Boeing 717

Hey guys i posted awhile back that my wife and i are going to buy a used Cayenne S. We wanted a 2005-06 S model, but if i went with a low mileage 2004 we could almost get one cheap enough to pay cash for it. I would hate to pass up a nice 2004 for a good price because im paranoid but i am worried about the reputation of the earlier models. Would you guys recommend that i not buy a 2004 at all or is it possible to find a good one??? Are the problems with them engine and tranny related or is it mostly electrical gremlin type stuff???

wirunner

Run

Fast

Don't be in denial, there is no such thing as a good one. Unless you can prove it has had 1) new coils, 2) new cardan shaft, 3) new coolant pipes, 4) tranny control update, 5) proper alignment, etc. Not to mention you will need to check that the key range actually works, tailgate stays up and even after all of this, you will still have one of the most obnoxious (read lazy and shaky) automatic transmissions ever placed into a production automobile - okay I'm exxagerating a tad.

If you're in love with the pig find a CPO one. It'll be well worth the 5-10k premium.

HD2pct

There is so much written about this here that it pretty much occupies the whole forum.

My $.02 - there are a bunch of very lovable 2004 S models out there. There are many well-known problems but they are NOT fundamental tranny or engine issues that would require a trust fund to fix.

It is stuff like - cracked ignition coils on the orginal P/N, cardan shaft vibration, headlight housing condensation, wacky transmission crontrol program .oh hell, what else...others will come up with a half a dozen more common ones. Some of this stuff will basically occur with EVERY 2004 model so the key is to see what has been done to it already if you can. That isn't always easy. Some of this would be a little expensive to fix out of your own pocket, some not so much. Maybe saving many thousand on a low-mileage 04 is worth the risk versus an 05, which was a lot better but it's still no Honda.

wirunner

Electrical gremlins?!?! Never! I can't believe this nonsense! My 04 has never had any issues of the sort. The radio never cuts out, the alarm never goes off when getting out of the vehicle, and my cayenne has certainly never "played dead" but they somehow miraculously start-up! And the headlights, they always work! I have never seen the "!" in my life...

The Cayenne is a masterpiece of engineering prowess. But I regress...

ltc

Go ahead, buy the 2004 Cayenne S.

ventuje

If you're stuck on the '04, you might want to think about the upcoming maintenance costs and the wear items that may need fixing like tires, brakes, 40K service, etc. You could end up putting out 3-4K just for those items. If you get the '04, make sure you get a CPO warranty from Porsche. My preference would be to get '06 or newer.
Good luck to you!

SCOTITUDE

I have 04S, done all the crap listed above myself save the coolant tubes, but i know they are looming in the future. I've driven friends 06S and compared them back to back. yes virginia , there is a difference...If you have to buy one, get the 06.....nuff said

wilfred

I have a 06S, please do tell the difference between 04 & 06. I thought they were the same thing??

SCOTITUDE

the big difference for me is the coils and the tranny.
Coils: I changed the coils and the shake dissappeared for a while. its back and I dont even wanna pull them out again to see they are cracked again. Yes I got the latest ones witht he correct part #'s. Its BS and it pisses off the wife and as you know s**t runs downhill so I get an earfull but I tell her to deal with it. The 06S doesnt do this at all. Granted he has less mileage than me but his is solid as a rock.
The tranny, yesh , what a POS. I gather for gas mileage purposes this thing just has to be in the highest gear possible at all times. Rolling thru a stop sign at 20 mph and the damn thing is still in 5th gear. Try to accelerate and you got nothing under your foot until it drops a gear or two depending on how far ya stab it. I tried to take off the PSM. Shifting is some what better and will hold a gear longer but coming to a stop the tranny shifts into first gear like a mack truck. Had it all checked....NORMAL. Just the personality of the tranny. I now pretend its a manual all the time. even stab the footrest to hit the clutch pedal. The 06S does none of this nonsense. It has the setting switch on the center console. I cant remember where it was set. Just an overall better feeling vehicle. Im not saying I hate the thing, its garbage and I'd never buy another one. I love floggin it around, rides nice, tows the race car and even kicks some but on the street. Just want it more refined. With better than VW parts
If i can find an 06S and swap in the 04S in trade it would be a done deal. Im even considering a new one if i can keep the payments the same. Maybe even a plain cayenne if it will tow the trailer. I hear the towing rating is the same for all models.
I dont mind fixing small stuff, happens in all cars but for this kind of vehicle I expect better. A driveshaft bushing at 60k miles with $700 in parts to repair? CMON....who am I kiddin?
They dont call it the pig for nothing. Rant over.

Boeing 717

Thanks guys for your help...........so if i bought an 05 model do you know when exactly these systems such as coils and shaft etc were revised? Were these fixed on all 05 models or at a certain time in that year??

Thanks
JERRY

mclaudio

I have an 04 S. The key is having records to show updates on the car. I did get a car with CPO and documentation at a good price in December 2008 when dealer sales were already very slow. I now have a binder full of records: coils replaced, TPM updates/replacements, PCM updates, even a brand new engine, etc. I don't recall coolant pipes so I will have to check on that...

FWIW, my previous P car was a 99 996 - another car which a lot of folks recommended to avoid due to engine issues, etc. I bought it used and at a good price due to its reputation. Perhaps I was just lucky, but I ended up driving it reliably as a daily driver. However, I have to subjectively say that this car did not exude quality like any of my previous Porsches (early 911s/930, 80s/90s air-cooled 911s, 944s). Regardless, my overall positive experience with the early 996 made me more tolerant in taking on an 04 Cayenne S.

Being an old school Porsche guy, I wasn't a Cayenne fan when it first came out, but now I respect Porsche's accomplishment with this car. As an SUV, the Cayenne's combination of its dynamic qualities, on/off road capabilities, convenience/comfort appointments and excellent real world utility is amazing. I'm hoping the udpates I have on my 04 would result in excellent reliability over my ownership tenure. So far, it's been ok but we'll see...

Bottom line, do your due diligence, weigh the cost/benefits and mitigate your risk.

SnP

We have an 06S.

Replaced all the ignition coils around 20K miles.I suspect cracked coils are a feature of all Cayennes.

Tranny picks very high gears unless you turn PSM off or when approaching a downshift drop your foot to the floor and release very quickly. Then tranny will auto downshift to 2nd or 3rd from 5th or 6th.

(Another way to get the tranny in our 06S to shift more aggressively is to disconnect the battery every few thousand miles so that it reverts back to the original factory shift map and doesn't use the one it learns while your wife drives the car. )

SCOTITUDE

Is this true? It might be my defense in court when they ask me what finally pushed me over the edge!!!!

russo

I have an 06TT and of course also had to replace the coils, no big deal, warranty took car of it. Porsche also paid to have it towed to the nearest dealer, 160 miles away; however, I had it towed back at a cost of $500, busy schedule.

Dennis C

I have a 2004 CS with the original coils. It has roughly 51,000 miles. Runs great. Go figure...