[ds968]

The dealer markup on the $ 845,000 MSRP 918 Spyder is a hefty average of $ 250,000 . And guess what, even at more than $ 1 mil, they're sold out so you now get to go on a waiting list for the privilege of spending a quarter mil more bucks than the listed price... Seems ridiculous, but when you consider that so many multi millionaires are spewed out on a monthly basis here in good old Silicon Valley, it's often little more than a "petty cash" discretionary spending amount for thousands thousands of geeks :-) :-)

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[Rap]

Geeks who haven't a clue as to how to safely drive the car and no desire to learn!

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[ds968]

Not too long ago, I saw Larry Ellison driving by in a Lexus LFA . And I thought ..seriously, a Lexus ?!! But then quickly realized it's probably like Jay Leno's garage, a different car for every day of the week,.. The Veyron on Monday, La Ferrari on Tuesday, the McLaren F1 on Wednesday, Aventador on Thursday , Aston Martin One-77 on Friday, Maserati MC 12 Saturday, and of course, the 968 on Sunday <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[bombfactory]

It's all about speculation. Those 918 Spyders will likely be auctioning at 3, 4, 5 million in just a few years. And 1.25 mil is indeed chump change to the guys who are buying these things. The .01% live in a whole different world than the rest of us.

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[ds968]

[quote name='bombfactory' timestamp='1408633510' post='161407']

The .01% live in a whole different world than the rest of us.

[/quote]



And in this area it kinda' feels more like it' about 10% that are in that .01% category... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> In terms of numbers of people sitting on crazy amounts of money, dwarfing the Beverly Hills or the Manhattan, or the Monaco or the Dubai of this world.. but with the differnce being the lack of public display of their wealth. Just at our company, which is not even on the radar screen of the likes of Facebook, or the Google or the Apple, etc, we have nearly a hundred individuals worth more than $ 5 mil, with a handful as high as $ 100 Mil + . Two drive Aston Matrins, one has Maserati GT, there are a couple of 991s, a few Teslas model S, arguably pretty modest cars given the relative wealth, but the rest come to work in a Prius, or a Leaf, or some crappy-ass vehicle of that genre.. So while super cars are chump change for a lot of the techno-geeks and the execs at these companies, they seem to have other priorities for their discretionary spending funds .



p.s. No, I am not one of the $ 5 mil + fortunate ones, I joined the company way to late to benefit from the early stock awards..so people three or four or more levels below me on the org chart are making me look like a pauper around here .. Sigh, one must simply learn to live with that in the Bay Area <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[94SilverCab]

Or go sell your talents to a start up...

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[ds968]

quote 94SilverCab

Or go sell your talents to a start up...





not too many start ups in the domain where i can sell my talents, Vivid Entertainment cornered that market <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

parrraam-pum.



quote Rap

Geeks who haven't a clue as to how to safely drive the car and no desire to learn!





and to that point, here's a related story : https://autos.yahoo....-143027590.html geez, how sick is that ?!

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[94SilverCab]

Saw my first 918 live and in person at the Radnor Hunt Concours...it looks really dfast, even standing still... naturally, being the quickest production car ever made, it was painted Polar Silver <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[JTP]

It's too bad more manufacturers aren't doing what Dodge is doing with the Hellcat. They are strongly discouraging the "market adjustment" markup and giving dealers incentives to sell it at MSRP. A $250,000 markup is just plain robbery.

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[Rap]

Jay you need a therapist. Sorry I can't help you with this color addiction!

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[94SilverCab]

Thanks for the offer RAP <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.png" class="smilie" alt="" />



If they stopped painting cars Silver, I would really like either Wimbledon Green or Mid-Blue, so there is a possibility that my mania could cease.



Hey, how a bout a 918 headlight conversion? Looks like it might work on our cars. Of course, it would probably cost about $110k



Jay

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[ds968]

[quote name='94SilverCab' timestamp='1410959733' post='162256']



Hey, how a bout a 918 headlight conversion? Looks like it might work on our cars. Of course, it would probably cost about $110k



Jay[/quote]



Probably would work on our cars ; they look roughly similar to the Carrera GT headlights photoshopped on that 968 whose image I posted in the recent Fixed Headlights thread. That conversion was estimated to cost about 25,000 . Then again, that was just the labor cost... at Porsche dealer prices the headlights kit for a 918 Spyder might cost $ 85,000 LOL so you could be spot on with that $ 110K estimate :-)

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[flash]

you guys and the fixed headlight thing. the issue is not the bodywork. that can actually be done fairly reasonably. the issue is the optics. getting them in there, so they throw the beam where it needs to go, and looks right, is the problem with any conversion.



give me long enough, and i'll probably get around to it as a part of my entire body mod "plan". but, making something fit within the confines of the stock body lines is not likely to happen. the hole is not the right size or shape, and the fender line puts the front lower point below the body line, which results in the beam being cut off at the bottom, necessitating lifting the headlight and fender line to more that of a 993. not an attractive look, and very dated at best.



as for the markup, i think it's outrageous that companies charge what they do for these kinds of cars. but, i also realize he huge hurdles they have to jump through to develop anything alternative energy. not only do they have to deal with the realities of the development, but they also have to deal with the restrictions and confines that the oil companies have placed upon anybody trying to develop anything that doesn't use gasoline.



if you don't like the markup, take it up with congress.

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[Bulti]

I can imagine that most of the clientele that spend that kind of money on a car don't even flinch when spending an extra 250k.



Maybe, just maybe, they would think: "well, the kid's new Bentley will have to wait a bit until my wife's outdated 2012 Aston is sold, I don't want the neigbours to talk".



Hard to imagine for most people, but not so far-fetched as one would think.

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[Lear35A]

The MSRP is an arbitrary number the manufacturer is required by law to create. It's just a number. I'm quite sure the majority of cars are sold below MSRP. Should we ask congress to change that??? Hey, it's the dealer's car. He can charge whatever he wants. The customer is free to take it or leave it. Obviously when 968's got into the $50,000+ range in the 1990s, the customer decided to leave it. We get most of the toys we love because of this system. Be very careful what you ask for.

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[ds968]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1410964795' post='162262']

the issue is not the bodywork. that can actually be done fairly reasonably. the issue is the optics. getting them in there, so they throw the beam where it needs to go, and looks right, is the problem with any conversion.

give me long enough, and i'll probably get around to it as a part of my entire body mod "plan". but, making something fit within the confines of the stock body lines is not likely to happen. the hole is not the right size or shape, and the fender line puts the front lower point below the body line, which results in the beam being cut off at the bottom, necessitating lifting the headlight and fender line to more that of a 993. not an attractive look, and very dated at best.

[/quote]



that's with the 993 headlights ( in which I have absolutely no interest ) but if you're trying to do what I was considering which are the Carrera GT lights, the body work would be a massive undertaking, the front fenders would need to be custom-rebuilt from scratch, not just cut, shaved and slightly molded, and then of course all else that goes with it, mechanics, wiring, painting.. blah, blah, blah.

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[flash]

while i have enjoyed being able to get these kinds of toys, i also am fully prepared to give them up when we finally enforce being responsible. i am clearly a part of the problem. i did finally change from a 10mpg SUV to something that gets double that, as well as getting rid of SL550 and am looking at something much more ecologically appropriate.



yes, we should limit what anybody can charge for anything. more regulation would prevent the gouging we see all too often, as well as stabilize the market, which in turn will protect jobs and maintain an economy. allowing companies to rape and pillage is exactly what has brought us to the brink of economic collapse. it is only due to government intervention that we have so far avoided it. it isn't over yet though, and with the stock market once again sailing to all time highs, we are destined for another fall. until we curtail the ability of investors, and limit and regulate profits, we will be at the mercy of those who are not interested in the long run prospects, and are only looking to make the most they can in the shortest time.



there was an interesting notion posed earlier about dividends. it would be beneficial to allow people to buy into companies (buy stocks) but not allow them to sell them. instead, they would be truly investing in a company, and not just their own future. if the company does well, they do well. if it doesn't, then they don't. this would instill a sense of ownership that does not exist in today's market.



but again, i'm a socialist at heart....................



back on topic, porsche should have been granted development funds from the government for this car. we should be encouraging these companies to develop cars that don't use fossil fuels. we should not be penalizing them by saddling them with ridiculous limitations. some of the things that have been imposed on the developers of electric cars are just outrageous, and clearly designed to keep us on gasoline.

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[Lear35A]

I am very grateful I don't live in the economic system you describe. Having driven around a bit in East Germany after such control led to its inevitable collapse I have seen how sad an environment it creates. Eating in a restaurant in East Berlin I asked our server who owned the restaurant. She dutifully said that the people do. I asked if she could sell her part. Of course the answer was no and looking around you could see what this kind of "sense of ownership (but you can't sell)" led to. Not pretty.



back on topic, I am very curious what Porsche was saddled with in developing the 918. How exactly was Porsche penalized? Please post a list some of the outrageous things that were imposed on Porsche. I've got nothing against electric cars and personally like the Tesla S. There are many very serious technical obstacles to be sure, but I don't see the political conspiracy you're alleging. The German government is quite free with the German taxpayer's Euros when it comes to environmentally friendly subsidies. Frankly it wouldn't surprise me at all if Porsche did in fact get taxpayer money that found its way into the 918 development.

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[flash]

porsche developed the 918 for the US market, not for the european market. the imposition of issues and complications happens here, not in germany. it is not at all unlike what they have to go through in terms of safety requirements and such. the US requires a lot more than any other country in terms of standards and tests that a car has to pass before being allowed to be sold in large quantities. some of the issues are related to the batteries themselves, and the things they have to be subjected to in order to pass muster, that they do not have to pass in a gasoline car. electric cars are much more scrutinized than gasoline cars in many areas. it is not a level playing field at all. you can find most of it with a quick google search. here in the US it is almost impossible to release an electric car. just look at what tesla has had to go through. it has been all over the news. again, it won't be hard to find. heck, it is illegal to even sell the car in new jersey (christieville) and texas (bushworld). in massachusetts (romneyland) it had to go to court. seeing a trend?

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[Lear35A]

No trend; none at all. Sales of Teslas are restricted in the states you mentioned because of govt intrusion in the marketplace by the protective status that state govts have given to dealers (you know, the ones that add the obscene markups you don't like). And some Teslas burned to the ground for crying out loud (and there are press reports of 918s doing the same). I'm thinking the standards may have been too low or too easy to start with! I tried a bunch of Google searches and could not find any things that are scrutinized differently in an electric car development. There may be some. You must have something in mind but I can't find them.



"And Porsche developed the 918 for the US market and not the European market." Where did that notion come from? It's simply not true. From the "918 Spyder Program Frequently Asked Questions" sent to all dealers by PCNA on Porsche letterhead I will quote question 38 verbatim " 38. I see that the US counts for roughly 33% of Porsche's global sales. If Porsche is building 918 units, does this mean the US will have to sell 306 cars? Is the US market for a million dollar car that big?

a. A car like this truly has a world wide market. The total production for the world is 918. Each market will sell as many as the market demands, with that upper limit."

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