Help me waste money on my theoretical Taycan! (i.e., 4CT build thread)

[Jonathan S.]

Help me waste money on my theoretical Taycan! (i.e., 4CT build thread)

Come on now, play along, everyone just loves a build thread!

First, some caveats as to how this might stay theoretical:

• The BMW i4 M50 might satisfy my profligate desire to waste money on an EV to supplement our two ICE vehicles, for a household whose third member won’t get a learner permit in almost two year. (I realize that the i4 is significantly smaller than the CT, but I’ll keep my Audi A6 Allroad for roadtrips with more people, cargo, and/or distances. Plus, since my wife likes compact sedans, when I bring home the i4 with no advance notice, I can say it’s a surprise for her —and if she doesn’t like it, then, oh well, I’ll just have to drive it! The 4CT though would have no even remotely plausible justification, other than sheer automotive engineering excellence, combined with practicality.)
• Although any EV has less regular maintenance than ICE, should any little items crop up for service, the nearest Porsche dealer is about an hour from me, whereas the nearest BMW dealer is ~25 min, and also accessible via bus and bike should I want to drop the car off there and not bother with a loaner. By contrast, a two-hour roundtrip drive for anything that needs to be done at the Porsche dealer, ugh, that sounds like a potential nightmare scenario going back & forth often! I think this is the deal breaker unfortunately, but I’m still intrigued enough to look into it more, especially since the i4 M50 might not be available for a year (even though I’ve lucked out with #1 & #2 allocation wait list slots).
• Whenever I save the updated configuration, I seem to end up with a new code?

That aside, code is:

PPDY2R45 PPF719Z7 PPCK5JU1​

​

Current selections:

• Color = The only interesting car color I’ve ever had it blue, and Gentian looks great, but … I don’t like the contrasting wheel arches, etc. I think Volcano Grey makes the contrasting parts the least contrasting? Plus I previously had a vehicle that was officially grey but often looked black, and I like the kind of subdued yet somewhat variable look.
• Wheels = Usually I go with the smallest diameter for maximum protection against pothole-induced sidewall blowouts, but to my surprise the 20” has a decent sidewall height (perhaps Porsche is actually taking the “C” part somewhat seriously?), with bonus availability of the Michelin CrossClimate2 fitting the 20” staggered spec. (I couldn’t find any all-weather tires options to replace the OEM 19” staggered spec.)
• Leather = What, that isn’t standard? Oh well. Usually I got with black to keep dark stains from being apparent, but Slate Grey seems like it should be good enough, and the interior won’t be quite as dour.
• Packages, both Technology and Premium = Takes care of a lot of other decisions.
• PVT+ & PDCC = Obviously I don’t care about power, hence the base 4. But better handling is also appreciated. Or will I not notice the benefit of these? I often drive on twisty hilly secondary highways … but the speed limit is either 50 or 55, and anything above 65 is risking a hefty ticket and insurance complications.
• Rear Axle Steering = Sounds like it makes a big car like this feel much smaller (in a good way) in some driving situations.
• Sport Chrono Package = This might be silly, but I’ve like changing the drive modes often on two other vehicles, and putting the controls on the steering wheel is appealing, even if rather pricey.
• PID = The actual PID seems to be of questionable value, but I definitely want ALK, so might as well buy it up front rather than go through FOD.
• Insulated Glass = Any additional noise reduction is good.
• Heated Rear Seats, Massage Front Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, 4 Zone = Definitely including. (I think?)
• Rear 2+1 = Although I do not intend to torture any actual human beings by having anyone sit I the middle seat, I want to center pass-through for skis. (Yes, the 40 split portion can do that, but the cost differential is trivial.)
• Dashcam Prep = Hmm, umm, well, for that amount of money, sure, why, not, maybe I’ll eventually get a dash cam?
• Deletion of Model Designation = One less protrusion to pick up dirt and grim, plus this way anyone who looks at the car will wonder what it could be possible be … (“A Porsche – station wagon?!?”)
• 19.2 kW & 150 kW charging upgrades = What, I have to pay extra for this? Oh well, will come in handy sometimes.
• [Added roof rails, just in case.]

Not interested in, although feel free to try to convince me otherwise:

• Roof rails = Ever since I switched from sedans to a hatchback or wagon, I haven’t used my cargo box, ski carriers, or bike carriers in a loooong time. Plus I plan to keep the A6 Allroad for the foreseeable future, and that has built-in (albeit unused) rails.
• Now added to build, thanks for the feedback on its utility: Night Vision Assist = That was the one thing I wasn’t able to get on my Audi that I thought I wanted. I often drive at night on rural highways with a risk of deer or moose. However, I’ve discovered that with the HUD, I hardly ever have to look down at the dash, so that’s good for scanning ahead and the roadsides for wildlife. The configurator says, “Detected pedestrians, deer, and other large wildlife are highlighted in yellow. Pedestrians within critical range are highlighted in red, and the driver receives an audio/visual warning.” Does that audio warning include wildlife detected by the side of the road that I might miss? If so, the possibility of preventing a collision is worth the cost for me.
• Sound system = Any upgrade would be wasted on NPR and Audible.
• Range manager = If I’m running on fumes (so to speak), I’ll just take it easy. Although for $300, maybe include it because … why not?

*****

Okay, I think that’s it – TIA, whether for build advice, color commentary, or the two-hour roundtrip service issue.

Sponsored

 

[DougFrisk]

Comments on three items. The 19.2 (22) KW charger is a lot of money for possibly not much benefit. The base charger is capable of maxing out a 240 volt 60 amp circuit and will easily charge your car overnight at home. If you're not installing a dedicated 100 amp circuit for car charging you're betting you can find enough level 2 chargers above 11 KW on your travels to make it worthwhile.

The 150KW voltage booster is a bet on Tesla opening up their charge network. Apart from them, there are a literal handful of 400 volt chargers in the US where it would offer any benefit. It's an inexpensive bet, but it does add something like 45 pounds to the car.

Last Saturday evening driving south on highway 61 along Lake Superior I came upon a deer on it's back flailing in the middle of the road. It had been hit by a pickup that was in the ditch. We didn't see the deer until we were within half a second of it. The night vision camera would have seen that long before I did. Your experience with suicidal cervids may be lower, but for us that camera is now a must. (We did miss the already distressed deer.)

 

[Jonathan S.]

[...] a lot of money for possibly not much benefit. [...]

Couldn't that be said of almost all the options? As well as the entire model line ...

In all seriousness, I appreciate the feedback on the limited utility of the charging upgrades.
So let's say I'm at a hotel or a ski area w/ L2. Any rough guestimate as how often those are more than 11?

As for 150, I was thinking that the L3 charger network is only going to get better over however many years I own this vehicle such that the 150 will come in handy ... or so I hope!

"The night vision camera would have seen that long before I did."
Okay, you've sold me on that! I've had far too many uncomfortably close encounter with moose and deer over the years.
This past spring, I was even driving along a relatively hilly & twister interstate, when I saw a car by the side of the road, with much of its front end missing, near a deer carcass ... and then a short while later, a similar scene, except -- what, a dead BEAR?!?

 

[SergeyIndy]

+3 agree on all points with @DougFrisk

+1 on 19.2kW add on is expensive, not necessary, and not really good for the battery if you can charge it at standard 11kW on a 60Amp home circuit. I skipped that option after much research.

+1 on 150kW add on is not expensive, not necessary, and 45lbs, but I added it to bet on Tesla opening up 400v

+1 NVA operation that you described is not accurate. The key benefit is that it sees humans and animals BEYOND the range of the headlights, not to mention its reaction time will be ahead of yours every time. Our NVA on the Cayenne detected many things beyond the lights and moving across the road that we would not be able to react to in time without hitting, including a deer standing in the middle of the road while we were going 65mph. NVA pays for itself if you have a good chance of hitting a human or animal where you travel. Recently, I drove through a school zone when it was dark, and it detected kids walking along the road and attempted to cross way before I could see them with my headlights.

 

[Jonathan S.]

^ Okay, NVA definitely added now, thanks.

re charging upgrades:

• $460 + 45 lbs for a bet on future L3 network upgrades seems reasonable.
• $1680 on 19.2 is definitely prices, and would almost never be useful at home, but might I find L2 chargers that would be significantly faster with it?

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

I won't touch almost anything here, as these selections are subjective (in the sense of relative to one's circumstances), and this forum is essentially one big cemetery of identical horses.

However, let me try and take a crack at this:

Not interested in, although feel free to try to convince me otherwise:

• Roof rails = Ever since I switched from sedans to a hatchback or wagon, I haven’t used my cargo box, ski carriers, or bike carriers in a loooong time. Plus I plan to keep the A6 Allroad for the foreseeable future, and that has built-in (albeit unused) rails.

IMHO, a station wagon without roof bars is useless - or, rather, marginally more useful than the sedan. Yes, you could fit a dog in the trunk, but then you'd be traveling without luggage.

The way I see it, the option is fairly innocuous - from the perspectives of price, looks and impact on efficiency - but, should you ever need it, it might mean the difference between taking the CT or leaving it home.

To address some of your points individually:
- skis through the middle section of the rear seat: you could, but it's a pain. The opening is narrow, you'll want to avoid the brakes making contact with the sides of the adjacent seats, and anything over 2 pairs (including poles) would be a struggle. Consider you'd want to put the skis in a bag, and use the bag as a wrapper - well, you'd need to fiddle with each pair to ensure it fits, it's stable, doesn't damage bases etc. Add the hassle of pole straps snagging a binding, and it's all very aggravating. Put a roof box on, throw wet stuff in there, done.
- retrofitting cross bars (somehow): this is very tricky, as the glass roof is the only option in the US on the wagon. Thule makes, for instance, a foot pack for Macans with a naked roof, but that'd be impossible with the Taycan: any aftermarket solution would come in contact with the glass, and that's asking for trouble. That is, roof bars are a one-time, irreversible decision.
- seems to me the 4CT makes the allroad rather redundant; you may well want to keep them both indefinitely, but I suspect you'll find yourself favoring one over the other. (You could keep it for "just in case", and in that case disregard the following.) As far as I can tell, the only thing the allroad is better at is 'charging'/refueling. If that's important, then the Taycan seems more of a whim, so perhaps the sedan might be a better choice - at least it's different _somehow_.

(typo-induced edit)

 

[Jonathan S.]

^ All very valid points, thanks, appreciate the feedback.

The black roof rails do seem to blend in reasonably well, and although I haven't used my cargo box or any other attachments for many years ever since moving on from sedans, could come in handy someday. Plus, hey, makes it look more like a real station wagon, so check out the practicality! (Even if it is a Porsche...) So I've added to the build.

My skis though don't have brakes since they're lightweight models for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering, so even when I have some passengers, they easily fit through center pass- throughs.

Agreed on how the A6ar would be redundant except for long road trips in cold weather. Part of my plan would be too start pushing the limits on the 4CT with some away-from-home recharging and see how it goes. I can think of a few trips each year that would far less enjoyable with the 4CT.
(Even if I end up keeping the A6ar though, I definitely want the CT for the add'l rear seat room and the hatch versatility, especially for bikes. Plus it's a station wagon, so it's practical, right? And it's an EV, so I'm SAVING THE PLANET which is especially important where I live.)

 

[DougFrisk]

Couldn't that be said of almost all the options? As well as the entire model line ...

Strangely enough, when we started looking at EVs we set up a list of capabilities we wanted or required. None of them actually involved racing performance. After looking from Polestar to Volvo to BMW to Mercedes, the Taycan turned out to be the most practical car when optioned the way we wanted. We probably could have gone the highly optioned Audi route, but they're harder to find than the Taycan.

In all seriousness, I appreciate the feedback on the limited utility of the charging upgrades.
So let's say I'm at a hotel or a ski area w/ L2. Any rough guestimate as how often those are more than 11?

As for 150, I was thinking that the L3 charger network is only going to get better over however many years I own this vehicle such that the 150 will come in handy ... or so I hope!

Virtually the entire North American L3 charging infrastructure is 800 volts. Every new L3 charger being put in is 800 volts except Tesla. All of the Tesla cars and superchargers are 400 volts. Tesla has been saying that they'll open up their charging network in the US to other vehicles for at least two years but haven't yet. There was a bit of excitement a few days ago because a "Tesla influencer" posted a supposed screenshot of a Tesla station with CCS compatibility. But there was zero verification, every article pointed back to the same Twitter post. I'm not convinced Tesla will open their charging network without some clear financial benefit to them.

We're getting the 150KW voltage booster, but I'm prepared to kick myself if the bet doesn't pan out. It's also possible that if Tesla does start opening up their stations to other cars it will be only at new chargers that are 1000 volts so again the booster would be irrelevant.

 

[Archimedes]

Get the BMW. An hour each way to a dealer is too far.

 

[xyeahtony]

the 400V 150kw charger upgrade is pointless. The only charging network that does more than 50kw and is 400V is the tesla supercharger network, which you can't even use in a Taycan (yet).

Of course if the goal is to waste money and it is no object, then go for it. I'm sure you'll use it a total of zero times in the next 3 years. Almost every EV on the market besides Tesla is going to be on 800V, so most EV charging stations are going to be 800V compatible and the ones that are only 400V will be limited to 50kw anyways, because chances are anyone installing a "cheap" 400V charger isn't thinking speed to begin with.

PTV is pointless unless you are tracking the car, seriously.

19.2kw charger upgrade is also pointless and a waste of money. Most Public Level 2 charge stations are only ~7kw. Unless you are going to install a dedicated 100A circuit at home and run an 80A EVSE, you will be throwing away almost $2k for a feature you'll see little use for. And even if you install an 80A EVSE, how much are you driving in a day where you can't wait 8 hours for a full charge and need it in 4 instead? I drive maybe like 30-40 miles a day, takes my Tesla 1 hour to recharge on a standard 48A EVSE.

IMHO, a station wagon without roof bars is useless - or, rather, marginally more useful than the sedan. Yes, you could fit a dog in the trunk, but then you'd be traveling without luggage.

Eh to each their own. After spec-ing the performance battery, the price delta between a 4S Sedan and CT for me was so minimal that i decided to go for it. I'm coming from a Model Y, i want to have cargo space. The Sedan is woefully lacking, and rear passenger headroom is larger in the CT.

I'd only add roof racks if you actually have some use for them. They will add wind noise though.;

Moral of the story is adding features for "what-if" situations is silly. Add only what you need.

 

[XLR82XS]

the 400V 150kw charger upgrade is pointless. The only charging network that does more than 50kw and is 400V is the tesla supercharger network, which you can't even use in a Taycan (yet).

It's not able to be retrofitted - so it is a useful option especially at the $.

 

[xyeahtony]

It's not able to be retrofitted - so it is a useful option especially at the $.

It would only be a useful option if
A) there are chargers to support it (there aren’t)
b) you would need to use those chargers as opposed to the standard CCS network

It is rumored the V4 Superchargers Tesla will come out with are going to be 900V+ because of the requirements of the cybertruck. So its very likely Tesla will end up upgrading their own supercharger network to be 800V compatible Down the line.

 

[XLR82XS]

When they do become available anybody who's car doesn't have the option is SOL.

 

[Jonathan S.]

Get the BMW. An hour each way to a dealer is too far.

Unfortunately, I’m starting to think that’s the deal-breaker here. I don’t care about a two-hour roundtrip drive once or twice a year, but if all sorts of minor items require that, this car could end up becoming a time-consuming hobby.

I suppose that given the cost of the car, wouldn’t be all that much of an increment to periodically pay someone to drive it down there, but -- umm, hmm, find a stranger on Craigslist or somewhere to drive a new ~$135k Porsche across state lines …

I emailed the Hoffman General Sales Manager about that Monday night and the response has been … nothing. Perhaps though such upfront indifference toward a potential ~$135k sale is better than false promises. He also didn’t return my earlier inquiry about the allocation status for the 4CT until after I emailed him a second time.

But to wrap this up, since I do find it analytically intriguing, and this is such a perfect vehicle (except for the potential range issues, as with any EV), even if it might forever stay theoretical (unless someone can see a solution to the problem of a two-hour roundtrip drive for any service visits):

Re options for “what if” situations, that’s the way I am in general. For example, one of the main uses of this car would be driving for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. My backpack for those activities by weight is probably something like 80% I don’t end up using, of which the remaining margin is stuff I’ve never used and sure hope I’ll never use.

Granted, some of that is life-or-death related, and charging layovers aren’t that extreme. But I like being prepared, and even if those options might have only a, say, 20% chance of keeping a long roadtrip from turning into a charging nightmare, then would be worth it to me.

Re PVT+ and PDCC, reading more posts here on this forum, I found some wonderfully contradictory conclusions:

• For anything resembling anyone’s definition of normal driving on normal public ways, definitely PDCC but definitely not PVT+.
• Exact opposite of above.
• Definitively PDCC because of the vehicle’s weight from the battery pack.
• Definitively not PDCC because of the vehicle’s weight from the battery pack (lowering the center of gravity compared to ICE).
• Car handles great with PVT+ and/or PDCC. (No doubt true, but issue is what is being added by that, if anything.)
• Car handles great w/o PVT+ and/or PDCC. (No doubt true, but issue is how much better it might be with that.)

Anyway, was fun to think about all this, but the dealer distance just doesn’t seem to be practical. I think the plan will be the BMW i4 M50 for now (with “now” somewhat vaguely defined given the allocation situation), then maybe a future Audi A6 e-tron or maybe BMW i5 (or i5 Touring, but unlikely to come here given that even the Touring versions of the ICE 3 and 5 series aren’t available here). And if only Audi had an e-tron GT Allroad!

(As for other choices that actually exist, not interested in Model S, for all the reasons everyone here probably shares. Lucid is somewhat tempting, but aside from all the obvious uncertainty from a start-up, the company’s refusal to divulge basic details on seat features among the different trims is highly disturbing to me. Also not interested in the i7 for its general size and orientation, and no interest in SUVs of any size or propulsion type. Mercedes does have a nearby dealer, but that’s not quite me.)

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

Unfortunately, I’m starting to think that’s the deal-breaker here. I don’t care about a two-hour roundtrip drive once or twice a year, but if all sorts of minor items require that, this car could end up becoming a time-consuming hobby.

[snip]

But to wrap this up, since I do find it analytically intriguing, and this is such a perfect vehicle (except for the potential range issues, as with any EV), even if it might forever stay theoretical (unless someone can see a solution to the problem of a two-hour roundtrip drive for any service visits):

[snip]

Anyway, was fun to think about all this, but the dealer distance just doesn’t seem to be practical. I think the plan will be the BMW i4 M50 for now (with “now” somewhat vaguely defined given the allocation situation)

I think you're overthinking this. (And, since you may not have had a chance to get acquainted with @Archimedes's style, s/he/they play the court jester role - poking fun but cutting to the core: there's always something there.) The distance to the dealer is measured in total time - to book an appointment, find a tow truck, the wait for (everything), it's not at all the distance divided by best case average speed. From that perspective there is no difference between the two (it's either a 0 time for both if you call their respective Assistance services, or half-day for both), just in the likelihood of needing dealer services. If you have the data points to reliably compare the Taycan with the i4 reliability-wise, then the decision should be easy.

I'm not suggesting the Taycan is superior or inferior to the i4, nor that it is better or worse suited to your needs and profile/personality. Seems odd, though, to make a long-term and financially-significant decision based on, let's face it, a rounding error in distance to service. That'd be like (brace for bad analogy) optimizing a house purchase on the distance to the builder's HQ.

Sponsored