That's a simple answer. All manufacturers want to sell a more upscale model that's more expensive. One way to do that is to charge more for the option (or option group) on a Custom than on a Crown in the hopes that when all the customer's desired options add up, the salesman can say that he'd really be better off just getting the Crown. There are also items that are standard on the Crown & LeBaron which are extra-cost options on the Custom; believe it or not, an inside rearview mirror was a $4.00 option on the Custom, but standard on the Crown & LeBaron. Same for the driver's side mirror: a manual (non-remote control) mirror was a $6.85 option on the Custom, but standard on the other two. To get a remote driver's side mirror, it was $$18.75 on the Custom, but only $11.90 (a $6.85 difference) on the Crown & LeBaron. Resale value also comes into play in the few years after the car is built. As a base line comparison, a 4-door Southampton Custom was $5,016; Crown was $5,647; LeBaron was $6,103. If you added Accessory Group 311 (heater, radio with power antenna & rear speaker, left remote mirror, power swivel seat, power windows) to all of them, you would add $689.75 to the Custom (total of $5,705.75); but only $424.80 to the Crown & LeBaron (total of $6,071.80 & $6,627.80 respectively). The difference in moving the customer to a more upscale model is lessening, and so would the customer's reluctance to pay the difference. Neal Herman 1959 Crown 4-door Southampton > [Original Message] > From: <RandalPark@xxxxxxx> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: 10/11/2004 7:09:32 PM > Subject: Re: IML: 1959 Imperial hood ornament on eBay!? > > Very cool Neal! > > Now I have a question for the list. Why would the Mirror-matic option cost $4.00 more on a Custom than on a Crown or LeBaron? Maybe if I owned a '59, the answer to this would be obvious. Not owning one, it seems inconceivable that there would be any difference installing this mirror in any of the three series, unless the regular mirror wasn't standard on '59 Customs in the first place. It was included as standard equipment in later years. > > Paul > > In a message dated 10/11/2004 4:35:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Neal Herman" <chrycordoba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: > > >I don't have a price for the optional hood ornament, but the suggested retail prices for the others are as follows: > > > >passenger side mirror: $6.85 > >True-Level Torsion-Aire: $155.90 > >Mirror-Matic: $18.20 (Crowns & LeBarons); $22.20 (Customs) > >Flight-Sweep deck lid: $55.45 > >automatic beam changer: $54.90 > > > >Neal Herman > >1959 Imperial Crown 4-door Southampton > >et al. > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Marty > >To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Sent: 10/11/2004 12:06:58 AM > >Subject: Re: IML: 1959 Imperial hood ornament on eBay!? > > > > > >I believe the hood ornament, the passenger side rearview mirror, the true level torsion air suspension, the mirror matic, the flight sweep truck lid, and the auto high beams were some of the options for 1959 Imperials. Let me know if I'm wrong. My 59 did not come with the hood ornament or side rearview mirror, but I was able to pick them up from a parts car back in 1989 for $30.00. I'm Glad I bought them when I did. > > > >Marty Trendler > >Red Bluff, Ca. > >59 Imperial LaBaron 4 Door Sedan ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm