Planet 9

***Stephen_the_Red*** · #1 12-14-2008, 07:17 AM

About to place order for custom build with premier dealership with great reputation (both word-of-mouth and personal experience, for sales/services/parts/customer care). Here are the specs:

2009 Cayman S, build date late March 2009.

Options:
Malachite Green Metallic H1
Full Leather TG
Floor Mats, Interior color 810
Heated Front Seats 342
Seat Ventilation 541
Power Seat Package P15
Porsche Crest in Headrest XSC
Sports Chrono Package Plus 640
Bose Surround Sound 680
XM Radio 686
6-Disc CD/DVD changer in PCM 693
Universal Interface (iPod/USB) 870
PCM 3.0 incl Extended Navigation P23
PDK 250
Rear Wiper 425
PASM 475
Self-dimming mirrors & rain sensor P12
Bi-Xenon w/ dynamic cornering P75
18" Cayman S II Wheels 409
Wheel caps w/ colored crest 446
Automatic Climate Control 573
Rear Luggage Partition 580
LED Door Storage Lighting CEF
Foot Rest, Aluminum XXZ
3-Spoke MultiFx Steering for PDK 844
Painted Model Designation CUC
Door Entry Guards, Stainless, Illum CXB
Delete Model Designation 498

True, this puts MSRP at something north of $87K. (Yes, I realize for this money I could get a stripped down 911. But not a Cayman, is it?

)

Dealer wants $15K as deposit to place the order, which works out to 17% or so. We have not discussed final purchase price; it would be nice to get a discount but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Just an FYI item for readers...

Froggy · #2 12-14-2008, 07:32 AM

I placed an order for a custom CS back in July, only $70K, and the dealer asked for $1K deposit.

lspain · #3 12-14-2008, 07:35 AM

Wow, what a car! I'll be very interested in the ultimate purchase price.

Your option list is quite extensive. My only comment is reserved for the rear wiper. I live in Florida where it is quite wet in the summer and I can not recall a single occasion where my vision was obscured out of the rear window.

**KS-CS** · #4 12-14-2008, 07:50 AM

Wow, what an option list!

I'm with you, after owning a CS, even if I had the money for a 911, I would probably just buy a nicer CS.

What color is the interior going to be?

**tach miami** · #5 12-14-2008, 08:26 AM

The $15k deposit is only a problem if you sign the contract for it to be non-refundable.

The dealer wants the big deposit because if you bail he could have a hard time selling the car. It reached a price level and has a combination of options that maybe only you would want.

***Stephen_the_Red*** · #6 12-14-2008, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by lspain

...My only comment is reserved for the rear wiper. I live in Florida where it is quite wet in the summer and I can not recall a single occasion where my vision was obscured out of the rear window.

I know - the sales consultant asked about that also. I live & work in Houston. Sometimes we get thunderstorms just as I'm leaving work. Also (advance warning of car neglect...) I will have to park the car outside both at home and at the office, so it will accumulate dew/condensation on most evenings and dirt/dust during the day. I'm thinking the rear wiper will help keep the back window clear.

Forgot to include at least two non-Porsche options: clear bra (don't know which one yet) and ceramic window tinting. I was impressed that the saleman knew exactly what I was talking about re: ceramic.

beez · #7 12-14-2008, 09:42 AM

Don't fear the rear wiper - I love mine, and use it just enough to justify it. The car usually is in the garage, but when I take it on cross-country trips or to overnight competition events, it gets parked outside, and it really does help clearing either overnight rain or dew off the window quickly.

Also, looking at your option list, I'm wondering why you're paying $180 to have the model designation painted body color, and then deleting it.

brad

**DaveC** · #8 12-14-2008, 09:48 AM

Seems like a large deposit. I would expect 10% at most. It's your local dealer, right? I may have remembered this incorrectly, but I think when you tick the model designation in exterior color it automatically checks the model designation delete (NC).

**engnr1** · #9 12-14-2008, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Stephen_the_Red

Dealer wants $15K as deposit to place the order, which works out to 17% or so. We have not discussed final purchase price; it would be nice to get a discount but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Just an FYI item for readers...

Good lord. $1k was what I deposited, they asked for 2k to begin with but settled for 1k. Lots of nice options but make sure one doesn't cancel out the other like the example above on the model designation. I realize the economy is not 100% and you will probably put a big down payment (I eventually did 12.4k plus my trade), but make sure you are protected in some way on the 15k just in case something happens. It will be earning somebody interest somewhere, it might as well be yours rather than theirs.

beez · #10 12-14-2008, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by DaveC

I may have remembered this incorrectly, but I think when you tick the model designation in exterior color it automatically checks the model designation delete (NC).

That would make sense - they delete it for the assembly, then it's added to the car in the "exclusive" area. Thanks for pointing that out.

brad

**blueone** · #11 12-14-2008, 10:01 AM

I'm not surprised they want a big deposit; that would be a car with a rather limited appeal if you walked away, especially in this market. That puppy might be in inventory for awhile. You even picked an unusual color.

I hope you're planning on keeping it for a long time, because as some folks I know have found out the hard way with newer Porsches, options seem to be worth about ten cents on the dollar when you sell or trade. Of course, I'm making that number up, but someone I met trying to sell an '06 CS that had an MSRP of ~$74K is thinking it's zero cents on the dollar. (He's pretty annoyed.)

silberrosa · #12 12-14-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by blueone

I'm not surprised they want a big deposit; that would be a car with a rather limited appeal if you walked away, especially in this market. That puppy might be in inventory for awhile. You even picked an unusual color.

I hope you're planning on keeping it for a long time, because as some folks I know have found out the hard way with newer Porsches, options seem to be worth about ten cents on the dollar when you sell or trade. Of course, I'm making that number up, but someone I met trying to sell an '06 CS that had an MSRP of ~$74K is thinking it's zero cents on the dollar. (He's pretty annoyed.)

I agree with blueone's points. I deposited only $2K on an $80+K car, and was rather surprised that the dealer required only that small an amount. The dealer is simply protecting his interests by asking $15K. The down side is that it is probably non-refundable on cancellation of the order. If it were refundable, there would be no reason for the dealer to require this amount. It would probably be very difficult for a dealer to sell a Cayman at a 911 price in this economic climate, even though most of us here would understand!:

ezmoney · #13 12-14-2008, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Stephen_the_Red

I know - the sales consultant asked about that also. I live & work in Houston. Sometimes we get thunderstorms just as I'm leaving work. Also (advance warning of car neglect...) I will have to park the car outside both at home and at the office, so it will accumulate dew/condensation on most evenings and dirt/dust during the day. I'm thinking the rear wiper will help keep the back window clear.

Forgot to include at least two non-Porsche options: clear bra (don't know which one yet) and ceramic window tinting. I was impressed that the saleman knew exactly what I was talking about re: ceramic.

I was at Detailing Dynamics in Mineola, NY yesterday. Detailing Dynamics is considered one of the premier detailers in the NY Metro area. Matt, the owner of Detailing Dynamics, has tried all of the clear bra materials and swears by 3M. He says it does have a little 'orange peel' color but that it holds up much better than the other brands. It can even be buffed with an orbital or a rotary buffer. Matt says if you do that with the other brands of clear bra material and you'll be replacing the clear bra.

ezmoney · #14 12-14-2008, 11:11 AM

Here are some pictures that PistolPete13 posted yesterday showing Matt using an orbital buffer on a 911's 3M clear bra.

Originally Posted by PistolPete13

Matt showing the group the effectiveness of their propiertry polish with a Cyclo random orbital.

cs-slik · #15 12-14-2008, 01:42 PM

Great configuration, congratulations. If I may suggest, since you already have the Sports Chrono+ and PDK, LSD would be the final touch.

***Stephen_the_Red*** · #16 12-14-2008, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by beez

Don't fear the rear wiper...really does help clearing either overnight rain or dew off the window quickly...wondering why you're paying $180 to have the model designation painted body color, and then deleting it.
brad

Originally Posted by DaveC

...It's your local dealer, right?...when you tick the model designation in exterior color it automatically checks the model designation delete (NC).

Beez - exactly right about reason for wiper. Thanks!

Beez and DaveC - yes, when you get model designation in exterior color, it does model designation delete automatically. (Always been that way on the Car Configurator, too.) Reason I guess is that "default" model designation color is dark gray (titanium).

Just found out the two special guys in my life are chipping in together to pay for Malachite Green, Sport Chrono Plus and iPod/USB options. Late 49th and early 50th birthday presents. Yes, I consider myself very lucky.

**AJK** · #17 12-14-2008, 02:33 PM

I would be concerned that the dealer would be in business in March, '09. I would look into some kind of escrow account. $15K is too much money to put at risk in this economy.

gtscayman · #18 12-14-2008, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by beez

Don't fear the rear wiper

brad

That's a good one! Gets my vote for line of the rear, er, I mean year!

***Stephen_the_Red*** · #19 12-14-2008, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by blueone

...You even picked an unusual color.

I hope you're planning on keeping it for a long time...

Yes, wanted unusual color because it is unusual. Boys and I are partial to blues/greens, already have a 2008 911 Turbo in Cobalt Blue. Racing Green was too dark except in sunlight. And yes, expecting to keep it a long time - after all, keeping my 2001 Volvo S60 T5, and have a 1975 Porsche 914 1.8. We've quit 'churning' cars in my households.

***Stephen_the_Red*** · #20 12-14-2008, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by AJK

I would be concerned that the dealer would be in business in March, '09...

Don't expect that is a problem. They have been a premier dealer for multiple years, part of a large auto group that covers a wide range of mostly foreign marques - Volvo and above.

Thanks for the point about an escrow account - I'll ask Monday!!