bbcobby

My RX300 was 1st Gen, RX330 was 2nd Gen. When looking for the second one, I drove a 1st Gen Cayenne and didn't like it. It wasn't luxurious enough for the price. Porsche has fixed that with the 2nd Gen Cayenne. My husband also thought he wasn't going to be able to pry me out of a Lexus because of the level of service that they deliver. Porsche still has some work to do on this front. Their waiting areas aren't as plush and they aren't quite as ahead of the curve as Lexus service. I'm sure that Porsche can do it though.

If it's any help to know, I commute 40 miles daily round trip on a tollway that is bumper to bumper on the worst of days and smooth sailing on the best of days. I have experienced my Cayenne as being far superior to my Lexus under all of the various driving conditions that I encounter. It pains me to say it, but my RX was under-powered, was easily buffeted about by the wind and has become common place.

Whatever she purchases, I hope she loves it and that she feels like she gets the right balance of luxury and value for her.

wilfred

Which trims are you referring to (base V6, S, GTS, Turbo)? Because the interior is exactly the same on the 08+. On the pre-06, I know Turbo gets real leather dashboard and the base & S get whats commonly refer as elephant skin here. Not sure what gets what on the 08+. Also on the GTS, the seats are half leather and half suede or alcantara which does look much nicer IMO.

ltc

The PCM is different 08+ (PCM3.x introduction).

faster

thanks all for you're tips and advice.......i'll post what she ends up with..

Carrera GT

$12K off sounds pretty good for a Cayenne (V6) in percentage terms.
Compared to a Jeep, the Cayenne is going to be a LOT of fun to drive, it will have much the same "Rubicon" off-road capabilities and it will be a lot more confident on-road. Build quality should be good, but there are still lemon cars. The only downside will be the lack of techno gadgets. If the driver wants the full gamut of Toyota/Lexus/Nissan/Infiniti gizmo's, back-up camera, back-up sensors, bluetooth, nav, etc., etc., the Cayenne becomes absurdly expensive and it still doesn't have stuff you can get in a Ford Explorer or Expedition (power folding third-row seats, air-conditioned front seats) and depreciation will be expensive and it's still a pretty "pretentious" car in some parts of the country where a Ford would go without getting keyed and you probably won't get as deeply gouged on service costs, etc.

All in all, people should buy a Cayenne because they really want to pay the premium to have the car for its strengths and qualities -- safety and handling-- nobody should buy a Cayenne as a vehicle compared to a Ford/Chev/Chrysler/Jeep or as a status "one up" on BMW and Mercedes or if they have a taste for Japanese brand vehicles with surround cameras, passenger DVD, navigation, etc.

My thinking is one of the best cars Porsche offers to non-enthusiast drivers is a V6 DI Cayenne (preferably with PASM) on a cheap lease and strong residual with discounts. I'd then go and attach a $79 "CostCo" back-up camera, I'd plug in a Sirius handheld satellite radio receiver and I'd buy iPod's for the kids. The car has all the safety, off-road and on-road capabilities without the premium of the straight-line acceleration or the cornering of PDCC.

It's hard to reconcile finding one's "inner frugal" at the same time as arguing in favor of a Porsche. : )

bbcobby

I test drove a base model the first year it came out and felt like the interior looked and felt cheap. The seats were much harder and sat uncomfortably when compared with that year's Lexus SUV. I now have an '08 Cayenne S after having found the interior, particularly the comfort level of the front and back seats to have been significantly improved.

russo

If your commute is 40 miles per day you really must consider gas mileage. The Cayenne is a pig, mind a very fast pig, but a pig nonetheless. Gas prices are currently low but factor gas at $4 a gallon and you are looking at a $90 fill up every three days. I owned an S and then purchased a Turbo for the wife, both get the same mileage. Gas price does not factor into my equation especially since the wife works at home. Previous to the Cayenne I owned the Lexus Rx300, not as much of a car but it was fair on mileage.
Some people claim they get mpg in the high teens highway, myself and my wife struggle to get 14-15 mpg highway. City, forget about it, you are looking at low teens like 10-11 mpg. Something to think about.

Slow Guy

Great comments, wouldn't argue with a word of it.

ltc

Porsche and non-enthusiast driver....in the same sentence.

Please see me after class.

bbcobby

When my husband brought home Precious (his 911) I was definitely a non-enthusiast for the Porsche brand. When he told me that I needed Dirk (my Cayenne S) and I drove him for the first time that all changed. Not to reinforce old gender stereotypes, but I think it might be that way for many women who weren't natural-born gear heads.

EnigmaWmn

That's it. I see it already. If only one letter will be changed in "Dirk", Cayenne will acquire a new name. One that would be very appropriate for those who've had the '03-'05 models and got screwed by Di*k's repairs

EnigmaWmn

Oh, wait .... Dirk has been named after Diggler, right?

bbcobby

Now that you mention it, I'm glad I don't have an '03-'05 because from everything I've been reading, I too would fear that I'd change its name. Hopefully, the newer model won't earn himself that name over the years.

Te he he he! I'll never tell. Tyler and Dirk were the only two names I could think of and Dirk just seemed to fit better for a P Car. Dirk sounded more rugged. You are the first person in four months who managed to make that connection.

Carrera GT

I apologize to the class ... on behalf of Porsche.

Have I overstepped my bounds?

Carrera GT

You the mean the first willing to post the self-incriminating fact that they drew that connection.


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Doh!