re: Cayman's 'What took you so long to decide you wanted one?'. That is no the point. I may not even get one! I may get a gt3, gt3RS or an Audi R8. Quite frankly, I had not even paid any attention to this new Boxster Spyder until Pete (Savyboy) started raving about it on the gt3 forum. But like me, there are many others that are also finding out about it NOW and PERHAPS may want to make a purchase. Why penalize us? Why can't we custom order too? Why the rush to build all these cars just to sit idle & unsold in dealer lots across the country? That is what this 'fuss' is all about - an intellectual discussion on the merits of Porsche's production schedule of Spyders to date and how that is serving the needs of their paying customers.

You might not give two hoots because you got 'yours' already. But Porsche should care because we are part of an important customer base that has been buying their product year in & out and been loyal supporters of the brand for a lifetime. I bought my first Porsche in 1973. When did you buy your first one?

Still, with 125+ Spyders out there in inventory at US dealers and perhaps more to come, you can still find something close to your 'ideal' built for such a car. So, pcw, I don't think we are ready to declare a 'lost out' situation yet. But we might have to compromise a bit. And that is not the end of the world either! z356

 

My $.02. I got my 1st P-car 3 years ago and my Spyder a month and a half and some 2500 miles ago. I tried to order an Atlas Grey model and was told that they were not doing pts, and then the allocation dates started changing, then getting fuzzy and then drying up all together. The sales guys were obviously confused about how many allocations the future might hold, if any. I did what you did Z356 and looked at the inventory coast to coast. You found 125, two months ago I found 59 in California and Texas alone. There were easily 200+ then, and I used that aggressively in my negotiations (if I could not get my ideal car then I was sure as hell going to save some $). They passed, I waited. I tried to find my dream car in black somewhere on the west coast with no luck, and the fact I had a car to trade in or sell and the hassle of that kept bringing me back to the dealer. They still wouldn't bite and i still wouldn't budge because of the 3 allocations on their lot. Then a Carrara White one sold and I started to get nervous. Then by chance an owner that had pre-ordered a silver one, passed on it and they had 3 back on the lot. They called and offered a deal 85% in the direction of my first offer a month and half ago and I said "f#ck it, it still looks bad *** in white", and bought a Carrara White Spyder with sport exhaust, chrono, P77 and the radio and the AC and the passenger seat too (however much that weighs). And I love it! Love it, Love It, LOVE IT!!! I told myself to lose at least 25 pounds to make up for the sacrilegious stereo, and all the soul stirring music I get to listen to when the PSE isn't the full show. Not to mention the heated seats (which the guests love and I love too here in the Pacific NW). And the first time I rounded the highway on one of our few 90 degree days up here and hit a construction back up that lasted an hour, I even loved my AC then too.

Now what I think Porsche is doing is, turning their nose a little at a consumer base that didn't devour all 600 or so of these dirt cheap, mini CGTs by the mid-point of summer. I think they know what a GREAT car they've made and they don't want to see them devalued any further. By having some of the late arrivals passing on their pre-existing inventory and getting one from the factory that is exactly what will happen to the left over inventory and consequently the models reputation, and ultimately that reflects back on the brand. Your value to them is important, the same as the other two dozen people wrangling to get one built right now and shipped to order. But I'm guessing the prestige of their new little marvel is a little more important to them, the brand, and their enduring legacy. Now with the prospect of them not making the Spyder anymore, the car begins to gain value, import and exclusivity. And admittedly as an owner I like that. A lot!

My guess is they will start swapping inventory and rotating their remaining Spyders to the dealers in the warmer parts of the country until they are all gone, rather than watch them collect snow on that thin roof in Buffalo and other points north.

Z356, you obviously know much more about these cars then I do, you had your 1st while I was learning to button my shorts, but I'm going to stick my neck out and say BUY one. Buy it soon! And then get to back to enjoying life and the sublime ride of one of the best cars Porsche has ever produced.

 

I had been told by a dealer local to me that when configuring a car they now access the same configurator as what is available to us online...they had a spyder allocation available, but I was not able to build the car as I wanted, for example sport shifter was not an option...I got my nose out of joint and said screw Porsche if I can't build the car the way I want I wont build it at all...can anyone confirm the configurator comment from my local dealer....same thing at your respective dealers?

 

I have also heard this although their configurator is live and has access to Porsche's computers.

I'm going to roll the dice and wait for a January/February allocation. If I can't get one I'll find something on a lot or used (yes they are popping up used already). I'm not too worried at this point, it may take more time but I'm patient.

 

Re: "but I'm going to stick my neck out and say BUY one. Buy it soon! And then get to back to enjoying life and the sublime ride of one of the best cars Porsche has ever produced." Thanks BATTY for your interesting post and equally good advice. z356

 

Saw one in red yesterday, VERY NICE!

 

Sounds nicely spec'd; black looks great on the Spyder. The car is ideally suited to Malibu's canyon roads; I don't think you'll be disappointed, and I think you will find the Litronics useful, as the car easily outhandles the stock headlights on those dark roads.

Savyboy is running his on track with Trofeos. I can't see wanting Cups on the street; it just has amazing grip with OE tires.

I'm a big diesel fan as well (daily driver is an E320 CDI). It will be interesting to see if Porsche brings the Cayenne Diesel here...but I doubt it. Personally, I think the new Touareg looks better anyway, and it will be coming here with the same drivetrain.

 

You have to realize that Porsche operates to maximize profits just like any other company, which may or may not serve our needs.

With 125 Spyders on the ground or inbound, 987 sales currently running 250-350/month, and with the Spyder one of the best selling 987 models, Porsche is doing an admirable job of controlling production. That apparent transaction prices leave plenty of dealer profit while providing a decent discount from MSRP goes to further show this.

I don't understand how you would have had them do it differently. There was a huge media blitz last year, Jerry Seinfeld included, and it was made clear that although not a limited edition (i.e. 1 of XXX), that it would be a short production run. Seems that you are suggesting Porsche should have trickled allocations out during spring and summer until everybody knew the merits of the car, with production increasing in the fall and into winter (roofless car, mind) so that there would now be a huge variety of inventory and open allocations. Certainly a Wharton grad would see the flaws in that plan.

 

Re: "Seems that you are suggesting Porsche should have trickled allocations out during spring and summer until everybody knew the merits of the car, with production increasing in the fall and into winter (roofless car, mind) so that there would now be a huge variety of inventory and open allocations. Certainly a Wharton grad would see the flaws in that plan."

Well, Alan, under the plan you applaud Porsche for executing there is a huge variety of inventory available now (today), just as we head into the cold winter months. That was the subject of my OP. The chances most of this stock will sell before next Spring are remote. That is NOT how many of us (the critics!) would have expected them to execute a smart allocation & production plan for the Spyder. You almost phrased my own suggestions correctly, except change your fall production to 'allocations', delay 'production' into Dec/Jan, and plan stateside deliveries next March/April. That is a better plan because it would have given customers who want a choice an opportunity to customized their cars and it would have reduced for dealers the cost of carrying unsold Spyder stock for all of these winter months.

Porsche could still have 'produced' SOME dealer spec'ed inventory now, just not as MANY as we see now in stock (with even more to come shortly). There will be always impulse buyers in the car business that don't have the patience to wait for a custom order. Dealers need to serve this client base too. But under a smarter allocation/production plan, customers that didn't want to buy from existing Spyder stock in the next few months would still have had access to the allocations that would get them to order whatever they wanted and in time for Spring delivery. And US dealers wouldn't have had as high a bill to pay for their Spyder flooring plans.

In fact, under this suggested plan, US dealer stocks would have been less all along and that would have help keep margins higher for dealers (less discounts). And the chances of getting a discount on a custom order is usually pretty slim. But you rationalize paying the full MSRP on the basis of getting exactly what you want. So dealers would have also benefited from this plan. So overall, the suggestion some of us are making sound pretty reasonable & rational in economic terms. So Alan, where did you say you went to business school? Just kidding you. Cheers, z356

 

if you want a november delivery let me know fast, i passed on an october build when i took my car

 

Only1Buck,
Yes, you are correct about the dealer online configurator. Porsche stop doing the standard order guides. When I went to my order, I physically sat down with my sales guy in front of their computer and used their configurator. It's not the same as porsche.com but close... It had more detailed info and better pictures.

In regards to the short shifter, when did you order your car? If I remember correctly the short shifter was delayed until after February build dates. My car was a March build and I got the the short shifter... I wanted the black wheels, but those weren't available in the US yet.

 

When I ordered my Spyder in December 2009, the short-shift option did not show up on the public on-line configurator, but it was available and it did show up (as an available option) on the dealer configurator. I ordered it and I love it.

 

Same here.

 

First of all, it's still summer. I've shown that based on sales trends and market pricing that current supply is not "huge". Yes, some may languish into spring (the car with an $80k+ MSRP and the one locally with no AC, no stereo, and no sport buckets (!) come to mind), but unless you can show me evidence to the contrary, with less than one car per dealer on average, I just don't see a glut.
Really? Providing supply of a roofless car in the dead of winter, and a full year after creating demand with its auto show debut and press launch makes good business sense to you? I may have only graduated from Marshall, but at least I have a grasp of basic supply and demand.

Look, Z356, if you want a Spyder (or GT3, or GT3RS...I see you started a similar thread on that board), make some calls and find a changeable allocation. I'm sure they are out there.

 

Smithee: As I am about to allocate substantial funds to the acquisition of either a Spyder, gt3, gt3RS or an R8. So it is not unusual that I am studying the market for each and making postings re: my findings in the appropriate forums.

Re: Porsche's allocation/production of Spyders. I have explained my position succinctly here in a number of posts. You are entitled to disagree but I suggest you read them more carefully before drawing erroneous conclusions.

Re: Your grasp. I see your Marshall education has prepared you well for the travails of web Forum social intercourse. Good for you. I am a great believer in vocational education for our youth. z356