The new 718 Gt4/Spyder are here!

[av185]

Yep the carbon interior looks great with the carbon on the buckets I always spec this and it looks especially good with a lighter coloured car and lighter stitching like yellow and the white/silver variants.

One point re the gearbox there will be fewer PDKs than manual cars yes but bear in mind the option cost of c £2k the premium of which the car will command and more no problem BUT if you are keeping the car for a goid number of years whilst PDK is a great gearbox and has aged relatively well autos as a rule date far quicker than manuals as the tiptronics now show only too well. Tiptronics were of course all the rage when they first appeared and sold very well commanding a substantial premium ££ over manual but now the reverse is true. This could well continue as we move to more driving dilution and enthusiasts crave driving interaction.

The other aspect is whilst the manual gearbox ratios are admittedly on the high side but less of an issue with the 718 v the 981, this is nevertheless one of Porsches best action gearboxes and rates as highly as the 991.2 GT3 for perfect weighting and action and is an absolute joy to use.

[av185]

Twinfan said:

av185 said:

Just to add on what Ts said just be wary about the imo needless and expensive additional stitching option which gives you an additional line of stitching adjoining the base of the windscreen also extending onto the end sections of the dash only visible when the doors are open. Seem to recollect this is an additional c£1250 but the major problem with it is it causes reflection in the screen esp in lighter colours.

I have all such "needless and expensive additional stitching" options on my full-on yellow GT4 and while they do reflect in the windscreen I don't notice it when driving. I'm usually concentrating more on other things, such as actually driving

My aim was to replace any plastic surfaces that I could with leather and to have maximum yellow stitching in order to make the car as special as possible. It worked for me but as with all these things YMMV of course

[Geoff39GL]

Twinfan said:

av185 said:

Just to add on what Ts said just be wary about the imo needless and expensive additional stitching option which gives you an additional line of stitching adjoining the base of the windscreen also extending onto the end sections of the dash only visible when the doors are open. Seem to recollect this is an additional c£1250 but the major problem with it is it causes reflection in the screen esp in lighter colours.

I have all such "needless and expensive additional stitching" options on my full-on yellow GT4 and while they do reflect in the windscreen I don't notice it when driving. I'm usually concentrating more on other things, such as actually driving

My aim was to replace any plastic surfaces that I could with leather and to have maximum yellow stitching in order to make the car as special as possible. It worked for me but as with all these things YMMV of course

I agree with Twinfan, I also had the extra stitching in yellow against Gentian Blue, and yellow belts, I also had full leather and carbon as imo it makes it look special. Its down to what suits you best but on a GT car I would always have a manual box and buckets. It is not as essential imo for a Spyder but particularly if you intend to keep the car for several years you do want the car to be special, your spending nearly £90K it needs to be special.
Good luck you will enjoy the car and be glad you bought it.

[mobil1]

av185 said:

Yep the carbon interior looks great with the carbon on the buckets I always spec this and it looks especially good with a lighter coloured car and lighter stitching like yellow and the white/silver variants.

One point re the gearbox there will be fewer PDKs than manual cars yes but bear in mind the option cost of c £2k the premium of which the car will command and more no problem BUT if you are keeping the car for a goid number of years whilst PDK is a great gearbox and has aged relatively well autos as a rule date far quicker than manuals as the tiptronics now show only too well. Tiptronics were of course all the rage when they first appeared and sold very well commanding a substantial premium ££ over manual but now the reverse is true. This could well continue as we move to more driving dilution and enthusiasts crave driving interaction.

The other aspect is whilst the manual gearbox ratios are admittedly on the high side but less of an issue with the 718 v the 981, this is nevertheless one of Porsches best action gearboxes and rates as highly as the 991.2 GT3 for perfect weighting and action and is an absolute joy to use.

The leather dash trim is a little cheaper on the spyder at £783. Sorry but with the carbon door trim I was referring to the door entry illuminated. It's currently the stainless steel but will change to carbon if I go with the buckets. I've opted with leather door and dash trim as on the spyder it's a free option. I'm sure that this is chargeable on some other models I have seen. I think it produces a nice clean finish to the cabin with the leather/alcantara imo. And yes, having missed out on the 981 Spyder - I was next in line at the OPC before the doors shut - it's my plan to keep this vehicle for a good few years and if they don't do the next one with an ICE engine, it ain't going nowhere! You make a good point on the manuals.

[mobil1]

Twinfan said:

av185 said:

Just to add on what Ts said just be wary about the imo needless and expensive additional stitching option which gives you an additional line of stitching adjoining the base of the windscreen also extending onto the end sections of the dash only visible when the doors are open. Seem to recollect this is an additional c£1250 but the major problem with it is it causes reflection in the screen esp in lighter colours.

I have all such "needless and expensive additional stitching" options on my full-on yellow GT4 and while they do reflect in the windscreen I don't notice it when driving. I'm usually concentrating more on other things, such as actually driving

My aim was to replace any plastic surfaces that I could with leather and to have maximum yellow stitching in order to make the car as special as possible. It worked for me but as with all these things YMMV of course

Great minds think alike! Did you also tick the door trim package in leather/race tex for £336? If so, could you tell me what this? Thanks.

[Twinfan]

mobil1 said:

Great minds think alike! Did you also tick the door trim package in leather/race tex for £336? If so, could you tell me what this? Thanks.

Yep, I have that too - like I said, I have everything! It puts more leather over the door airbag cover and around the window switches I think.

EDIT: Just checked and it seems to be some extra leather around the airbag area (not the switches) and in front of the door pocket cubby. There's also some extra alcantara in the lower section too I think.

Edited by Twinfan on Thursday 11th March 13:53

[MPorsche]

Just looking at some of these listings on AT. Sat here wondering where the trade bids are (I have a decent idea). Lets say you specced a GT4 to ~100k and took it back after a few months. You have lost VAT, right? OPC bid ~ £83/85k?.

Hate to make it all about money, but it is a factor i guess.

[jjr1]

MPorsche said:

Just looking at some of these listings on AT. Sat here wondering where the trade bids are (I have a decent idea). Lets say you specced a GT4 to ~100k and took it back after a few months. You have lost VAT, right? OPC bid ~ £83/85k?.

Hate to make it all about money, but it is a factor i guess.

The VAT is irrelevant to the price of a used car. If you buy a car new, it will have a used value but that will not be anything to do with VAT.

As for a GT4 price used, I think they are being held up intentionally by the OPC's. I am not sure how they collude but there are plenty for sale and they remain unsold for long periods. Any normal business would reduce the price of the car and get it gone and reinvest in a car where the profit is more quickly attained. This is not happening with GT4 or GTS 4.0's.

[Goldjono]

jjr1 said:

The VAT is irrelevant to the price of a used car. If you buy a car new, it will have a used value but that will not be anything to do with VAT.

As for a GT4 price used, I think they are being held up intentionally by the OPC's. I am not sure how they collude but there are plenty for sale and they remain unsold for long periods. Any normal business would reduce the price of the car and get it gone and reinvest in a car where the profit is more quickly attained. This is not happening with GT4 or GTS 4.0's.

That’s all well and good, but they aren’t getting build slots and the ones they have are being heavily delayed, just had a call and my 718 Spyder January 2021 build has now got a 2nd of April build completion, that’s the second revised completion date. I don’t think they can easily replace the stock they have, in those circumstances you don’t undersell your stock. Once the economy opens up again they’ll easily find buyers for cars they have.

[Twinfan]

Exactly. If you can afford to hang on to them the right buyer will turn up and at the moment used stock is in high demand.

It's better to sit and wait....

[mobil1]

Porsche has inherently controlled the prices of their cars and has a superb way of doing it - supply. Covid or not, they play their cards in this way and it has helped them turn into a very profitable company. In fact, if anything, covid has managed to make it worse!

[mobil1]

Twinfan said:

Yep, I have that too - like I said, I have everything! It puts more leather over the door airbag cover and around the window switches I think.

EDIT: Just checked and it seems to be some extra leather around the airbag area (not the switches) and in front of the door pocket cubby. There's also some extra alcantara in the lower section too I think.

Edited by Twinfan on Thursday 11th March 13:53

[av185]

jjr1 said:

As for a GT4 price used, I think they are being held up intentionally by the OPC's. I am not sure how they collude but there are plenty for sale and they remain unsold for long periods. Any normal business would reduce the price of the car and get it gone and reinvest in a car where the profit is more quickly attained. This is not happening with GT4 or GTS 4.0's.

Nope proper spec and priced cars are selling and as others have correctly said demand will improve further as lockdown is eased the weather improves and track season beckons. Happens every year with Porsche GTs and this year will if anything be even stronger demand as there are fewer cars around in the network.

Porsche do influence the market but only to a small degree compared to say Ferrari used.

The market broadly established used residuals ££ not the manufacturer.

[TimRV57]

Quick question: if you order the clubsport pack, do you need to ask the dealer to fit the harnesses?

And if you ask do they do that for ‘free’?

I thought I’d read something about that here before.

Thanks

[TDT]

You can ask them to do it ask part of PDI - or before you take delivery of the car.

After you take delivery - typical charge is c£600 per side.
Seat out, Firewall carpet out etc.

Edited by TDT on Thursday 11th March 21:12

[TimRV57]

Thanks. yes assumed it was a bit of work, but if you get the request in before delivery they will without grumbling?

Cheers

[MannyLon]

TimRV57 said:

Thanks. yes assumed it was a bit of work, but if you get the request in before delivery they will without grumbling?

Cheers

My dealer was charging me for it, decided to leave it..

[CDR]

Mine was delivered by Reading who were happy to install the harness ( I didn't order the passenger side harness) and fire extinguisher for free as part of the PDI.

[TimRV57]

Thanks for replies much appreciated.

Am hopeful given how much they charge for some scaffolding and a few bits of cloth they will agree to actually fit them to the car they come with for free

Will give them a call tomorrow.

[Twinfan]

MannyLon said:

My dealer was charging me for it, decided to leave it..

They shouldn't as part of PDI.

My car had both harnesses and the extinguisher fitted before collection with no additional cost to me.

As TDT says, fitting them subsequently isn't cheap as it's quite a bit of labour time.