Plavan

$11,430 now for PTS???? Is this true? I just built a car on the configurator and can't believe it.

stout

Yep, it's true.

PTS was over-subscribed (especially on GT cars, which take up a lot of the capacity), so Porsche raised the price on the GT cars first—and now it has raised the price on regular 911s by $4k~. It will be interesting to see if the Macan ($6500) and Panamera ($10k) follow suit. PTS has disappeared from the configurator for 718 and GT models.

PTS seemed like kind of a bargain at $7k on 911 Carrera models (emphasis on "kind of") in light of its price on the GT cars...and how else can you get your new 911 painted in virtually any color you want, from the factory? Especially if you actually plan the process out and have a new color approved (which might be possible on a model that isn't in demand). You won't get a repaint done well by an aftermarket shop for $7k, and that repaint will carry an even greater cost in light of the car's resale value. At $11k, I might think about ordering a Black 911 and having it wrapped in the color of my choosing—and I am sure Porsche won't be bummed if demand for PTS falls off a bit. PTS is, from what I hear, something of a nightmare for Porsche's production line...something that might be traced back to changes made to production in the Wiedeking era. To be sure, that's just a theory. The PTS Whisperer may have more to say on that...

Boulder Mike

I am the Walrus

Dewinator

Randy M

Sapphire is gone as well as Graphite. I hope for the 2019 MY they release at least one other blue. Biscay on the new Cayenne looks to be a real nice looking color and could see it on a 911.

stout

I think what we're seeing is transitional, but they did have four blues...

chuck911

Fritz at Porsche Marketing Research just PM'd me. At 2 hours 34 minutes this thread has set a record for rationalizing a near doubling of pure profit on an essentially zero-cost option.
Way to go, Ren..... wait. Wait a minute.... Okay. Hang on... checking 6-speed now.....

stout

Lol. Pure profit? Essentially zero cost? Is that a hunch? Or do you have information to share?

To be fair, I haven't looked into PTS as the level some have—but I do know that it's far from a simple process. All of the parts from suppliers have to be coordinated, as they're painted off site. I don't know this, but I suspect the new carbon-fiber roof supplier for the GT2 RS may have something to do with why PAG canceled a bunch of PTS orders, offering them a PTS GT2 RS without the WP, or a WP car without PTS. There are other hassles with PTS, as well, including stopping the line to set up for colors outside of the normal offering. Not saying PTS isn't profitable or extremely profitable—nor am I saying it isn't overpriced. But I don't have the facts. What I do know is that car colors in general aren't quite as simple as they might look. Much like upholstery, there is a lot of thinking and testing that has to be done. Also: Porsche was having real problems meeting demand for PTS.

A better measure is to look at how other manufacturers are pricing their paint to sample offerings, and then weigh that against Porsche's pricing. From a BMW forum thread on Individual colors:

Semi-individual (TB, AB, CQ, etc...) ~$2k
Individual (SMB, Ferrari Red, LSB, etc..) ~$5k
Individual w/ research (something BMW has never done) $7k+
Super-special individual (Pure Metal Silver, others) $10k+

Pricing can vary by country.

9914s

FI Flyer

I just took delivery of my PTS (Ice Blue Metallic) C4 and for the first -- and probably last -- time, I feel like I may have gotten a bargain from Porsche.

Jaws1

They're experts at that. Pay 3x more than you should for something, yet feel good about the deal you got.

Turbodan

lets not kid ourselves, it is all about profit. Porsche charges what they can get away with. why not? they have an obligation to their shareholders to maximize profits, which they seem to be doing well at.

stout

Yes, just ask those who paid big dollars to get Speed Yellow on a 996 instead of Pastel Yellow, only to have Speed made a $0 color on later 996s.

Or those who have to pay PTS money for Speed Yellow instead of Racing Yellow in order to match their Speed Yellow PCCB calipers...something I hope exactly no one has done.

911-TOUR

I wanted Diamond Blue Metallic on my Carrera T...alas. But am super happy with GT Silver in any case.

I suspect the change has more to due with balancing demand with supply than anything else. They had too many takers at the lower price, capacity could not keep up. A clear indication of a mispriced product (or a need to increase capacity to meet demand).