RPMulli

Alright fellas....

Spring is here and my wife's Audi Allroad is starting to wear after 140k. I spend a lot of time traveling and I want to get her something that is relatively reliable and can still be used to haul the kids. Before I begin poking around in the Cayenne forum. I wanted to ask my ole 996 board about a used Cayenne S. Looking to spend ~$20k or less. I've driven a few but before I get serious......

I'm looking for information regarding common problems/issues (engine, drivetrain, suspension, etc. ) and models/years to avoid?

Thanks,

Ryan

Capt. Obvious

The main issue I know of with the V8 models is that one of the coolant pipes is made of plastic and is a huge pain in the *** to replace when it goes bad. Other than that, I haven't heard of a lot of reliability issues with them.

Marc Gelefsky

Ya know we have a cayenne forum with all kinds of info.

5CHN3LL

In seriousness - I have seen posts about issues with electrical "gremlins" (body control module), but I don't know how accurate/widespread this is. It also is apparently brutal on tires, but that's to be expected of anything fast that weighs that much. I owned an X5 for a few years and went through a pair of front tires every year. The issue with the plastic cooling pipes Capt. Obvious referred to seems to be the most prevalent issue.

Dennis C

My daily driver is the 2002 996 C4S. My wife's daily driver is a 2004 Cayenne S.

Our Cayenne is a wonderful vehicle and it has been very reliable. It has roughly 120K miles on the odometer. Here are a few things to consider on a used Cayenne S:

- Cayennes get horrendous gas mileage. We average around 13 mpg in the city, 21 mpg on the road and 16 mpg in mixed driving.
- Cayennes are heavy, and they EAT tires and brakes. Tires will last about 30K mikes, and brakes will last about 40K miles.
- The electronics in Cayennes (especially the 955) are behind the times. There's no Bluetooth, many of them don't have satellite radio, and the PCM nav is mediocre at best.
- Like the 996, repairs can be quite expensive. They aren't common, but they can be expensive.
- Common issues include: coolant pipes, cardan shafts, ignition coils, water pumps, fuel pumps and more. If you live in a humid area, you'll need to replace the horns every so often.

On the bright side, the Cayenne is comfortable, fast and reliable. The AWD system works very well, although maybe not quite as well as Quattro. There's plenty of storage space and they tow effectively. My advice is to look for one that has lots of options. I highly recommend the comfort seats with ruffled leather as well as PASM.

Do your homework. Get a PPI. Buy a Cayenne that has had the coolant pipes replaced. If the major issues are addressed, you'll be very happy with a Cayenne.

5CHN3LL

A little more Googling indicates that the Cayenne has negatively impacted Porsche's overall reliability ratings, but I can't find my Consumer Reports login credentials to back this up.

RPMulli

Thanks for the input! Yeah a quick browse in the Cayenne forum and all I see is the coolant pipes. Gas mileage sounds similar to the Allroad (terrible). I am actually torn between the Cayenne S, Volvo XC90 and an Audi A3. Of course the A3 is the most economic of the three minus the interior room. I am concerned with the resale value of the Volvo, they don't appear to hold any value with any significant mileage.

Back to the Cayenne...How does the V6 compare to the V8 (other than power)? I recall the gas mileage being nearly the same.

RPMulli

Can't be any more difficult than doing the IMS on the 996.

rpm's S2

I looked seriously at Cayennes and instead wound up with a 2008 BMW X3 with the M sport package for around $20k. Between gas mileage and old, old electronics, the first generation Cayennes, while fun to drive, are just not a great option. 2008s and later are much better, particularly the GTS, but priced accordingly.

While X3s have some issues of their own, I like driving the thing, it looks cool, and I average around 21 mpg.

Dennis C

The V6 doesn't fare much better than the V8 in the 955 in terms of gas mileage. It's a little better on fuel consumption and on power in the 957, but I'd still go for the V8. The prices you're talking about will most likely be a 2004 or 2005 955. The only real difference is the CD-based nav in the 2004 vs.the DVD-based nav in the 2005. I would avoid the 2003 if I were you - too many bugs.

RPMulli

Only one problem.. I need a replacement that is larger or equivalent to the Audi. I think the X3 class vehicles might be a tad small. If I do decide to go small.. A3 TDI

Dennis C

One more thing - buy a Cayenne with the service records available. Also, look for one that had the coolant pipes replaced as a prophylactic measure before they burst. If they burst, the flood of coolant into the engine can damage the starter and also damage the torque converter in the transmission.

RPMulli

I agree, the power of the V8 is more desirable and fun. 955 S might be a starting point.

Dennis C

A few more things to consider:

If you plan to tow anything, buy a Cayenne that has a factory hitch installed. Aftermarket hitches and wiring are very expensive. Also, some Cayennes come with roof rails and some with roof tracks. I prefer the cleaner look of the tracks and they will accept mounts for racks like Thule or Yakima. Finally, you have to decide whether or not to buy a Cayenne with the pano roof option. They have been reported to squeak and rattle. I'd avoid them. However, some people like them.

jumper5836

Having owned a 04 Cayenne S and now a 05 Turbo. The Turbo is much better on brakes. Coolant pipes went on both but once that is fixed with aluminum, it doesn't have anymore issues. I would go Turbo, they are just put together much better and can handle the wieght. My S ate brakes while with the Turbo I am still on the same set of pads after 70k km