Why buying an expensive package bike is a false economy

Just read the excellent James Huang's review on the Felt AR2
Fairly lukewarm at best !

But its the kit that is so strange - for £4500 you would expect a far more complete package
Short stems, 53/39 cranks and 11/23 cassettes (take that to the Alps !), cheapish tyres and a mixture of DA 7900 and 105 just seems very haphazard....
Its also penny pinching at its most blatant - with Felts buying power how much more would the sublime Vittoria Evo CXs cost?
Or a DA cassette?

Now we all know I am biased, but I do think at certain price points (say up to £2500) a complete bike offers economies of scale that you cannot get with building a frameset up bit by bit

By when we are setting the bar higher, and at £4500 we are expecting a bike that will blow you away, I think its clear that a bike fitting and then the careful selection of sympathetic frame, components and contact points (for both your body shape and riding style) will bring far happier results

http://www.cyclingnews.com/reviews/felt-ar2