to offer the features.

These decisions are made every day by every manufacturer. There are very few world wide market cars that are exactly the same.

It doesn't seem to me that @Marc Collins is taking this too personally.

Yes, manufacturers and other companies make lots of product and marketing decisions. Including some incredibly idiotic ones - past examples in the car world include the Ford Edsel, Chevy Corvair, Pontiac Aztek.

In my book, consumer questioning of short-sighted, penny-wise-pound-foolish or other stupid product decisions is totally fair game and appropriate. Two more recent examples are the VW emissions and Takata airbag scandals. It would be insane to try to defend those as "manufacturer decisions" made on high by corporate geniuses who have far more information and wisdom than us ignorant, whiny consumers.

 

[DaJackson]

The VW and Takata situations are nothing like Kia deciding not to offer a 360 camera in the US.

 

[Marc Collins]

The VW and Takata situations are nothing like Kia deciding not to offer a 360 camera in the US.

Care to explain how/why? They are obviously not the same on the surface, but in terms of the point being made above about the wisdom of manufacturers versus lowly consumers...

 

[DaJackson]

If your argument is that businesses make bad decisions and thus customers are smarter than businesses, I’d counter that there are dumb people on this board and businesses are obviously smarter. Neither of those areguments are logical though.

 

[SEA Stinger]

If your argument is that businesses make bad decisions and thus customers are smarter than businesses, I’d counter that there are dumb people on this board and businesses are obviously smarter. Neither of those areguments are logical though.

@DaJackson, you're still missing the point. No one said that consumers are necessarily smarter than corporations. In contrast, you appear willing to make the rhetorical argument that corporations, by definition, are smarter than consumers.

There are dumb people everywhere, including consumers and people at corporations. There could even be some dumb members and dumb moderators on auto enthusiast forums.

There is lots of evidence that corporations are not omniscient about consumer preferences and that they can and do make boneheaded decisions. Another example specific to the Stinger was the face-in-hand-plant decision to demo pre-launch Stingers in the U.S. with GT-Line Trim and the gorgeous Deep Chroma Blue, and then not offer either here.

If you actually claim that corporate product and marketing decisions are by definition the optimal fit for the market and obviate the need and value of consumer feedback, then we would clearly be in disagreement. You would also be factually incorrect. No amount of being dismissive or talking down to people would change that.

 

[StingEm]

I personally think it’s the higher MSRP and lack of some of the features in the U.S. models that have made the outrageously high leash cash rebates possible from Kia in the U.S.

 

[DaJackson]

@DaJackson, you're still missing the point. No one said that consumers are necessarily smarter than corporations. In contrast, you appear willing to make the rhetorical argument that corporations, by definition, are smarter than consumers.

Go reread my last post, I specifically said both of those arguments are illogical.

Another example specific to the Stinger was the face-in-hand-plant decision to demo pre-launch Stingers in the U.S. with GT-Line Trim and the gorgeous Deep Chroma Blue, and then not offer either here.

Here is where your argument breaks down to me. Something you don’t agree with or don’t understand does not equal a bad business decision on KIAs part. Your argument is that more people decided not to buy a Stinger because they saw the Korean version of the Stinger but couldn’t get that specific car than people who were able to see the car in person before they were available then came back to buy one? There is no factual evidence to support that. Did you buy a Stinger after seeing the Korean version?

If you actually claim that corporate product and marketing decisions are by definition the optimal fit for the market and obviate the need and value of consumer feedback, then we would clearly be in disagreement. You would also be factually incorrect.

Not sure where you saw me say anything close to that.

No amount of being dismissive or talking down to people would change that.

Where have I talked down to someone?

 

[Marc Collins]

Here is where your argument breaks down to me. Something you don’t agree with or don’t understand does not equal a bad business decision on KIAs part. Your argument is that more people decided not to buy a Stinger because they saw the Korean version of the Stinger but couldn’t get that specific car than people who were able to see the car in person before they were available then came back to buy one? There is no factual evidence to support that. Did you buy a Stinger after seeing the Korean version?

You have no idea what others understand or do not understand. There are no facts to support anything any of us are saying--it's marketing after all. That's the part that sounds like you are talking down to others here.

I do know that if you think the Stinger launch in the USA was anything close to "successful" and not plagued with boneheaded decisions that disappointed the vast majority of dealers and potential customers, then you know less about marketing and product launches than some others on this board. All you would have to do is a quick comparison with almost culturally identical Canadian dealers and markets where the car was (and likely still is) almost impossible to acquire because they were all spoken for before they arrived at the dealerships. Wonder why the difference?

 

[Ivansito]

The problem is the rear view mirror. To busy looking back to see who else is following instead of launch controlling your ass into the sunset. Keep your eyes on the road and carve the pavement. I got my rocket. You didn't? Oh Well.

 

[DaJackson]

There are no facts to support anything any of us are saying--it's marketing after all.

...then you know less about marketing and product launches than some others on this board.

The backbone of Marketing is literally facts and data. But please tell me more about how you are smarter than me and have “facts” related to the number of cars supplied to a region as proof that the US market is a failure because they didn’t include a 360 camera.

I’m done attempting to discuss this.

 

[ScottE]

I knew what I was purchasing up front. To buy a Stinger and then complain about what you did not get is a bit "after market". I am 100% happy with my purchase and am not looking back ... cause I drive in sport mode like Batman!!!

Exactly this. Nobody is making you buy a Stinger. If you don't like the features it has in your market, go buy another car that does, it's as simple as that. Kia, like any company, is going to do what they choose, and that's OK. Meanwhile, I'll be cruising around in my Stinger happy as a clam...