Cayman GT4: Where are we up to now?
- Thread starter Motorhead
- Start date
Chris_in_the_UK
New member
It's a pretty naff way to do business - invites speculators and profiteers and winds up the prices.
ORIGINAL: MotorheadRob, there's no way that I would part with any up-front cash without a firm commitment from them to supply a car within a reasonable time-scale. I'm a bit old-fashioned and rather like to see what I'm getting beforehand and would prefer to delay a purchase until I've had sight of the beast, so a 2016 purchase would suit me fine if I decided to go ahead. I genuinely believe that none of the PCs know at the moment how many cars they're going to be allocated for this year and are still waiting to hear from the Porsche Retail Group. JeffORIGINAL: daro911Jeff I am somewhat confused here ... If Hatfield know you are a serious buyer but they can't commit to supplying a car why would you or anyone want to leave their showroom with your hard earned cash sitting in their bank account! There has been a lot of talk on certain forums about how hard it is to get a 981 GTS but not only can you get one today but there are even choices to be had and very decent discounts off list When did a Porsche Centre ever give a discount of a model that is as hard to come by as rocking horse doo doo []
Maybe with so many deposits and interest Porsche might make a lot more GT4s So not such limited edition after all maybe. If theres money to be made who knows how many will be built.
Chris_in_the_UK
New member
Which is cr@p really. Nobody expected massive numbers but hey, ho.
Unfortunately it appears that it doesn't matter when you get your LOI in. If someone with a Porsche history decides he wants a GT4 it appears he can leapfrog those that put in an LOI earlier but have never owned a Porsche. I submitted my LOI last year and got told where I was on the list. Given all the rumours today and your range above, I should definitely be allocated a car based on my confirmed position but the OPC is now playing games and is unwilling to commit in order to accommodate latecomers. As I mentioned on another forum I think Porsche GB are opening themselves up for reputational damage and maybe even worse. I am hopeful that the OPC will be sensible. If not, then they've lost a customer for life (not that they could give two hoots!!)
Chris_in_the_UK
New member
Indeed - they do not (particularly) folks that blindly spend loads of money will be looked after.
It creates a want and the next model sells it's self, no sales needed, works every time on GT/RS models. what are there 2000 cars world wide that's sales of £160,000,000 with no sales/promo needed at all and all deposits paid up front for all cars. seems to work as a business model. If they make to many the next one would not sell out before launch. Porsche have always done it since year dot even on the RS2 Audi project. 1 or 2 people say they loose a customer for life the rest just put down deposits on the next one earlier.. the issue now every one guesss cars and puts LOI in even 2 years in advance, but we have now the VIP model and every one is doing it , started by Ferrari ? Still creates a want and a hype over a car which then sells its'self blind though.
I find that trying to get a GT3 or 4 quite depressing, after being a Porsche owner for over 25 years and having once owned a GR3RS (was used, crazy to if sold it, even though I made a profit ) is that is seems you have to be one of the top clients at the OPR to even be considered. Sadly top clients seems to go with being in the super rich league. I know a dealer very well and he says the 4 GT4 he was allocated all went to top clients, ie: mega league and sadly all but one will sit on a shelf Of course most of Porsche owners are not poor , but be nice to see a few more being used, allocation by loyalty rather than by how many times you change your car would be nice, no doubt some will disagree . Seems little point in the web site even listing these cars once day one is over as allocation was over before it even started. Porsche OPR's know where the cars are going to go before the release and we all know even if you were the first letter of intention in the drawer you dnt get ahead of VIP clients. Maybe set a side a few to sell by raffle ticket would be nice at least you know you have an equal opportunity. I don't suppose you can blame an OPR they have to keep the client who spends the most happy...............but real world marketing is done by seeing the car used and on the road, not in some garage with 100 miles use a year.
Of course most of Porsche owners are not poor , but be nice to see a few more being used, allocation by loyalty rather than by how many times you change your car would be nice, no doubt some will disagree . Seems little point in the web site even listing these cars once day one is over as allocation was over before it even started. Porsche OPR's know where the cars are going to go before the release and we all know even if you were the first letter of intention in the drawer you dnt get ahead of VIP clients. Maybe set a side a few to sell by raffle ticket would be nice at least you know you have an equal opportunity. I don't suppose you can blame an OPR they have to keep the client who spends the most happy...............but real world marketing is done by seeing the car used and on the road, not in some garage with 100 miles use a year.I guess there are also VIP clients who do use their cars and after 18 months or so they buy the next great product introduced (by invite or early notification to them or LOI). They might also avoid the hassle of private sale & trade their last car in, keeping the top cars in the Porsche network. Makes perfect sense from a business perspective and also helps to exclude speculators. I doubt the VIP clients quibble over the price options etc etc etc and as MrD says it's a very tidy selling mechanism. The GT3 thread on the club forum was quite different to this one. No mucking about. People had their orders confirmed, were discussing their specs and got their cars. Maybe they were VIP clients but through their loyalty in buying many a brand new car (to order) not a production overflow already built and spec'd, I guess they have earned that right and they are loyal clients rather than VIP. The guy who wants to buy a brand new car once in his lifetime or once every 10 years is not going to be given a front of the queue slot at the expense of letting down a loyal client that returns every 18 months because they won't see the 'once in a lifetime guy' again (who may even take his car to an indy once the warranty is up and not bring them any more business whatsoever). Those wanting a used one in a year or two, it's probably the route that the best examples on the OPC forecourt come from. I think it's quite normal but just a bit alien in Cayman territory. If Porsche sticks to the Ferrari way we'd all be enjoying better residuals, but instead we see as daro911 said, even cars like the GTS chugging off the production line without an order and sold off at discount. Makes the cars look unwanted when in actual fact it's Porsche's high volume business model (which is of course highly profitable too, even with discounts applied, but buyers ordering the same car will suffer massive depreciation).
Very good reply from Flat6 thank you. but maybe take a lesson albeit small from Ford RS they always raffle off a few of the specials to those who can't get on the queue, usually to clubs. as to buy used . That's not an option used gt3 are selling easily over 30 k over list and that's even by OPRs. Good for Porsche ? Yes but not in every way . Some positive marketing and there is some negative as well.
I think on the whole the LOI date will get you a car at most OPC's if it's your local OPC the only people kicking off atm seem to be people too far down the list but expecting a car ! which is odd, when there was no secret about numbers, only people saying there will be more which was daft.
Unfortunately I'm not sure that's the case with the GT4. I put LOI's in reasonably early ( which got me within the top 4-5) and left an early deposit with one and immediately with the others on launch day. The OPC's are now trying to wriggle out of the earlier confirmation to accommodate favored customers. They way I read that is that even if I put in an LOI 2 years ago to get top of the line the chances are I would still not get a car. So what's the point of ever submitting an LOI for future models when I know that Porsche GB are unlikely to take them seriously? As a business model you are correct in that it is working for them as they are making lots of profit. However, the GB Model appears to be murky at best. They could do better. Anyway, good luck to those that were lucky and got an allocation. I'm sure many, if not all, will go to a good home and be used. I still have my fingers crossed for my allocation call to come through!
No point in kicking-off as at the OPC as Porsche will do whatever they need too to secure future business be that giving priority to VIP's, press, famous people or race car drivers etc... Fair play if you get one and don't fall into one of the above categories but business is business at the end of the day.
If you are top 4 or 5 and the OPC gets 3 which is 1/3 of them in 2015 they cannot magic you a car though. Deposit date /time does not mean anything, the LOI date does. people are getting cars who have not left deposits yet, you have two weeks to get a deposit in after launch date. If you were 1st and you got bumped 2 down because of VIP VAG investors or 918 clients then you would be 3rd still and getting a car. (IF that's your LOCAL OPC) 4th or 5th should get you a 2016 car if you still want to wait for one. what I don't get is this comment "and left an early deposit withone and immediately with the others on launch day" were you playing the field and placing deposits at more than one OPC ? that's not very loyal and they know who has deposits at multi OPC's esp if in the same group ! GT4 allocation seems to go to local clients and then LOI dates, with very few VIP sales on this model it seems. throwing your money at 3 OPC's or even worst some people leaving £10k deposits 6 months back at OPC to jump the que has not worked out well for those people.
Mr D, I could be more specific on where I am in the LOI but not worth it. With at least one it's higher than 4! As regards multiple deposits, I had the same views until I discussed with each of the OPC's I was in discussions with. I was open and honest with them and asked if this was advisable. They all replied that they saw no issues with that. I proceeded on that basis.
Personally, I can't see why the PCs shouldn't favour their long-term customers; it makes good business sense. After all, they've purchased their cars from the Centres and have probably traded-in their old models, had them serviced, MOT'd and repaired by them and may have also purchased Extended Warranty and Breakdown Assistance packages too. They could also be PCGB Members...! However, I think it unfair if potential purchasers weren't made aware of this favoured status when placing a deposit. Just my tuppence-worth really. Jeff
I was emailed today that Porsche GB got over 400 deposits from OPC with only 120 coming into the uk this year, less next year! With only 3 cars to Small OPC and 4 to larger ... Regarding allocation criteria: How could PGB do it any differently than they are? There needs to be a queue in some form - LOI is the basis of that queue - with a small caveat to look after long term customers. I would say that is totally fair and old fashioned in its value. Its only frustrating if you are one of the people who haven't paid your dues to Porsche GB - like me ... I am now 14th on the list without a cat in hells chance of getting a car! Am i disappointed, not in the slightest - i was relatively late on the queue (late 2014) so what can i expect. I have an incredible 997 GTS that was supplied professionally and correctly and actually good value for money by my OPC - the same OPC that has me 14th on the list for a GT4 ... Swings and roundabouts ....
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