aaron yuan

Hey guys, thinking of pulling the trigger on a new 2019 Panamera. This will be my first Porsche and I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the different options to choose from. Are there any features that you think are must-haves?

FriscoTexasGuy

I am taking delivery next month and currently in a 2018 4S loaner from dealer. Rear wheel steering is a must as the 4S does not have the option. Secondly, I would suggest the surround view cameras as well. I opt for the HUD on my build since a car at the price point should have it standard.

aaron yuan

Thanks for your reply, I'm definitely interested in the Surround View and HUD. I've never used a HUD before but can imagine it'd come in real handy.
Did your dealership give you a loaner while you're waiting for your car to arrive? And how long does it take for it to arrive?

FriscoTexasGuy

Yes. My delivery was suppose to take place 2 weeks ago but delayed release for the Port of Houston due to CARB certification. I traded in my car to the dealership and they accommodated me with a 4S until I take delivery.

jnolan

Depends on what Panamera model you are looking at. The option I would add to a base model are very different than what I would put on a turbo.

aaron yuan

I'm looking at the base model

cometguy

I've looked at cars with HUD and find it annoying; I personally wouldn't get it. But I guess a lot of people like it.
If you want to do a lot of long-distance driving, I'd recommend ACC.
I'm not so impressed with the surround cameras because they have distorted views (common with wide-angle lenses), and if they get dirty or wet, they aren't so useful.
If you have any back problems, I'd recommend getting the 14-way seats, which have lumbar support and heated seats.
Given the small Porsche exterior mirrors and big Panamera blind spots, I recommend getting LCA (blind-spot warning lights on your exterior mirrors).
I don't have rear steering on my 2018 Panamera and have no problems; I've heard mixed reviews on that option, and I'd recommend skipping it unless you want to throw lots of extra money at Porsche.
My personal recommendation is getting a 4 E-Hybrid if you're looking at a 4 or 4S, because they are far superior and more fun, and the cost is similar with a lot more extra features standard (like sport chrono package with dial on the steering wheel, air suspension, etc.).

Jason Zhang

Not sure if these are standard or not, but will tell ya.
Auto dimming mirror is a must if you ever plan to drive at night.
Keyless entry is also a must IMO.
Cup holder covers?
Leather interior is another one that I would seriously consider, although this one depends on the person and isn't cheap.

jnolan

skip the performance options, except for rear axle steering. It is not unreasonably priced and the driving experience is enhanced. I have it on my 911 and Panamera, on the former it improves my track experience while in the latter it is all about drivability. The Panamera is a big car, rear axle steering has the effect of reducing the wheelbase at low speed for better turning radius and that makes a difference for everything from parking to u-turns.

I like the 18 way sport seats but sears are personal so get what you like the feel of after trying them. LCA is a nice feature, but I sure wish they would add haptic feedback to the steering wheel. The cameras are very useful and the surround view is one of the best I have experienced. I would get PDLS but would not consider it must-have.

Rear wiper... I can’t believe this is not standard equipment. I have a Sport Turismo and I can tell you that it is absolutely required on that car, but the aerodynamics are different on the sedan so it may not be a big deal.

Outlaw

Terrible advice here.

The 18 ways seats look like a bad star trek movie. You can’t see out of back. Other seats are way comfortable.

The last thing you want is a honking wiper blade on your rear end lol.

this is a performance sedan. Eliminate the PDCC and others you have a pedestrian sedan.

jnolan

It is a base Panamera... no offense, but it doesn’t come with a lot of performance from the factory and pretty much fits squarely in the luxury sedan category. I can agree with you on PDCC for anything more than a base Panamera. As for the 18 way sport seats, you just confirmed that it is a personal decision. I have them and love them, never have a visibility issue but I’m not 5’2” either so as I said in my comment, each person should try different seat options before picking one and if nothing else, ignore advice from know-it-alls on internet forums.

rear wiper... whatever

cometguy

Yeah, so much is subjective. I'm glad that I had the option to not order keyless entry, because I don't like it or need it; I worry about the car-thief hacking going on for keyless-entry systems, as well. I would not get auto-dimming mirrors either, if I had the option, because they are too dark for me in the daytime -- much harder to identify cop cars coming up behind me, for example. Regarding the rear-wheel steering, I've never had it, so I can't say whether it's awesome or not, but I have zero problems maneuvering my Panamera in and out of parking spots, etc. Regarding rear wiper, I'd get it; I didn't have it in my 2015 Panamera and often lamented not having one; I have it on my 2018 Sport Turismo and am glad.

rsyed

another forum user ordered his Panamera without keyless entry because his SA told him exactly that (car-thief hacking). Well, what teh forum user did not know is that you can disable the key-less feature in the PCM if you are in a neighborhood where you have concerns. He regrets listening to the SA.

My recommendation list of items that can not be retroffited easily:
1) rear wheel steering (makes the car more agile)
2) ACC over innodrive (have 2 friends who have innodrive and both say it is pointless)
3) if you take 20 or 21 inch alloys, I would recommend the surround view. Though the quality is bad, you can still see enough to judge whether you will scratch your alloys or not.
4) keyless go - have had it since 2006 and I just can't imagine taking out a car key to unlock the door to only put the key back into my picket.
5) If you come from any other brand, the standard leather will do the job and is something you would know from other brands. At porsche, the additional leather option is to have everything done with leather.
6) 18 vs. 14. seats - for me the 18s were a must because I like how the sides can blow up to cuddle you in the seat. This is not possible on the 14s and it meant that i would slide from left to right.
7) sound system - I have always made it a habit to order one above the base sound system. The burmeister was finacially out of my reach so I took teh Bose sound system.
8) softclose - very pleasant to not have to slam the doors, especially if you have a child sleeping at the back.

pokingaround

1) RWS is a must IMO
2) LCA is very nice for blind spot warnings
3) ACC if you make long road trips

EDIT: btw Aaron, everyone goes through this process when they get their first Porsche. I know I sure did. What I would say in general is that in most cases, those with a given option will say they love it, and those without it will say that it's not necessary. One thing to keep in mind is that a base stripper Porsche will still drive better than 9X% of all vehicles on the road. With that said, I would say that the most important thing is to be honest with yourself about both your budget and your preferences.

For example: are you most interested in aesthetics? If so, spend your option $ on the paint, wheels, interior and exterior trim just the way you want it. Maybe the look with all the exterior trim pieces in high gloss black and matching wheels, or whatever.

Are you interested in performance? If so, spend your option $ on things like the Sport Chrono, Sport Exhaust, etc (or consider the e-hybrid or 4S...)

Are you interested in luxurious road trip comfort? If so, spend your option $ on the full leather interior, 14 way seats, LCA, ACC, upgraded audio, etc.

Finally, consider scouring inventories (use cargurus or the like) for a still-new or barely used CPO 2018 as you'll get a much bigger discount. You may need to forego option X, or get option Y that you wouldn't otherwise have spec'd, but if the discount is big enough you may find it worthwhile to do this.

lewis.s

I bought a 2018 Turbo slightly used (less than 1,000 miles). The car came with just about every option - i have found the follow options most / least useful (I am ignoring the appearance items such as wheels, carbon fiber, etc)

Most Useful
Heated Steering Wheel (i live in Chicago)
ParkAssist (protecting my wheels)
Premium Package (soft close doors & LCA)
ACC (I use all the time)

Least Useful (for me)
Ionizer
4 Zone Climate control
Night Vision Assist
LKA - Doesn't work well enough to use (particularly compared to a Tesla)