I am doing a field study in marketing class on an imaginary product for Camaros. The product is a heated-mirror system for use on '93 to '02 Camaros. It could be used on others perhaps, but I narrowed my scope to only 4th gens.

Even if you don't live in an area where there are really cold winters, I'm sure most of you have experienced a time in the winter when your side mirrors were either fogged up or iced over and useless. It would really help me out if as many people as possible could answer these questions. Since I am unsure of how to ask multiple questions in a poll on this message board, I'd appreciate it if you would just answer these questions with the choices I provided in the brackets. If you don't live in a cold area, or would just not be interested in such a product, please answer anyway, I want to hear from as many Camaro owners as possible.

Background:
Electronically heated mirrors are an option that usually only appears on luxury automobiles or vehicles that are made for heavy duty work such as pickup trucks. They are not common on sports cars, but would be useful on them. Camaros are used as daily drivers by many people, and iced up or fogged mirrors are useless, so heated mirrors are convenient.

The imaginary product is able to heat the mirrors just as well as the electric ones, but it weighs considerably less than the electronically heated systems you can buy. Also, the imaginary product provides a performance boost similar to cold-air induction. This benefit lowers engine running temperatures which allows you to drive your car much harder without damage from high temperatures. This product would decrease engine temperatures by at least 20 degrees.

*For reference, electrically heated mirror replacements would be about $60 per mirror, meaning $120 for a set which does not include installation. This imaginary product has no price set at this point.

1. Would you install an electronic heating device (similar to the ones used on luxury cars like Mercedes) inside your car to heat your side mirrors (to clear fog and ice from them)?
[[yes/no]]

2. Would you be MORE interested in a product that would achieve the same effects as the electronically heated mirrors, but actually weighs less and lowers your engine's running temperature?
[[yes/no]]

3. What would you be THE MAXIMUM you would be willing to pay for this imaginary product (set of 2--one for each mirror) if a set of electronically heated mirrors are approximately $120 plus installation fee (if you don't do it yourself)? Remember, answer with the MAXIMUM you would pay.
[[less than $50/between $50 and $100/less than $150]]

4. Would you be interested in this product if it HAD to be installed professionally? (Meaning you cannot install it yourself)
[[yes/no]]

5. Would you be interested in this product more for the heated mirror aspect or the reduced engine heat aspect? (this product provides benefits similar to cold-air induction)
[[heated mirrors/reduced engine heat]]

6. This imaginary product's "reduced engine temperature" function is able to be used even in the hottest days of summer (works in ANY weather); does this affect your decision to buy it over the electronically heated mirrors which do not have this benefit?
[[yes/no]]

7. Do you think you would buy this imaginary product if it were available? Please answer honestly, do not answer probably or definitely if you would not actually consider buying it if available.
[[definitely not/probably not/maybe/probably/definitely]]

8. If you did not answer "definitely," what is stopping you?
[[I'm concerned about the price/I'm not interested in heated mirrors/I'm not interested in lower engine temperatures/My car is completely stock or unmodified and I keep it that way/I do the only work on my car, I would not buy this product if I could not install it myself/other]]

 

1) No
2) No - I have enough coolant hoses already
3) Less than $50
4) No
5) Heated mirrors
6) Not really - although more wires sounds less intrusive than more hoses
7) Doubtful unless I've run out of other mods to do to my car or I get arthritis and can't wipe off my mirrors
8) What's stopping me? - more money - more stuff to go bad - heated mirrors on a Camaro??? That's like putting manual track seats in a BMW...

 

1. yes
2. no, don't see how it would weigh less though.
3. < 50
4. no
5. heated mirror. Don't think the added cooling capacity would be noticable
6. no, see # 5
7. deff not
8. I only work on my car when I can help it. Would rather have an electric option

 

1. no
2. no
3. less than 50
4. no
5. no my engine does not need to run cooler
6. no
7. def not
8. not interested, don't much need 'em in CA

 

same answer as bud m ^^^^, by the way, for question #3, i think u meant to put "more then $150" for the answer choice, just a little FYI for ya, it got me confused for a second , you should done it about something else, like making a useful cupholder for the m6's lol goodluck w ur project bro

 

No, I mean less than $150, because it goes:
X<$50
$50<X<$100
$100<X<$150

I guess I could have said between $100 and $150, but I didn't think of that at the time. But there isn't any real reason for this product to cost more than $150 so that isn't a choice.

 

Cliff notes please

 

1. no

2. no

3. less than $50

4. no

5. reduced engine heat

6. yes

7. probably not

8. I'm not interested in heated mirrors

I live in North Ga where at times my mirrors has had frost, etc during cold nights. However, so is my windshield front and rear and side windows. Even if I had heated mirrors, I still have the windows to deal with unless I drive with my window down in the cold to see my frost-free mirrors. I could manage to drive without side mirrors, but the rear and sides is what I need to be frost free. And I have to wait for the darn rear defroster to kick in. The best solution for me is to park the car in the garage.

It's an interesting idea though. Personally I didn't buy the LS1 for luxury. I bought it for its raw horsepower. Never been a fan of all the extra bells and whistles in cars. The more option it has the more engine clutter to deal with. The double function of both frostless mirrors and engine cooler did get me curious though.

 

Thanks guys, these comments are helping me a lot with the project, your suggestions and opinions on the heated mirrors are really valuable for this project so thanks.

It'd be great if I could get about 10 more survey responses though, so those that have read this topic and haven't posted, please do.

 

1. no
2.no
3.less than 50
4.no
5.reduced engine heat
6.yes
7.no
8.Dont drive the car in cold weather and dont see how heat reduction would be sigfificant

[-john

 

Why would he do that? They already make one. Its called the 97+ console.

 

1) yes --- I live in Canada!
2) yes --- same feature, more benefit? That's good.
3) <$150
4) yes --- as long as it's worth it
5) heated mirrors
6) absolutely
7) probably
8) I only say 'probably' since there are lots of "luxuries" I'd like to have, but I have to priortize. If the price was right, I'd probably go for it, since I often do have a problem with my mirrors fogging and/or icing up (they can be fogged up in the mornings almost 6 months of the year ).

 

1. yes
2. yes
3. less then $150
4. no
5. reduced engine heat
6. yes
7. probably
8. As a convertible it rarely sees that cold of weather - so I'll pass. But if it lets heat out of the engine bay (As much as you say) then I'd be all for it. If it lets heat out? Cool. If it also can defrost my mirrors? Sure. But I'm looking at $200 worth of time and effort in hood mods JUST to get heat out.

 

1.no
2.no
3.100
4.no
5.mirrors
6.no
7.def. not
8.no intrest in type of product

 

1. No
2. No
3. less than 50
4. No
5. No, my engine does not need to run cooler
6. No
7. Definatly NOT
8. Not interested, don't much need 'em in CA

Same answers.. just cut & pasted them.. but 100% accurate
I have em in my 88 Vette and have yet to NEED them but have USED them to make sure thay work.

Good luck~

Mike