Have Porsche Lost the Plot?

[AJKN]

I love my 911, but I am falling out of love with Porsche: or maybe it’s just the UK dealer network.

I can’t help but think that Porsche have lost the plot in a way that genuinely disenfranchises buyers…

I want to spec and purchase a 992 GT3 Touring. It is there on the website, I can configure the car I want. I don’t mind waiting 12 to 18 months. I am very happy to pay a hefty deposit.

So why does my local Porsche dealer, in a slightly conceited way, dismiss my enquiry in a manner that Aston Martin and Ferrari don‘t?

”Sir, these are only very limited run cars"; "it is important to keep cars in the system"; "we can only reward trusted customers”; " Wr are stopping cars being flipped”.

These all sound like corporate fig leaves for a company that can’t sort out its supply chain; failed to understand the demand for computer chips and don’t have a clear customer focused strategy.

Please feel free to disagree, or tell
me I am missing the point. Or equally tell me your a dealer who wants to sell a car to a genuine buyer! But please, Porsche Dealerships, don‘t patronise me

 

[BigCat]

Writing from personal experience, the "opportunity" to buy a GT3 seems to land on those who have purchased a significant number of Porsche cars from the same dealer so a lot of what you wrote is sadly correct except for the limited production run, which is a fact for the GT3.
However, if a dealer told you " we are stopping cars being flipped" then he/she is talking complete nonsense, out of three 992 GT3s delivered to the same OPC in 2021, mine is the only one still with the original purchaser, me after 9 months, and that's unlikely to change anytime soon as I wanted the car and I see no reason to sell it, after all what would I replace it with that delivers the same experience? Sadly I guess a high proportion of the GT3s are purchased by those who have a lot of spare cash, see their GT3 as a temporary addition to their fleet so definitely not a keeper and purchased primarily to make even more money. It's not a great situation.

 

[Lancerlot]

A number of prestige motor manufactures produce limited edition, halo cars and reserve them for favoured customers. Porsche is no exception in this respect.

Ferrari are past masters. Their recently announced Daytona SP3 has a production run of 599 units at £2.5m a pop and guess what? - they're already all sold! Even if you have £2.5mil to spend, you won't buy one unless you've been invited.

I think the difference between the two is that Ferrari tend to make these decisions at factory level, whereas Porsche leave it to individual centres based on allocation and number of chosen customers - or maybe other factors! []

A lot of us have expressed frustration over this state of affairs many times. Nevertheless this seems to be the way of the world. Often, you will be told you need to establish a rapport with your local dealer over several years, but I'm not sure how successful this ever is.

I do know it's particularly galling to be turned down in favour of those special "loyal and genuine" customers, only to find delivery mileage vehicles on sale at excessive premiums later! []

I suspect your main beef is the way you've been treated. It's all down to individual centres as most are independent traders. Some value customer service highly - others not so much.

Regards,


Clive

 

[AJKN]

@BigCat I wish it were as simple as ‘a lot‘ of cars… but even when I asked that Q, the dealer was "it’s not that simple”

 

[AJKN]

@Lancerlot,

If I were really sceptical, I might begin to think that some dealers only sold cars to people they’re expected to flip them, so they could all share in the upside!

Maybe a lonely heart ad "genuine 911 lover seeks GT3 Touring for long term relationship” might work.

 

[AndrewCS]

I might begin to think that some dealers only sold cars to people they’re expected to flip them, so they could all share in the upside!

Yep ... I recently had first hand experience of this

Dealer stock low / showroom bare - dealer calls preferred customers with unused / stored `halo` cars asking if they wish to sell - dealer either buys outright or takes in on `sale or return` and hey presto ... a showroom full of shiny, low / negligible mileage cars at inflated prices

I ask for a new allocation in order to save £25k - £30k on their `fresh` stock, you can easily guess their response !

 

[AJKN]

@AndrewCS

I wouldn’t mind, but we aren’t talking about a £2m hyper car here either, with a unique run of 25 vehicles.


Keen to hear from any franchise Porsche dealers able to contribute to the thread.

 

[Schuey]

I'm very unhappy too with Porsche, comms are terrible from the point you place an order to now. My car (992 GTS) has been sat at the port in Emden (GER) for 2 weeks and 2 days now, no one can tell me if my car has boarded a vehicle carrier or not, apparently my dealer has contacted Porsche GB HQ's everyday over the last 3 days and their systems are not giving them any information regards to this either. It's making me very anxious indeed, it's been 15 months since I placed my deposit and order and I still don't have my car. This is officially going to be my first Porsche and what should have been the best car buying experience, it is turning out to be the complete opposite. Not once have I felt welcomed to the brand or made to feel special. It's almost like they know the product is so good that it sells itself, so there is a level of arrogance that we don't care about keeping customers in the loop and well informed. Well and truly cheesed off, really starting to get me down this is because this is a car I should have had back in March 2022, if my dealers original estimate based on their systems was anything to go by.

It's getting painful because it's really close, and I feel like this last bit is torture, because I know it's built, I've received the production line pics and have a VIN number too. Just want to know where my car is and when it's going to arrive. It was supposed to have arrived today at the dealers and was booked in for PPF next week. Messed up all my plans and a trip to Germany with my friends, I'm so annoyed. Sometimes I feel angry, sometimes sad, it's bloody stupid that a grown man is feeling like this over a car, but because it's supposed to be me fulfilling a lifelong dream in getting a brand new 911, it was all meant to be extra special.

 

[AJKN]

Schuey,

It sounds extraordinarily frustrating. Porsche snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!!

I am sure the car will be fabulous when it arrives though. Please do feedback to Porsche and your dealer how crap the experience is.


The lack of customer attention can only translate into the cars in the long run!!

enjoy the car

 

[Laurence71]

I ask myself, why do I want a Porsche 911. Not an Aston, or Ferrari, or Lamborghini or even an Audi R8. Well, it’s the one. The ultimate Sports Car. Usable every day, fun when you want to push on and it holds its value.


i thought thought I wanted a GT3, but it was the opportunity to own a car for x time and get my money back plus some.

if you want a track car then fill your boots. If you are lucky enough that this is your second or third car then I applaud you.


Mine is a daily. 21000 miles in 2.5 years and I wanted to do more. its a machine that needs to be driven and I love every minute.

The world has changed. It’s less instant. Sit back, wait for your car to arrive. Enjoy it. From my limited experience, if it’s a Carrera or GT3 or anything in between it will be bloody good.

All manufacturers are struggling. Porsche are no different.

 

[Scrounger]

@shuey

There have been 3 days of strike action at Emden over the last 2-3 weeks hence nothing moving. Sadly the dealer and Porsche UK won't have any updates until it actually gets on the boat.

Dan

 

[LordMarcher]

As a first time new 911 buyer I’d agree with much of the above criticism of the system which seems to give preferential treatment to certain buyers over others.
I ordered my 992 GTS in August 21. I was originally having racing yellow but after seeing it on the road I decided it was not me. Finally decided on PTS Amethyst and resigned myself to the longer wait.
The OPC called me in June 22 to tell me I’d got a build slot in September. At this point the order was still racing yellow. This also is after I’d seen people on pistonheads forums receiving delivery of their cars in April/May who only ordered well after me.
In the meeting with the OPC to lock the spec I was told delivery would go out to November with the PTS spec.
Im now reading on forums that all PTS cars have been postponed until 2023. Don’t know if this is true or if it’s rumour propagated by unscrupulous flippers with PTS cars to sell over market value.
if it is true then it will be interesting to see how long it takes the OPC to tell me.
I’m not impatient or particularly upset as I realise part of the issue is my own fault for speccing a PTS colour. However, with a 992.2 car due in 2023, it’s annoying that my £150k+ car will be an outdated model by the time I receive it and the speculators who flipped their 992.1 GTS early this year will now be first in line to receive an early 992.2 car to flip while mine is devalued…..and so the cycle repeats. ??

 

[checkers]

I rather feel OPCs are very happy with the current situation and are actively encouraged by Reading HQ
I have been a so called loyal customer
for 15 years but keep the cars a reasonable time and change when
the balance of age/mileage dictates say
3/4 year. This has got me absolutely
no ability to get near a GT3 allocation
while two cars sit in the showroom
around £80/95 k over list

 

[LordMarcher]

I had the same story when I enquired about a GT3.
The salesman didn’t beat about the bush. Not even an illusion of a fair waiting list. He said "we have customers who buy upwards of 5 cars a year from us and we can’t even get them a GT3 so there‘s not much chance”.
Im sure the 5 cars a year guys are just flipping them. I mean, I’d buy 5 cars a year on finance myself and flip them if they’d give them to me.
A good little sideline isn’t it.

 

[TonyJW]

The proposed flotation may well have skewed the production towards higher spec/higher margin versions. Hopefully now the flotation is imminent Porsche will get back to their order list and build other versions that have been on order for longer than many GTS versions that have already been delivered. For example a quick look just now on Autotrader for 2022 reg cars shows 26 GTS for sale and just 1 Carrera S.

 

[LordMarcher]

Well my Targa 4 GTS was build completed on 12th February. OPC dealer contacted me to tell me he should have it in the showroom in a couple of weeks if all goes well.
Here we are over 5 weeks later and the car is still in Germany showing as "In Transit” on the Porsche system but the OPC doesn’t know if it’s at the factory, at the port or anywhere in between.
The OPC are very apologetic and even sound embarrassed by the incompetence of the network and lack of information. To the OPC‘s credit they have offered to cover the cost of having the wheels painted when it arrives by way of placating my obvious frustration.
I am not angry with the dealer but am very angry and disappointed with Porsche Germany. How they get repeat customers with service like this I have no idea.
I’m looking forward to receiving the car, eventually, hopefully, but there’s not a chance I Hell I will ever order another one, no chance. This is the first and last time I will make the mistake of ordering a new Porsche.

 

[mikegibson]

@Lancerlot,

If I were really sceptical, I might begin to think that some dealers only sold cars to people they’re expected to flip them, so they could all share in the upside!

Maybe a lonely heart ad "genuine 911 lover seeks GT3 Touring for long term relationship” might work.

I don't think that is remotely sceptical. The evidence is on the Porsche Used inventory. Plenty of GT cars being flipped "in the system".

 

[AndrewCS]

With sales as they are I can`t see anyone in and associated with Porsche giving a sh.t about anything or anybody

My recent first hand experiences have certainly left me cold and contemplating official complaints but given how OPC`s and Reading fumble excuses / replies I doubt that it`s worth it !

Perhaps the move towards further electrification will see a dent in their attitudes and profits !

 

[dkm2103]

Hello all. I really subscribe to the same as everyone is feeling on the forum about the lack of 'feeling special" given the prestige nature of Porsche. For me I wanted it to be about the experience and the sense of achievement and pride - I am sure everyone here works dam hard, so it should be a special occasion and journey. Far from it I am afraid, for the fear of repeating everything already stated. I did have aspirations of a GT3 Touring, but really didn't get to the discussion about a configuration and potential order.
More of a fool I opted for a Targa GTS and am still waiting for it some 15 months since order. But what did annoy me is having bought the exact same number of cars from the dealership, The gent who runs the youtube channel "Seen Through Glass" was called by the dealer to see if he wanted to secure a GT3 Touring (which he picked up a couple months back) its all there to watch (by his own admission , he'd only purchased 2 cars from them). Again, a different dealership in this case , Matt Watson gets an allocation for a GT3 RS and I think by his own admission has only ever owned a 996! Both videos are up on YouTube detailing their whole experience. Am I jealous of them, not in the slightest , I really hope they love the cars. Am i annoyed that Porsche take advantage of us in that we help make their numbers so they can sell to high vis YouTubers the limited editions we all covet, yes very much indeed.

 

[checkers]

I came to the conclusion that you either buy into the Porsche ownership dream
that is perpetually pushed by OPC’s or
the rather more grounded view that it
reflects a successful advertising model
based on racing pedigree.
It’s not that long ago my local OPC
had 911’s for sale. The very fact they
are subject to long build times now makes them more desirable .