dream to be fulfilled

[SoCal]

I've gone and done it -- ordered a Boxster S with PASM and Sport Chrono, 18" wheels, seal grey/black/black. Been wanting a new Porsche since I was a kid -- finally able to afford it, before I turn 50. And now, the waiting game. Dealer said delivery might be by the end of October if I'm lucky.

[Brucelee]

Way to go.

Congrats on your new Porsche.

Pictures as soon as possible?

[RandallNeighbour]

didja spring for the Bose stereo system too? How about floormats and windscreen and rollbar inserts?

[SoCal]

and ordered every option I wanted on the MY 06 987S:

OK, here goes, from the Pro Forma Invoice:

Y1 Seal Grey Metallic
V9 Black top
AT Black full leather
CO2 US standard emissions
P73 Bose system w/windstop
P74 Bi-Xenon headlamps
M6A Black floormats
342 Heated front seats
P15 Power seats
498 Delete model designation
573 Automatic climate control
635 Park assist
P12 Self-dim mirrors, rain sensor
460 Sport steering wheel smooth leather
482 TPMS
475 PASM
639 Sport chrono w/out PCM
XLA Chrome exhaust tips

After delivery, I'm going to replace the gold-plated Porsche crest on the front trunk lid to silver-plated, and also get clear side markers.

I'm also hoping to find a good local installer for a "clear bra" -- 3M or whatever is best.

I really wanted the look of the Carrera Classic or Carrera III wheels, but I wanted 18" wheels more.

I tried the Adaptive Sport Seats but they pushed my shoulders too far forward and were uncomfortable -- guess I'm too wide-bodied.

The Power Seats are for my wife (and for me, so that I can return the position to my setting automatically after she drives the car).

I didn't think I would use the PCM, even though it made some sense to get it with the Sport Chrono (which is the option I was least sure about, then finally decided WTF, I'll get to see how different the car is in "sport mode").

P.S. I deleted the model designation but have ordered Cal personalized license plates: RENN987.

[RandallNeighbour]

looks like the only things you didn't get were the ceramic brakes, a wood or aluminum interior and navigation. May I asked what you paid after all the haggling was done?

You lucky dog. :cheers

What's up with the park-assist?

[SD987]

Here's a well-written detailed posting from another board from a guy who leased his car and used the 3M. In a similar vein, if your dealer offers Permaplate conditioning as an aftermarket add-on, I'd recommend it. I'll provide more details, on that if you'd like.

Here's the other guy's comments:

01 996 Turbo for its turn-in inspection, done this past Monday. My clearshield (3M ScotchCal) had been on for approx. 3 years and the car has been garaged at home and work which limits sun exposure. Nevertheless, the film had a definite yellow cast to it, that was mostly noticeable in overcast sunlight--my Turbo's seal grey. When I removed the film it was amazing how much the stuff had actually yellowed. Don't know whether black would be worse at showing discoloration of the film, so YMMV. And I wax with Zaino regularly, wash it with Zaino car soap and generally care for the car--so I don't think anything I did or didn't do caused the yellowing. It is what it is.

Right now the car looks great, with the film removed--for the next person who owns it. My Turbo has three stone chips with 33K miles driven. None where it was clearshielded. Even the places where a stone tore threw the material, the paint was perfect. So it does protect the car, but I had to tolerate the seams becoming more visible over time, the eventual discoloration of the film, plus spending about 6 hours "unwrapping" the car and cleaning up adhesive residue at disposal time.

My other Porsche, also seal grey, is an 02 Boxster S--I didn't clearshield it. On that one, I selectively use a conventional bra and mostly go "naked". My front bumper and hood are still very presentable 3 years and almost 20K miles later. Very few chips anywhere. So for me the Turbo is likely my first, last and only "wrapped" car.

And I won't even meantion, hassle factor in hoping you find an installer who knows what they're doing--installer talent is the entire the ballgame on a good looking finished product; yellow bug guts can stain the stuff (the stains wear, not wash off); and having to have your installer rework some of it if you get a bubble (which can happen); and when the film nicks, the nick is very visible which you live with or replace the film; and the bumper is about the only part that remains invisible because they can run the seams along the ridge of the hood and headlights.

After all this time, was it worth it? I dunno--I do know I paid nothing for wear and tear, but I did pay for the clearshield (about $1,000--I covered hood, bumper, rockers, trailing edges of fenders, mirror backs, the air vents in the rear fenders, which is a lot of surface area and cost) plus the "soft" cost of seeing seams over three years, and a yellow cast eventually. I don't think the stuff paid for itself, especially when I factor in the time I spent removing it before turn in.

[SoCal]

Originally Posted by SD987

In a similar vein, if your dealer offers Permaplate conditioning as an aftermarket add-on, I'd recommend it. I'll provide more details, on that if you'd like.

Interesting info re the 3M. I've got time to reconsider.

I know Land Rover pushes Permaplate, I think for both the exterior of the car and the interior??? Is that possible? Why do you recommend Permaplate?

[SoCal]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

looks like the only things you didn't get were the ceramic brakes, a wood or aluminum interior and navigation.

Also, I didn't go for the extra expensive paint, and I didn't do any wheel upgrade (including no colored wheel crest). There also is other leather you could add -- door panels, instrument surround, etc. I didn't have the roll bars painted to match exterior. Didn't get the Sports seats. If you look at the Order Guide, there's actually a lot I didn't get.



"May I ask what you paid after all the haggling was done?"

No haggling. The deal was struck in under a minute. After visiting the dealership a few times, taking a couple test drives, and doing my homework, I told the salesman the following (all of which was what I really truthfully thought):

I want to order a car with lots of options. I want a good deal, but I want you to make a fair profit too. I want you to be happy to see me when I bring the car in for service.

I know that the MSRP is about 15% over the invoice for the base car (it was for MY 05, from Edmunds). I also believe that you pay 85% of the MSRP for each option (which I learned from this forum, thanks!).

I will agree to pay you a 5% profit over the invoice cost to you for the car and the options. You will show me the actual invoice for my car when it is delivered, and we will add 5% of your cost for your profit, plus of course I'll pay the taxes and license on top of that.

I won't pay for marketing or dealer prep or anything else like that. But if you get some type of incentive or rebate based on volume or time of year or whatever, that's not on the invoice, that's fine, that's extra money for you to keep as more profit. (I thought it would be hard for me to learn what those PCNA to dealer rebates or incentives might be anyway -- heck, I doubt the dealership even tells its salesmen about all of it.)

In exchange for your showing me the invoice, I will buy the car from you at the agreed 5% markup and I will not go shop this deal at other dealerships, to try to squeeze out some more dollars by getting other dealerships involved in competing for my business (and I said the actual names and cities of the three closest dealerships, so that he knew I knew who they were).

The salesman said that a 5% profit over his invoice cost sounded fair, and he asked whether I also would pay the the actual destination charge, which the dealership also has to pay the manufacturer (about $800). And I said yes, I'd pay that too, since it's a true dealer out-of-pocket cost. He said he didn't want me to go to other dealerships, and we agreed to the deal as stated above.

So, I have a pretty good idea about the price from the assumptions about invoice relative to MSRP above, but I don't know what precisely I'm paying for the car, because it is based on whatever 5% is over the actual invoice cost to the dealer for my particular car, rather than a reduction from MSRP.

P.S. If the saleman had said, "how about 6%?", I was prepared to go to the next closest dealership and make the same proposal.



"What's up with the park-assist?"

Thinking about the wife, here. If some beeping helps her not back up onto a curb or other obstacle, we'll both be happier for it.

[Rail26]

Good thread! Maybe you should start one of those purchasing services? Congrats.

Good call on the parking assist. Completely understandable and I feel your pain.