Gus_Smedstad

Let's get real here. Everyone here knows that Porsche makes a boatload of money off options, and overcharges for many of them. Does anyone seriously believe it requires "engineering" or "quality control" to paint your key blue? Or that it costs them $530 to do so?

A number of the modern features such as LCA which are options on 911s are standard equipment on $30k SUVs. That doesn't stop us from buying the cars, but most of us do it with open eyes instead of making excuses for Porsche.

If you're bored, don't read the topic. Or spend your time making unpleasant replies to someone who genuinely has questions about what leather options are really visible.

911BOSS

I was interested to know exactly what is included in the "rear tunnel/console" upgrade? I was considering this because it provides a real leather console armrest implying the standard one is leatherette. The ones you can order from Suncoast in real leather are $1000.00. This makes the $1200.00 factory parts sound reasonable.

Has anyone added this to their build? Thanks

bkrantz

According to the build site, here is the content of the "leather interior" package:
- Front seat centers, seat bolsters, headrests and backrest shells
- Steering wheel rim and airbag module
- Gearshift lever or PDK gear selector
- Center console storage compartment lid and side section
- Dashboard top incl. instrument cluster cover
- Dashboard bottom incl. glove compartment lid
- Door handles, armrests and paneling incl. top section
- Door panel inserts
- Rear seat centers, bolsters and side paneling
- Rear center tunnel cover
- A-pillar (Cabriolet)

Looks like the center console cover is leather, along with some other things people have suggested as extras.

911BOSS

Thanks for the breakout of the full leather interior option. Looks like you are mostly paying for stiching on the rear tiunnel, not an upgrade to the center console lid. You just saved me $1200.00.

Noah Fect

I have the leather interior and 'additional package' (dashboard trim) on my 981BS, along with the instrument surround and steering column casing.

The latter two are kind of goofy considering their price but I appreciate them more than I thought I would, especially when I visit the dealer and compare the standard interiors that most 981s and 718s tend to come with. Opinions will vary but I think the line of good taste can safely be drawn there, before getting into the fusebox covers and A/C vents and whatever. The 911s obviously have a lot more surface areas to cover; I have no clue what works there.

It makes sense to get the standard leather package in any case because it's not 100% clear whether they're still using the same defective adhesive or process on the upper door panels that is causing a lot of problems on the 991.1 and 981 cars. So far, it doesn't appear that the leather-trimmed doors are affected.

Another impression I have is that it's easier to remove the airbag warning labels from the leather sun visors. Mine are vinyl, and removing the labels from them was a massive PITA.

budrichard

"If you're bored, don't read the topic. Or spend your time making unpleasant replies to someone who genuinely has questions about what leather options are really visible."

I suggest You actually read this Thread.
silberma made the comment about "$20,000" cars, not the original Poster and that's who my last comment was directed to.
Otherwise I offered concrete advice which you have done none of except bitch.-Richard

911BOSS

Has anyone ordered or seen the recent option of "Transmission Tunnel in Leather"? When I add it to my build it indicates that it is a late option, available after 11/06/17. Can I assume that the sides of the tunnel from under the dash all the way back are covered in leather and an upgrade from the full leather interior? There are no photos or specifics given in the description.

Thanks again.

CanMikePlay

Note to bmclaurin - Porsche almost makes you buy the leather. Take a careful look around the interior of the base versus 1st level leather. (My comments based on the last time I looked). When you get the 1st level you get alcantara on the ceiling and down the pillars for a great seamless look. The base = plastic pillars. Next, the aluminum trim is added to the door cards. Base = plastic. Last, look at the dash. That base rubber thing looks like something from the side of the road. So get the leather. Want to spend more? My opinion get deviated stitching. More? You're beyond me. But I understand.

jphughan

I feel your pain on understanding these options, but fyi Googling the option name and/or option codes (shown when you click the summary view in the configurator) will often turn up threads that have pictures, a few of which I've included or linked to below. And yes, other cars make getting a leather interior much easier, but I think you'll find that they leave many areas uncovered that Porsche allows you to option. It's also worth noting that some of the "value" of the leather options is increased if you're going with deviating stitching, since optional leather also often includes stitching, and if you're going deviated, it's that much more flair to the interior, where there would be none if that area were standard plastic. If you've just got "decorative" stitching, i.e. the same color as the leather, it's not as big a deal.

Here's my take on the leather options you're pondering, though:

- Steering column: Get it even if you're getting a black interior. It's very nice (even more so with deviating stitching), and if you also get the instrument surround in leather that I'll address in a moment, you don't have any plastic in your immediate view -- well, except the gauges themselves.

- Instrument surround: That is NOT the "bubble" that arches over your gauge cluster, which as you surmise is leather anyway because of the dash. That bubble is called the instrument "cover/shroud". The instrument surround is the (normally) plastic piece that exists beside and under the gauges themselves -- see pic below. Note that it does NOT refer to the surrounds of the individual gauges themselves (the black rounded parts), which remain plastic, but rather the large plastic panel that's gray in the pic below. I ordered this because I figured if I had a leather dash and leather steering column, I might as well eliminate the plastic that would otherwise have existed between the two. It's subtle and definitely not as much bang for your buck as the leather steering column (and therefore not commonly ordered), but I like it. Note also that this is listed as included in the "Extended Interior Package, Dashboard Trim in Leather" option, even though the configurator allows you to select both simultaneously and charges you for both. I'm not sure if that's a bug in the selection logic or if the description of the latter option is incorrect by listing this as included.

- Seat backrests: You'll see these a lot even if you DON'T tilt the seats forward to let people into the back often, and leather does class the seats up noticeably, especially with deviating stitching. And of course it makes the view nicer for the rear passengers. Just make sure you won't have kids back there that will kick the leather....

- Interior Leather package: I'm not a fan of this option (not to be confused with the "Leather Interior" option!!) because ticking this box switches all trim to leather, which makes the dash and doors very one-note in my view. I like trim, be it aluminum or carbon fiber. The standard plastic trim is disappointing for a car like this, but I might still prefer it to leather.

- Extended Interior, Dashboard trim in leather: This primarily extends dash leather all the way to the windshield. Without this option, the frontmost "slice" where the defroster vents are located is plastic, and so is the panel that has the center speaker. Finally, the sides of the dashboard, which you can only see when the doors are wide open, are also plastic without this option. See pics below, or since this is a fairly uncommon option while the regular Leather Interior option is common, it should be easy for you to find a 911 on a dealer lot to see which parts of the dash are still plastic without this option. Very early on I sort of wished I'd ordered this despite the price, but I stopped noticing this area shortly afterward, so I guess I made the right call.

- Sun visors: I got mine in Alcantara to match my headliner since vinyl clashed too much for me. I'm not sure I'd have sprung for upgraded sun visor material if I hadn't been able to have it match the headliner material. Then again, I do kind of hate the look and feel of textured vinyl in general....

- Rear center tunnel in leather w/ decorative stitching: This is a big piece (the huge chunk between the two rear seats) and will therefore significantly class up the rear area. If you don't care about that, then skip it. If you DO, then "Extended interior package, Rear in leather" caps off a few remaining areas, but it is a much poorer value and I would argue still unnecessary. This post shows two photos, one with only the rear center tunnel in leather and the next with that option plus the extended interior package, rear in leather.

- Transmission tunnel in leather: Haven't seen it, but it seems to pertain to the sides of the center console that are down in the front footwells, so it seems kind of pointless.

I would skip these:
- Extended interior package, door panel in leather: See below for pic and more info
- Extended Interior Package, Rear in Leather: Gets you leather on speaker cover panels, a lever, and the storage compartment built into the transmission tunnel. The last one is best shown in the earlier linked post, and all 3 are circled in the pic below.
- Climate control panel in leather: This adds leather around the AC buttons rather than plastic, but that's always seemed strange to me. Maybe if the buttons were leather too, but they're not.
- Air vents in leather: Can hardly tell the difference IMHO. The only exception would be if you got them in a deviating leather color (or painted) to add contrast, but short of that, it's pointless even before considering the crazy price.
- Fuse box covers in leather: They're down in the footwells where you'll never see them.
- Belt outlet trim in leather: Do you ever look at where your seat belt comes out from the side of the car? If so, this only covers a tiny piece of plastic that surrounds that opening.


Door panels in leather is the most misleadingly named option on the entire configurator, and every single person I've seen who has ordered it has realized it was a waste. It adds leather to the 3 areas shown in green in the pic below. Note that 2 of them you'll only ever see while the door is open (and the bottom half of the large section might already be Alcantara if you're getting a GTS/GT model), and that upper door triangle is so small and located in such a "cramped" spot when the door is closed that you wouldn't be able to tell from your seat whether it's plastic or leather. Every other door surface you see in leather here is part of the regular Leather Interior option:



Extended Interior, Dashboard Trim in Leather covers the circled areas in addition to the dashboard end trim shown above:


Extended Interior Package, Rear in Leather covers the circled areas:


And finally, the gray plastic here is the instrument surround:

jphughan

See above. I'm pretty sure the rear tunnel is textured vinyl unless you option it in leather.

Dennis C

That's correct. I've got the extended leather package, so the inserts are stitched leather, but the tunnel is vinyl.

bmclaurin

jphughan, a *huge* thank you to you, sir. I can't tell you how much you've helped me. This is one of the most thorough and helpful posts I've seen on this topic. In truth, everyone on this thread has been helpful, but your post has gone above and beyond. Thank you very very much.

jphughan

You're very welcome! Well in that case, here are a few more that may be helpful to you!

This thread has a few pictures of both steering column in leather and dashboard trim in leather.

For comparison, here is a picture showing the steering column in regular plastic. This is a GT4, but it's the same thing:


Here's a nice shot of the standard sun visors on an Alcantara headliner, in fact the very one that convinced me to go with Alcantara visors. This is also a GT4, but again it's the same idea except that the headliner in the car you're ordering might be fabric instead. It also shows the standard steering column again:


These are the regular seat backs:


And these are seat backs in leather (with deviated stitching). Note that this option changes not just plastic to leather but also replaces bright silver with your interior leather color:


Finally, one more note on the AC panel in leather. Previous generations of the 911 (including the original 991 before the PCM display became edge-to-edge) had an option to have the entire PCM display and control area in leather or painted for something like $1700, and the few people who got it in leather said that if you have a black interior, you'll never know the difference from plastic. However, I believe (but am not certain) that the default panel is always black plastic, in which case if you're using a different leather color, then this option changes not just the material but also the color of the panel from black to whatever you're getting. I personally like the idea of electronics panels being black as opposed to black buttons surrounded by another color, but maybe that's just because that's what I'm used to. The thread I linked above to show steering column in leather has an example of painted PCM fyi, just to give you an idea, although of course the PCM panel is much larger than just the AC panel, so the impact won't be as large as what you see there, for better or worse. Note however that even if you change the material and/or color of the AC panel, evidently it's no longer possible to get the PCM buttons immediately above that panel done in leather, so you would still have some unavoidable black plastic, which diminishes the value proposition of this option IMHO, in fact I'd argue it looks better to have a consistent material and color for both panels -- not necessarily a bad thing since it keeps the leather upgrade cost down!

JFerraro17

If I may add something to this excellent thread....

I ordered my GTS today. The "Transmission Tunnel in Leather" option is depicted here--pics stolen, then VERY amateurishly highlighted. There is a seam that lines up with the rear end of the luggage net....I thought maybe this option covered the portion forward of the seam. In fact, it's that AND the entire piece all the way back to where the "rear tunnel cover" starts.

This was confirmed directly from Atlanta today during my time at the dealer. Also, this option isn't available until builds after 11/6/17 (dealer config tool had a little clock and warning depicted). So depending on when your allocation start date falls, this may affect your decision. My date allowed me to select this, but I wouldn't have even known to ask the question except for this thread!

I also chose to eliminate the door panel leather (3 tiny pieces mentioned in posts above--really only TWO pieces if you chose LCA!!) thanks to this thread.

Thanks for the heads up!

evilfij

The easiest way to see what is what for a lot of the options is to download the 3D configurator and select leather to sample and then add the leather parts one by one and you can see what you get as the parts turn green. Clicking on the close up and then toggling back and forth shows you with and without.

It does not work for all parts because some are not available with LTS, but for most it does and the ones it does not are pretty obvious.

On a normal leather car, I don't think any of them other than the leather package itself are that dramatic. Maybe sport seat plus backs in leather. Otherwise, you are basically replacing smaller plastic parts of the same color with leather covered parts. On an LTS order with a special colored leather they do make a big difference in some cases.