Learn me: Porsche Cayenne

These have gotten to be interestingly inexpensive and easy to find. There's a Cayenne Turbo with 140k miles for $8 grand locally. I'm aware of some plastic cooling pieces that need replacing, but are there any real deal breakers on these things? Are they fun to drive? Are they just good at being thirsty Porsche looking things? Can you get smaller wheels that would allow you to run decent dirt tires? What's the sensible alternative to a turbo V8 Porsche SUV?

https://bend.craigslist.org/cto/5324219872.html

Damn..

I've pondered them... I see them all the time in NJ. I just fear the maintenance costs would be like any other P-car... and well... if I'm spending that sort of money to keep something going, there are other cars I'd rather have. Granted, the only Cayenne's I'd really be interested in would be the V6/6spd or the V8 GTS 6spd, although I'd read the transmission isn't really all that "sporty".

You can probably check TireRack for wheel options.

Alternatives? I don't really know... I'm not all that interested in SUV's in general. X5M? Toureg TDI V10? Jeep Cherokee SRT8? Chevy (I don't remember the name) SS? Range Rover Sport HSE?

That one looks like a scam. Bend, OR, yet palm trees?

Ian F wrote: Chevy (I don't remember the name) SS?

Trailblazer SS.

Henry D. Thoreau said: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation

I have always felt sorry for people who drive those things.Cause you know that was not what they really wanted, yet they were willing to abandon their dream just to get the badge.

"I have a Porsche in the garage" and introducing one of these will always be awkward.For while not as bad as a replica, it is a pretender.

I have a friend who put over 200,000 miles on a Cayenne. The maintenance costs are high, but the car was reliable. Every visit to the shop started at $1,500. I drove it once towing a pair of jet ski's. It drove well, but I was not impressed with the ergonomics.

He would always complain to the service manager, 'How come Porsche can't make a FOB as good as a Kia FOB?'

I recall reading something at one point about the electronics being a freaking nightmare on the early cars...

Jeff wrote:

drool saab

In reply to Mad_Ratel:

I now want one of those, which I attribute about 50% to this image and 50% to the thread title "Trollblazer" the other day, which made me giggity. I generally dislike vanity plates, but that is absolutely what mine would read if I ever bought one.

I bought a '06 Cayenne Turbo S last summer. They have some known faults like the coolant pipes, plastic coolant T hoses, and the cardan shaft. Porsche is replacing the coolant pipes for free now due to a class actions suit. Have the dealer replace the coolant T hoses at the same time.

If the coolant T or pipes burst, the coolant can destroy the starter and the torque convertor seal. So you want to make sure that both the pipes/T have been done and have been done awhile ago, if they were done recently I'd budget for the starter (easy) and torque convertor seal (tranny R&R)

These are relatively easy to work on and there's really nothing out there that drives like them. They're shockingly fast, handle extremely well and can tow ~8000lbs.

Like any older, used German luxury car you need to buy the one with the most extensive documented service history that you can. Don't just buy a cheap one that you have no proof how it's been cared for...

This one is relevant to my interests... Kept wondering what it would take to keep one of these happy mechanically...

Trollblazer is the new word of the day.

Ian F wrote: Alternatives? I don't really know... I'm not all that interested in SUV's in general. X5M? Toureg TDI V10? Jeep Cherokee SRT8? Chevy (I don't remember the name) SS? Range Rover Sport HSE?

Most of those except the Jeep are going to be just as costly if not more so to maintain. Toe-Rag TDi?!?!? Even though it's a downgraded Pepper Wagon it seems even more costly. I recall people going ape E36 M3 when the were new when they needed front brake jobs at less than 20K miles and the dealers were charging north of $2K for front pads and rotors.

At this point I'd say a Turbo pepper wagon with Porsche footing the bill for the coolant pipes is worth a shot. If the low prices are really that low then they may be semi disposable toys. How much do CarMax want with one of their legendary warranties.

It's a Range Rover, but remember this vid from Doug DeMuro about his CarMax warranty experience. Cliff notes. WORTH IT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQCj-dbgN0

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Ian F wrote: Alternatives? I don't really know... I'm not all that interested in SUV's in general. X5M? Toureg TDI V10? Jeep Cherokee SRT8? Chevy (I don't remember the name) SS? Range Rover Sport HSE?

Most of those except the Jeep are going to be just as costly if not more so to maintain. Toe-Rag TDi?!?!? Even though it's a downgraded Pepper Wagon it seems even more costly. I recall people going ape E36 M3 when the were new when they needed front brake jobs at less than 20K miles and the dealers were charging north of $2K for front pads and rotors. At this point I'd say a Turbo pepper wagon with Porsche footing the bill for the coolant pipes is worth a shot. If the low prices are really that low then they may be semi disposable toys. How much do CarMax want with one of their legendary warranties. It's a Range Rover, but remember this vid from Doug DeMuro about his CarMax warranty experience. Cliff notes. WORTH IT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQCj-dbgN0

I think the Jeep offsets any difference in maintenance costs with the buy-in price though, as they still seem to go for $20k+ around me.

I should test drive one and report back. I really have no interest in owning one. I'm vaguely interested in a sporty RWD or AWD wagon, and the Cayenne wasn't much of a stretch. However, if it got the same gas mileage as my Motovan, there's no incentive in owning and maintaining another 4 wheeled vehicle.

In reply to Petrolburner:

Hey petrol burner, where are you located??? I'm in sisters, about 20 miles from bend! 8k seems like a steal. I know they use the cayenne as a discovery lap car at the Las Vegas speedway for the exotics racing business. I was shocked at its performance.

My boss had a Toerag V8. That thing was hideously expensive to maintain and had the requisite VAG electrical gremlins. Plus the hatch filled with water and kept killing the rear electrics.

NOHOME wrote:

Henry D. Thoreau said: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation

I have always felt sorry for people who drive those things.Cause you know that was not what they really wanted, yet they were willing to abandon their dream just to get the badge. "I have a Porsche in the garage" and introducing one of these will always be awkward.For while not as bad as a replica, it is a pretender.

Well, that's an interesting perspective, to be sure. I'm not sure I agree that the guy driving a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S is living a life "of quiet desperation." The Cayenne is no pretender. It invented the Muscle-SUV segment, and is probably the only reason Porsche is still cranking out "real" sports cars.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/05/03/how-the-porsche-cayenne-makes-big-bucks-for-vw.aspx

In reply to Trackmouse:

I'm in Redmond. There's a BMW Z4 3.0i in Bend that has caught my eye. I may go take a look at it. The Cayenne doesn't really appeal to me but I was curious anyway.

I'm definitely not living a life "of quiet desperation". LOL! This is a phenomenal DD, does many things well. I already have another Porsche in the stable (LS swapped 951) so it's not like I settled for the Cayenne.

I actively sought one out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7_5BnNT64M

In reply to Coldsnap:

What in the hell was that? Hilariously sad!

espz28 wrote: In reply to Coldsnap: What in the hell was that? Hilariously sad!

I believe that guy is a rapper troll, but what made it so funny was that the Panamera is such an ugly POS that seems to be driven by status seekers that made it so funny.

While I despise the bloated whale with a passion, I do like the pepper wagon.