I am getting ready to place a custom GTS order and would like to hear your expert inputs in the following areas:

A) I live in So CA. Is it possible to get 8% or more discount on the order? I read in a previous thread that someone claimed 8+% but after talking to 3 So CA dealers, I was offered only 3-4 %. Please reply or PM me the dealer and contact info if you know of a So CA dealer who is prepared to offer higher than 5%.

I am targeting a late sept or early October ( assuming Europe is taking a month off in the summer). My order is going to be 7MT and so far, not many dealers are carrying 7MT in stock. It is unlikely I will get a 7MT 2015 leftover on the lot in Sept or later(even though I may potentially get 10% discount by then).

B) PASM - Will I see a difference in handling if I don't track. I am using it as DD. I know this option lowers the car by 10mm. Is it just for looks if I don't track it?

C) I am going to be the only one driving this car. Do I need the 18 way seat? Once it is set, I would never change the position.

Thanks for you help in advance.

 

The GTS can be had for 8% to 9% off but you will have to be patient after the initial dealer visit.

PASM is a good option specially with comfort setting based on the current condition of 10 fwy and other major Los Angeles fwy's. PASM sport is not worth other than the looks if not used for track purpose.

18 way power is a must even if you don't move the seat after initial adjustment and you being the only driver. A 130k plus car without power seat is a insult and don't know why porsche does it. It should be either standard or no cost option. Also you don't order alcantata seats. These auto manufacturers are pushing this cloth as a leather replacement because it's cheaper but in reality leather is a superior product.

 

It should come with regular PASM. The Sport PASM (SPASM) pretty much just lowers it and gives you a different rubber bumper on the nose. This can be replaced by yourself if you like the look for a few $$. I didn't get the spasm to prevent the lowering, steep driveway. If you aren't going to track it often, then it may not be for you. You can always get it lowered later through other means.

The 18 way seats are something you should try. Find a car that has it and take a seat. You may or may not like it. I opted for regular 14 way seats. They are perfectly fine for me.

 

PASM is standard on a GTS, just like any Carrera S. Are you referring to Sport PASM (SPASM)? If so, I recommend it. The car looks much better and the ride is not harsh. I don't think you said which body style you are getting, but SPASM is not available on cabriolet, and I don't think Targa either.

 

Skip the SPASM (PASM is standard, as mentioned previously) and try out the different seats before you decide. I had manual sports seats on my 997, and 14-ways on the 991. Not really worth the price difference, but I liked having the lumbar adjustment. Since I went with full leather interior, I had no choice. If you're spending the coin for the GTS, money doesn't seem to be your issue.

As for question 1: 8% is probably unrealistic for an ordered car in your market.

 

Around these parts 4-5% discount is more realistic.
Power seats add weight! That's why the manual players are still offered.
I personally like alcantara- if you research the properties of it, you'll see why.

 

For that .0001 percent improvement by not having power seat is understandable but at $125k starting price it can't be costing more to get power seats.

4-5% is more likely but I was able to get 7% off from 2 dealers and then another one even beat their offer. And 7% off wasn't too hard of a negotiation.

Alcantata just like power seats. Its like charging more for less. Even if it's a better material to some it shouldn't cost extra like as much or more like leather. After all it's a man made material ( cloth ). How would we feel if porsche started using bonded leather and charge the price of natural leather ???

 

I just rented a GTS which had Alcantra. Steering wheel was actually slippery to hang on to and seats nothing special. I'd agree with leather. I am the only one driving my 991 and selected 18 way seats because they were the most comfortable. Never regretted that and in fact put them in my Macan Turbo also.

 

Not sure about Alcantata, but the Alcantara GTS Interior Package is fantastic. Not sure I would settle for the standard leather/Alcantara interior, but the GTS Interior Package with the deviated stitching on leather parts, carbon fiber trim, red borders on seat belts and floor mats, Carmine Red or Rhodium Silver tach (color depends on which color package you choose), looks and feels fantastic and sets the GTS off form a regular Carrera. Nothing wrong with full letter either, but the GTS Interior Package is really sharp.

 

GTS interior is just cosmetic things which can be had in leather as well. For $890 not only the tach but all gauges can be red, garner red / black two tone leather comes standard with red stitching and carbon fibre trim is also a stand alone option if someone likes to have it. But overall I don't see why cloth interior costs the same or more from leather.

 

I guess a lot depends on whether you want your GTS to look like a GTS, or a regular Carrera. I have seen a GTS with the regular Carrera S 5 lug wheels and leather interior and it might as well been a Carrera S. It of course did have the wide body, but other then that, not much to distinguish from a run-of-the-mill Carrera.

 

The 5 lug wheels are a no cost option on carrera gts. I don't know why someone choose those over central locking wheels which are free. But I still think gts interior package in alcantata is not as luxurious as full natural leather. No one will mistake it for being carrera S. People who know porsche are very knowledgeable. In reality carrera and carrera S both look identical except different exhaust tips and also turbo and turbo S. It doesn't mean S and turbo have a disadvantage of being too similar .

 

In order to distinguish myself from the rest by getting a lower cost item which costs same or more is just not me.No matter how much porsche promotes alcantata ( cloth ) vs real cow hide they can't fool me on this.

 

From Manufacturing standpoint, the cloth will cost more to make since the scale is small and the tooling is not made to do that.
From marketing standpoint, anything different than the norm can charge more.
I love my leather all day long and will not want to get Alcantara or cloth.

 

Alcantata is a cloth btw. It's italian name for ultra suede cloth 😜