keanucosmo wrote:How do you get a difference of $505? Comparing 2 manual transmission cars there is no price difference on the transmission between S & SL. The $1100 difference is correct.
I was referring to the difference of Di Versa Fy's analysis. (Notice how I said "in your analysis above" and then pointed out the transmission difference, and the package difference. So even the $505 was incorrect if my assumption that he skipped the power package on the S was correct.)
keanucosmo wrote:Difference of $1,100 and you get:- hight adjustment on driver's seat - Don't care about this- door pockets - Got pockets in my pants, Don't care- map lights - Really, who uses maps thes days.- glasses pocket - There is a compartment above the radio for glasses or whatever- premium fabric (lasts longer, feels nicer, looks prettier) - I think all 3 statements about this are opinion, Don't care- arm rest - Nice, $160 bundle which I bought- nicer HU with AUX input - Bought a nicer unit w Bluetooth HF & A2DP $135- alloy wheels - Nicer than S, but not my taste.- fog lamp wiring (I believe this isn't part of another package, but just on all SLs, but I could be wrong about this one)
So add $100 for additional sales tax on higher priced SL bringing difference to $1200 - $160 for armrest bundle - $135 for new HU = $905 more for SL. Now you do get more for the $905, but it's all stuff I don't care about. flaw, you're adding tax on a thing that already has taxes figured in it... so $805
Your analysis came out one way, good for you. I was pointing out how Di Versa Fy's analysis was flawed (not adding the correct packages and not accounting for the difference in transmission).
As far as the seat fabric and the two opinion statements (because the first one can't really be seen as an opinion) ... well, I'm not the only one who thinks so otherwise there wouldn't be a "premium fabric" in most vehicles... It may be an opinion, but it is not MY opinion, it is a general opinion accepted by consumers and producers.
So lets take that $1,100 and play with it:- hight adjustment on driver's seat - $2-400 plus upholstery (lets say $70 to make 1 seat bottom match the S interior)- map lights - Really, who uses maps these days (apparently somebody does since a few members have purchased rear view mirrors which include map lights and at least one person has affixed "map lights" to their headliner)- glasses pocket - There is a compartment above the radio for glasses or whatever (which isn't made for glasses, and some of us pay $300 for prescription sunglasses which are polarized because they are necessary and don't want them to get all scratched to hell... the glasses pocket has lining to protect the glasses and they don't have as much room to move about)- premium fabric (lasts longer, feels nicer, looks prettier - if you're buying a car and planning on keeping it for 7-10 years, this becomes a bigger issue... reupholstering a vehicle can cost $700-$1000)- arm rest - $160 - nicer HU with AUX input - $130-200
So you're looking at a minimum of $1260 over the life of the vehicle just to get those 3 items plus replace/repair your fabric... $560 if you never replace the seat fabric. Not including finance charges...
I'm at work and don't have time to do my who cost-analysis thing... but essentially my needs were something that I could be happy with now and 5 years from now. So stuff had to line up properly (which is why I traded my first V, the headliner was screwed up, some dash pieces weren't aligned properly, and a door was aligned crooked) so as not to be visually frustrating, I needed a safe place for my prescription sunglasses (which was paramount to me not getting a migraine), I wanted hands-free features (such as the steering wheel controls, bluetooth, and CVT transmission), I wanted the interior of the car to last, I need places for cups for wee persons, I wanted to get as much right off the bat to save me from having to put money into it later (so the nicer stereo with aux, nicer wheels, built-in bluetooth - plus at the time there weren't any stereos which were compatible with the OEM steering-wheel controls and I already had my iPod)...
It was more financially prudent for me to put that stuff on with my original car loan than to try and shell out outta pocket money later. Which seems like I'm paying more in the long run because of financing, but as soon as my student loans are paid off (some of them starting with next year) I will be throwing that money onto my car payment as well and it'll be paid off well before the time period (just like I did with my Sidekick... I paid it off in less than 3 years on a 5 year loan). So, good on the credit, good for the tight budget, still within my means to pay off, and everything I want. I've driven all my cars until they essentially have crapped out and I planned to get a car that I could do that with and that would fit my needs until it did crap out.
I'm not going to debate what worked for you, my sole intention was to point out why/where Di Versa Fy's analysis was incorrect and also the additional stuff in the SL that may not have been taken into consideration.
