Porsche 718 Forum banner

How aggressive can I be on a new 2018 718 Cayman GTS?

10K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  chester7 
#1 ·
2018 Cayman GTS still on dealer floor, 80 miles on it, and they have had it now for a year. Posted pricing is $10K off MSRP ($93.5k). They recently moved it from their new inventory to used/demo. Real "used" 718 GTS's have asking prices of low to mid 70's with similar trim and options as well as seem to have 2-5k in miles. How aggressive do you think I can be on opening offer? From reading here and Rennlist it seems 8-10% off MSRP is normally do able, but I feel like this situation offers more room to discount. I'm ready to make an offer and get this done asap!
 
#2 ·
I just picked up a new 2018 CS (not a GTS) that'd been sitting on the dealer lot for a year, with 180 miles. MSRP was $87.5K, and I got it for 20 percent off, or $69K. Before pulling the trigger I contacted about 8 dealers around the country with similar cars, and was able to negotiate between 19 and 21 percent off MSRP.

Of course I then had to drop $1K on a very extensive paint correction before having the car wrapped and coated, simply because it'd sat outside for a year and there was some definite paint oxidation. But given the incredible discount, that was well worth the money...

Good luck!
 
#3 ·
I’m just chiming in to wish you luck.

I don’t think there is a magic number you can get off MSRP. There are a lot of factors at play, almost none of which you have control. It is a major plus that you are ready to do something and not just a tiresome tire kicker. On 5he other hand, your only real negotiating power is your ability to leave and buy a car somewhere else.

If you really want the car, and the warranty hasn’t been punched I would offer 20% off and go from there. The response will depend on the salesperson’s mood that day, the manager’s mood that day, what else the dealership has going on that week, ... The only way to find out where you stand is to negotiate. Some people are better at this than others. Keep a smile, keep it friendly and ask for as much as you can off without being a jerk. But don’t be shy about wanting a deal.

At this point, a 2018 is effectively a used car. They know that, you know that... in the end money talks, bs walks. If they think you are a real buyer they will sharpen their pencil and not let you leave without a deal. Well, that’s my experience.

FYI, ignore their first expression of “no”, it’s theatre ;). I’ve never bought a car without being told “ no way” first....but then, it happens...
 
#5 ·
So far no mention of it falling under the CPO program. Sticker in the car, its new, on the floor. Someone drove it over the weekend, now 101 miles. Still trying to get wife onboard, need to confirm some pending sales commissions.

My approach (as of now, need to work up some final numbers) is to start with a solid trade # on current car, then move to the new one. open with approx 22-24% off MSRP initial offer, hold the line and goal is 20%. Looks like a mix of about $19-20K trade, about $25k cash down, finance the rest. I'd love to pay cash for the whole thing, but that would deplete savings and no go with wife.
 
#8 ·
I would be concerned about the 80 miles on it if it is a car you intend to keep for more than just a few years. The Porsche manual requires a 2,000 miles run-in to include max 4,000 RPM and no heavy throttle or engine loads. I am very anal about properly running or breaking in machinery because I firmly believe abuse will result in problems later. These problems will typically manifest as excessive oil consumption, less than optimum compression, etc. It is a rare dealer, if any, that respects the need to observe the manufacturers run in requirement. Even Porsche told me when I test drove a 718 last fall to "just put your foot in it" as there is no break in period. The Atlanta PEC even told me, with only 11 miles on my car, "the car is already broken in so drive it any way you want". The manual clearly states otherwise! I would not ever preclude buying a car that has been driven as a demo but the price would have to be much lower than one could realistically expect.
 
#13 ·
It's a controversial subject for sure. However a demo/dealer car with 80 miles, I would be willing to bet it's seen some early 'spirited' driving in it's life. That's more than delivery mileage. You can get some info from the computer that might be useful for determining how spirited. If you're in the camp of drive it hard from day 1 then this probably won't matter to you..
 
#16 ·
……..How aggressive do you think I can be on opening offer? From reading here and Rennlist it seems 8-10% off MSRP is normally do able, but I feel like this situation offers more room to discount.
I got 8.5% off a brand new 2018 that I ordered and picked up in late 2017. My car was "stripped" with PDK as its only option. Stripped cars are the least profitable version, so hardest to give a good discount on. You should be able to do better.

To get my price I called around to many, many dealers in my general area by phone. I told them I was a cash buyer and basically demanded they give me a quote over the phone. If they tried to jerk me around, I politely told them I had limited time and moved on. Initially I walked into a few dealers and tried to get numbers face-to-face: I found that to be a complete waste of time because the sales people seemed to think my physical presence gave them some sort of leverage over me. .
Eventually, I phoned a dealer (Monmouth Porsche here in NJ) and the sales guy offered me a new, white 2018 Cayman with PDK for $54,800 within about a minute of talking to him (this number is about 8.5% off and was before taxes and motor vehicle fees). I did the build order over the phone and got the car 14 weeks later. The sales guy didn't even have to show me details on the car since I took delivery in the Atlanta PEC. Later, when I finally met my sales guy face to face, I told him that I realized he didn't make as much of a margin on my sale. But he told me that my sale was quick, and no-drama and it was one of the easiest sales he had done all year....so it worked well for both of us.
 
#18 ·
Brief update. Still looking for a great deal on a 2018 Cayman GTS, but a few things have popped up. Speculation of new 718 models with NA 6 cyl engines (besides the GT4 & Spyder...I've seen the videos/read the speculation and I do agree it sounds better), refi on the house and the new C8 Corvette announcement (really liking what I'm reading...thinking of putting money down on an allocation reservation as long as its 100% refundable). Local car I was initially interested finally sold, but I disengaged as I was not thrilled with the local sales rep's approach and arrogance as well as the option level on the car, color too. Currently tracking a few around the country, many have seen significant price drops since the C8 reveal.

That's my other concern...while it might be possible to get a great deal on a 2018 GTS due to price/value ratio being out of touch, I'm concerned about long term resale if its considered a "mistake" or anomaly by the Porsche market. Love the car, just don't want to make a major financial mistake (esp if more NA 6 cyl models appear) and frankly, really glad to see there is more value oriented competition with the C8.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Brief update. Still looking for a great deal on a 2018 Cayman GTS
NTTTG

As described in my 'introduction thread,' I pulled trigger on 20' M2C chassis build and ultimately backed out of the purchased when I happened across a new 2018 CGTS spec'd precisely to my liking. Took ownership of the GTS about three weeks ago. More goes onto my decision, as per the title of my introduction thread, "Porsche Guy.'

Anyway, regarding your looking for a great deal . . . not sure why these vehicles 'pop up' periodically, but they do and can be had for a great deal. MRSP on my GTS was $96K. I offered the dealership $82K cash out the door with 3 years of PSMP included. The dealership accepted with zero haggle. . . maybe I should have offered less? :)

I am not sure if YOU consider my deal a 'great deal,' but I remain extremely satisfied. New GTS spec'd to my pursuits with three years of routine maintenance (PSMP) at approximately 15% off MRSP. The three years of PSMP should not be underestimated.

I fully realize 19' GTS models are available, but there is almost zero difference between the 18' and 19' models . . . except that I doubt I would have ever got the package I purchased for the price paid. Yes, one could argue there is one year of depreciation already tacked on, and definitely worth taking into consideration if short-term ownership is in the plans. Upfront discount versus tail-end resale value.

Anyway, I truly believe what you are waiting for is out there if you keep looking. I wish to add, don't listen too much to the so-called 'enthusiasts,' or get caught up in all the nostalgia regarding NA6 . . . the 718 CGTS is a phenomenal sport car by all accounts.

AVM

EDIT:

Of note, the ‘OUT THE DOOR’ part is very important . . . not because it was a cash offer, but because that is the amount for which I wrote them a check upon delivery. It could just as easily have involved financing, as I doubt the dealership cares if you pay cash or finance.

On my purchase agreement, the price of the GTS I purchased was actually ~$77K after the finance department did all the retro-accounting to make the TOTAL cost come to $82K. I am not a business person, but this included taxes, delivery, etc. . . the price I agreed to was literally the price out the door for everything.

This might have been apparent in my original post but wanted to clarify in case it was not.

AVM
 
#19 ·
I completely understand your position. I LOVE my 2019 CGTS and the F4 turbo provides great drivability, but I would also have had difficulty making a purchase decision with the new C8 announcement and Cayman F6 rumors. Get the CPO 718 GTS at a great price and enjoy it for a year or two while the other options play out.
 
#21 ·
I can't wait for this supposed 6-cyl lower level Cayman to show up...and get spanked in all objective tests by the 2.5 turbo. I love how the YouTubers are all "Well, this car has never been about being fast off the line" yada yada yada and yet that's how most of us drive. If you're buying a true track toy, then great. If you're buying a car that you want to actually drive around then I'm not sure why a peaky low-torque engine is such a winner?
 
#23 ·
My 2 cents for the OP:
One does not buy a Porsche as a 'value proposition'. One buys, for examples, a 'vette, a Dodge Hellcat, and (now that dealer markups are under control) a Civic Type R as value propositions.

Porsche has never been about value. Porsche has always been about building the best mass-produced sporty vehicles on the planet at any given point in its history. Understand that second sentence, and you'll understand virtually every design and production decision Porsche makes -- including the flat-4-vs.-flat-6 question, the current move to EVs (and the slow assimilation of tech shared with Audi regarding it), the evolution of the 911 to the present day and beyond, and more.

For what they are, Porsches are priced competitively and they hold value just fine because, with rare exception, they are among the best-made consumer vehicles available. Not just best sports cars -- best consumer vehicles. One cannot say the same about the three 'value propositions' I mention above over time. Just think about that.

Never buy a car as an investment. You'll have better luck playing the stock market by choosing stock codes that look and sound cool. (Like MMM = 3M)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top