Hello everyone. I am a Marine pilot about to be a proud owner of a black on black V6 Panamera. I wish I had the funds to get the S or Turbo but just not realistic for me. In fact, not sure the V6 is. I have very much appreciated reading the great advice and opinions on this web site. There sure are a lot of knowledgeable folks on here and I am very happy to have found you all. Thank you.
Couple questions.
-I have ordered a V6 but they are telling me they are backlogged until deep into October. I ordered July 9th. Anyone heard of this or are dealers just trying to reduce inventory? I am thinking about just purchasing one with close options off the lot.
-I am looking at three wheel options. 20" Spyder, 20" Turbo II and 22" MRR HR6 diamond cut rims (I attached a pic of these). I would be curious to know what the group thinks about these choices.
-Does putting 22" on make a SIGNIFICANT ride or performance difference. I don't mind some stiffer ride but I don't want to turn it into my old Viper. I do not plan on racing this puppy just personally love the look of the panny and it matches my new lifestyle with a 2 yr old. I am sure some of you guys can understand that situation.
Thanks in advance for any and all advice/opinions.
Semper Fi,
Mike

 

The factory shuts down for a month, so that might be a cause for the delay. However, the V6 models don't seem to be moving off the lots that fast (take that pun for what it's worth, lol) so you can probably bargain pretty strongly for one in inventory. As for the rims, do what you like. In my experience, air suspension equipped cars are less susceptible to a difference in ride quality when going with bigger rims. Either way, I wouldn't expect a significant difference in ride quality, just take it easy around potholes and train tracks, etc.
Good luck!! Hope to see you post pics when you get it!

 

I would like to offer my recommendations for options:

1. Air Suspension
2. Ventilated and Heated Front Seats
3. Bose and XM

Do larger diameter wheels and tires later on when you need to get a new set of tires. Ebay Motors has, and will have more, a terrific selection of wheel and tire combos. Put your money into the car itself.

Congrats, JohnnyB

 

Congrats on your order

yes dealers are trying to move 2010 inventory adn I suspect will hold off rolling out the 2011 models until cleared.

As to the difference between 20" and 22" the ride quality will be DRAMATICALLY different. Expert more harshness, and especially serious jarring in potholes. If you experience a lot of potholes in your area, you will beind 22" rims no matter how careful you are. Not enought sidewall to damp out the impacts

Just my $0.02

 

As has been mentioned in other threads, the '10 PS have been discounted heavily. You probably can get a PS for what you would order a new 6 for. The kicker is getting the options you want. When you order it, you get it exactly the way you want it. There's a lot to be said for that. I, personally don't like the wheels pictured. IMO, they are a bit too busy and blingy for that car. I agree that 22s would negatively impact the ride. Nevertheless, it is you car. Do what you like. We won't have much freedom in future years! It is a fantastic car.

 

Those wheels are horrable.

 

I laughed that you said they were too blingy.. ha.. That was one of my concerns also and exact words.... Thanks much for everyone's comments to date. I have thick skin so won't hurt my feelings if you like or dislike them so please comment. What do you all think about the spyder vs. the turbo II?

 

I actually LOVE the new Turbo II wheels...I think they are some of the best looking wheels to come on a Porsche since Fuchs .....get those in the 20's...

 

I would not do the MMR wheels. They are heavy and not very performance oreiented. I had to decide between the Spyder and the Turbo II wheels too. It was a tough decision, but I ended up with the Turbo II wheels. I think it give the Pan a more aggressive and clean look.

Forgeahead is right. There are some smoking deals on S models. A little more than what you are looking to spend on a V6 might get you into an S. Call some other dealers outside the San Diego area. The deals get much better the closer you get to the bigger metro areas. I would suggest calling Mckenna, Auto Gallery, Downtown LA Porsche, and Circle Imports. They seem to pretty aggressive right now.

 

I have the Turbo II's on my P4S. Those are great looking wheels and they make the car look great. The 2010's are discounted like crazy - I would just try to make the best deal and shop the dealers. I live outside Detroit but bought mine in Cleveland - the dealers there - Fred Baker and North Olmsted - really wanted to make a deal.

The T2 wheels are I think the best option on the car.

 

When it comes to the wheels, my choice is the TII, since that's what we put on our P2S.

And as for the bigger dilemma, I'd do one of three things if in you position:
1) work the dealers hard for a smoking deal on a P2S
2) search for pre-owned models at even better prices
3) work the dealers for a good deal on an in-stock V6

I bought my P2S in February and was quite pleased with the deal then, but not so much in hindsight. If I would have waited until the summer, something tells me I'd have the 6 in the garage instead....damn good car, especially if you can get a decent price for one. I know it's 'just a 6', but at 300 hp, that's better performance than many 8s from 5 or so years ago, with better fuel 'economy'. We're quickly moving into an era where we need to rethink what the requirements are for cars in this price range. Here's more on my thoughts of the V6 from another thread:

*********
I had the opportunity to drive a Pan-V6 today and wanted to give a couple of impressions.

First and Foremost: Thumbs Up.


Let me preface this with the comment that I immediately pressed the 'Sport' button, so I have no reference (and no interest) in how it drives in normal mode. I drive my P2S in Sport 90% of the time, Sport Plus the rest.

Acceleration:
For the most part, there is no discernible difference in ride/feel between the V6 & V8. The major difference is low-speed and high-speed acceleration. Obviously, with less torque available, there is less pull at those low speeds as well as less power available to move through the 100mph marker. But once the car gets moving, it has plenty of pull and acceleration with little difference in feeling the pull of the car.

And lets be honest, how many times are these cars going to be blowing well past 100? I do get mine up there a few times a week when I see some open road on the tollway, but I always have to slam on the brakes before I hit the next bend/hill/entry so I don't end up in Johnny Laws backseat.

Now, acceleration off the line isn't as powerful than the P2S, and you can feel it, but that was expected.

Cornering:
Even though the engine is only 67 lbs lighter, all of that weight is removed from the front axle and forward, so it makes a noticeable difference in handling. When I take corners aggressively in my P2S, I can feel the understeer and have to either plan accordingly or adjust during the turn (usually be additional braking). The V6 just handles these turns better and takes the steering input as directed.

Sound:
The one area that I was expecting me to be completely turned off was the engine/exhaust note. Most large(r) cars with V6 engines sounds as if they're struggling, with weak exhaust notes. Given that this 6 is simply the 4.8 with 2 cylinders chopped off, it actually sounds quite similar to the V8 and doesn't give the sensation of struggling to move the vehicle. Unless you have Sport Exhaust, the S/4S doesn't have the most aggressive exhaust note in the first place anyway...

Verdict:
I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't wait 3 months and buy the 6. There isn't enough difference in ride/feel for the $20K+ difference in price (although some of that difference is in options that I have in mine), and I'd much rather have a lesser-optioned Panamera V6 with an extra $20K to use against a Boxster Spyder or used 997. I still love my P2S and enjoy the hell out of the V8, but the Panamera V6 is that good.
********

And as the son of a retired Army officer, Thank You for what you do.

Enjoy the Porsche...always puts a smile on my face!

 

Love the Turbo II 20" rims. 20" rims are the largest I would consider due to ride comfort issues, propensity for wheel damage, and the fact that the rotors look too small when the rim is so large. The 6 cylinder cars will cost less, and can be ordered the way you want it, or an almost identical one to your order can be located somewhere for you. The remaining 2010's are extremely loaded with high MSRP's or have strange option combos. Also, the V6 leases a lot better.

 

My buddy was shopping 6's a few weeks ago before I got hooked and bought a 4S.

Here is his lease payment on a 6. I just pasted the email from the dealer below.

. "The MSRP is $84,130 and I am selling you the Panamera for $78345.

A 36 month lease allowing 10,000 miles per year is $1185.51 with 6% tax included and $3270 out of pocket. Including your first month payment, acquisition fee, doc. fee, registration and a 30 day tag. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to earn your business

Hope that helps as a true reference.

 

First off... Thank you for your service.

Personally, turbo II wheels are sweet and I would never put 22s on this car.

Are you interested in the six speed? That would be nice.

I would be more interested in finding a used S for less than the 6 and you get the instant gratification. I would recommend doing a national search to get the car you want, either new or used.

 

I had 22" forged monoblock wheels on my Panam.

Lightweight (32lbs).

Felt better than stock.

No bending.

3-piece...different story.