Prospective 981 GT4 Owners Discussion Forum.

[apachesmith]

Burwood said:

apachesmith said:

KalE46M3 said:

I've got a deposit down at Sutton Coldfield and was told I'm 7th in the queue. When I asked the sales guy about sorting out the spec etc, he told me there was no rush and I haven't heard anything for a few weeks.

I'm starting to think I'm on the wrong side of the bubble and they're stringing me along in case they get any more cars. Anyone had a similar experience or am I being paranoid?

cheers

I'm getting the same feeling, I'm number 8 on the list of LOI's but the lack of contact is making me feel like I'm not on the favoured list and they are keeping my money as long as they can! Not had a response to my emails since Thursday......

I wouldn't worry. There will be plenty of cars on the used market for 20k over list within no time

to be honest this whole experience has been a royal pain in the ! Ok so they want to ensure their brand is protected and residuals stay high, but if you have a system that is open to abuse rather than 1st come 1st served and it isn't transparent I can't see how this won't impact negatively on their reputation. People will just move their money to other brands like Mclaren! I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!

Edited by apachesmith on Saturday 28th February 16:50

[apachesmith]

Burwood said:

apachesmith said:

KalE46M3 said:

I've got a deposit down at Sutton Coldfield and was told I'm 7th in the queue. When I asked the sales guy about sorting out the spec etc, he told me there was no rush and I haven't heard anything for a few weeks.

I'm starting to think I'm on the wrong side of the bubble and they're stringing me along in case they get any more cars. Anyone had a similar experience or am I being paranoid?

cheers

I'm getting the same feeling, I'm number 8 on the list of LOI's but the lack of contact is making me feel like I'm not on the favoured list and they are keeping my money as long as they can! Not had a response to my emails since Thursday......

I wouldn't worry. There will be plenty of cars on the used market for 20k over list within no time

to be honest this whole experience has been a royal pain in the ! Ok so they want to ensure their brand is protected and residuals stay high, but if you have a system that is open to abuse rather than 1st come 1st served and it isn't transparent I can't see how this won't impact negatively on their reputation. People will just move their money to other brands like Mclaren! I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!

Edited by apachesmith on Saturday 28th February 16:51

[AdamV12V]

apachesmith said:

I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!

8 cars sounds high - I haven't heard of any UK dealer who is really expecting to get that many cars, even including 2015 and 2016 allocations.

Edited by AdamV12V on Saturday 28th February 17:41

[Burwood]

AdamV12V said:

apachesmith said:

I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!
[quote]

8 cars sounds high - I haven't heard of any UK dealer who is really expecting to get that many cars, even including 2015 and 2016 allocations.

Porsche should just make as many as the market requires and that includes all GT3/RS variants.

[apachesmith]

AdamV12V]pachesmith said:

I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!
[quote]

8 cars sounds high - I haven't heard of any UK dealer who is really expecting to get that many cars, even including 2015 and 2016 allocations.

Only going off the OPC, however I'm now starting to think it's a busted flush, don't think I want to pay the premium to buy a nearly new one but looking at the market their isn't much out there that will compete with the GT4 for the same money.... Guess I could stick an 80k deposit on a 997.1 GT3!

[TheAnimal]

apachesmith said:

Only going off the OPC, however I'm now starting to think it's a busted flush, don't think I want to pay the premium to buy a nearly new one but looking at the market their isn't much out there that will compete with the GT4 for the same money.... Guess I could stick an 80k deposit on a 997.1 GT3!

It's funny how it is now cheaper to buy a new GT car than a used one. Not so long ago it was the other way round.

[NewExigeS]

apachesmith said:

Burwood said:

apachesmith said:

KalE46M3 said:

I've got a deposit down at Sutton Coldfield and was told I'm 7th in the queue. When I asked the sales guy about sorting out the spec etc, he told me there was no rush and I haven't heard anything for a few weeks.

I'm starting to think I'm on the wrong side of the bubble and they're stringing me along in case they get any more cars. Anyone had a similar experience or am I being paranoid?

cheers

I'm getting the same feeling, I'm number 8 on the list of LOI's but the lack of contact is making me feel like I'm not on the favoured list and they are keeping my money as long as they can! Not had a response to my emails since Thursday......

I wouldn't worry. There will be plenty of cars on the used market for 20k over list within no time

to be honest this whole experience has been a royal pain in the ! Ok so they want to ensure their brand is protected and residuals stay high, but if you have a system that is open to abuse rather than 1st come 1st served and it isn't transparent I can't see how this won't impact negatively on their reputation. People will just move their money to other brands like Mclaren! I've been told previously that I should get a car as my OPC believe they are getting more than 8 cars but the lack of communication seems strange to me especially as other countries have been given their allocation!

Edited by apachesmith on Saturday 28th February 16:51

My OPC has written to me confirming that they are scrapping the LOI system for all GT cars from now on due to the level of ill feeling this who debacle has caused, I have posted a copy of the letter on another string. As I can see from many others in the same boat as me it's the lack of transparency and covert nature of the allocation system.
The whole thing is crazy for such a well respected brand, they go to all this trouble and publicity launching a brand new car, stick it on their website for sale, including a configurator, but no one can buy it unless you are invited, or have a 918.

[KalE46M3]

apachesmith said:

KalE46M3 said:

I've got a deposit down at Sutton Coldfield and was told I'm 7th in the queue. When I asked the sales guy about sorting out the spec etc, he told me there was no rush and I haven't heard anything for a few weeks.

I'm starting to think I'm on the wrong side of the bubble and they're stringing me along in case they get any more cars. Anyone had a similar experience or am I being paranoid?

cheers

I'm getting the same feeling, I'm number 8 on the list of LOI's but the lack of contact is making me feel like I'm not on the favoured list and they are keeping my money as long as they can! Not had a response to my emails since Thursday......

I was sent and signed a contract to purchase a car (with the usual subject to availability clause) the day I placed the order, which was on the day they announced. Since then I've contacted them to talk spec etc and was told there was no rush, earliest deliveries are expected in July.

[fioran0]

Sandy59 said:

Would light as possible not require PCCBs and no Clubsport Pk ??

Lowest possible curb weight would indeed be had by speccing PCCBs....And yet the man himself would cut everything on his GT4 if he was building one to take weight out but stop at the brakes.

[Sarnie]

I'm new to Porsche but the LOI system is farce. I know this has been done to death but it just doesn't make any sense?

I understand the notion of wanting to keep certain previous customers happy but if they always revert to this it becomes a closed shop. How can anyone else break in to the inner circle? Keep buying a load of an OPC's used stock over a number of years in the hope that you can make the break through.

Surely opening the brand up to more brand new customers is good for business. All Porsche have done is create a LOT of disaffected customers who probably were going to be buying their first new Porsche but now will go elsewhere in all likelihood. Yes, a few of the rich boys who play golf with the DP will be happy, but the rest of us mere mortals just think that Porsche are sitting there looking at LOI's as begging letters, "Please Please give me a car Porsche"........jokers.

I was close to placing my GTS order Karl Meyer at Bournemouth OPC. When I was cancelling it, he called and asked if I wanted to put the deposit down on the GT4 and promised me "You will get our first car, there are LOI's but no deposits and money talks, you'll go to the top of the list and get our first car". I nearly went for it but couldn't wait nearly a year for a car, so I went off and bought a Cayman R. That would have been an interesting conversation if he phoned me to tell me I wouldn't be getting a car............

[m33ufo]

shaunRS said:

Reserved a 997.1 GT3 Clubsport today for GT4 money, hopefully a good move...

Sounds very sensible.

[TheAnimal]

Sarnie said:

...promised me "You will get our first car, there are LOI's but no deposits and money talks, you'll go to the top of the list and get our first car". I nearly went for it but couldn't wait nearly a year for a car, so I went off and bought a Cayman R. That would have been an interesting conversation if he phoned me to tell me I wouldn't be getting a car............

Been there done that got the badge. The LOI and Order form are not worth the paper they are written on. In Germany they do Pre-Contracts instead which appears to be a more robust system.

As we will see on Tuesday, launching amazing new cars that people can spec up online but not actually buy, will most probably just result in the majority of potential customers not buying a new Porsche ever again. Because it's just not worth the hassle - buy what is available and get on with life because it's too short to go on a meaningless waiting list.

[Sarnie]

TheAnimal said:

Been there done that got the badge. The LOI and Order form are not worth the paper they are written on. In Germany they do Pre-Contracts instead which appears to be a more robust system.

As we will see on Tuesday, launching amazing new cars that people can spec up online but not actually buy, will most probably just result in the majority of potential customers not buying a new Porsche ever again. Because it's just not worth the hassle - buy what is available and get on with life because it's too short to go on a meaningless waiting list.

Exactly, people are making or not making, huge financial decisions on the basis of maybe/potentially ordering a new car. If Porsche can see that there are people sooo keen to buy one of their cars that they place LOI's and in some cases deposits, on a car that was months away from even being confirmed, and then are happy to stiff them over Roger who bought a GT3 a few years ago and a Macan for his wife, then good luck to them, but it stinks to me.

[itsybitsy]

Since the first Cayman in 2005 most of us have craved a 911 powered version ,the Cayman R should have delivered but never did but the gt4 is the car the R should have been!the thing is unless you are a gt3/918 owner that has always down graded the Boxster/Cayman series will be in with a shout for a car!if you have a 918 or a 991 gt3 why be greedy let us poor porsche owners have a chance at a slice of the cake!i only want one porsche not three!

[Sarnie]

itsybitsy said:

Since the first Cayman in 2005 most of us have craved a 911 powered version ,the Cayman R should have delivered but never did but the gt4 is the car the R should have been!the thing is unless you are a gt3/918 owner that has always down graded the Boxster/Cayman series will be in with a shout for a car!if you have a 918 or a 991 gt3 why be greedy let us poor porsche owners have a chance at a slice of the cake!i only want one porsche not three!

Exactly. If you have a 918 what do you want with a GT4?!?!!?

[itsybitsy]

Sarnie said:

Exactly. If you have a 918 what do you want with a GT4?!?!!?

Greed!

[Jon666]

458 said:

So, I guess everyone who is so desperate to have a GT4 has tried a GTS and this just doesn't hit the spot? I'm interested to know what is wrong with the GTS with people on here, because everyone I speak to absolutely raves over them.

What makes people so convinced the GT4 is 'the one' when you haven't even seen it in the flesh? No-one has even test driven it yet.

I'm not so sure a great deal of this interest and hype is from the current market situation with the GT3.

The whole motoring enthusiast fraternity has gone mad for GT cars. They haven't suddenly got better, it's just everyone wants to profit out of it.

+1 Great response.

[keep it lit]

458 said:

So, I guess everyone who is so desperate to have a GT4 has tried a GTS and this just doesn't hit the spot? I'm interested to know what is wrong with the GTS with people on here, because everyone I speak to absolutely raves over them.

What makes people so convinced the GT4 is 'the one' when you haven't even seen it in the flesh? No-one has even test driven it yet.

I'm not so sure a great deal of this interest and hype is from the current market situation with the GT3.

The whole motoring enthusiast fraternity has gone mad for GT cars. They haven't suddenly got better, it's just everyone wants to profit out of it.

[Richie200]

The way I see it is people are probably 20% interested in the car and about 80% in it for the financial return/security. Lets face it, the Lotus Exige Cup is probably the better car for what the GT4 is designed for. If the Lotus was worth 150% of list after 2 years and the Porsche was worth 65% after 2 years, which do you think people would be hankering over. The sad reality is the car and it's technical prowess is just a secondary consideration for GT buyers today.

Edited by Richie200 on Saturday 28th February 22:26

[Sarnie]

458 said:

So, I guess everyone who is so desperate to have a GT4 has tried a GTS and this just doesn't hit the spot? I'm interested to know what is wrong with the GTS with people on here, because everyone I speak to absolutely raves over them.

What makes people so convinced the GT4 is 'the one' when you haven't even seen it in the flesh? No-one has even test driven it yet.

I'm not so sure a great deal of this interest and hype is from the current market situation with the GT3.

The whole motoring enthusiast fraternity has gone mad for GT cars. They haven't suddenly got better, it's just everyone wants to profit out of it.

Personally, I don't actually want a GT4. I just think Porsche have royally screwed this up. If I had wanted a GT4, no doubt I would have gone though the process like a lot of others, made some significant financial decisions, only to be told that my name wasn't the right name and I wasn't getting one.

To my mind, giving the cars to previous buyers (who have probably bought and sold previous GT cars at profits) over actual man in the street enthusiasts is poor form. If I had a 918 in the garage amongst others and a DP called me to buy a GT4, I'd probably punt £80k at one, leave it in the garage for a year or so and hope to flip it at a profit rather than actually driving it and enjoying it for what it is, which is what Porsche are denying a lot of people IMO.