BoxsterHopeful

Thanks guys! Good to know some dealers will take a $1000 deposit. That's what I'll offer as I shop around for a dealer to accept my offer.

mile2424

Wasn't a Spyder, but I was told $2500 for PTS Panamera in an unusual color exterior and unusual interior that was fully refundable.

Domer911

If you are serious about the car,I would shop delivered price, instead of size of deposit.

jimcabc

I put down $1000 for a base 987 Boxster about 18 mos ago. The salesman said that was their standard deposit (whatever that meant).
______________________________
2012 Dk. Blue Metalic/Black Boxster

Alan Smithee

I believe this depends on your state laws...

...my understanding is that in CA, the law protects the consumer; the dealer cannot legally keep a security deposit if the buyer walks away from an ordered car.

FWIW, I have never had a dealer ask for a deposit on an ordered car, but none have been pink. I have, however, had trouble with a dealer ordering options to my spec on more than one occasion.

Marine Blue

Thanks Alan.

When I ordered my Spyder and was negotiating price I told the salesman I would put a non refundable deposit on the car to show that I was serious. I did this to arrive at the price I wanted quickly and more importantly because I didn't want them to change anything on the order. I wonder if the issues you had may have been related to not putting a deposit on the car?

Dino944

Are you one of the guys that tried ordering a Spyder without AC and the dealer ordered the car with it anyway? Its wrong for them to do, but I'm not surprised by dealers doing that, as cars without AC are a real tough sell if a original buyer backs out.

Alan Smithee

Yes, the dealer added back the AC and the model designation delete after we negotiated a price and I was given a pro-forma. Had they asked for a deposit, I would have given them one - but I have known the salesman for years, and the subject never came up. Same dealer initially refused to order my 997 without navigation and xenons in July 2004, but relented in the end. Again, I would have gladly given a deposit, in that case to avoid the back-and-forth hassles with the order, but that was not the issue.

I lied - I put a deposit down on a Lotus Elise order when they first came out, but I gave up after many delays, got the deposit back, and went with the 997 instead.

stevecolletti

You are correct regarding California - an advantage of the nanny state.

My CR was ordered through Hennessy in Atlanta, and I didn't check the law there, since I was buying the car.

djm68

On my special ordered Cayman R, I put down 5k. I ordered it as a "stripper": no AC, no radio, and in Peridot. I did not mind the 5k deposit since I was serious about buying the car and I got something like 4% off msrp, which was shortly after the R's launch.

Cheers,
DJM

Dave I

I lost a $500 deposit from a CA dealership back in 2006 on an ordered car when I changed my mind on a 997.1S. Maybe the law has changed since then, but the dealer was not willing to budge and it wasn't worth pursuing. $5k would be another matter, though.

Edgy01

For my paint to sample Carrera S it was only $1000, and the price was over $135K.

M. Schneider

+1 Agreed. An arrangement that's worked for us in the past is a small deposit which is nonrefundable once the car has been produced, otherwise its refundable without penalty. The amount of deposit has been $500. paid thru AMEX. The deposit is more of a goodwill gesture - memorializing the order contract,,,, which could be done with a $1.

Basically should the dealership get "stuck" with the ordered unit (yeah right) the deposit contributes to the flooring cost until the unit is sold. - basically the dealership would be making money if you were to renege. Don’t take any nonsense from the car dealership….. it’s just a car. With a smile on your face take your business down the road to the next P-car dealership. It's nothing personal - it's business and your money.

BevHillsPorsche

I take between $2,500 and $20,000 deposit on a custom build.

Typically it's $2,500 but I'll ask for $5,000 if the car's of a unique enough spec that I worry about a second buyer should the car arrive and the buyer who placed the order walks away.

On a GT3 RS 4.0 I took a $20,000 deposit and that's more of the norm with a car like that where allocation is scarce and there aren't enough units to go around for everyone.

$500 deposit's don't get you custom built Porsche cars unfortunately.

Domer911

i got mine for $1,000 but I think it pays if you are a repeat customer.