ElTianti

from

http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant2

Porsche. The "What, Me Worry?" Grand Prize Winners, International division. Porsche continues blissfully along on its path to self-destruction. Being the most aggressive of the German car companies when it comes to their creative use of the option sheet to gouge their customers (if Porsche could figure out a way to charge you for the options you didn't specify, they wouldn't hesitate to do it), Porsche has demonstrated an incredible propensity to become steeped in their own arrogance. Nobody does "price creep" better than Porsche. Example? When it first came out, the Boxster was a triumphant return to Porsche's historic roots, but in the ensuing five years it has become more costly - with Porsche creatively manipulating page after page of their labyrinth-like option list to concoct even more diabolical ways to part the enthusiast driver from his or her wallet. And the latest vehicle for Porsche's built-in money laundering-like scams? The "Exclusive" options. It's here where Porsche practices the Black Art of charging seriously outrageous prices for what appears to be a bunch of surprisingly ordinary stuff. And it's starting to backfire on them in a big way. The once-upon-a-time good deal Boxster is now a $50,000+ car (with options), even without upgrading to the "S." And to top that off, the already stiff 911 prices and options have gone stratospheric. So what's Porsche's strategy for fixing things? A back-to-basics, minimalist two-seater that harkens back to Porsche's early glory years? No, just higher prices for the Boxster and 911 plus a $65,000 uber SUV arriving at their dealers next fall (you know the one - the wrong vehicle, at the wrong time, from the wrong car company?). We love the Boxster S, but the 911 has lost its mojo, and Porsche's greed and marketing stupidity are destined to do them in.


True Dat! They charge you like 7 bills for cruise control. I'll keep my S2000

Testut

I considered the Boxster when I was looking at the S2000. In the end it was a combination of more bang for the buck and a car more in keeping with what I consider to be "true sports car characteristics" that made me buy the S2000. In some ways, it's sad. I'm a loyal member of the PCA, think the world of my local PCA region (still a member, in fact), and I admire many of the qualities of the Boxster (or any Porsche), but I wanted a car that says more than I'm an old, white guy (wait a minute, I am

S2kRob

I love the Boxster, but by the time I specced out an S to what I wanted, it was pretty close to double the S2000. Hmmm, I think I'll pass. However, I would by a RUF 3400S, that is for sure.

Bieg

One of the main reasons people pay outragous prices in exclusive stores for the same stuff they could buy much cheaper at a discount store is that they don't have to associate with the "unwashed masses".

The price of ownership of a Porsche are the dues you pay to belong to an exclusive club. You meet a "better" class of people in the Porsche and Ferrari club afterall....

....At least that is what some people seem to think.

For me I don't think that you meet a "better" class of people,....just richer maybe,....and people with money are just as likely to be a$$holes as people without.

Triple-H

Let me just say I don't think you will ever see Ferrari trying to build and market an SUV!

Sunchild

At least they offer a roof rack for the convertibles. And I could use an OEM self-dimming rear view mirror to replace the POS that Honda used (ever try flipping into night mode? Notice that you have to re-adjust the mirror afterward?). I wouldn't mind paying a premium to have those options available. Of course, the point of the article was that Porsche charges a lot for options that should be included, which I agree sucks.

David

When I bought the S2k I seriously considered buying a Boxster S. When I found out that you had to pay extra for a Porsche crest in the interior and that the sports suspension (030) was an option -- I passed. A sports suspension option on a sports car? What is the regular suspension?

RodneyK

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sunchild
[B]And I could use an OEM self-dimming rear view mirror to replace the POS that Honda used (ever try flipping into night mode?

jschmidt

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RodneyK
[B]

Yea, that irritates me too.

David

My wife's Odyssey has the same problem. My daily driver, a Maxima, does not. It does look like a simple fix so there must be a reason that Honda is doing it. Guesses?