How many 918s have been sold to date?
07-01-2014, 11:08 AM
#46
Rennlist Member
BRILLIANT!!! Did that keep her from spending an equal amount on herself like my wife? Oh, and congrats on the 918 too.
07-01-2014, 12:06 PM
#47
Rennlist Member
I have to say this buying experience so far compared to McLaren MSO and Ferrari has been quite interesting. Porsche at the dealer level seems a bit ill equipped to handle the type of customer who ponies up for these cars. As we see above: not every dealer has the answers or knowledge to handle the special requests that these cars bring out. It seems prudent that after the 200k dp is made at the dealer, a buyer should be handed off immediately to a 918 specialist that can answer all the crazy stuff we come up with. Whoopsy's post scares me a bit as none of the stuff he wrote was mentioned to me!
Could be down to typical German straight forward thinking.
In their mind, the process goes from
1st- One placed a deposit for a car
2nd- One goes to one of the 918 events where there is a Specialist to answer questions and customize car order. Or, pays the factory a visit and let the Concierge customize the car.
They didn't think about other possibilities.
07-01-2014, 12:11 PM
#48
Rennlist Member
Also helps that before I placed the order last year, I gave her a check with 6 zeros as Valentine Day gift. She did suspect I was up to no good but didn't know the extend of the purchase until early this year. I kept the car a secret for almost a year.
You know, it's quite awkward to say after dinner 'Oh honey, by the way, I just bought a car for a million dollars'
07-01-2014, 02:01 PM
#49
Three Wheelin'
Also helps that before I placed the order last year, I gave her a check with 6 zeros as Valentine Day gift. She did suspect I was up to no good but didn't know the extend of the purchase until early this year. I kept the car a secret for almost a year.
You know, it's quite awkward to say after dinner 'Oh honey, by the way, I just bought a car for a million dollars'
You know, it's quite awkward to say after dinner 'Oh honey, by the way, I just bought a car for a million dollars'
07-01-2014, 02:53 PM
#50
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
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07-01-2014, 03:05 PM
#51
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
SWB3, if I do decide on the same wheel color as well, will that bother you? I'm just asking as a courtesy. I wouldn't want say 10% of the 918 cars to be built like mine. But having a "sister" car would be cool I think. LMK if you have any concerns about it.
07-01-2014, 03:28 PM
#52
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I was eyeing a GT3 RS at CNC, but decided to hold out for a new 991 GT3.
If you're so inclined, please let me know when you're around, I'd love just to check out your 918 sometime. No worries either way.
07-01-2014, 03:36 PM
#53
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Definitely. The car isn't due until early next year. But once it's in I will definitely take it to CnC and probably Supercar Sunday too.
07-01-2014, 08:29 PM
#54
Yes. It is a $5800 option. But it isn't in the regular 918 ordering guide the dealer uses. It is a CXX option. You might need to go through Germany to customize it that way if your dealer can't find a way to order it. Or go through PCNA's 918 Specialists first.
There are a few customizing options that's not on the ordering guide. But can be added on by the 918 Specialists or the 918 Concierge in Stuttgart.
Example:
-Adding back the gas struts to the front hood on a Weissach car (instead of the carbon rod)
-Selecting the anti-glare matte carbon finish on the dash while keeping the accent stripe, normally the stripe will be gone and that piece will be all black
-Adding back door handles, door pockets to the Weissach car's doors.
-Custom finish on wheels, be it platinum satin or black or whatever.
There are a few customizing options that's not on the ordering guide. But can be added on by the 918 Specialists or the 918 Concierge in Stuttgart.
Example:
-Adding back the gas struts to the front hood on a Weissach car (instead of the carbon rod)
-Selecting the anti-glare matte carbon finish on the dash while keeping the accent stripe, normally the stripe will be gone and that piece will be all black
-Adding back door handles, door pockets to the Weissach car's doors.
-Custom finish on wheels, be it platinum satin or black or whatever.
Porsche at the dealer level seems a bit ill equipped to handle the type of customer who ponies up for these cars. As we see above: not every dealer has the answers or knowledge to handle the special requests that these cars bring out. It seems prudent that after the 200k dp is made at the dealer, a buyer should be handed off immediately to a 918 specialist that can answer all the crazy stuff we come up with. Whoopsy's post scares me a bit as none of the stuff he wrote was mentioned to me!
One of the saddest episodes of this past week for my friend Doug, whose 918 is probably at the assembly line at Zuffenhausen as we speak, was finding out that he could have ordered a 'visible' carbon fiber rooftop (like the Weissach's) on his 'base' 918! He only found out it was possible by seeing the #134 (see photo #1) that he drove at the track at the 'Start the Engines' event last Wednesday at Sonoma Raceway! In general, I thought he was too passive in this 918 ordering process. And he paid a price for that!
The way that 'Porsche Exclusive' works is basically the same, whether you order a base 'Boxster' or the most expensive model offered. But as a 918 customer, they bend even further backwards to accede to your customizing wishes! For example, you can get your PCCB's calipers done in 'Silver' as an option instead of 'Acid Green'. That is a 'nein-nein' in every other model!
But you still have to keep pushing them to get what you want! With Porsche, as with other German organizations in recent history, it pays to think like George Marshall and push like George Patton! 
'CXX' is the special wishes packages that is not normally offered...but can at times be done via 'Porsche Exclusive' for a price! If they can do swing it for you, they'll quote you a specific price. It's usually not cheap, but at least they are offering to do it for you! If they can't, you are S*** out of Luck! It was via this special custom packages, called DXX in the 2012 Boxster Spyder era, that I got some special interior pieces done on my '12 Boxster Spyder even though these options did not appear on the configurator or the dealer ordering system!
See post #70 at link below:
https://rennlist.com/forums/987-981-...m-order-5.html
For a more general idea how 'Porsche Exclusive' works in relationship to the 991 program, you can look up this thread below:
https://rennlist.com/forums/991/7085...e-and-you.html
In general, any experienced Porsche buyer that is custom ordering a car learned that he needs to (in most instances) leap-frog over his local dealer and establish a direct link with representatives of 'Porsche Exclusive'! In the US, the person specifically assigned to 918 customers for this task is Melissa Witek (standing on Photo #2). She was formerly based in NY and is now moving permanently to PCNA's headquarters in Atlanta. Until recently, she was also filling in for Daniel Eastman as '918 Client Relationship Manager'. Now that David Donohue (photo #3) is on board as the newly-hired 'Relationship Manager', I would take advantage of that and contact BOTH on anything related to your specific 918 order! Caveat lector.
Good luck...the ordering process is half the fun! Sort of like the exciting days when you were dating prior to getting married. On second thought, that was more like 85% of the fun...but you catch my drift!
Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
.
07-01-2014, 08:43 PM
#56
It does not bother me in the least, otherwise I would not have shared it. I really appreciate all the help and information everyone shares on these forums, it helps me build the car I will love. Build the car you will love!
07-01-2014, 08:50 PM
#57
07-01-2014, 08:55 PM
#58
I'm doing the factory trip to spec. Just waiting for confirmation of dates.
The non-Weissach carbon roof was one of my main asks, so good to know that's possible. It will impact on my colour choice.
Do you have any idea of the cost of this? I'm assuming it won't be free, even though less paint needed!
The non-Weissach carbon roof was one of my main asks, so good to know that's possible. It will impact on my colour choice.
Do you have any idea of the cost of this? I'm assuming it won't be free, even though less paint needed!
07-01-2014, 11:20 PM
#59
Rennlist Member
No one mention that was possible to me either.
I didn't even know about the carbon rod until I was at Stuttgart and see the little rod in the parts cart. I asked what it was and only find out there that there is no struts in the Weissach car.
When I switch my order from the standard car to the Weissach car 2 weeks ago, I asked to have the struts instead of the rod and the answer was certainly. And it will be a no cost option too. They really do have a sense of humour.
07-01-2014, 11:24 PM
#60
Rennlist Member
The carbon weave roof halves has always been on the ordering guide for the standard car. It's not even a CXX option.
It's option code 882 at a cost of $15,400.
Code 881 is the exterior mirror in carbon weave for $5,600
Code 883 is the rear wing in carbon weave for $12,600
It's option code 882 at a cost of $15,400.
Code 881 is the exterior mirror in carbon weave for $5,600
Code 883 is the rear wing in carbon weave for $12,600