LVDell

So.....this past weekend I towed my 996 track car to the track this past weekend to see just what this Pepper can do. The Cayenne was fantastic. I had absolutely ZERO problems with the trailer lights. I will say that if you read my last thread about the lights I figured out my problem based on the response form another member....make sure your Pepper is programmed to US tow settings. For some stupid reason, PAG sends US spec built cars to the US with RoW settings.

The tow itself was a piece of cake. Weight distribution in the trailer is critical and I am not just talking for this setup....for ALL setups. Optimally a trailer tongue scale would be the best.

My only beef with the towing ability is the gearing on the this Pepper. It wouldn't be a problem (I assume in the V8) but steep grade climbs suck because of it. Towing on level and moderate incline grade is a piece of cake and I was just amazed how smooth the pull was. But the steep grade through the pass to Pahrump leaving Red Rock Caynon out here west of Las Vegas was a challenge. I was able to towing smoothly and felt good between 60-70 mph. Caught myself frequently above 70 but aerodynamically that is not suggested. SAFETY FIRST!

On the steep grade going up the moutain pass I was accelerating nicely out of 1st and 2nd, but the second I shifter to 3rd I lost all my power, momentum, and the speed starting to decreased quickly. The gearing is WAY TOO LONG between 2nd and 3rd. You can take 2nd all the way to redline at about 43-45mph and then shift to 3rd and the RPMs drop down to around 2K RPM and there just isnt' enough tq to make up that drop.

Long stroy short. The Cayenne V6 is very capable towing up to the specs PAG states the vehicle can tow (7700#). I have found that I would changed a couple things for sure on my next purchase:

1. Defintely move to a S or TT to have that much needed tq on graded climbs.
2. Not a necessity, but moving from steel springs to air suspension (PASM) would be much more stable at speed dealing with all the undulations in the road.

When our lease ends in 2 years we will move up to a S or TT for sure. We bought this current one (V6) with NO intentions of towing and didn't see the need for the S or TT when we were looking at them. If you are going to tow the S or TT would be very nice to have but still, not required especaily if you are NOT dealing with steep mountain passes.

Spec on what we towed:
20' enclosed trailer (~3200#)
996 with track goodies in the trailer (~3500#)
Total tow weight ~6700#

And the best part about it? NO TRAILER LIGHT ISSUES!!!!!!!!

Attached are a couple pics from this weekend.

Thanks to everybody that helped me with my install, towing advice, trailer advice, etc, etc, etc.

I really feel confident now (after borrowing my friends trailer this weekend) that taking delivering of my new Pace trailer in a couple weeks is a great investment for the track and no regrets!

charlieXS

nice.

LVDell

Almost forgot to add. While I was at the track I had several people approach me and say "you towed this (pointing at the trailer and car) with that (pointing at the Pepper)"???

I loved it! Probably about 4 or 5 times this happened and then I would further that with asking about what they towed and with what. The Pepper had a higher rating that almost everything! Not to mention it looks good doing it

wingless

It is likely that the ROW setting resides in the newly-added trailer module, which is generic and setup at installation.

Nice looking rig. Isn't the forward visibility an issue?

LVDell

Not at all, that is my newest mod......protects the front windscreen from excessvie heat during re-entry from the summit of the Red Rock Canyon Pass at light speed

wingless

That might also come in handy at 674 mph.

skl

I get the same comments when I tow my enclosed ATC trailer and pull into the paddock. They look at the trailer,then the Cayenne, then the trailer again, and you can just see their mind working...glad you didn't have any lighting issues- interesting as you probably have nearly as many running lights on it as I do...

alex911s

Awesome Dell, glad things are all working perfectly

Papparaz

LVDell...Did u buy with factory hitch or aftermarket? I am looking into adding a hitch but after reading forums etc, I am leaning toward Porsche hitch. I bought with 2 year CPO warranty.

I will try to find your post about lights. Thx.

cordsig79

I tow all the time in my base.........I would recommend turning off PSM until at cruising speed. Make sure you use the highest octane possible too.

I have some great pics pulling my 2004 Supra LTS wakeboarding boat..........

Now, I do see some TTs pulling up too.........I will have to stay single 5 years longer if I dump cash into a rig set up like that!!!!

User 4221

There is a great writeup on his hitch install that a search should surface.

Papparaz

CordSig and Dell... Are you using tiptronic in manual mode, automatic or both? I assume manual mode would be preferred in the mountains to control RPM because the computer can't see the grade changes coming immediately ahead.

CordSig...Thanks for the PSM tip. I forgot I had it (not PASM) and then reread the manual to learn when to turn it off. Although it doesn't say trailer towing, I can see where it could help.

After spending 2+ hours searching and reading, I think dealer install is best for me. More expensive but by the time I research how to save $ (no I don't have extra $ to throw away but value my "spare" time), I'm no further ahead. It was still worth researching to understand the issues people are having so I don't have more problems later. Very helpful.

Plavan

After looking at the new 2011 Cayenne V6 and S today, I think this post was very timely. I was wondering if I could save the $14k difference between the S and V6. I was worried about the V6 being able to really handle it. The 2011 V6's now have 300hp and 295/ft torque. This is much higher than the old version 3.2L V6(247 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque). Heck, my old 04' S had 340hp and 310/ft pounds of torque, so the new V6 should be able to handle it fine I'm guessing.

The new Cayenne is better in every way. The interior is beautiful.

red911c2

Nice!!!

cordsig79

@Papparaz.....I rarely use tiptronic if PSM is off unless I need to shift to a higher gear because it stays in gear much longer.

From my understanding these transmissions have adaptive technology that looks for patterns in your usage when PSM is on, so it should be able to factor in the grades after some responsive driving on your behalf to address the hills and engage a lower gear. thats for regular highway driving.......

now I will turn of PSM in the hills of austin or towing so I am always in the mid 2-3k rpm range and it helps on the decline too by engine braking......

used the dealer for my hitch and it was only 1500........maybe there is a different bracket for the 6's but i dont imagine thought to be true, my buddy bought an S at the same time......they charged him 4800 dollars at the same dealership and he flipped when he saw what I paid.

ALWAYS USE PREMIUM GAS.......I look at turning off PSM when towing as the old days of turning off O/D, it doesnt eat up those higher gears with the added strain on the tranny.