NoGaBiker

I chose Premium ($320), (which comes with seat heating) then added seat cooling for $840. Those were all I wanted out of the package, so it cost me $1160. The Premium Plus is $2030. Here's how they stack up:

Both have:

PDLS Dynamic headlights
Auto Dim mirrors
Seat Heating
14 (or 18) way seats

Premium Plus adds:
Seat Ventilation
Enter & Drive
Interior lighting package.

The price delta is $1710 for those three options. Ventilation can be added standalone for $840, so the enter&drive plus light package costs $870.

I don't know what the lighting looks like, but I actually don't like enter and drive on my other car, so I'm happy to do without it.

FergusH

Ok, that makes sense. I had done what you said - clicked the exclamation marks for each package - and I even took a screen capture of each so I could compare them side-by-side. It was the mention of Alcantara in the title of the second package that puzzled me. There's no mention of Alcantara in the description screen; do you think it's just a typo?

FergusH

What don't you like about it?

Thanks for the other suggestions; seems like the $320 package might be the way to go.

Vise

To be clear the packages do not include the 14 way or 18 way seats... those are a standalone option that need to be selected first. Once you choose either of those two seat options the packages are available. If you stick with the base Sport Seats Plus the packages are not available at all.

Ok now I get it, my apologies... the packages are labelled differently in the US vs Canada configurator. The Premium Package Plus 18 way w/Alcantara ($1445) is the version for interiors with Alcantara seats centers; the normal Premium Package Plus ($2030) is for interiors with leather seat centers and adds seat ventilation for the extra $585. Its up to you to decide if you want leather vs alcantara on the seats and how important seat ventilation is to you. I went with the leather interior + alcantara + smooth finish leather seat centers. It still has the sporty feel of the alcantara but I also get seat ventilation so best of both worlds for me. Some pics here if you're interested.

I would however suggest you go with the Package Plus either way... I quite like Entry and Drive, have had it on my last 3 cars and wouldn't go any other way. Plus the Light Design Package is very nice, frankly something the car should be equipped with standard but it is a Porsche after all...

NoGaBiker

The idea is solid, but (just like with auto climate control*) the execution often causes me more headache than the old way.

i.e.: walk up to door, pull handle with key in my pocket. Nothing. Pull handle again. Nothing. Pull handle third time. Door opens. Old way: click remote button, door unlocks when I'm 20 feet away, lights confirm unlocking. When I get to the car, pull door open.

Go to rear hatch. Pull handle with key in pocket. Sometimes door makes a little negative beep-beep sound, meaning "You're trying to open this without the key in your pocket." Push a little button that's above the hatch opening handle. Then pull handle again. Now hatch opens. Old way: push remote hatch button when 20 feet from truck. By the time I get there, hatch is open.

Sure, you can still push the buttons on the Enter & Drive key, but if you do that all the time, you might as well not have the feature.

Lastly: I like inserting a key, turning to ACC position, listening to fuel pumps start whirring and electrical systems coming to life for a few seconds, then turning the key the rest of the way and feeling the flat-six turn over and then bark into life. I just like it. If I get the E&D I will either get lazy and skip that little starting ritual, or I'll continue to use it as a key in which case I might as well have not bought it.

Disclosure: Porsche's D&E might work better than my current one; but since it is a solution to a problem I don't have, I'd just as soon skip it.


* Auto Climate Control. What a joke. I ran into the office for a few minutes today -- it's 39 degrees in Atlanta. I like to hear my exhaust so I put the windows down about four inches. The temp is set at 69. Suddenly it's freezing in the cabin; what does the fan do? Nothing; maybe goes up one speed. So I stab the up button and run the temp up to 76. Fans start huffing and fill the cabin with hot air. Ahhhh... nice.

Traffic light. Come to a stop. Does the temp sensor recognize that there's no longer 39 degree air blasting in through both windows, so there's no need to blow hot air at high speed? Nope. Continues blowing. So I stab the buttons, run the fan down. Light changes to green -- rinse and repeat. I spend every bit as much time messing with settings on Auto climate cars as I do on my Wrangler, where it's just an old school **** for temp (blue on the left, red on the right) and another **** for a 4-speed fan. And I can do that by feel, at night, without a glance at the dash board.

NoGaBiker

Yes, I didn't mention that because you have to pick the seats first in the config, and then it pops up to tell you you have to choose one of the packages to add to the seats. Which, honestly, makes little sense. If you can't get the 14/18 way seats without a premium package, and both premium packages come with certain features, why not raise the price of the seats by $320, include the seat heating, PDLS, and Autodim, and there's your base 14/18 way seat. Then, the option is Premium Package, which adds ventilation, interior lighting, and Enter & Drive, for $1750? Much less confusing.

Only thing I can figure is that I was building a GTS, and maybe certain things are included and/or required that aren't with an S or a Carrera.

Larry Cable

+1 on those accursed "enter & drive" systems ... I have the equivalent on my BMW X5 and its probably the most frustrating and annoying features of that piece of sh*t!

If you want to die prematurely of high blood pressure and stress related conditions, or want to be heavily sedated get a car with one of those systems!

911's are started by keys turned in the ignition on the left ... *and* you know where your key is ... in the ignition where its intended to be!

96redLT4

Well said! Cars are becoming way too gimicky.
J

Vise

So as a voice of dissent I'll say that I like the Entry & Drive system so far... unlocking the car by pulling on the door handle is a must, especially when it is freezing cold/snowing here. Locking is easy too and so far that part of the system is working well.

I also like that they have kept things somewhat analog to start the car... instead of a push button there is a key plug thing that you need to turn. Gives you the real old school feeling (ie. no start button) while still being a modern, user friendly system.

Don't however get me started on Entry & Drive being an option on a car that is well north of $100k...

NoGaBiker

Well, you can see the wisdom of their strategy -- I don't want it and I'm not saddled with it, nor do I have to pay for it! Everybody wins. If they made it standard, they'd still charge 800 bucks for it, but everybody would have to ante up. And have it.

FergusH

Took a look - and a drive - in another car today and I think I might have changed my mind:

http://www.porsche-code.com/PG4XE2B9



I'm also thinking about a PTS order: Brewster Green. Hopefully that won't push an order back too far.

NoGaBiker

Way too late. I already tried. PTS is closed for the 2015s. And 2016 is likely to mean 3.1 liter low-pressure turbo.

SDaddy

Your configurations are getting close to some Carreras Brett has in stock....in addition to this GTS, I believe he has a mahogany Targa.

CSK 911 C4S

Keep optioning out these great cars..... I'll buy them in a year or two CPO'ed

FergusH

Funny story about the mahogany Targa. I went up to Sonnen before Christmas planning on buying it. I got there and it had a big sold sign on it. Bummer. I decided instead to get a stock 911 that Sonnen had on the floor, then figure out exactly what I wanted and order it. Then the buyer of the Targa backs out. Too bad! If it hadn't been "sold" the first time, I'd be driving it now.

I did think about getting it but I'm really enjoying the MT of my 911, so I think I'd like to do that. I love the Targa - it's the modern version of all the 911s I admired as a kid.