Ok, i already know that advice is worth what you pay for it but what I'm really looking for sage experience here!

I've got a 96 993 and it's everything I'd hope it would be- fantastic driver and wouldn't trade it for anything. So now we've got a little one (read: baby!) on the way and my wife says it's time to get a second 4 seater. (Don't worry, we're going to trade in our pickup!). But the choices I've been eyeing are a Surburban type (GM/Caddy, etc), a Cayenne S, or a late model M5 (prob 2000-2003).

So, i'm just curious if you 993 lovers have experienced these rides and can recommend sites of other fanatics of these brands? I"m cross posting this at Rennlist cayenne to get feedback too. I realize these are apples to oranges- i mean I drove a Denali and Cayenne and M5 and all are very different. But any 993 lovers out there have experience with these models and can offer your experiences? I just got back from driving a 2002 M5 and it had spirit (394 hp!) but still was more "lexus-y" obviously than my visceral 993. I know you can't really compare a Surburban from a 5 series, but both have 4 seats, carry a car seat. So it comes down to weighing pure fun (5 series) versus storage (surburban) versus a combo (Cayenne)- i think.

Thoughts are welcome- as are any links to other quality BMW sites like rennlist.

thanks all....

jeff

 

I would not drive a big SUV unless I had too, and I occationally do. The "family" car is a '05 Navigator. I hate driving it.

I had the Cayenne S and got sick of driving a truck. And the tiptronic drove me nuts. It was always in the wrong gear (it would shift to 3rd or 4th when you wanted 2nd.) Read the long term test in European Car, they express my opinion perfectly. I wonder if these cars will have carbon build up?!

I love the BMW M5 and looked hard at them when buying my E55. The E55 is worth a look, but a lot more money than a used M5.

I vote M5. Look hard for one with plenty of warranty left.... it is pretty complex!

 

Used Audi S6 .. with all the rain in WA, I would take that over an M5 (or an RS6 if you can stretch to that).

 

I'd go cheap and get a minivan... but that's me.

 

Jeff,

I went with a 1992 Mercedes 500E - solid as a rock, visceral driving experience, dirt cheap. It's a four-door sleeper with some cool Porsche-built history.

 

The few 500Es that come up for sale here are all high miles and still 20K not really dirt cheap

 

audi S4. 2004 and 2005 are dropping in value like crazy. guess how i know.

 

Left brain, minivan (really nothing can compete with it as a family hauler), right brain SUV (I like LR3, Toureg, and Land Cruiser).

 

Lots of choices. Personally I have always wondered why the SUV craze exists (even though my wife's last four "cars" were SUV's), but I suppose viscerally they are more attractive to me than minivans. Unless you need a third row of seats, actually a sedan with a nice size trunk is probably a lot more practical and comfortable. Everything in the back of our CS (strollers, kid gear, misc junk) would fit in a decent sized trunk (i.e. M5).

My wife had a Land Cruiser and, while it was roomy and nice, I never liked driving it - too heavy, mushy, and not really comfortable for me. In comparison to that, our Cayenne S is great to drive - at least for an SUV it actually handles pretty well and feels sportier than most SUV's. So I am pretty high on the CS if you need/want an SUV. Note the 03/04 Cayenne's had a lot of software problems that made the shifts seem strange, but those have, I think, all been sorted out now (and repaired on the older cars).

 

I'm with Anir. I sold my '96 993 in 2000 & bought my '93 500E to haul kiddos. Great car & I am as attached today as I was when I bought it. Low mileage examples do pop up occasionally. Expect to pay mid 20s.

 

Test drive the new Range Rover; our 2003 has been rock solid after 45K miles.

 

Jeff,

M5! I have a 993tt which is a little tricked up (FVD Stage 4 conversion) and the wife drives a 99 M5. Although she complains all the time about the stick shift (I suppose at some time in the future, I will give up the fight and get her a slushbox RS6), the grin on her face everytime she gets a little bit cheeky behind the wheel is priceless.

Agree that the M5 is very soft versus the 993 and I was initially dissappointed when I first got it. But give yourself 3 months of regular ownership of the car and the level of engineering integrity, chassis and drivetrain development as well as plain good fun to be had will really get under your skin.

One thing to warn about though, the E39 M5 (like all BMWs of that generation and newer) have iffy durability in terms of interior trim (Cars like the E34 M5 have much much better build quality) and this needs some attention if your car is going to be subjected to all the standard ingress and egress of children's digestive systems.....

 

I agree with Jeff...get a minivan...with a DVD package to keep the kids watching cartoons in catatonic mode... and save the extra bucks to maintain and improve the 993...

 

While this might not be your cup-o-tea, I just placed an ad in autotrader for our Volvo S60 T-5 sedan. We are looking for someone to take over a very attractive lease, thats it. Truly a great performer with the most comfortable seats my wife and I have ever sat it.

 

Cayenne S. Almost 13000 miles in 6.5 months. Although I think the M5 will probably have more room than the CS, seeing as you are in WA, you will appreciate the AWD capabilities much more.