Buyers of New Porsche Taycan Face Wait Times of 6 to 9 Months

[whitex]

I remember this from 2021.
It seems odd that they show the side vents being quite active, but it's on a car with electric port doors?

Obviously the powered ports are there, so the vents are blocked. Typical marketing video, looks good, so who cares if it's real. Note the "from Cd 0.22", the legal CYA. It's like Tesla marketing the Model S with "up to" maximum range of the Long Range vehicle, and "up to" maximum acceleration of the Plaid. You cannot buy a Model S with both max range and max performance, but marketing sticks it all on one slide/webpage/video/advert.

Sponsored

 

[Spoilt]

I must be a lucky guy then... I ordered my Sport Turismo on februari 25 and the is car is ready at the factory since yesterday.
Delivery of the car is sheduled around april 15

 

[whitex]

Wow, the market has really changed. This Porsche dealer has 23 new Taycans listed for sale!
https://www.porschewestlake.com/new-vehicles/taycan-2/

 

[f1eng]

For me it was primarily the fact that it blocks the air scarf. It would trigger my OCD, plus I am not a fan of fake vents just for looks. So far have not regretted it. I had left the right charge door open quite a few times at first on my 3,500mile trip home, but I realized than more than half those times a powered door would not have helped as I left the DC flap down too, which isn’t motorized even in a powered port, so wouldn’t be able to auto close anyways. I got used to closing it by the second half of the trip. Now just AC charging, which is right by the driver side door, so hard to forget.

I have only forgotten once, and it wasn't that I actually didn't close it it just didn't fully latch.
OTOH I have had cars with manual covers over both PHEV and fuel fillers for decades so I am used to it anywy

 

[whitex]

I have only forgotten once, and it wasn't that I actually didn't close it it just didn't fully latch.
OTOH I have had cars with manual covers over both PHEV and fuel fillers for decades so I am used to it anywy

Yea, I'm coming off of a decade of Model S, 8 of which I had a powered closing charge port (all had auto open), so it took me a few days to get into the habit of manually closing the Taycan charge port. I was fully retrained by the time I got home after picking up my car.

 

[annieland]

For me it was primarily the fact that it blocks the air scarf. It would trigger my OCD, plus I am not a fan of fake vents just for looks. So far have not regretted it. I had left the right charge door open quite a few times at first on my 3,500mile trip home, but I realized than more than half those times a powered door would not have helped as I left the DC flap down too, which isn’t motorized even in a powered port, so wouldn’t be able to auto close anyways. I got used to closing it by the second half of the trip. Now just AC charging, which is right by the driver side door, so hard to forget.

I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve driven home to find my gas cap still dangling against my car a few times. So I won’t be surprised if I do stuff like that for a while. Including forgetting to manually lock my doors!

 

[annieland]

Wow, the market has really changed. This Porsche dealer has 23 new Taycans listed for sale!
https://www.porschewestlake.com/new-vehicles/taycan-2/

But why is it just like here, so many RWD and standard interiors?? Is that all that sells off the lots? I really don’t get it. I know I’m surely not the target demographic of these cars, but I still am not sitting in a car that isn’t full leather. Maybe RWD works out in Cali, but I got stuck in the snow with just FWD so many times before I found good winter tires on my previous cars.

I truly am curious of the market demand for these lower specs, someone enlighten me.

 

[whitex]

But why is it just like here, so many RWD and standard interiors?? Is that all that sells off the lots? I really don’t get it. I know I’m surely not the target demographic of these cars, but I still am not sitting in a car that isn’t full leather. Maybe RWD works out in Cali, but I got stuck in the snow with just FWD so many times before I found good winter tires on my previous cars.

I truly am curious of the market demand for these lower specs, someone enlighten me.

I don't have hard numbers. I am speculating based on existing inventory showing on Porsche finder and generally what I see on the lots (old habit I got into when searching for a Taycan for me for over a year). RWD seem to be the popular choices nationwide. Generally, based on past history, the lowest trims of Porsche sold the most cars. My guess is, a decent number of people buy a Porsche for looks, prestige, status. RWD, perhaps with some color options, ppf wrap, will not blow their budget, while most people will not be able to tell the difference between a RWD and a Turbo S. Last but not least, dealers will usually order the most of what sells the most, so the fact they are stocking up on RWD tells me they expect to move them.

As for all-wheel-drive, that is only needed if you buy the car as an all-season daily driver where there is snow. People living in warm climates don't care, nor do people who store their cars all winter, or people who drive very little, keeping their cars in the garage only to pull them out as a driveway decoration when the weather is nice. Even around Seattle, where it snows 1-2 weeks a year, a lot of people do not care about AWD options. Electric RWD cars also handle better in the snow than ICE RWD because the torque can be controlled so much more precisely (no flywheel for example). I had a RWD Model S 10 years ago, took it out in the heavy snow once, spent a couple of hours zipping around fresh snow in a large casino parking lot starting around 3am, and honestly, it handled same or better than my AWD-on-demand Lexus RX400h. Would there be a situation where RWD would get stuck and AWD would not, sure, but so rare around here. AWD can also get stuck in some situations. I could see someone even in the pacific northwest, picking up a RWD Taycan for the fun of driving it (you can spec out a RWD with RAS and PDCC) if higher power is not a priority, but saves you half the money. You can buy 2 RWD's for the price of one Turbo S. Of course Porsche offers trims in between, to extract the most you can afford

 

[annieland]

Generally, based on past history, the lowest trims of Porsche sold the most cars. My guess is, a decent number of people buy a Porsche for looks, prestige, status. RWD, perhaps with some color options, ppf wrap, will not blow their budget, while most people will not be able to tell the difference between a RWD and a Turbo S.

I guess I knew that, and just didn't want to believe it. Everyone who knows me knows I got this car because I love and appreciate it, and have no one I need to impress (or piss off). I think the guys at the dealership picked up on that too, and maybe it's a breath of fresh air sometimes. I do like nice things, though!

 

[ThePaddyWan]

Wonder how much of that wait time incorporates 'waiting for allocation'. I had a car pre-ordering binge and from my small sample size of 1, that a wait of 6 to 9 months is no big idea compared to some of the other wait times. Been waiting so long for some vehicles that I don't even need them when my turn in line came up (example: 18 months to order an F-150 lightning).

 

[tchavei]

I don't have hard numbers. I am speculating based on existing inventory showing on Porsche finder and generally what I see on the lots (old habit I got into when searching for a Taycan for me for over a year). RWD seem to be the popular choices nationwide. Generally, based on past history, the lowest trims of Porsche sold the most cars. My guess is, a decent number of people buy a Porsche for looks, prestige, status. RWD, perhaps with some color options, ppf wrap, will not blow their budget, while most people will not be able to tell the difference between a RWD and a Turbo S. Last but not least, dealers will usually order the most of what sells the most, so the fact they are stocking up on RWD tells me they expect to move them.

As for all-wheel-drive, that is only needed if you buy the car as an all-season daily driver where there is snow. People living in warm climates don't care, nor do people who store their cars all winter, or people who drive very little, keeping their cars in the garage only to pull them out as a driveway decoration when the weather is nice. Even around Seattle, where it snows 1-2 weeks a year, a lot of people do not care about AWD options. Electric RWD cars also handle better in the snow than ICE RWD because the torque can be controlled so much more precisely (no flywheel for example). I had a RWD Model S 10 years ago, took it out in the heavy snow once, spent a couple of hours zipping around fresh snow in a large casino parking lot starting around 3am, and honestly, it handled same or better than my AWD-on-demand Lexus RX400h. Would there be a situation where RWD would get stuck and AWD would not, sure, but so rare around here. AWD can also get stuck in some situations. I could see someone even in the pacific northwest, picking up a RWD Taycan for the fun of driving it (you can spec out a RWD with RAS and PDCC) if higher power is not a priority, but saves you half the money. You can buy 2 RWD's for the price of one Turbo S. Of course Porsche offers trims in between, to extract the most you can afford

I'd say the reasons are personal and specific for each person.

I don't see the different trims as a ladder or a mountain where each one only goes as high as they can afford. I'd say that would be a rather simplistic view.

I chose the RWD because it's the trim I can rationally (barely) justify in my practical mind. I also chose a boring volcano grey with a black interior because I actually like blacks, greys and boring monochrome variations. You are free to shoot me if you ever see me buying a red or neon green car. It's just not my style.

Albeit I'm sure there are lots of RWD owners out there that went for that trim because that's what they could afford, there's a good portion that simply doesn't feel any need to go higher. I was in enough court sessions and speed re-education courses as a young adult to have any desire to have a 3second-path-to-no-license trim at my age.

My two cents.

PS: I'm buying the car as an individual and in cash. No company schemes, tax credits or loans. Customized exactly as I want it, including all the tech that makes sense to me (except sport sound, ordered it anyway). My dream car.

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

Most of the drag analysis you can find online shows Taycan's with the powered port. I can't help but wonder, what the pressure clouds (below) would look like with the with an open vent.


On the other hand, if you care about form over function, I do actually think the smaller port looks better (though I am not fan the black fin that much), but more importantly the disrupted laminar flow is likely to keep more dirt off the side of the car. To each their own.

It’d look like this.

 

[f1eng]

PS: I'm buying the car as an individual and in cash. No company schemes, tax credits or loans. Customized exactly as I want it, including all the tech that makes sense to me (except sport sound, ordered it anyway).

Same for me.
I ordered green because it is my favourite colour and rarely offered as a choice on a car these days.

I went CT because of my dog and the really dreadful roads around here, so 4WD was mandatory you can't get a CT without - it is my first 4wd, I have never needed it in a car and resent the weight - mind you I think it makes sense for regenerative brake balance on an EV.

The spec was entirely chosen for me, not the next owner.

 

[xyeahtony]

But why is it just like here, so many RWD and standard interiors?? Is that all that sells off the lots? I really don’t get it. I know I’m surely not the target demographic of these cars, but I still am not sitting in a car that isn’t full leather. Maybe RWD works out in Cali, but I got stuck in the snow with just FWD so many times before I found good winter tires on my previous cars.

I truly am curious of the market demand for these lower specs, someone enlighten me.

Im guessing RWD allocations are the most commonly given ones to dealers but a lot of people are ordering higher trim levels so dealers are left with just a bunch of RWDs to put on their lots.

 

[whitex]

I'd say the reasons are personal and specific for each person.

I don't see the different trims as a ladder or a mountain where each one only goes as high as they can afford. I'd say that would be a rather simplistic view.

I chose the RWD because it's the trim I can rationally (barely) justify in my practical mind. I also chose a boring volcano grey with a black interior because I actually like blacks, greys and boring monochrome variations. You are free to shoot me if you ever see me buying a red or neon green car. It's just not my style.

Albeit I'm sure there are lots of RWD owners out there that went for that trim because that's what they could afford, there's a good portion that simply doesn't feel any need to go higher. I was in enough court sessions and speed re-education courses as a young adult to have any desire to have a 3second-path-to-no-license trim at my age.

My two cents.

By no means did I mean to suggest that everyone who purchases a RWD does is because they cannot afford to pay more. What I meant was they simply don't want to to pay for more, whether or not they can or cannot afford.

So to clarify, IMO more people buy RWD because mode people feel it's worth buying, vs. higher trims. It is a mix of people who cannot afford to pay more, and people who just don't think it's worth paying more. Then there is a newest, pandemic shortages spawned group, who would pay more for a higher trim, but with RWD available sooner, they go for that.

Full disclosure, I don't see the value for me in a Turbo S either, which is why I waited patiently to get a Turbo. Now, if they put a tri-motor 1000hp+ without launch mode in a Turbo S, I would have bought that one (and rationalize living with powered charge port and ceramic brakes, which I specifically did not want on my Taycan, as a worthy trade-off).

PS: I'm buying the car as an individual and in cash. No company schemes, tax credits or loans. Customized exactly as I want it, including all the tech that makes sense to me (except sport sound, ordered it anyway). My dream car.

I buy my cars to get what I want, customized to my taste rather than resale value or a popularity poll, but also without overpaying for it - I utilize whatever tax breaks, loan, lease or cash payment scheme(s) to net me the lowest cost for what I want.

Sponsored