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Loaded 85D or skinny P85D?

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Ok, another one of these threads! I am 29, do not have any debt. No house/condo - but I have savings and investments.

I was going to purchase the 85D, but now that you can strip down the P85D to within $15k or so of the other model (19 inch wheels, no air suspension, etc) - I'm having second thoughts about the 85D.

I'd be willing to skip the starbucks every morning for a few years to make up for the difference... :)

Thoughts?
 
This is a very personal question and best answered by asking yourself what is most important to you. The luxury of options or the driving experience?

FWIW you can probably still find my old threads on loaded S85 vs. P85. In the end I went for loaded S85, then like many upgraded to add P before my car was built. So I predict you may end up with a loaded P85D if you are not careful :) Based on my own experiences and reading of others you will not regret either choice, you are going to love the car to pieces either way. If I had it to do over again I would have spent the extra for a P85+ model. And no question for me that I would go for a fully optioned P85D if I was buying today.
 
I vote for the Loaded 85D.
You will only use the ultra performance a few times to try it out and impress friends.
After a few months you will rarely use it and its not as though the 85D is really slow.
The extra features will please you for the life of the car.
 
Unless the sick acceleration is an absolute must or you feel that you can absorb that cost easily, then I'd go loaded D as well. While you'll love to show off the acceleration for a few months and then on rare occasions just because you have it and can do so, you will find that in the mundane every day driving to/from work and such that the addition of the tech package and other creature comforts are what will make your experience with the car truly great. If money was no object I'd get the P for the sick acceleration...but 0-6 in 5 seconds is still crazy fast on a regular road and while you'll hanker for the P from time to time, I think your satisfaction with the car loaded with the tech features and other items will make it much more satisfying ultimately.
 
Completely different end of the spectrum (and a slightly different trade-off), but I originally had to decide between a fully-loaded S40 vs. stripped-down S60, and I have been very happy with my choice to get the fully-loaded S40. The options you use every day, so they are worth it.
 
Ok, another one of these threads! I am 29, do not have any debt. No house/condo - but I have savings and investments.

I was going to purchase the 85D, but now that you can strip down the P85D to within $15k or so of the other model (19 inch wheels, no air suspension, etc) - I'm having second thoughts about the 85D.

I'd be willing to skip the starbucks every morning for a few years to make up for the difference... :)

Thoughts?

I'd suggest test driving cars with as many different options as possible to figure out what is really important to you. After a year and a half, the acceleration on my S85 definitely hasn't gotten old and I'd love to upgrade to a P85 or P85D at some point. I'd personally take a P85D with no options other than the tech package vs. a fully loaded 85D. But I definitely wouldn't give up the tech package for better acceleration. And the tech package on my car didn't even come with autopilot, folding mirrors, or parking sensors.
 
Back in the day, (I am very much dating myself here) many of us gear heads used to order our cars with just about zero factory or dealer options... going so far as to delete the radio, heater and just have a bench seat. The goal back then was to get the largest motor, highest rear end gears and put that into a very light weight chassis to get what was known then as a "sleeper". A car that posed as a non threatening but very potent 1/4 mile car.

Now time is a wonderful teacher... perhaps. I have come to realize that you will spend most of your time inside of the car. So things that will make your life enjoyable while driving is now the way I roll. But still the gear head.... if I were to order an S it would be the P85D with just about every option there is sans the rear seats as my kids drive themselves (ha). Now days...I will not own a car without parking sensors, heated seats and a great sound system.

The cost of the depreciation is a factor... I do not see being able to recoup the options expense/cost on trade in or resale.

If you put less than 15K miles on an auto per year, you may want to save your capital and think about leasing. You have to run those numbers.
Glad you have savings and investments... you can keep that money growing if you lease... if you buy the money spent on the car will depreciate with the asset.
 
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I opted for a loaded S85 vice a stripped P85 and I am very happy with my decision. With that said, the P85D is just a beast and would make that decision even harder now versus when I made my choice in August 2012. Having driven a few Ps as loaners, the only difference in acceleration was when the car is floored from a standstill which I rarely do.

I agree that you should drive both back to back if you can to make the decision that is best for you.
 
My humble opinion Valkryst,
1.-Test both performances.
2.-Take a look of several cars with several options.
3.-Imagin your normal life with or without those options and performances.

Note: You have to consider that if you are a Speed crazy lover, and you don´t care about efficiency, range, +65 traffic tickets and tires at any time, you will miss over all the P85D. In the other hand, if you are planning to be a saver driver being careful calculating your route plan and driving as a gentleman enjoying with gadgets here and there, is secondary those loose horses on the meadow... ;)
 
I just got a regular 85 as a loaner and I REALLY missed my P85. They were like two different cars. Even at low speed, the P feels much lighter and is MUCH more FUN! It's the best money I spent, hands down and I'll forever be grateful to Texex for talking me into it. Go for the Power baby. You won't regret it. ;)
 
Agree bareyb, you and I went on about the same journey at the same time. But it is a personal choice. If you are a spirited driver you will want the crazy dv/dt of the performance model :) Heck I wanted to be a jet pilot and I still love roller coasters. So when I was truly honest with myself I knew what I had to do.

Insane acceleration. If you like it... It-just-never-gets-old.
 
I just got a regular 85 as a loaner and I REALLY missed my P85. They were like two different cars. Even at low speed, the P feels much lighter and is MUCH more FUN! It's the best money I spent, hands down and I'll forever be grateful to Texex for talking me into it. Go for the Power baby. You won't regret it. ;)

I had the same experience. The acceleration of the S is good compared to most other vehicles on the road. But don't drive a P85 for any length of time or you will be disappointed with the S.