Apologies for the radio silence. I’ve always made it a point to be transparent and share the intricate details of my deals immediately, but life has a way of throwing curveballs that keep you away from the keyboard.

Why post a Porsche thread here? They say you can't have everything in one automotive package, and they might be right. Hence my continued trek for "automotive perfection." Maybe that exists in the upper $200k–$300k stratosphere—but I’m not in that stratosphere just yet (maybe next year).

Besides, I already have an amazing dream machine in my garage. My EQS gives me just about everything I could automotively ask for. It’s fast (536 HP), it has benchmark luxury, it has cutting-edge tech, and an interior that is arguably the most elegant cockpit on the market.

So, what was I missing?

I know the type of driver I am: 95% of my driving is done in a normal, down-to-earth fashion. But I was missing that ability to break the barrier for the other 5%—to have that visceral engagement when the road opens up. I wanted to see if I could find a vehicle that delivered that missing soul without sacrificing the luxury I’ve grown used to, all while maintaining a strong value proposition. I had hoped the Taycan 4S was that vehicle. It was not!

I am currently working on a separate, comprehensive "Tripartite Comparison" (EQS vs. Taycan 4S vs. Macan 4 EV) that will cover the driving dynamics and the interior in depth. But today, I want to focus purely on the acquisition itself, because the economics of this deal are... unique.

The Anatomy of the Target (Why This Car?)

Before we get to the negotiation, you have to understand why this deal existed. You don't just stumble into a 26% discount on a new Porsche; you have to find a "Distressed Asset."

This specific Macan was the perfect storm of three factors:

1. The "High-Spec" Trap: This is a Macan 4 with a $103,185 MSRP. That is a dangerous price point. It’s too expensive for the "lease special" customer, but it lacks the "Turbo" badge that the performance driver demands. It sits in a "no man's land" of inventory.
   
2. The "Executive" Write-Down: Because it was a GM's demo with ~4,000 miles, the dealership had already mentally (and financially) written it off. It was no longer "new inventory"—it was a liability.
   
3. The Market Softness: Let’s be real—the EV market has cooled. Dealers are sitting on inventory, and they are under immense pressure to move units to hit volume bonuses.
   

When you find a high-MSRP demo sitting on a lot in late 2025, you aren't looking at a car; you are looking at a dealer's headache. That is your leverage.

The Negotiation: Breaking the Playbook

I have a strict set of protocols for leasing cars: I never negotiate at the dealership, I only talk to GMs, and I always make the first offer via email.

On this deal, I committed several "Mortal Sins" and broke almost every one of my own rules.

Mortal Sin #1: Being on-site (The Seduction). I was actually at the dealership to test drive a Taycan, but honestly, it was a bust. Coming from my EQS, the ride quality just didn't meet the standard I’ve grown used to.

The issue with the Taycan was that even in "Normal" mode, it never stopped talking to me. It was constantly relaying information I didn't want to hear. It felt like the suspension was stuck in "Transparency Mode," transmitting every crack and ripple. It was lively, sure, but on a daily basis? It was punishing. I was ready to leave empty-handed.

I wasn't even looking at the Macan. I hadn't given it a second thought. In fact, I had dismissed it entirely as "just an SUV."

Then I walked past it.

It was a Jet Black Metallic Macan 4 sitting on the lot, and it stopped me dead in my tracks. It wasn't just the paint; it was the stance. It was sitting on the $8,600 22-inch Exclusive Design Wheels with Carbon Fiber Aeroblades.

You know the old cliché: "If you don't look back at your car after you park it, you bought the wrong car." With this Macan, I don't just look back. I stare. It is a seductive piece of sculpted metal that looks just as good leaving the scene as it does arriving.

When I saw the rear three-quarter view, it wasn't just the metal—it was the sheer width of those massive 22s anchored by the Carbon Fiber Side Blades. That width dominated my attention. It was literally all I could think about... until I walked around to the side profile, and then the front. It creates a stance that is absolutely predatory.

The interior was a shock to the system, but for a different reason. Coming from the "digital theater" of the EQS Hyperscreen, the Macan feels architecturally quiet—almost spartan. But as I sat there, I realized this wasn't a lack of luxury; it was a surplus of focus. The cabin isn't trying to entertain you; it’s trying to calm your eyes. It creates a "visual silence" that forces your brain to process the only data that actually matters: the road. It saves your dopamine for the throttle.

It was an instant, visceral attraction. I fell to the sword that is known as Porsche. It seduced me in a way no spec sheet ever could.

Mortal Sin #2: Engaging the Salesperson. I asked the sales guy—who was only supposed to be my "chaperone"—if it was available. He told me it was the GM's personal executive demo.

I took it for a drive, and I knew I was in trouble. The Macan offered hands-down the most substance I've felt in a car since my 2008 BMW 535i (a personal benchmark from years ago).

The Macan pulled off a magic trick the Taycan (and honestly, my EQS) couldn't. In most modern cars, drive modes are a placebo—buttons that change the dash color but not the feeling. The Taycan had the opposite problem; it was always "on."

The Macan is different. The modes create two completely distinct personalities:

• In Normal Mode: It engages "Active Noise Canceling" for your suspension. It isolates you. It achieves a level of comfort and livability that absorbs imperfections and gives you that daily-driver serenity I was missing in the Taycan.
  
• In Sport Plus: It flips the switch. "High-Fidelity Mode" is definitely on. It removes the filter and transforms into pure, unbridled Porsche.
  

It was a seduction reinforced by a near-perfect balance of comfort and performance. Usually, you have to sacrifice one for the other—you either feel the road or you float above it. But this car pulled off a paradox: It handles like it went to the Nürburgring for its degree, but went to the Ritz-Carlton for its manners.

The car was begging to go home with me. I had to fight a serious internal battle: the "I want it NOW" impulse versus the discipline of my process.

I played it cool. I told the sales guy: "Okay, I want a chaperone-free drive. And while I'm doing that, please present me with your best offer for this demo."

Mortal Sin #3: Letting them anchor first. When I returned, their opening offer was way off. They presented numbers based on a low 47% residual. I had to correct them to the actual 66% benchmark, which improved the offer to a $25,600 Single Pay.

I thanked them, met the GM briefly, and left.

The Counter-Offer Strategy The next morning at 6:00 AM, I sent the GM an email with an aggressive opening offer: $18,000 Single Pay.

I knew this was aggressive—maybe even insulting—but I wanted to anchor the negotiation low so I had room to move.

He replied 15 minutes later. It was the standard appreciative email, followed by the "blah blah blah" explanation of why they couldn't do it. He ended with a placating gesture: "If it will make you happy, maybe I can give you a couple of hundred dollars more off the deal."

This was the pivotal moment. I knew $18k was too low, but I also knew his offer of $25,600 was way too high. His offer to drop "a couple hundred bucks" was just noise.

I decided to use psychology rather than math.

I responded: "As a gesture of good faith, I will come up to $21,600."

I didn't inch up by $500. I jumped up by $3,600. This signaled that I was eager to acquire the car right now, but I was still anchoring myself $4,000 below his original offer.

The strategy worked. Five minutes later, he replied: "Let me see what I can do." An hour later: "Thank you for coming up... I believe we can accept it."

His "couple hundred dollars" turned into a $4,000 discount. That is how you play the game.

The "Black Box" Math (The Funding Trap)

This is the part that matters for those trying to replicate this. If you try to run these numbers on a standard lease calculator, they won't add up. The dealer effectively had to "cook the books" to get this deal funded by Porsche Financial Services (PFS).

If you look at the contract, the math is completely upside down.

1. The "Negative Depreciation" Trap The hard stop here is the Residual Value. PFS set the residual at exactly $68,032.80. That is the funding floor.

To get my Single Pay offer down to the $21,600 I put on the table, the dealer mathematically needed to lower the Selling Price to roughly $66,000.

Here is the problem: If they write the contract with a Selling Price ($66k) that is lower than the Residual ($68k), it creates "Negative Depreciation." The asset would technically be gaining value on paper. The PFS computer system will automatically reject that deal. It simply won't fund.

2. The "$10k Lie" To bypass the rejection, they had to inflate the Selling Price on the contract to $76,400. This keeps the price above the residual so the computer accepts it.

But that created a gap. By raising the paper price to $76,400, the math says the car should cost way more than my offer. The dealer had to internally "eat" that ~$10,000 difference (the gap between the $66k real price and the $76k paper price) as a write-off. They essentially paid that depreciation for me behind the scenes just to get the deal funded.

3. The Variance (The Smoking Gun) You can see the mess this created right on the contract. If you manually add up the fee stack they listed:

• Base Single Pay: $19,304.40
  
• Acquisition Fee: $1,095.00
  
• Dealer Fee: $895.00
  
• Taxes & Gov Fees: ~$1,791.87
  

If you tally that up, the actual mathematical total is $23,086.27. But the "Total Due at Signing" line—and the actual check I wrote—is only $21,541.27.

There is a literal $1,545.00 variance right on the face of the document. The numbers simply do not add up because the dealer hid a $1,545 credit in the backend math just to force the contract to balance to my negotiated number.

The "Total Loss" Myth (Why a One-Pay is Safe)

This is the most misunderstood part of leasing, and I see it posted constantly: "But J_Boxer, if I total the car, I lose all $21,600!"

This is 100% false.

If you read the actual PFS 3300 contract, you are fully protected. Your $21,600 is technically a "pre-payment," not a down payment. If the car is totaled, two things happen:

1. The GAP Waiver (Section 23) activates. The insurer pays the "Actual Cash Value" (ACV), and PFS waives the difference. You owe $0.
   
2. PFS then performs an actuarial calculation and cuts you a check for the "Single Pay Early Termination Credit" (Section 21.C). This refunds the "unearned" (unused) portion of your pre-payment back to you.
   

You are actually more protected in a Single Pay lease than the guy who puts $10,000 down on a monthly lease (that guy loses his $10k).

The Bottom Line (The Philosophy)

MSRP: $103,185 Term: 24 Months / 7.5k miles My Offer: $21,600 Effective Monthly: ~$897 (Tax included)

This deal reinforces my core mantra: I will never own a vehicle. For what most people spend to buy one car and hold it for 5–10 years, I can lease multiple higher-end vehicles, change them up every two years, and still pay less by a wide margin.

It's not just financial. It's about prioritizing new experiences over static ownership. In an era where technology explodes every 24 months, this is my ticket to always experiencing the "latest of the latest."

The Forensic Audit: Deconstructing the "Impossible" Math

For those asking how a deal like this gets approved when the math implies the dealer lost $20k, here is the forensic breakdown of the "Black Box" mechanics that made it possible.

1. The "Zombie Credit" (The $7,500 Loophole)

• The Question: "The contract shows Zero Rebates. Where did the $7,500 EV credit go?"
  
• The Reality: The "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act effectively killed the federal EV tax credit for new leases as of September 30, 2025.
  
• The Trick: Because this was a GM Executive Demo with 4,000 miles, it was likely "punched" (placed in service) before the September cut-off. This attached a "grandfathered" $7,500 incentive to this specific VIN.
  
• The Execution: The dealer didn't pass this to me as a rebate (because the program is officially dead). Instead, they kept the cash internally to fund the massive write-down required to hit my $21,600 offer. It wasn't a rebate; it was a slush fund attached to a legacy VIN.
  

2. Net Book Value vs. Street Price

• The Question: "Did the dealer lose money?"
  
• The Answer: On paper? Yes. Against the invoice? Absolutely. But against the Net Book Value, maybe not.
  
• The Write-Down: Every month this demo sat in the GM's driveway, the dealership wrote down its value on their taxes as a depreciating asset. They had likely already amortized $5k–$8k of "loss" over the last 6 months.
  
• The Result: Selling it to me for ~$70k net effective wasn't a new loss; it was just realizing the depreciation they had already accounted for. They stopped the bleeding on a distressed asset.
  

3. The "Volume Bonus" Leverage

• The Motivation: Manufacturers often use "stair-step" incentives. If a dealer hits a volume target (e.g., 50 units), they unlock a massive bonus check that retroactively applies to every car sold that month.
  
• The Deal: Taking a $5,000 "loss" on my Macan is a smart business decision if my unit is the one that unlocks a $100,000 volume bonus for the store. I wasn't buying a car; I was solving a volume problem.
  

P.S. I will gladly provide a redacted copy of the contract via PM for anyone interested.

 

First of all congrats on the new car. Will have to try one as well. Would be curious as to what the mpkwh efficiency is.

Drove an I4 yesterday. Going in I was trading the goodness of a right sized hatchback for the unattractive front end. So it was up the the driving experience which didn't pan out all that well due to the less that ideal ride quality.

Secondly, fabulous write-up. Thanks for walking through all of the details of your deal. Very informative.

 

It is simply a riot to drive—impeccably balanced. Any lingering regrets, annoyances, or second-guessing about missing options completely evaporate the moment you settle in. The seat cradles you, but with purpose. I have to give credit to @sarends for nailing the description: once you are in and that door thuds shut, you feel locked and loaded.

The dynamics are telepathic—it is 'point and shoot' in the truest sense. You look at a line, and the car is already there, especially when you have the chassis locked down in Sport Plus. The confidence it inspires is intoxicating. And I haven't even touched on the visual gravity of the thing—it doesn't just get looks; it demands stares. It has a magnetic pull that draws you in. Even the most mundane errand has become an event. I’m working on the full experience review, but honestly, right now I’m having too much fun driving it to sit behind a keyboard.

 

Congratulations on your procurement, and the thrill of the hunt that can only ever be uncovered on the open road.

 

can you come with me to lease my next car!??? Nice work and enjoy

 

Another great J_boxer quality writeup! One question, though—did the Taycan 4S you test-drove have air suspension? If yes, would that imply that the Mercedes EQS air suspension is simply that much more comfortable than that of the EQS? Thanks!

 

I have that question too, I've heard the Active Ride Suspension is very nice, and a significant upgrade. I think it might be an option for '25 only?

 

*Typo—more comfortable than that of the Taycan.

 

J_Boxer, what can I say about your detailed write ups that haven’t already been said? You are one of a kind and of tremendous value in this forum.

I’m not sure I know the answer to this. Do you still own the 2024 EQS 580 or did you trade it in as part of the new deal?

 

I believe he still has the EQS

 

Appreciate the kind words! That EQS is going nowhere... well, except to Florida for 32 days.

When it comes to a month-long haul like this, there’s just no beating that comfort and quiet. The Macan, even though it's brand new, has to go on temporary bench duty. The EQS is the clear winner for the cross-country drive.

 

By definition the 4S comes with air suspension. It obviously is tuned more for handling than the EQS.
I recently drove a Taycan 4 Cross Turismo followed but a 2020 s450 and a 2015 S550. The Taycan was by far the best car to drive and I don't like particularly stiff cars. The handling / ride trade was a net win for it. Now the CT may ride better because it it sits higher I don't know but it was a remarkably good car. Having said that I had driven an 2024 EQS 450 4matic earlier this year and enjoyed driving it more than any car in recent memory. Not so for a 2022 EQS 450 RWD it felt ponderous. I would much prefer to drive my E Class than that car.

 

Congrats on the new ride.

 

Thanks for sharing. Was nice to read your negotiation story.

I still think you paid too much. I drove a Macan 4 a month ago when my 718 Boxster GTS was in service. I also have an EQE AMG SUV so compared them back to back. From a driver perspective (ignoring the gadgets), the EQE AMG SUV drives a lot better. Also I preferred Mercedes driver aids, and Infotainment (for an SUV). I suspect it would be different if I was driving a Macan Turbo, but I was not. The only things I preferred about the Porsche was the exterior styling, and the interior materials and finishes.. The killer though is that the one-pay lease on my EQE AMG SUV was $15k for 24 months.

BTW while I understand your perspective on the Taycan, I have to say the goldilocks in Porsche's EV lineup is the Taycan 4S Crossturismo with the Offroad Package. This vehicle has a near SUV ride height, exceptional ride quality, sportscar handling, and is quick. Will probably be the replacement for my AMG SUV.

 

I loved my 2022 EQS 450+, and thought the air suspension was absolutely fantastic. Until, I drove my new Panamera 4, with air suspension. The Porsche air suspension is so far superior to the EQS it is almost unbelievable. Don't know about the Taycan, but the Panamera air suspension is stable, immediately responsive, keeps the car level, you never feel road bumps (etc) in the steering wheel, and there is no feeling of floating like in the EQS. You just have a solid and stable feel which is smooth and magic. Not criticising the EQS for sure, I loved it. Just stating that Porsche has a better suspension. Having said that, I bought the EQS because the Taycan was just too small. Wish there was an electric Panamera. Alas, no. We are fortunate to have access to these amazing vehicles. Congrats on your new ride!

 

Does your panamera have the active ride control or just regular air suspension?

 

It has regular air suspension. Never experienced how good the active ride control is.

 

You are actually describing the AMG EQS 4matic+ suspension. Never feel the bumps in the steering wheel or your seat but just hear it in the tires and the road it hits. Corners flat like a GTR, and switching lanes near triple digit is a none issue.

The Porsche looks attractive, but they line item you for every little feature and option . . . . such a turn off if trying to by new. I would not rule out a Porsche in the future but definitely not in the foreseeable future unless I stumble across a deal of a lifetime.

 

And the EQS appears to be pretty reliable thus far. Not something that you can say about the Taycan.

 

Had I just spoken about no Porsche in the near future, a 2024 Taycan Turbo S showed up in my inbox with less than 2K miles, for an crazy price of <$130K with the absolute color combo of choice. Somebody is spying on my cache box. No fear, I have no need for another EV until I see the new AMG GT EV released and hopefully test driven.

 

I can confirm that. My neighbor's 24 RS Etron-GT has been in the shop numerous times for this and that...;;

Awesome car to drive and look at.

In terms of driving feel it blows the EQS away....;; I can give that a credit.