Porsche too big to care about its customers now?
Discussion
With only 2 to 4 Cayman GT4s per OPC in the UK, letting down 100s of customers on the LOI list, 991 GT3 RSs totally unobtainable unless you bought a £750,000 918 and less than 35 UK cars to allocated, have Porsche lost touch with their true heritage and customer base? Now they are part of VW are they too big to care?
NewExigeS said:
With only 2 to 4 Cayman GT4s per OPC in the UK, letting down 100s of customers on the LOI list, 991 GT3 RSs totally unobtainable unless you bought a £750,000 918 and less than 35 UK cars to allocated, have Porsche lost touch with their true heritage and customer base? Now they are part of VW are they too big to care?
I don't see it that way, they are just looking after its best customers 1st, just like any other business would do. I wanted a Lafa, but I have had not had a new F for a long time, apart from late last year, so I could not get one, disappointed yes, but don't in anyway feel that F are not looking after its customers, in fact quite the opposite.....Think you will find that when the covers come of quite few cars at Geneva, "all sold signs" will be out.
Edited by APOLO1 on Friday 20th February 08:22
I would say that the GT4 shows that Porsche have payed attention to their 'loyal customer' base. How long have people been asking for a Cayman model that shows the true potential of the car. These types of cars have always been subject to limited production runs but you would still have to wait for a Mecan or a Boxster GTS.
Porsche can sell every car they make and I very mush suspect the profit is not in the GT cars but the 'standard' Boxsters, Mecans ETC. why would you tie up production line space on other cars? The limited run cars are there to be seen and enhance the brand image. Porsche want them out being driven on the street, not tucked away in collections, but they also don't want them to be to easy to get - Who aspires to own a Honda Jazz? That aspiration brings people to the dealerships and then they may drive away in a lesser model but 'it's still a Porsche'
Porsche can sell every car they make and I very mush suspect the profit is not in the GT cars but the 'standard' Boxsters, Mecans ETC. why would you tie up production line space on other cars? The limited run cars are there to be seen and enhance the brand image. Porsche want them out being driven on the street, not tucked away in collections, but they also don't want them to be to easy to get - Who aspires to own a Honda Jazz? That aspiration brings people to the dealerships and then they may drive away in a lesser model but 'it's still a Porsche'
I guess I find it hard to swallow, becuase I know what I want, which is a new GT car, not another GTS/Turbo/S/SUV etc etc.
Another way of looking at it would be to ask 'How can a regular guy off the street buy a new GT car from Porsche, how many years would they have to wait, could they ever buy one? Do Porsche actually want a regular guy off the street to own and drive a GT car, do they even care? I doubt it?
Another way of looking at it would be to ask 'How can a regular guy off the street buy a new GT car from Porsche, how many years would they have to wait, could they ever buy one? Do Porsche actually want a regular guy off the street to own and drive a GT car, do they even care? I doubt it?
NewExigeS said:
I guess I find it hard to swallow, becuase I know what I want, which is a new GT car, not another GTS/Turbo/S/SUV etc etc.
Another way of looking at it would be to ask 'How can a regular guy off the street buy a new GT car from Porsche, how many years would they have to wait, could they ever buy one? Do Porsche actually want a regular guy off the street to own and drive a GT car, do they even care? I doubt it?
You could ask the same about F, and others.....In my view they care very much that the right cars get to the right people. As to your comment about GT cars in the round, the GT3 order book was open for a long time, they filed every order.....Another way of looking at it would be to ask 'How can a regular guy off the street buy a new GT car from Porsche, how many years would they have to wait, could they ever buy one? Do Porsche actually want a regular guy off the street to own and drive a GT car, do they even care? I doubt it?
Like the OP has said, I would love a GT car. I don't really want to buy stop gaps which won't ever meet my expectations and always have me wanting for more. I understand they will look after there loyal customers, but the only way to become one of those is to buy cars that I don't really want.
APOLO1 said:
I don't see it that way, they are just looking after its best customers 1st, just like any other business would do. I wanted a Lafa, but I have had not had a new F for a long time, apart from late last year, so I could not get one, disappointed yes, but don't in anyway feel that F are not looking after its customers, in fact quite the opposite.....
AgreeEdited by APOLO1 on Friday 20th February 08:22
Surely their Cayman production line/s can only produce so many cars during their production cycle? All markets are important but I don't think we are that far up their list? I have no idea when a new Cayman is due but it can't be that far away so their lines must be flat out to produce the range of Caymans they do. The GT 4 is just another one, albeit a very special and desirable one.
I agree with Apolo1.
I agree with Apolo1.
NewExigeS said:
With only 2 to 4 Cayman GT4s per OPC in the UK, letting down 100s of customers on the LOI list, 991 GT3 RSs totally unobtainable unless you bought a £750,000 918 and less than 35 UK cars to allocated, have Porsche lost touch with their true heritage and customer base? Now they are part of VW are they too big to care?
I can understand that is is frustrating, but serious enthusiasts keep an eye out for news / rumours about cars like this and make sure they have a letter of intent with their dealer at the earliest possible opportunity. I did exactly that for the GT3 (I'd only previously oned one Porsche (997 C4S) and that was purchased from a different dealer - although my car had recently been serviced by the dealer that sold me the GT3, I was hardly on their 'best customer' list!
Budweiser said:
Surely their Cayman production line/s can only produce so many cars during their production cycle? All markets are important but I don't think we are that far up their list? I have no idea when a new Cayman is due but it can't be that far away so their lines must be flat out to produce the range of Caymans they do. The GT 4 is just another one, albeit a very special and desirable one.
I agree with Apolo1.
GT4 is built in a different factory by different workers. That team have limited production.I agree with Apolo1.
hing. Porsche (quite unusually I might add) did listen to customers by even bringing out the GT4 in the first place. Where else do you find a major manufacturer focused on the more expensive end of the market building a sports car that is - smallish, light-ish, manual gearbox only and said to be primarily focused on being fun to drive? Ok that is partially to lock the car into the 'right' product hierarchy but as long as the end result is a good fun car, does it really matter?
The UK might have got slightly screwed on allocations but if one wanted the car badly enough, there are plenty available LHD in europe (likely with a small discount to boot) and there's a decent case for the LHD Porsches driving better IMO. And as far as getting a UK allocation, the dealerships are merely doing what is in their best interest as Apolo1 says - ie their best customers get first call. That's possibly unfair if you're not one of the said favoured customers but.. who said life ever was!
Look from Porsche long term and historical viewpoint. My OPC got same number of Cayman Rs as GT4s and had to majorly discount 2 of them to shift. 997.2 GT3 RS customers weren't all following through on deposits...bottom person on my OPCs list got a car. Now 100s of people suddenly want GT cars and we expect Porsche to make them. If they brought a GT4 to UK for every LOI it's possible at least half of customers would walk away as depreciation would become more normal. UK demand is not mirrored by rest of Europe, why should Porsche gamble on a sudden demand blip for what will ultimately be a low production, low profit car.
Porsche will sell to 'The regular man on the street', and actually I think they would love the opportunity to widen their customer base. To get a GT car all you need the same money as the next person. It is as people have said previously, you watch the news and the Forums and get your name down for the car you suspect is coming. You get to know your local Porsche dealer. If you have brought cars off them before and you take your car to them to be serviced etc. Then they will probably look more favorably at your name on the list than someone they suspect is just out to try and make a quick buck, by selling the car at a profit as soon as they get it.
Yes the limited production run prevents people, who want the car, from buying it but it is also one of the reasons why you want to buy it - it's rare!
Yes the limited production run prevents people, who want the car, from buying it but it is also one of the reasons why you want to buy it - it's rare!
Jon666 said:
Look from Porsche long term and historical viewpoint. My OPC got same number of Cayman Rs as GT4s and had to majorly discount 2 of them to shift. 997.2 GT3 RS customers weren't all following through on deposits...bottom person on my OPCs list got a car. Now 100s of people suddenly want GT cars and we expect Porsche to make them. If they brought a GT4 to UK for every LOI it's possible at least half of customers would walk away as depreciation would become more normal. UK demand is not mirrored by rest of Europe, why should Porsche gamble on a sudden demand blip for what will ultimately be a low production, low profit car.
No need to gamble on anything at all, take £20k non refundable deposits and build those cars. Simple. To be fair my OPC have been very transparent in the allocations process. However it doesn't excuse the fact that ALL car that are expected for 2015 and 2016(assuming total 250) were sold at my OPC BEFORE the car was announced as they had 6 LOI. I rang the morning of the release after seeing the video at 12:30am with EVO and am 10th on the list. I may!? get a car if they increase allocations to say 400odd so unlikely.
At least the GT3 book opened and you could order one!
So I would agree I am mightily peeved...
Someone royally mucked up the UK allocations. That said I don't think I can fundamentally change things myself.
At least the GT3 book opened and you could order one!
So I would agree I am mightily peeved...
Someone royally mucked up the UK allocations. That said I don't think I can fundamentally change things myself.
NewExigeS said:
Jon666 said:
Look from Porsche long term and historical viewpoint. My OPC got same number of Cayman Rs as GT4s and had to majorly discount 2 of them to shift. 997.2 GT3 RS customers weren't all following through on deposits...bottom person on my OPCs list got a car. Now 100s of people suddenly want GT cars and we expect Porsche to make them. If they brought a GT4 to UK for every LOI it's possible at least half of customers would walk away as depreciation would become more normal. UK demand is not mirrored by rest of Europe, why should Porsche gamble on a sudden demand blip for what will ultimately be a low production, low profit car.
No need to gamble on anything at all, take £20k non refundable deposits and build those cars. Simple. Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff