Discussion
just been told that my car is a C16, by the OPC.....!
Anyone know what this means? Apparently it's not a grey import, but it's still an import.
It's also a UK Spec car - so I'm very
Can anyone shed some light on what this means?
No mention of it when I did the Experion car check though.......
Anyone know what this means? Apparently it's not a grey import, but it's still an import.
It's also a UK Spec car - so I'm very
Can anyone shed some light on what this means?
No mention of it when I did the Experion car check though.......
Edited by clarkeyjnr on Sunday 28th January 15:28
Wouldn't worry about it,,,I bought a full uk spec C16 car from Porsche Zentrum Hamburg...I sold it privately and months after it appeared on a UK OPC forecourt with no mention of it being a non Uk supplied car and priced the same as any equivalent car.
They may try to offer you less on their idea of a technicality in the evnt of a px etc...
They may try to offer you less on their idea of a technicality in the evnt of a px etc...
C16 (as listed on the sticker under the front lid and on the identical sticker in the service book) means the car was built for the UK market. What the dealer is possibly/probably saying is that it wasn't imported by Porsche Cars GB but privately or by an independent dealer. Check the service book; who did the pre delivery inspection?
I bought the car privately and the guy said that the original book had been lost. Because the new book had the majority of stamps in it and it had an extended Porsche warranty (it still does) I didn't think any more about it...... off to have a look under the bonnet now though!
So it's not a huge issue then???
So it's not a huge issue then???
C16 means it was built to uk specification, but not necessarily a UK car (ie officially imported by Porsche Cars Great Britain and supplied from new by a uk OPC).
The disadvantage with an unofficial import (C16 or other) is that there is limited redress through the uk franchisees in the event of certain issues. They will happily service the car and honour the factory 2-year warranty, and most people will never know the difference. But, if problems arise, outside of warranty and you are looking for a sympathetic warranty claim, or issues arise under the sale of goods act or you have a non-merchantable quality claim, etc, then your rights of redress are often through the original sales channels.
I know this form a case we were involved in a few years ago, and there have been several instances of this and other forums, where Porsche Cars Great Britain have not provided the same level of automatic support that they do to officially imported cars.
I should add that you may never have a problem, but you should certainly maintain the extended warranty.
The disadvantage with an unofficial import (C16 or other) is that there is limited redress through the uk franchisees in the event of certain issues. They will happily service the car and honour the factory 2-year warranty, and most people will never know the difference. But, if problems arise, outside of warranty and you are looking for a sympathetic warranty claim, or issues arise under the sale of goods act or you have a non-merchantable quality claim, etc, then your rights of redress are often through the original sales channels.
I know this form a case we were involved in a few years ago, and there have been several instances of this and other forums, where Porsche Cars Great Britain have not provided the same level of automatic support that they do to officially imported cars.
I should add that you may never have a problem, but you should certainly maintain the extended warranty.
Edited by Geneve on Sunday 28th January 16:08
There's nothing to worry about. I bought a UK car in Geramany from an OPC, sold it in the UK to a UK OPC - no problems whatsoever because it's the same car as in the OPC showrooms (as explained by the UK OPC). UK OPC explained that C16 cars were exactly the same as he was selling in the showroom and worth exactly the same because it was EXACTLY that - a UK car 
The car was built for the UK. The only difference was that I picked it up at a Germany OPC instead of it being shipped to a UK OPC. Saved me a bag of money with minimal depreciation over nearly 4 years of ownership
There is no problem with the warranty whatsoever because it's the same warranty you would get in the UK. In fact it's the same warranty acroos all of the EU. UK OPCs will perform warranty work without problem because they simply reclaim the costs from Porsche Germany.
There are many on this forum people who have little or no knowledge about UK cars bought in other European countries. They have no experience of buying a UK car abroad. They can't be arsed to do a little work to save a load of money for the same car. I've done it and it was very easy
The car was built for the UK. The only difference was that I picked it up at a Germany OPC instead of it being shipped to a UK OPC. Saved me a bag of money with minimal depreciation over nearly 4 years of ownership There is no problem with the warranty whatsoever because it's the same warranty you would get in the UK. In fact it's the same warranty acroos all of the EU. UK OPCs will perform warranty work without problem because they simply reclaim the costs from Porsche Germany.
There are many on this forum people who have little or no knowledge about UK cars bought in other European countries. They have no experience of buying a UK car abroad. They can't be arsed to do a little work to save a load of money for the same car. I've done it and it was very easy
Edited by silver993tt on Sunday 28th January 18:45
Edited by silver993tt on Sunday 28th January 18:47
And OPC's re-sell import cars whenever it suits them.
The older the car the less difference it will make because:
1. Porsche Reading would, even if a UK car purchased new from an OPC, consider it outside their generosity time frame which in certain cases can extend beyond the two year warranty --- although in fairness to Porsche Reading, I bought a C16 Boxster secondhand and they fixed the handbrake FOC at 30 months old. Thankyou Porsche.
2. OPC's would in any event not re-sell the car themselves, they would simply trade it on to a specialist Porsche dealer.
Understadably Porsche UK just don't like paying out o a car they did not profit from selling, but they will honour the terms of the Porsche extended warranty as they profit from this.
So, no problem.
The older the car the less difference it will make because:
1. Porsche Reading would, even if a UK car purchased new from an OPC, consider it outside their generosity time frame which in certain cases can extend beyond the two year warranty --- although in fairness to Porsche Reading, I bought a C16 Boxster secondhand and they fixed the handbrake FOC at 30 months old. Thankyou Porsche.
2. OPC's would in any event not re-sell the car themselves, they would simply trade it on to a specialist Porsche dealer.
Understadably Porsche UK just don't like paying out o a car they did not profit from selling, but they will honour the terms of the Porsche extended warranty as they profit from this.
So, no problem.
ChrisW. said:
And OPC's re-sell import cars whenever it suits them.
The older the car the less difference it will make because:
1. Porsche Reading would, even if a UK car purchased new from an OPC, consider it outside their generosity time frame which in certain cases can extend beyond the two year warranty --- although in fairness to Porsche Reading, I bought a C16 Boxster secondhand and they fixed the handbrake FOC at 30 months old. Thankyou Porsche.
2. OPC's would in any event not re-sell the car themselves, they would simply trade it on to a specialist Porsche dealer.
Understadably Porsche UK just don't like paying out o a car they did not profit from selling, but they will honour the terms of the Porsche extended warranty as they profit from this.
So, no problem.
The older the car the less difference it will make because:
1. Porsche Reading would, even if a UK car purchased new from an OPC, consider it outside their generosity time frame which in certain cases can extend beyond the two year warranty --- although in fairness to Porsche Reading, I bought a C16 Boxster secondhand and they fixed the handbrake FOC at 30 months old. Thankyou Porsche.
2. OPC's would in any event not re-sell the car themselves, they would simply trade it on to a specialist Porsche dealer.
Understadably Porsche UK just don't like paying out o a car they did not profit from selling, but they will honour the terms of the Porsche extended warranty as they profit from this.
So, no problem.
They also profit from all of the servicing which is the lucrative part of their business
My 996 "C4S" is a c32 from cyprus and was sold by an OPC so its what suits them at the time.
It is also sold with an OPC warranty.
Depends on the spec also i thin.
High spec 996 "C4S" black/black with nav and sports exhaust,who cares where it was originally designated to go.
Its here now and people would want to buy it.
End of.......
The are all made in stuttgart,they dont make any in Reading.
Its all a load of old horseshit about C16 spec.
Does anyone actually know what is C16 spec ?
Every Porsche on earth is individually specced anyway.
You can have a crap spec Reading supplied car or a great spec somewhere else supplied car or maybe a combo of the two.
I'd always be interested in the particular car itself.
I'd challenge anyone to say what a C16 uk supplied car has got over and above a C16 german supplied car from say Frankfurt or the actual franchise in Stuttgart.
All the same.
I think a C32 has to have an extra horn added to be Cat 1 alarm.
And dont forget you dont have to sell to OPC.
Try independent dealers.
They definitely dont discriminate between the two.
It is also sold with an OPC warranty.
Depends on the spec also i thin.
High spec 996 "C4S" black/black with nav and sports exhaust,who cares where it was originally designated to go.
Its here now and people would want to buy it.
End of.......
The are all made in stuttgart,they dont make any in Reading.
Its all a load of old horseshit about C16 spec.
Does anyone actually know what is C16 spec ?
Every Porsche on earth is individually specced anyway.
You can have a crap spec Reading supplied car or a great spec somewhere else supplied car or maybe a combo of the two.
I'd always be interested in the particular car itself.
I'd challenge anyone to say what a C16 uk supplied car has got over and above a C16 german supplied car from say Frankfurt or the actual franchise in Stuttgart.
All the same.
I think a C32 has to have an extra horn added to be Cat 1 alarm.
And dont forget you dont have to sell to OPC.
Try independent dealers.
They definitely dont discriminate between the two.
Edited by sherman klump on Monday 29th January 19:47
I am not sure about Porsche but I know on other cars such as Ford, a Cyrpous car would be different to a UK car that would be different to a South African car.
When I say different, I don't mean if it has aircon as standard but in the spec of engine components. The reason is that tolerances and settings for different countries are based on the climate and the types of roads e.g. higher temperature climates Vs colder climates, dusty roads Vs good tarmac roads.
It wouldn't surprise me if Porsche is the same, having different settings for different countries hence the model designation of C16 etc.
When I say different, I don't mean if it has aircon as standard but in the spec of engine components. The reason is that tolerances and settings for different countries are based on the climate and the types of roads e.g. higher temperature climates Vs colder climates, dusty roads Vs good tarmac roads.
It wouldn't surprise me if Porsche is the same, having different settings for different countries hence the model designation of C16 etc.
All the accessory codes are shown on the build label under the bonnet.
All cars have the same corrosion warranty.
All cars have the same aircon.
All Stuttgart cars of a type are built on the same production line.
I also have a C98 and nobody has ever been able to tell me what accessory codes have been of a different spec to C16. Somebody suggested that the alrm might be a slightly different spec, but I have a high end tracker type system fitted anyway.
As an aside, I can tell you that on the 996 the standard C16 spec included leather seats, tinted windscreen and rear wiper.
For the 997 spec, they left off the rear wiper !
The only favours you miss may be from Porsche Reading, don't expect any favours from the OPC's in general --- they have overheads !
All cars have the same corrosion warranty.
All cars have the same aircon.
All Stuttgart cars of a type are built on the same production line.
I also have a C98 and nobody has ever been able to tell me what accessory codes have been of a different spec to C16. Somebody suggested that the alrm might be a slightly different spec, but I have a high end tracker type system fitted anyway.
As an aside, I can tell you that on the 996 the standard C16 spec included leather seats, tinted windscreen and rear wiper.
For the 997 spec, they left off the rear wiper !
The only favours you miss may be from Porsche Reading, don't expect any favours from the OPC's in general --- they have overheads !
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