I posted this a few minutes ago but it didn't appear so if this is redundant sorry. I ordered my 718 in May and received it in July. The most amazing car I have ever owned. I had a 2014 981 Boxster but you couldn’t get a lot of the options on it that I wanted. Last year my wife got a 2016 Macan and it had all the comfort creatures that I wanted. After driving it and learning that the 718was an entirely different car and had all the options I wanted I decided to geta 718. The best decision I have evermade when buying a car. It is fantasticand better in almost every aspect than the 981. I bought the base because I don’t track or race the car and put the extra money into extras. A comment for the 981 drivers that complained about Porsche raising the price of the base by$4000. Well the base has almost the same performance as the 981S which costs $12,000 more than the base, I look at it as getting the same performance as the 981S for about $8,000 less plus all the other better features. I don’t complain about the extra $4,000 for all the improvements I got. As for the build, look at the max price you want to spend, decide whether you want performance or comfort items and start from there. I went for comfort and the total cost was $82,205. For me the must items were keyless entry and start, blind side warning, and adaptive cruisecontrol. I have ACC the Macan and use itall the time. We drove from San Diego toLas Vegas last week, I set it at 80 mph and never touched the brake or accelerator for 3 hours until we stopped around Barstow CA. It is fantastic in stop and go or heavy traffic. It just station keeps about one car length behind the car in front and if they stop so do you. When they start, touch the gas and it just keeps following them. All you do is guide the car. If you have it on but not engaged it will give you a warning when you are getting dangerously close thecar in front and pump up the brakes so if you touch the pedal it will immediately give you max braking. Just anice safety feature.
After receiving the car I had Flight Shield Sapphire V1 coating put on the whole car and then expel ultimate put on the front back to the doors, the mirrors, and all edges. With the Sapphire V1 Nano coating no more waxing and polishing. Just hose the car off and dry it. I have had it on the Macan for one and one half years and only wash it with water when it gets very dirty. Most of the time I use a waterless spray and just rub it off. I there is dirt that may have gritty substances in it then I spray wash it. I put the Smart Top module on it and the model for the 718 has more features than the one for the 981. I really enjoy walking towards the car hitting open on the fob 3 times and when I arrive at the car the top isdown. When I get out I hit the close button and by the time I am out of the car it is closed. I almost always get in and out with the top down,nice for an old man to just step in and out of the car. Last week I installed the T-Design memory module which keep the sport mode, and engine cutoff switches in their last position when you start the car. Almost all the time I would come to my first stop and the engine would shut down. I would then hit the button to turn off that feature. Now it is off all the time. If you like the start/stop then you are in luck with the way the car is set up. Just get what you can afford because any 718 will be a wonderful car.