This is so very useful.... Thank you.Since I am waiting for delivery, I wanted to know from current owners what things they did and/or wish they had done when they picked up their cars. I know from my other cars that there are a few things that are much easier to do at pickup than later. I will compile and make a comprehensive checklist for people to go through when they do their pickup for anyone to use.
Here is the Checklist; I will update as people respond.
EDIT (as of 9/12/2020): I have now picked up my car, and I have made a few additional edits.
New Taycan Buyer Checklist
This is a checklist that is designed to allow new Taycan buyers to maximize their buying experience and potentially minimize early ownership hassles.
Now
- Set up your home charging infrastructure.
- If you don't already have it, have any installations of electrical equipment performed, especially if you do not already have a NEMA 14-50 outlet in the garage with at least a 50 amp breaker.
- If you can, have the NEMA 14-50 outlet installed on the "Left Side" of a stud (US) so that the top and bottom bolts of the cord collector can screw right into the stud. I recommend the stud be 10 inches from the nearest object (including the power panel), and approximately 52 inches (at center of power box) off the ground.
- Purchase a USB-C cable that connects to your phone. For iPhones, this is either a new cable (such as an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable) or an adapter (recommend a new cable, however). For non-wireless charging Androids, you will need a similar cable (at least for charging). For wireless charging Androids, I suppose you don't need a cable, since the car currently does not support Android Auto and there is a wireless charger.
Before you go to the dealer (~1 week)
- Set up your Porsche Connect Account. Some dealers will start this process for you prior to pick up. If that is the case for yours, then you will simply get an email that is initiated by Porsche and start the activation from the link in the email. If that has not happened by the time you are planning for the pickup, then follow these steps.
- Ask your Dealer for your VIN. This will be necessary to help you get started on the next step.
- Install Porsche Connect App and Charging NA your phone. It is available free from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Be careful: There is an app called “Porsche Car Connect“—this is not the correct app!
- Create a Porsche ID. You can do this as part of the process of installing the Porsche Connect app your phone in Step 1 above. If you struggle with small screens on the phone, you can also create the Porsche ID on your computer. Note: Do not go crazy on the complexity of your password; the experience of others on this forum has been that long and complicated passwords cause problems with logging in.
The important thing is that at the end of whichever process you choose, you have a working Porsche Connect app on your phone. If not, get what you can get done, and make sure to raise it at the dealership when you pick up your car.
- Notify your insurance company. This is not really Taycan-specific; I just always forget and it's kind of a hassle. Plus, since you've already acquired your VIN from above, they will have everything they need to get started binding the policy.
- Ask them to check that the key updates were completed. In particular, the updates that are really important appear to be ones that cover a very important set of updates that prevent certain malfunctions (e.g., 12V battery failures, certain types of charging problems).
- WLG2 Software Campaign VR8.7
- WLE3 Campaign (12v battery)
- Prepare a bag to take to the dealer. Place in the bag:
- This list!
- The USB-C cable that you bought above (or had if you didn't need to buy it)
- The insurance proof sent to you by your insurance company. (If possible, in some states this does not work this way.)
- The bank check
At the dealer
- Carefully inspect the vehicle. A few people have noted some damage to their vehicles, either from transport or at the factory. For example:
- Damage to panoramic roof
- Scratches in wheels and paint
- Cosmetic damage to wheel nuts
- Lower front spoiler and Air Conditioning rattle
- Check for small pits in the door windows. At least one user has found a dozen or so small pits on the passenger side window. If you see them, point them out.
- Have the tech walk you through all functions. Remember the user interface is not particularly intuitive - best to have someone get you through it. They may not know it all, but probably better than what you can come up with on your own through simple intuition. While you are at it, have them show you:
- Where to find SIM information. This will be necessary to add the car to your mobile provider (eventually).
- How to set the car to charge to the recommended 85% level. There is a really good thread here for that, but you're there anyway, and the exercise will give you a sense of how much help your dealer will be going forward.
- Review the physical charging process (even if you have owned other plug in vehicles). In particular, note that to release a plug while the car is charging, you have to hit two buttons - the first is the one with the flashing GREEN light on the side of the charging port, and after you see the white light appear, you press the top button on the plug.
- Link the car to your Porsche ID. This may already be completed, but you need to verify this. This is needed to create a user profile which stores all your preferred settings. There are reportedly a number of things that have enabled this for certain users. One is to have the dealer transfer ownership to you at the dealership. Some reported troubles with this step (Porsche server sometime takes a while to update). If ownership transfer does not work, try to link your new car to your Porsche ID, as others have reported that this happened automatically in a way that did not require the dealer to really do anything outside of their normal processes.
- Confirm that the WLG2 Software Campaign VR8.7 was completed. Since you had them check, before you came, you shouldn't get a puzzled reaction.
- Have them charge the car. You want to leave with a full charge, as you may want to take the long way home!
This can also happen if the car cannot communicate with Porsche servers.
in case of a solid black, depending on the dealer, the surface might have swirl marks and scratches. Either request a dealer to agree to pay for polish, or leave the car and request a paint correction. Might delay the actual pickup unless they have properly qa’d the car.Since I am waiting for delivery, I wanted to know from current owners what things they did and/or wish they had done when they picked up their cars. I know from my other cars that there are a few things that are much easier to do at pickup than later. I will compile and make a comprehensive checklist for people to go through when they do their pickup for anyone to use.
Here is the Checklist; I will update as people respond.
EDIT (as of 9/12/2020): I have now picked up my car, and I have made a few additional edits.
New Taycan Buyer Checklist
This is a checklist that is designed to allow new Taycan buyers to maximize their buying experience and potentially minimize early ownership hassles.
Now
- Set up your home charging infrastructure.
- If you don't already have it, have any installations of electrical equipment performed, especially if you do not already have a NEMA 14-50 outlet in the garage with at least a 50 amp breaker.
- If you can, have the NEMA 14-50 outlet installed on the "Left Side" of a stud (US) so that the top and bottom bolts of the cord collector can screw right into the stud. I recommend the stud be 10 inches from the nearest object (including the power panel), and approximately 52 inches (at center of power box) off the ground.
- Purchase a USB-C cable that connects to your phone. For iPhones, this is either a new cable (such as an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable) or an adapter (recommend a new cable, however). For non-wireless charging Androids, you will need a similar cable (at least for charging). For wireless charging Androids, I suppose you don't need a cable, since the car currently does not support Android Auto and there is a wireless charger.
Before you go to the dealer (~1 week)
- Set up your Porsche Connect Account. Some dealers will start this process for you prior to pick up. If that is the case for yours, then you will simply get an email that is initiated by Porsche and start the activation from the link in the email. If that has not happened by the time you are planning for the pickup, then follow these steps.
- Ask your Dealer for your VIN. This will be necessary to help you get started on the next step.
- Install Porsche Connect App and Charging NA your phone. It is available free from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Be careful: There is an app called “Porsche Car Connect“—this is not the correct app!
- Create a Porsche ID. You can do this as part of the process of installing the Porsche Connect app your phone in Step 1 above. If you struggle with small screens on the phone, you can also create the Porsche ID on your computer. Note: Do not go crazy on the complexity of your password; the experience of others on this forum has been that long and complicated passwords cause problems with logging in.
The important thing is that at the end of whichever process you choose, you have a working Porsche Connect app on your phone. If not, get what you can get done, and make sure to raise it at the dealership when you pick up your car.
- Notify your insurance company. This is not really Taycan-specific; I just always forget and it's kind of a hassle. Plus, since you've already acquired your VIN from above, they will have everything they need to get started binding the policy.
- Ask them to check that the key updates were completed. In particular, the updates that are really important appear to be ones that cover a very important set of updates that prevent certain malfunctions (e.g., 12V battery failures, certain types of charging problems).
- WLG2 Software Campaign VR8.7
- WLE3 Campaign (12v battery)
- Prepare a bag to take to the dealer. Place in the bag:
- This list!
- The USB-C cable that you bought above (or had if you didn't need to buy it)
- The insurance proof sent to you by your insurance company. (If possible, in some states this does not work this way.)
- The bank check
At the dealer
- Carefully inspect the vehicle. A few people have noted some damage to their vehicles, either from transport or at the factory. For example:
- Damage to panoramic roof
- Scratches in wheels and paint
- Cosmetic damage to wheel nuts
- Lower front spoiler and Air Conditioning rattle
- Check for small pits in the door windows. At least one user has found a dozen or so small pits on the passenger side window. If you see them, point them out.
- Have the tech walk you through all functions. Remember the user interface is not particularly intuitive - best to have someone get you through it. They may not know it all, but probably better than what you can come up with on your own through simple intuition. While you are at it, have them show you:
- Where to find SIM information. This will be necessary to add the car to your mobile provider (eventually).
- How to set the car to charge to the recommended 85% level. There is a really good thread here for that, but you're there anyway, and the exercise will give you a sense of how much help your dealer will be going forward.
- Review the physical charging process (even if you have owned other plug in vehicles). In particular, note that to release a plug while the car is charging, you have to hit two buttons - the first is the one with the flashing GREEN light on the side of the charging port, and after you see the white light appear, you press the top button on the plug.
- Link the car to your Porsche ID. This may already be completed, but you need to verify this. This is needed to create a user profile which stores all your preferred settings. There are reportedly a number of things that have enabled this for certain users. One is to have the dealer transfer ownership to you at the dealership. Some reported troubles with this step (Porsche server sometime takes a while to update). If ownership transfer does not work, try to link your new car to your Porsche ID, as others have reported that this happened automatically in a way that did not require the dealer to really do anything outside of their normal processes.
- Confirm that the WLG2 Software Campaign VR8.7 was completed. Since you had them check, before you came, you shouldn't get a puzzled reaction.
- Have them charge the car. You want to leave with a full charge, as you may want to take the long way home!
P connect and charging apps.
I also never put the stickers on my Model S. I made the calculation that the number of times I would need to:
I probably need to use the carpool on my own 2-3 times per month. I rarely have anyone else in my car at times when I need the carpool. So I think I will definitely apply for the stickers but won't apply them. Thanks!
fwiw, there are ways to use magnets or even some sort of cling wrap material to temporarily slap them on, then take them off when you don't need them. I looked into this option for the Model S as well, but again, for me, it wasn't worth the effort. Google around for it if you're interested...
You may not want to get the stickers. they expire after 3ish years and are VIN locked. If you do not get them and decide to sell they maybe very valuable to someone. My 2 cents. When i sold my last EV that a big question.
I always get them. The cost is pretty minimal and hugely worth it for the time saving and cool factor of driving in any lane without worry
