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Looking at a couple of CTTs here in the Bay area. FWIW the 06 has 91k and the 04 142k. I have several questions...
First off, with the exception of the coolant pipes, coil paks and Cardan shaft, what should I be looking for?
Specifically, can one tell if the coolant pipe(s) have been done by looking under hood (i.e. without tearing things apart)?
The CTTS has an aftermarket Kenwood heard unit. Is it all that difficult to find an OE version? With options? (it could have been ordered with bluetooth and backup camera, correct?
BoostBuggy,
Good hunting! Search these posts for how to check the coolant T’s. The photos tell you how to look back under the intake from on top of motor. On the CTTS check the brake wear. Those big rotors are pretty expensive. Transmission fluid and filter should have been serviced. How often was oil changed? Every 3-5k miles is good for these turbo motors. Check for damp front carpets to see if any drains have been/are clogged. A good PPI will check turbos and oil lines and pull up any faults. Smoke from the exhaust needs to be diagnosed. From all I’ve gathered, avoid any vehicle with electrical issues. I looked at an ‘05 CTT and an ‘06 CTTS. The CTTS was, by far, a better machine. My CTTS drives like an E39 M5 and is in impressive condition. For owner costs I can honestly say it’s about same cost to maintain my ‘06 CTTS (pretty easy to work on with a Durametric and on-line resources), with 141k miles; as my ‘13 XC90 (dealer servicing) with 80k miles. If this your first Porsche, well it’s a Porsche. If you aren’t absolutely sure, it could be a very deep $ pit.
aluminum pipes
For plastic coolant pipes remove the cover at the back of the engine compartment. Use your camera on your phone by pointing it forward and down a bit from behind the intake manifold.
I always tell people to buy the newest Porsche they can afford... The 06' in your case has far less miles and is newer. As far as the stereo goes, leave it or get something newer... The stock units back in 2006 weren't anything special, they are definitely dated now. It the owner went through the trouble to upgrade he's done the hard part (if he did it correctly) Just my 2 cents.
Thx guys. FWIW it's not my first Porsche. Had a 93 968 and an 86 951. Both long gone but not forgotten.
Thx for pics of the pipes. I wasn't sure if it was even possible to check them without taking it in for a PPI. Of course before I did a deal there would be a PPI. I've driven the 06 CTTS already. Feels/sounds/drives OK. But I would want to send more time with it (if I can.) I'm really not crazy about the aftermarket head. I know the OE unit wasn't all that great, particularly when compared to what is available today but I guess I'd prefer to have things stock. There's also a 08 CTT and an 08 CGTS that I'll be taking a look at. Although, (not surprisingly) they're both more expensive. Time will tell...
Oh, BTW was the tailgate ever offered with power lift/close? I thought that was the standard but at least on first gen not the case.
I'd recommend moving up to either of those 08s. The 957 generation is the sweet spot in the Cayenne lineup, at least IMO. Many of the 1st gen problems were addressed and if either of the 08s has PDCC, will be a completely different driving experience. Aero package on the GTS looks super and the exhaust note with the PSE is tough to beat.
After having an '04 CTT with numerous electrical and other issues, and having an '08 CTT with PDCC, I can second the 2008 if you can afford it, otherwise, I would say go for the '06, less miles, most of the issues have been worked out, and its a turbo,
OP - get the 2006. Porsche improved over 50 parts on this model year alone, starting in 06/2005:
~ 2004 SAT/NAV PCM will never be able to update GPS maps. You are stuck with outdated maps... until you go aftermarket or upgrade to 2005-2008 PCM 2.1 + DVD drive
~ Cardan Shaft in 2006 was greatly improved, with 1.5mm thicker rubber, around the bearing support. Good for up to 175-200k/mi now
~ Air suspension was the most robust in this year too
~ CTTS is clearly better than clean 2004 CTT. The brakes of CTTS can go 67,000 miles between full brake changes
~ 2006 water pump and serpentine belt good for 100k/mi
~ coils in 2006 is revised
~ headlight circuitry in 2006 can switch from full ON to AUTO, without momentary blackout, like 2003-2005 models do
~ 2006 has fixed rear pillar side air vents. No more busted, adjustable slats
~ 2006 eliminated locking gas cap door and placed anti-siphon screen, inside filler neck
~ Only thing 2004 had was the NLA hood insulation liner, and engine compartment lighting
OP - get the 2006. Porsche improved over 50 parts on this model year alone, starting in 06/2005:
~ 2004 SAT/NAV PCM will never be able to update GPS maps. You are stuck with outdated maps... until you go aftermarket or upgrade to 2005-2008 PCM 2.1 + DVD drive
~ Cardan Shaft in 2006 was greatly improved, with 1.5mm thicker rubber, around the bearing support. Good for up to 175-200k/mi now
~ Air suspension was the most robust in this year too
~ CTTS is clearly better than clean 2004 CTT. The brakes of CTTS can go 67,000 miles between full brake changes
~ 2006 water pump and serpentine belt good for 100k/mi
~ coils in 2006 is revised
~ headlight circuitry in 2006 can switch from full ON to AUTO, without momentary blackout, like 2003-2005 models do
~ 2006 has fixed rear pillar side air vents. No more busted, adjustable slats
~ 2006 eliminated locking gas cap door and placed anti-siphon screen, inside filler neck
~ Only thing 2004 had was the NLA hood insulation liner, and engine compartment lighting
Ummm... on my '06:
My cardan shaft bearing mount went at 75,000 miles..
My '06 CTits had a locking fuel door
The '06 was better than earlier years, but the '08 is even better, and a '11 is much better.
Guys, thx for the words of wisdom & experience. Yeah I know with Porsches to always get the latest model you can afford. So we'll see if I can stretch the budget a bit to jump to an 08 CTT. I did make note of this thread "Read This First" and have read it with great interest. Its just kinda amazing to me at how much vehicle you can get for $10k. There are 04 CTT's out there for < $10k. That is one hellva truck for that kind of $$. And the 08 CTT's seem to start around $20k. Wow! Looking forward to parking one of these in the driveway soon.
07-02-2018, 06:30 PM
What to look for 04 (CTT) & 06 (CTTS)
