So...Anyone order a 2013-981 yet ??
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From: Oklahoma City
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Chapel Hill, NC
Eduardo, thanks (your reply #71 to my earlier post).
I was involved in the electronics industry, where suppliers maintained stock of components in a dedicated area of the factory - the manufacturer "pulled" parts from supplier's inventory. the supplier had to deal with the supply chain issues, so the manufacturer would have incredibly great inventory turnover. That said, i agree that the entire system (Porsche plus subcontractors) is more efficient to if the customer preorders as you described. (and i didnt think how much of a European car is pieced together from a zillion subcontractors.) Of course, it is also very efficient (for a grocery, let's say) to have one checkout line, and 50 customers waiting. the cashier is always busy, hence he/she is 100% efficient.
all that said, my 981 is due late this week or early next week. and the AUdi that was my trade-in was rear-ended this morning. i suppose if i had to be rear-ended, it was better in that car than in the 981.
I was involved in the electronics industry, where suppliers maintained stock of components in a dedicated area of the factory - the manufacturer "pulled" parts from supplier's inventory. the supplier had to deal with the supply chain issues, so the manufacturer would have incredibly great inventory turnover. That said, i agree that the entire system (Porsche plus subcontractors) is more efficient to if the customer preorders as you described. (and i didnt think how much of a European car is pieced together from a zillion subcontractors.) Of course, it is also very efficient (for a grocery, let's say) to have one checkout line, and 50 customers waiting. the cashier is always busy, hence he/she is 100% efficient.
all that said, my 981 is due late this week or early next week. and the AUdi that was my trade-in was rear-ended this morning. i suppose if i had to be rear-ended, it was better in that car than in the 981.
Last edited by cabriolet; Oct 2, 2012 at 10:16 PM. Reason: typos
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i'm trying to understand the time lapse between the date i ordered my 981 (first Porsche in the family!) and the date it's delivered. after the order date, there was about a three week window for changes to the order, after which the car is "frozen" for production. the car is not expected for nearly 2 more months. since i remember hearing that it takes about 75 labor hours to build a benz (and 30 for a camry), i can't imagine it taking more than a few days for my car to transit the production line (and perhaps 2 weeks from factory to dealer, by sailboat.) since nothing on the car is non-standard, why is the window for alterations set so far ahead of production?
(none of this is a question about allocations, and backlog orders. I understand that my order has entered a queue in Zuffenhausen, and i will have to wait my turn for production; but why freeze the specs so far in advance?)
(none of this is a question about allocations, and backlog orders. I understand that my order has entered a queue in Zuffenhausen, and i will have to wait my turn for production; but why freeze the specs so far in advance?)
To answer your specific question, Cabriolet. Besides the approx. month it takes from end of production in Germany to arrival at your dealership in the United States, the build of a Porsche today at Zuffenhausen is a very complex production process! It involves literally hundreds of outside suppliers making parts & fully assembled components for your 981 at their own separate facilities (some outside Germany) and delivering them 'just in time' for your specific built as it rolls along the assembly line. That is why the window for changes is frozen so far ahead of your car's actual production date. The logistics of coordinating all of the individual parts needed for each particular vehicle from so many suppliers & locations and to arrive at the factory only 'as needed' is simply daunting!
This was not always the case. When I first toured the Porsche factory in 1981, most of the major components were already warehoused at Zuffenhausen ahead of production or built/assembled in-house during the process. Over the years, inefficiencies were detected and the Board asked a team of ex-Toyota production consultants to study the build practices at Porsche. The result was a massive overhaul that led to the 'just in time' concept and the massive use of outside contractors to assist in the production process using the latest 'thinking' in the world of efficient automobile assembly line technologies!
So even the most standard cookie cutter spec'ed 981 is impacted by the longer 'lead' times due to out-sourcing. But I will touch on how all of this 'just in time' subcontracting FURTHER impacts 'customization' of your Porsche in a thread I am currently doing in this forum entitled 'Custom Ordering a 981, Porsche Exclusive and You!'.
Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
This was not always the case. When I first toured the Porsche factory in 1981, most of the major components were already warehoused at Zuffenhausen ahead of production or built/assembled in-house during the process. Over the years, inefficiencies were detected and the Board asked a team of ex-Toyota production consultants to study the build practices at Porsche. The result was a massive overhaul that led to the 'just in time' concept and the massive use of outside contractors to assist in the production process using the latest 'thinking' in the world of efficient automobile assembly line technologies!
So even the most standard cookie cutter spec'ed 981 is impacted by the longer 'lead' times due to out-sourcing. But I will touch on how all of this 'just in time' subcontracting FURTHER impacts 'customization' of your Porsche in a thread I am currently doing in this forum entitled 'Custom Ordering a 981, Porsche Exclusive and You!'.
Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
Eduardo, thanks (your reply #71 to my earlier post).
I was involved in the electronics industry, where suppliers maintained stock of components in a dedicated area of the factory - the manufacturer "pulled" parts from supplier's inventory. the supplier had to deal with the supply chain issues, so the manufacturer would have incredibly great inventory turnover. That said, i agree that the entire system (Porsche plus subcontractors) is more efficient to if the customer preorders as you described. (and i didnt think how much of a European car is pieced together from a zillion subcontractors.) Of course, it is also very efficient (for a grocery, let's say) to have one checkout line, and 50 customers waiting. the cashier is always busy, hence he/she is 100% efficient.
all that said, my 981 is due late this week or early next week. and the AUdi that was my trade-in was rear-ended this morning. i suppose if i had to be rear-ended, it was better in that car than in the 981.
I was involved in the electronics industry, where suppliers maintained stock of components in a dedicated area of the factory - the manufacturer "pulled" parts from supplier's inventory. the supplier had to deal with the supply chain issues, so the manufacturer would have incredibly great inventory turnover. That said, i agree that the entire system (Porsche plus subcontractors) is more efficient to if the customer preorders as you described. (and i didnt think how much of a European car is pieced together from a zillion subcontractors.) Of course, it is also very efficient (for a grocery, let's say) to have one checkout line, and 50 customers waiting. the cashier is always busy, hence he/she is 100% efficient.
all that said, my 981 is due late this week or early next week. and the AUdi that was my trade-in was rear-ended this morning. i suppose if i had to be rear-ended, it was better in that car than in the 981.
Saludos,
Eduardo
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