altarchsa

I just came over from the 964 Forum to ask if anyone has advice on buying a used Cayenne. I've owned four 911's, but don't know anything about Cayennes. I do know that there's a huge difference among 911 series, and even among year models of the some series, so I'm thinking it might be the same with Cayennes. (Wish I had asked before I bought my '89 C4. I would have gone with a 91 or later!)

My daughter is looking at an '06 S Titanium with 43K miles for about $35K, so I guess that is her range, maybe a little more, but preferably a little less I'm sure.

1. I presume the S is much preferred over the six?
2. Any advantage of an '08 that would make a non-navi '08 much preferred over a Titanium '06? (About the same price it seems.)
3. Common problems with the model?
4. Other things to check / watch out for?
5. Performance/handling, although I'm sure it's going to be far superior to her Suburban!
Etc.?
Etc.?

Her first car was my well worn 924 that I repainted and fixed up the summer before her senior year in high school and gave to her as an early graduatioin present. Maybe she never forgot what it's like to drive a Porsche. Her first kid is in college now, but she's wondering if she will miss the 3rd seat with the two that are still home + Hubby.

If you guys are anything like the fellows on the 964 site, I know I'll get some fantastic advice, so thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Dennis C

Where is Helotes, TX? I grew up in Texas, but I've never heard of it...

As for Cayennes, they can be great vehicles if properly maintained. Like any Porsche, buying a used Cayenne should include a PPI. It's also a good idea to find on that has a well documented service history. Many people believe that you should buy the newest Porsche you can afford, and that's probably true for Cayennes too. This certainly favors the '08. If nav is something she really wants, then I'd suggest an aftermarket system. There are great systems from Pioneer and Kenwood that are far superior to the OEM nav system. The OEM system is usable, but it's pretty light on features. We've got it in our '04, and it works reasonably well.

You are right about the V8 vs. the V6. I think most people prefer the V8, although the updated V6 in the 2008 and later models is better than the earlier V6.

The common problems include cardan shafts, plastic coolant tubes bursting and ignition coils. There are others too, but these are the big ones. It would be a good idea to get a Porsche certified car if possible to get a warranty.

Other than that, she just has to be prepared for a car that burns through gasoline and tires pretty quickly, and she should be good. The driving experience in a Cayenne is very nice.

altarchsa

858 posts and I committed the cardinal sin of not doing a search first.

Please forgive me.

I even see the recent "Considering Purchase of a Cayenne - HELP!" post. I'm sure there's more, but I would still appreciate any first-hand advice based on the questions above.

altarchsa

Thanks for the quick response! I'm just 5 minutes outside the outer Loop in San Antonio, northwest side, in the edge of the beautiful Hill Country, and up against a 5,000 acre State Park. Nearest neighbor is half a mile away, and from my deck I have a view toward the west that doesn't have any lights, much less houses or cars, through 180 degrees, north to south.

Where'd you grow up?

Yes, I know all about PPI's.

Maybe I should ask her what $5 gas at 14mpg will cost her per week. Mileage is probably no worse than the Suburban, but she probably needs to watch the news from Libya tonight.

Dennis C

I grew up in Dallas, but I lived in the Hill Country in Dripping Springs for about four years in the late 1990s. It's beautiful out there. I miss it sometimes.

mellowyellow-atlanta

Price is high unless it has a good double CPO on it. Bought an immaculate one last month with 20K less miles for that same price. That's like another year and a half mileage and wear & tear.

Good luck with your searching...

Dennis C

To put the gas cost in perspective, I was unable to fill my Cayenne last night. When you use a card at the pump, some gas stations only pre-authorize $75. This wasn't enough for a full tank. These vehicles really are thirsty pigs...

Shawn Stanford

Ditto! First time that's ever happened to me...

Andy E.

This is a common problem for us in Canada where the pump stops at $100 and the tank is only about 1/4 full.

fnckr

Does anyone know the fuel tank capacity, offhand? My wife's Hemi Grand Cherokee has similar mileage issues but takes 89-octane. I just paid $3.37/gallon for 93 in my 3-series. I'm not so concerned about the gas mileage if I move into the Cayenne, just curious about the weight difference between empty and full. I know guys with large pick-ups that will only fill half-way to avoid carrying around the extra weight. Not sure if it makes much of a difference though.

Also, does anyone find it strange, or maybe can explain why, when I look at posts here from nearly two years ago I'm seeing the same price quotes for used CPO Tit. Eds as I'm seeing in the marketplace now? Is it because we're seeing Inferior Goods economics at work? By that I mean more people can afford only used cars and therefore their price is becoming inflated.