sigs

If I'm counting my fingers correctly, I have 5 friends with relatively recent Tahoe/Yukon variants and they are all very pleased. Would agree with leek's assessment - they seem to be very good bargains for what most people who actually need an SUV (NB: this does NOT include poseurs and mall-crawlers) really need. Don't know how long they will hold up, but at the price, you could buy several. Much more cargo space than the Cayenne, but nowhere near the handling and acceleration (although I'm not familiar with what engine/suspension options might be available). Big for parking, not so good on fuel, but I'm getting maybe 12 mpg with the way I drive my Cayenne. If I hadn't had the option of my CTT-PK, I could well have bought one and wouldn't have felt bad having another daily driver and putting the Yukon out in the driveway (limited garage space). As for the hybrid, there is no way I'd buy new technology like that in the first year (maybe first two years) of production.

sigs

I forgot to mention the abundance of inexpensive aftermarket add-ons (did someone say tow-hitch and harness?) out the ying-yang. One of my buds who actually uses his Yukon just put on a grille guard and front winch mount assembly that looks like it would survive a direct hit from an RPG for about $500.

ltc

Excuse me, Mr Moderator Sir.....

Could we please have these vermin, jumping ship from the SS Cayenne, rounded up and burned at the stake for heresy?

Recommending ANY other SUV/Truck over the Cayenne? In this forum?

This is unacceptable.

sigs

Awwwww. And just when I was going to suggest that, for someone whose primary "SUV" need is towing, an F-350 SD turbodiesel 4x4 crew cab might be the "ultimate SUV," and would probably garner more looks at the country club than any old stinkin' Cayenne...

dp35

The towing need is only for a 1,350 lb car on a 1,000 lb trailer, and the job is currently handled by a Toyota V6 Tacoma pretty well.

Country club looks are not what I desire. To the contrary, if I decide on a CTT I'd seriously consider removing the rear badging.

red911c2

Hey DP,

If I were you, I'd stop asking people on this board what you should buy and BUY THE PEPPER TT!!! It sounds like you want one and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

red911c2's 9 month old son

sigs

Ah, yes, back to your original post. We occasionally get back around to those here in looney-land.

It sounds like the CTT is what you really want, and it sounds like you have what most of us would really like to have: confidence in your dealer. We also have managed to ignore what might be the most important part of your post - your wife likes Cayennes. Can't overestimate that and, of the various vehicles that might meet your needs, the CTT will almost certainly be the most fun to drive - when the baby isn't strapped into it, of course. Those may be the deciding factors, ven if you don't need the 4WD capabilities at all. The biggest downside for your wife and future family (assuming you get a late '05 CTT with minimal issues) might be the paucity of cargo space and the goofy rear-seat fold-down system. I'd make sure you can both live with the car as you plan to use it before pulling the trigger. If you can, and if you have a warranty to carry you through your expected ownership - you'll probably be very happy.

red911c2

I didn't. Both of my posts were on topic...

Stockhog

No one mentioned the FX45. I have a friend in Denver that loves his. Has anyone driven one?

EnigmaWmn

Where's that OTW icon??? Can it please, please, please be created? :-D

ltc

I think the Cayenne forum gene pool might need some chlorine right about now.....

alsamrob

I had one for 11 months. Hated it. Appropos of nothing, my kids got car sick in it every time they rode in it. Great options, features, bells and whistles, etc., but it wasn't for me.

APXD 30

Great response. I feel the same way about the Infiniti and had a G35x for 11 months (stupidly traded my '97 E320 in Feb for AWD in the northeast)!



JPD

'06 987S
'06 GTi MKV
'03 A4 Q

neverpa

We have gone from 2004 Audi S4 sedan to 2007 Acura MDX to 2007 Audi Q7 (3.6L). The biggest reason we sold the S4 was ground clearance and the problem of how to manage the car seats We have three children and a Toyota Sienna AWD. I want something I will enjoy driving a bit more. I have tested the BMW X5 a few times. I test drove the GMC and Ford products too. They were not for me. I like the functional nature of the mini-van, but it has horrible brakes and driving dynamics. I have been tossing the idea of a sedan/wagon like the S4 or RS4 around, but if I am going to be using the car daily it just doesn't have the space for us. We had the MDX for about 3 months before we realized we had made a big mistake. Coming from the S4, the MDX was bigger and had lots of bells and whistles, but the driving really was not what I was hoping for. It behaved oddly when in snow and when driving at speed. I can't put my finger on what was wrong with it but it just didn't feel right. Also, the electronics (bluetooth, etc) was "overdone" and really (surprisingly) didn't work well for us. After a few months, we traded the MDX for the Q7. Q7 has a functional third row. MDX has the third row, but because the second row cannot be adjusted, the third row is almost useless (even for small children) - their feet don't fit between the seats. I am hoping to be able to use the Q7 as a van (maybe sell the Toyota) and drive the Cayenne most often. Since I have a dedicated sports car (GT3), I don't need the Cayenne to be my sports car and family hauler (necessarily). I am most interested in the driving performance (not speed so much) of the Cayenne as a daily driver. I want it to give me a comfortable, safe and satisfying drive in any and all weather conditions. I am probably going to buy a V6 manual transmission and see how it goes. I am however tempted to buy the turbo, but for most of what I am going to do, I might as well save the money and put it into something else. I have yet to actually drive the manual transmission car because there isn't one to test drive near me. I think it will give me a somewhat involving drive that I can use most every day. This seems like a nice complement of vehicles: Q7, Cayenne (?), GT3. Comparing the Cayenne to the Q7 goes something like this. The Q7 is big and feels big, but handles itself pretty well. The Cayenne is smaller but feels much more like a car than a truck (compared to the other SUVs mentioned here). This compromise gives me more of what I am looking for.

dp35

Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions. The MDX is one of those logical choices for us, but like love, when you're passionate about cars, you don't always make the logical choice. Plus, IMO a used Cayenne is a better bargain.

Have you considered buying a used Cayenne Turbo? There are some good deals out there right now, and I anticipate some even better deals in the coming months.

Or, if you don't like buying used, how about the soon to be released Cayenne GTS? Manual trans, V8, good suspension, etc. From what I've read, I kind of doubt that someone who appreciates a fine driving experience like you do would enjoy a V6 Cayenne.