that $5k deposit was required if I didn't fill out a credit application, which I didn't chose to do because I'm not leasing or financing. (I *would* like to lease then buy but money factor is 2-3x what seems reasonable).

 

Same here. No credit application until we sat down to buy the car after it finally arrived at port and had been sitting there a few weeks (our dealer loaned us a brand-new Macan S for a month while they struggled to get the car released and delivered). We put down 80 percent in trade equity / cash, and financed the rest to keep our FICO scores high.

Different dealers, different requirements I suppose. But $5K would've given us real pause, refundable or not. A Cayenne is not a bespoke Bentley. Glad we didn't have to make that decision.

 

Just heard from my SA and he said "latest estimated on sale date is October 4." anyone else hear that? I was hopeful it would be mid august and am pretty bummed to hear October.

 

Yep- my SA at South Bay Porsche just texted with "October" sale date due to cars still not passing CARB. Darn. John

 

Not quite sure how to proceed. Suddenly it’ll be December. Also fairly salty because I see they added Dolomite Silver to the configuration which is the color I really wanted and couldn’t get when I ordered. Starting to think of what my other options could be...

 

I'm in Massachusetts, USA and ordered a 2019 Cayenne E hybrid back in October 2019 with a delivery date of March/April. I also was required to place a $5000 deposit which was non-refundable after the build was started which seemed reasonable given I had chosen the options. Over the following 2 months I contacted my SA 3 times with specific questions concerning the availability of carbon coated rotors for the E hybrid, the availability of self parking, and in late February about the ETA of the Cayenne. Each time it took at least a month to get a response which was no to the 1st two questions and never receiving a response to the third, "When do I get my car"? I was informed I would receive a letter from Porsche (which he did not know the content of) and asked that I call him and let him know what it said when it arrived. At that point having read this forum I assumed it would detail the reason for the delay and offer me compensation and extended maintenance coverage for any delays. By May of this year hearing nothing but the sound of crickets coming from Porsche, I called the main customer service number and spoke with an agent. I was informed they would check into it and get back to me within a week. Three weeks later with no call I called again and spoke to the same person who informed me after putting me on hold for a period of time, that my build was completed at the end of March, was sitting in Germany and would be placed on a boat sometime in perhaps July for delivery in September or October. The delay was due to EPA issues. When I inquired about the letter I was to receive she told me she would get back to me, again in a week or so because she needed to speak with my dealership. I also asked when the 2020 would be released and the affects of depreciation if 3 months later the 2020s are available. When no call was received, I called again and was told by a different customer service person who was reading the notes of the person I was dealing with that they were waiting for a call from my dealership still. Last week I emailed my SA asking that he please contact Porsche North America because they were waiting his response and have not received a reply.

The way I see it, I have a contract with my dealership and Porsche. If I receive my car in October and shortly thereafter the 2020s are released I will be seeking compensation for all my losses including the 1.99% special finance rate I would have received in March had delivery occurred. The rate is now 3.55%. I also want what was offered for delays to the Panamera last year. I wonder now if Porsche or my dealership will ever call until the car is received. I'm not going to call again, I'm over it. Fortunately, I'm an attorney, and while the amount in controversy isn't that much, I think that they need a reminder that without their customers they have nothing and despite their attitude, they are not doing us a favor to let us purchase one.

 

^^^

I assume you meant ordered Oct 18 not 19?
There are lots of independent Porsche dealers, some are better than others.
The 2020 hybrid isn't coming out within 3 months of Sept/Oct, that's the S. The hybrid will probably be out closer to a year afterwards.
Yes, calling PCNA HQ as an end customer isn't going to get you white glove treatment. For better or worse they aren't set up for it. Their customers are the dealers, not us.
If this is really that upsetting to you, cancel your order and buy something else. As an attorney you should already know that they can't keep your deposit unless you signed something to that effect, and even as a non-attorney I have to wonder why you would? I certainly didn't nor know anyone who did.
PCNA and your dealer would love to take your money. They are not the problem, CARB and the EPA are, perhaps because they are a pack of useless bureaucrats and lawyers that actually think that punishing people that want to buy a hybrid somehow punishes VAG for dieselgate.
IMO, if I parsed the above correctly, it's a bit unethical to imply that you are taking hearsay comments from local dealer sales guys (who don't work for PCNA) and random internet posters and trying to string that into some sort of threat to get free stuff from PCNA. That's exactly why they don't call us back or give status in the first place, too much potential liability if something outside of their control changes, for very little benefit in return.

My 0.02.

 

👍👍👍

 

That sounds bad -- such long delays in responses. Which dealership is this? (I'm in Mass. also.)

 

Yes, Pete I placed the order in Oct 2018. I am not worried about getting the $5000 deposit back, I'm sure they would return it but thats not the point, I want the car I ordered. With regard to your opinion on ethics based on hearsay I will leave that one alone, but I am not looking for "free stuff" only that I don't take a huge hit on depreciation when the 2020s are released and that I receive the same compensation others have received for a year delay of delivery of the vehicle. As far as I know the 2020 E hybrids are set to be released fairly soon in Europe. The 2019s were supposed to be delivered in March of 2019. It would seem odd that the 2020s are not to be released here until the latter part of the year.

 

I tend to side with PeterS on this whole deal -- he makes some excellent points.

In your case, Papa1954, agreeing to any nonrefundable deposit immediately grants your dealer the upper hand. Were this a requirement when we got in line for our Turbo nearly 18 months ago, we would have walked. No company is going to permanently lock away one penny of my hard-earned money just so I can enjoy the privilege of being allowed the opportunity to give them more later on, should they decide I am worthy of buying one of their widgets when and if they decide to produce one. As I said earlier, we offered our dealer a refundable $1K deposit to grab the second Turbo order slot. They rather happily accepted.

Secondly, we have learned through our own frustrations that Porsche is not Audi. Nor is it VW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, or Hyundai for that matter (obviously). They are a low-volume, premium brand who has slowly built a reputation that creates demand on its own, irrelevant of the service its dealers or the company itself provides. If you want a Porsche that's not on the lot, you will buy it under Porsche's terms. Period. They know demand far outstrips supply as a general rule. That means also, as a general rule, they don't give a crap about you or the pre-order deal you worked out with your dealer. If they decide to give you a car, they'll give you one -- when and how being on their terms entirely. You don't like it? There's the door. Don't let it hit you on the way out.

I am not a lawyer, but have been to law school. I know my way around civil law. Good luck getting a single nickel for your troubles if you start waving around legal threats. The new e-Hybrid is a vehicle full of advanced, cutting-edge tech that Porsche is clearly having a hard time assembling, testing and certifying. They know it's in their long-term interest to get it right -- which means, unfortunately for you, it's gonna be late. Maybe really late. Why is anybody's guess. But the company clearly has no interest in sharing why. Porsche seems to paraphrase my late mother: "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."

 

I guess we disagree JCWL3S. The deposit locks in the dealership and Porsche to fulfill their obligations under the contract as well as mine. As such for any failure to perform they expose themselves to potential damages. To be clear, I am not waving around legal threats, that was the other poster Peter's interpretation. The point I was trying to make was that I don't have to consider the legal cost considerations (other than my time) against the potential value of the remedy which is usually a primary consideration for non-lawyers.

If indeed Porsche delayed manufacturing and delivery "to get it right" as you put it that certainly may be a valid consideration but does not excuse the original purpose of this post which was to comment on the extraordinary lack of communication and transparency with their customers (and apparently dealerships) concerning the delay. to state the obvious, normally dealerships, including Porsche, discount their end of year models when new model years are on the horizon. They do this because they know that given the choice, customers will buy the new model year over the prior year if pricing is comparable. Depreciation is also a big factor. I don't have the attitude, I get what I get. If the 2020s are to be released this Fall in Europe or even the end of the year, I can't imagine the 2020 e hybrid Cayennes to the USA will be far behind.
Porsche should do the right thing here and make amends. That's my 2 cents worth and I really have nothing else to say concerning this topic.

 

Papa1954,
FYI in Europe, the 2020 model is on the configurator; everything assembled after the summer recess is 2020MY; I would not accept a stock 19MY, that would be 'last year'.
Having said that, I was told - from two different dealers, in writing - that there is no spec difference apart from wider colour choices & uplift in prices.

 

London 123, thank you for the update.

 

2020 Model is on the USA configurator also. They could potentially be released to dealerships on the same day. Lol