The Mach-E has too many configurations

[mkhuffman]

Our economy is transitioning to a model when someday every product you buy can be uniquely built just for you. We are transitioning away from mass production, and towards production that serves each unique individual. This is being made possible with automation, and with part printing technologies. If you can print a fender, do you need a massive tool to produce thousands of them? I know the cost of printing a fender is much higher than mass producing one, but that is today. One day it won't be. Imaging printing all the parts needed for your car and assembling it just as quickly as a car is mass produced today. It will happen, because that is what consumers want.

In reality, all mass production products are a compromise for most consumers. You might find the perfect product and never have anything you would ever want to change on it, but that is rare. Look at all the mods people are doing to their MMEs on this forum. People like to have a product that is what they want exactly, and I am in the camp of more is better. More options, more choice, more diversity. That is good, and we should encourage Ford in that direction. They are going that way anyway, and we will all like it. A lot.

As others in the thread have mentioned, Porsche is on the leading edge with this trend. They charge a lot of money for a unique product, but people pay for it, because that is what they want. That is what we all want, but we compromise because we don't think it is worth the cost. As the industry gets better at it, and technologies advance, cost will not be a factor at all.

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[narmstrong79]

When Tesla has been around for 100 years, then you can tell me how amazing their business model actually is. The only reason Tesla is on the map at all right now is that they were the only option the “true believers” had for a decade.

I don't understand this fan-boy mentality. Are you going to discount that they developed a market that otherwise wouldn't exist. Before Tesla the green option was a Prius - which was an automotive punching bag for mockery.

I believe in Tesla, I like what they have done and hope they as an American company thrives . I obviously liked the Mach-E to spend money on it.

I don't care what company survives, I care who's doing right, who's pushing innovation. Tesla, Ford, etc... Could go away tomorrow and I couldn't care less. I own (a little) $TSLA and $F stock so I have a (little) vested interest in them both doing great things

Of the OG "big 3" Ford is likely the only one to survive long term, expect the business model to change. Thinking it won't or not adapting quick enough is why there's a bunch of empty buildings with a faded circuit city sign hanging on them.

The only way Tesla isn't around in 100 years is because the old thinking of the companies with money will lobby their way to beating them. I'll be long dead so I don't care what company is around in 100 years

 

[JRT]

Wow, I actually was disappointed in the selection and configuration limited options. I've bought American brand vehicles new for years and love being able to custom order. Walking into Honda, Mazda, VW, etc I've felt that I was limited and paying more for something that wasn't what I wanted. My Ram 1500 is was custom ordered, my Wife's Challenger GT was custom order to get color and options she wanted. I'd go the other way with future MME, make certain things options, glass roof, those dumb plastic aero wheel covers, heated seats, GPS Maps, etc.

 

[Cnote]

Since your simplified options completely remove the Mach E I chose and own (don't need AWD where I live) that's a thumbs down for me lol. I'm all about more choices, even if I don't care about all of them.

 

[kennethjk]

Wow, I actually was disappointed in the selection and configuration limited options. I've bought American brand vehicles new for years and love being able to custom order. Walking into Honda, Mazda, VW, etc I've felt that I was limited and paying more for something that wasn't what I wanted. My Ram 1500 is was custom ordered, my Wife's Challenger GT was custom order to get color and options she wanted. I'd go the other way with future MME, make certain things options, glass roof, those dumb plastic aero wheel covers, heated seats, GPS Maps, etc.

In the 70’s the options list for American cars was a mile long. They have trimmed them considerably nowadays. Porsche has a lot of option, many different colored seat belts etc. but BMW for example is very little.

 

[Mach1E]

Okay facts daddy, I'll rephrase...I don't care about the charts as you have presented them. I was trying to be nice to say it wasn't you but it's totally you.

Ford offers everything from affordable to luxury. Tesla offers luxury priced EVs only that the mass market can't afford and a technology that scares away those who aren't tech savvy. So yeah... The charts are meaningless.

Ford, GM, dodge/Chrysler brands are 120 years old. So...Tesla is a new company. Model 3 and Y the closest to "affordable" they offer only came out in the last 4 and 2 years respectively.

Step 1- post an obviously unpopular opinion of yours
Step 2- stick to your guns when people disagree
Step 3- when that discussion dies, post something even more absurd
Step 4- repeat

?

 

[Maquis]

Our economy is transitioning to a model when someday every product you buy can be uniquely built just for you. We are transitioning away from mass production, and towards production that serves each unique individual. This is being made possible with automation, and with part printing technologies. If you can print a fender, do you need a massive tool to produce thousands of them? I know the cost of printing a fender is much higher than mass producing one, but that is today. One day it won't be. Imaging printing all the parts needed for your car and assembling it just as quickly as a car is mass produced today. It will happen, because that is what consumers want.

In reality, all mass production products are a compromise for most consumers. You might find the perfect product and never have anything you would ever want to change on it, but that is rare. Look at all the mods people are doing to their MMEs on this forum. People like to have a product that is what they want exactly, and I am in the camp of more is better. More options, more choice, more diversity. That is good, and we should encourage Ford in that direction. They are going that way anyway, and we will all like it. A lot.

As others in the thread have mentioned, Porsche is on the leading edge with this trend. They charge a lot of money for a unique product, but people pay for it, because that is what they want. That is what we all want, but we compromise because we don't think it is worth the cost. As the industry gets better at it, and technologies advance, cost will not be a factor at all.

This is a very good summary.

I used to design and implement product configurator models for companies in a variety of industries. Never got the chance to do so with an automaker, but it would have been fun!

All car configurators are ultra simple in the grand scheme of things - I've worked with configurators for telecom testing equipment, semiconductor fab machines, industrial systems, and operating rooms where the user choices number in the hundreds (each with dozens or more possible values) and the ultimate number of possible configurations is virtually infinite. While most of these possibilities will never be ordered, all of them must result in a correctly priced and buildable configuration.

The challenge is a balance between giving the customer the ability or order exactly what they want, while ensuring that the result can be manufactured profitably.

Like most cars, the Mach-E is mainly configured at the package level, very few individual features are selectable.

 

[narmstrong79]

[

Step 1- post an obviously unpopular opinion of yours
Step 2- stick to your guns when people disagree
Step 3- when that discussion dies, post something even more absurd
Step 4- repeat

?

I was only making a suggestion on how I would do it if I worked at Ford right now. When supply chain is a mess and moving volumes is key to success.

Sorry if people get butt hurt on what my personal approach would be because this mentality that having more choices, stuff you don't need, or really want and if didn't exist right now you wouldn't even be asking for them.

It cracks me up that you guys think Ford or any corporation cares about your wants, it's all about profits. And I think they could deliver more ordered if they streamlined.

If you want a specific configuration - pay extra and wait until if fits into production, you want the car now. Pick one from the menu.. It's that simple.

 

[SyNRG]

Since your simplified options completely remove the Mach E I chose and own (don't need AWD where I live) that's a thumbs down for me lol. I'm all about more choices, even if I don't care about all of them.

Ditto, we have a Select RWD on order, so disagree with OP.

I also vote more options, more a la carte options vs forcing us into packages, etc. ie - no option to pick a regular roof unless you go with Select RWD or base GT. We should have a choice between pano and regular roof, as an example.

 

[Mach1E]

[

I was only making a suggestion on how I would do it if I worked at Ford right now. When supply chain is a mess and moving volumes is key to success.

Sorry if people get butt hurt on what my personal approach would be because this mentality that having more choices, stuff you don't need, or really want and if didn't exist right now you wouldn't even be asking for them.

It cracks me up that you guys think Ford or any corporation cares about your wants, it's all about profits. And I think they could deliver more ordered if they streamlined.

If you want a specific configuration - pay extra and wait until if fits into production, you want the car now. Pick one from the menu.. It's that simple.

I guess I missed a step.

Step 5- insult anyone who disagrees

Trust me, no one is taking your bad idea personally.

 

[Pushrods&Capacitors]

I don't understand this fan-boy mentality. Are you going to discount that they developed a market that otherwise wouldn't exist. Before Tesla the green option was a Prius - which was an automotive punching bag for mockery.

I believe in Tesla, I like what they have done and hope they as an American company thrives . I obviously liked the Mach-E to spend money on it.

I don't care what company survives, I care who's doing right, who's pushing innovation. Tesla, Ford, etc... Could go away tomorrow and I couldn't care less. I own (a little) $TSLA and $F stock so I have a (little) vested interest in them both doing great things

Of the OG "big 3" Ford is likely the only one to survive long term, expect the business model to change. Thinking it won't or not adapting quick enough is why there's a bunch of empty buildings with a faded circuit city sign hanging on them.

The only way Tesla isn't around in 100 years is because the old thinking of the companies with money will lobby their way to beating them. I'll be long dead so I don't care what company is around in 100 years

Retort to your last paragraph:

If/when Tesla fails it will be self-inflicted, nothing to do with lobbying efforts, jfc.

• They eschew continuous improvement in favor of quantum leaps in tech. Those leaps are not predictable and don’t happen often.
  
  
• They disregard established methodologies for producing quality products with low defect rates because a chap called Elon would rather disrupt and do things a better (his) way. He tells us so on Twitter frequently. Often the way isn’t better.
  
  
• They submit pie in the sky EPA range estimates for certification and have been relying on their supposed range “advantage” for years now. Well, the range gap has vanished.
  
  
• They’ve been selling/promising FSD for years and it doesn’t work yet. Been raking in from $3K-10K per FSD option on tens/hundreds of thousands of orders. That helps cover the almost non-existent margins on the cars that sell the most (3,Y).
  
  
• They’ve been printing money based on share prices that don’t reflect reality, at least not reality for automakers. Yes, they’re sort of a tech company, but sorry, gotta make real profits at some point.
  
  
• The Carbon Credit cash cow that has pushed them into profitability a few times lately is quickly vanishing as the legacies introduce EVs out the wazoo.
  
  
• Lucid, Rivian et al. say “Hello

I suspect Elon would be happy if Tesla were bought out in the next 3-5 years. Because he’s clearly bored with Earth and ready for Mars anyway. Just my opinions, based on demonstrable facts.

 

[tacobellcow]

I configured my vehicle in one of the ways you think should be removed, so I definitely disagree. I like the appearance package on my vehicle because it upgrades the rims. Sorry im not sorry.

 

[narmstrong79]

Retort to your last paragraph:

If/when Tesla fails it will be self-inflicted, nothing to do with lobbying efforts, jfc.

• They eschew continuous improvement in favor of quantum leaps in tech. Those leaps are not predictable and don’t happen often.
  
  
• They disregard established methodologies for producing quality products with low defect rates because a chap called Elon would rather disrupt and do things a better (his) way. He tells us so on Twitter frequently. Often the way isn’t better.
  
  
• They submit pie in the sky EPA range estimates for certification and have been relying on their supposed range “advantage” for years now. Well, the range gap has vanished.
  
  
• They’ve been selling/promising FSD for years and it doesn’t work yet. Been raking in from $3K-10K per FSD option on tens/hundreds of thousands of orders. That helps cover the almost non-existent margins on the cars that sell the most (3,Y).
  
  
• They’ve been printing money based on share prices that don’t reflect reality, at least not reality for automakers. Yes, they’re sort of a tech company, but sorry, gotta make real profits at some point.
  
  
• The Carbon Credit cash cow that has pushed them into profitability a few times lately is quickly vanishing as the legacies introduce EVs out the wazoo.
  
  
• Lucid, Rivian et al. say “Hello

I suspect Elon would be happy if Tesla were bought out in the next 3-5 years. Because he’s clearly bored with Earth and ready for Mars anyway. Just my opinions, based on demonstrable facts.

I don't disagree - I' was simply asking why do people automatically discount tesla like they are the evil empire - is it the techy nerds vs bro/jocks mentality ?

Tesla is 100% a tech and innovation company that happens to make a car. Ford is a car company trying to adapt to changing tech. People who paid $5-10K for the promise of FSD - are basically like people who buy into a Kickstarter - I wouldn't invest real money for the hopes of something coming in the future.

EPA rating is the fault of the EPA not tesla - ford could have used the same test method but chose to go conservatives and avoid negative press.

Ford marketing and PR has been on fire with the launch of the Mach-E and upcoming lightening. Bravo to that team! Ford partnering with SK for BlueOval battery BRAVO great move - Late - but great move.

Until Lucid, Rivian etc .. deliver in volumes they are TBD. IMO "Prototypes are easy, production is hard" . I wouldn't be shocked if they just get bought up by someone (Ford, Toyota etc..) who are behind in tech and mfg. Tesla has become too large in market cap for anyone to really buy them.

Kia/Hyundai are about to flood the market too. The EV space is going to get interesting in the next 3 -5 years.

The last thing we want is XPENG and NIO flooding the US market - I don't want Chinese super computers with camera's rolling around here. Because F--- that government.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Ditto, we have a Select RWD on order, so disagree with OP.

I also vote more options, more a la carte options vs forcing us into packages, etc. ie - no option to pick a regular roof unless you go with Select RWD or base GT. We should have a choice between pano and regular roof, as an example.

Completely agree with this.

OP said “ If you want a specific configuration - pay extra and wait until if fits into production, you want the car now. Pick one from the menu.. It's that simple.”

Guess what? I had to pick from the menu in order to pay extra *and* wait to get a vehicle that wasn’t how I wanted it because of options packaging. It’s currently not “that simple.”

When I was a kid in the ‘60s and ‘70s everyone my dad and mom knew custom-ordered their cars. This led to a lot of odd combinations of options but also ended up with some cool, unique rides.

I hated the ‘80s and ‘90s when the dealer model transitioned to being forced to buy a car off the lot because the manufacturers only wanted to supply a small number of configurations.

Now we are getting back to being able to order our cars, but instead of 2-3 months delivery time we are looking at 8-10 months. The manufacturers need to fix the lead times and un-bundle the options.

 

[s7davis]

I think the configurations that they have for the mach-e is sufficient as the manufacturer would like to keep the costs down which means limited selections on orders to help keep cost as a certain point cause then once you start adding extra configurations customer A wants this and that while Customer B wants something totally different it makes it hard to streamline custom builds for the customers.

I think this is what happened to a different company as they were running into bottle necks as people wanted different things and was slowing down the build process of the cars. So what they did was bundle a lot of what the people wanted and with some of the things they didnt want to help streamline the process and to keep the price down on vehicles. I think this is what will happen with all car companies as they want to keep the costs down to appease the audience that they are trying to go for or attract a new breed of customers.

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