"Jim Yanik" . wrote in message
.. .
"Doug Kanter" wrote in
:


"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Doug Kanter"
wrote:
"Jim Yanik" . wrote in message
. 86...

The car
makers can reduce the price a little, but probably make more,
since most customers have no real idea how much cheaper it is to
make a 2wd vehicle. And, offer 4wd versions for people who
explicitly ask for them. I don't think many will.

Even more impractical.

Are you saying that offering a selection is impractical?

No, I'm saying that offering a front-drive and a 4WD version of the
same thing
is impractical from the standpoint of building the vehicle.

Why is it practical, then, for pickup trucks to be built with either
4WD or 2WD? Both are available in large quantities, or at least they
were 2 days ago when a friend of mine bought her Tundra, and also
shopped Ford & Chevy dealers on the same street.

Are you saying it's MECHANICALLY impractical, or impractical in a
business sense?



Just replacing a 4WD drivetrain with a FWD drivetrain is not going to
change fuel efficiency significantly.
Then there's the added costs of making and stocking the extra parts and
assemblies.If demand is not enough to cover that and some profit,then it
will not be done.

Well, my premise is that if car salespeople expend 1/10th the effort that I
saw with the woman at the Toyota dealership, maybe a few customers might
make better choices. She knew I was going to buy SOMETHING from her. She
took an extra half hour to make sure that what I bought would meet my needs.
A half a friggin hour.