The finest example of Porsche Nickel-and-Diming

"RyanFrew" (ryanfrew) 04/01/2016 at 08:40 • Filed to: TGIF

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As I’ve mentioned a few times (and will probably mention a few more times), I’m in the hunt for a low-mileage ‘13 Porsche Boxster S. The challenge, when searching for preowned versions of these cars, is the huge discrepancy in options between any given examples. As everyone here probably knows, Boxsters have a starting price of $52,000, with an additional $75,000 in available options and trim levels.

So, I’ve been researching optional Porsche packages and doing a bunch of online builds, and have officially found the funniest one.

You can buy a Porsche Boxster, loaded up with options, and it won’t come standard with vanity lights in the sun visor mirrors

The ugly example above came to $113,000 in the configurator, without lights in the sun visors. Want to look in the mirror? Want to do it at night? You’ll have to borrow your buddy’s 2001 Mercury Sable, instead of using your $113,000. If you want vanity lights, you’ll need to fork over $320. Here are the other generous things that Porsche includes in the “interior lighting package”:

The optional light design package comprises dimmable LEDs in the overhead console, at the door handles, in the door storage compartments and in the footwells. LED illumination of the front luggage compartment is also included with the light design package. The rear luggage compartment and C-pillars feature LEDs as standard. Also adds LED lights to vanity mirrors.

My 2005 Mini Cooper S has footwell lighting....

Also funny: All the owners on the Porsche forums who are justifying Porsche’s decision not to include this as standard.

jjhats > RyanFrew 04/01/2016 at 08:45

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devils advocate but there are so many people and enthusiasts in general who want stripper performance cars. many people hate that options aren’t usually ala carte and people want race seats without sunroofs or expensive audio systems or gps or park assist or other useless weight addons

Master Cylinder > RyanFrew 04/01/2016 at 08:48

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Yeah, the price is a little ridiculous, but on the other hand it is kind of nice that you can opt out of unnecessary addons like that.

Signed,

Someone who wishes the original buyer of their Porsche hadn’t checked so many boxes on the option list (and wishes they had opted for the LSD transaxle)

LongbowMkII > jjhats 04/01/2016 at 08:49

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But this isn’t a la carte. This is having to buy an obscene amount of lighting for the very common vanity lights.

Vanity lights should be a $7 option if it were a la carte.

jjhats > LongbowMkII 04/01/2016 at 08:55

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compare that to any other car. The GTI cost 700 for the lighting package, for my focus if you want HID you need to add 2500 for the ST2 package which includes stuff you might not want like better stereo seats and navigation.

AntiSpeed > RyanFrew 04/01/2016 at 10:52

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Kind of reminds me how a $700/night luxury hotel will charge $30 per day for wifi, while the Super 8 gives you internet access for free.

RyanFrew > jjhats 04/01/2016 at 10:54

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Haha, the problem is that you pay even more than $2,500 for HID headlamps from Porsche and you don’t get anything in addition...including vanity lights ;)

RyanFrew > Master Cylinder 04/01/2016 at 10:54

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Haha what model do you have?

Master Cylinder > RyanFrew 04/01/2016 at 11:27

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Nothing fancy, just an old 944S. I’ve been stripping out a lot of the fripperies, so it would be nice if they were never there to begin with. Especially the sunroof!

NJAnon > RyanFrew 04/01/2016 at 23:31

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Well no we probably didn’t know exact numbers, :P just that its known that the options when it comes to Porsche are astronomical and almost extorting level.

Pay only $52,000 and what you’ll get is a constant dashboard reminder of your “perceived cheapness”.

RyanFrew > NJAnon 04/01/2016 at 23:43

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I went to the dealership today and sat in a $67,000 Cayman. That’s a pretty base model, but it still cracked me up seeing the plastic inserts in the visors where there should be $3 lights.