esseight

Hi all,

First time poster but long time lurker. Have lusted after P-cars since I was a kid growing up in Germany. Started on RL a couple years ago when I first decided to begin the hunt for a 997 targa 4. Well, that never happened (tough find, I'm also too picky) and now that I have two little ones - plus the fact that my Audi S8 is getting a little long in the tooth - the Cayenne seems the way to go.

So I'm looking at the GTS, I love the look and feel of it (and the sound, man the sound!) and don't need the blistering power (and subsequent insurance rate hikes) that the Turbo brings.

I know the big change for '09 was the updated PCM3.0 and was looking at at one with the manual transmission, decent options including panoramic roof (important to me) and only 7,400 miles, but it's at a Carmax dealer which I'm not thrilled about to say the least and obviously not certified. Still, based on the in-service date it has 3 years and 42K in factory warranty left, so how much risk could there be?

Then I found a certified '08 at a Porsche dealer local to me, stunning marine blue over black, it's an auto which I can live with (as can my wife), similar options including pano roof but more importantly it has the extremely rare PDCC option, which I fell in love with the instant I drove down my favorite twisty. Mileage is average at 34K, and it has 1 year left on the factory warranty plus 2 years on the certified warranty. It's got a couple of minor blemishes however it was just traded and I was promised it would clean up nicely.

Regardless of the transmission, I guess I'm wondering if the PDCC makes up for the outdated nav. Should only having 1 year of factory warranty bother me, or is the certified coverage good enough to take care of issues after that? The fact that it's at a local Porsche store is a huge plus, though I'm confident enough in that dealer to know they would provide good service for a vehicle purchased anywhere else as well.

Here's the vehicle's data:
Displacement: 4.8 liters
Power Output: 405 HP
Drive Type: 4-WD
Transmission: Automatic
Fuel: Petrol
Color: Marine Blue Metallic

Vehicle Ident Number: WP1AD29P58LA71272
Color (Interior): Standard Black Interior with Alcantara
Mileage: 34,173 Miles
Year: 2008
Price: $ 59,998
Installed Options

* 12-way Power Seats with Sports Seats Padding
* 21" Sport Wheel w/ Wheel Arch Extension in Exterior Color
* BOSE® Surround Sound System
* Bi-Xenon Headlights with Washers
* Enlarged Rear Spoiler with Fixed Double-Wing Profile
* Floor Mats
* Front and Rear Park Assist



* Heated Front Seats with Heated Steering Wheel
* Light Comfort Package in combination with Comfort/Sports Seats or Driver Memory Package
* Panoramic Roof System
* Porsche Communication Management (PCM) 2.1
* Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC)
* Roll-up Sunscreens on rear side windows
* Tiptronic S

Sorry for the long, LONG post. Appreciate any advice, opinions, thoughts, etc. Also, even with the PDCC I'm thinking the asking price is high by about 8-10% but was wondering what others' experiences were. Thanks in advance!

Andy E.

The S8 is truly a remarkable car and if you could afford to hold onto it, you should.

The GTS is not an S8 however, a day will not go by without you cracking a smile every time you turn her over and hear that V8 rumble. If you're my age and remember growing up in the '70's, this car is definitely for you.

I did a lot of homework before pulling the trigger on my GTS. In the end, purchasing an '09 worked well for me; chiefly due to the ease of use with the PCM 3.0. My wife's '02 Benz has the older rotary **** "push and click to work" Nav system which thankfully, I only had to use a few times. I find it a real PITA to operate; including the radio and CD-changer.

If I'm not mistaken, there was very little else changed from '08 to '09 and then the '10 models; short of a rooftop antenna displacement of some sort.

When shopping for my GTS, the PDCC was not an important issue for me since I don't track my Pepper and the rough roads up here in Montreal don't allow for me to reap the benefits of a super-stiff suspension with anti-roll technology. In addition, I remember hearing a few members on Rennlist complaining about problems that they encountered with their PDCC system. It's an expensive-to-repair setup (after warranty) if you're willing to go that route. Here's a writeup from Porsche AG on how the system works: http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...lectedVariant=

FWIW, unless you're getting a super deal on a loaded '08 that will make you the envy of your peers and a leader of deals, stick to an '09 or '10. You won't regret it.

As far as the manual tranny goes, do a search and read the comments posted on previous posts on this subject. Most of the killer deals out there are on manuals since they don't sell as well as the Tiptronic does. You might also get sick pretty quickly of pushing in a truck clutch if you encounter a lot of traffic in your daily route.

Marine Blue is an "uber-rare" color and a true find at that. Second on the list of rare colors would be the optional $4K metallic orange followed by the equally expensive and rare dark red. Color is a personal choice so I'll leave it at that. You may want to try searching www.cars.com as there are numerous GTS's to look for on this website. I used them when I found my GTS at a dealer in Orlando.

Problems to date that I've encountered with my GTS (present mileage at 24K):
1) High pressure fuel pump
2) Faulty wiring connector in floorboard
3) Passenger mirror actuator
4) Engine software re-flash
5) Tranny software re-flash

BTW, just in case you decide to change your mind on getting a GTS (like you did back when you were searching for the Targa), click on this link and hopefully you'll snap back into it!

k722070

I have an '08 gts with PDCC, it is a pretty cool system. I didn't think it was rare...but I did think it was worth paying extra.
and 59k has to be too pricey, I can't imagine they expect more than 50k for a 3 yr old suv with 34k miles. find a cayenne with the leather dash to compare to the standard interior.
don't be put off by carmax. the warranty is still factory porsche, doesn't it transfer?

bgsntth

I really appreciated the PDCC, as with the PASM, you can dial-in whatever ride stiffness you desire. With PDCC, the GTS will corner like no other SUV. Also, if you go off-road, the decoupling feature of PDCC makes a massive difference in wheel articulation; and, relieved worrying about snapping endlinks.

My prior GTS had the manual transmission, and it was truly unique and a blast to drive. However, it is notchy, and the GTS is geared incredibly low. I sold it when my new job came with a commute that included 40 minutes of stop and go traffic (I-80 through Berkeley). 70mph also equates to 2950RPMS in 6th gear, which is crazy (as you know) for a 6spd and V8. But rev-matching while downshifting and being able to select your own gears in a 400hp SUV was priceless fun, especially in low-range.

esseight

Love the S8, however it's an '01 (the older body style with the V8, not the V10) with over 100K and beginning to show it's age. Plus I've owned it long enough that I'm starting to get that "itch".

Agreed - the sound of the GTS is like no other. Put an instant grin on my face!

I also have an '04 Touareg V8 with a similar system, so while the old PCM isn't ideal at least I'm used to the way it works. Most of the time I use my iphone for navigation anyway, although this leads to the other issue with PCM2.1 - iphone/bluetooth integration.

I didn't go into this looking for PDCC, honestly I didn't really know much about it other than the significant price. But once I drove it, and subsequently researched it (including seeing some some nifty with/without vids on youtube) I was sold. I do share your concern about potential increased maintenance costs in the future, but I've been through similar situations with my Audi and VW.

Yes, I've read about the discounting for the manuals. The more I think about my short, stop and go commute the more I realize maybe a stick just isn't for me. Although my wife can drive a stick, I know she would appreciate an auto as well.

Doesn't sound like your experience has been too bad. Hope mine will be the same. And I love that commercial - I've been watching it over and over!

Appreciate the comments.

esseight

May not have been that rare, but a little tougher finding it in conjunction with the pano roof. Maybe I just need to keep looking, as this one doesn't have entry & drive, which was another option I was hoping for. I agree $59K is way too high, I think I'd be happy with a deal at $52-53K though.

I know Carmax just happens to be the dealer where the other GTS is and it would be serviced and covered by Porsche going forward, but I haven't heard great things about them and I worry about the condition of the car. It's too far away for me to casually check it out. And their price is firm at $62K for an '09 stick with 7,400 miles, which is way too high for a stick (even with the low miles) in my opinion.

chong0

I think I may have looked at the same GTS with MT for my wife.

There was one down in Fairfield CT- an 08 GTS with MT, and very low mileage (16k). Also a CPO which was very enticing. To price compare they were looking for 62k. My wife was stubborn on an MT car, so we were between this and a new cayenne. as much fun as the GTS was to drive, it definitely felt more like an older car comparing the interior. justifying the engine/pdcc/pasm of the GTS vs the old PCM (this also had the phone module) was just going to cause marital problems so i let the GTS pass. now i'm on a neverending wait list for a 2012 cayenne and scratching my head if i let the big one get away

mcbit

My GTS has no PDCC but I've driven a '09 CTT with PDCC and the handling is still way down on the GTS. While scratching with a Nissan GTR on a twisty mountain road, I really did think, "Why would I need it?"

SRL

I kind of felt the same way. The GTS just handles incredibly well without PDCC. Better with it? I'm sure...but I don't know if it's better enough to forego the newer 2009 PCM. It really is a huge difference in user interface between 08 and 09 PCM versions.

esseight

I've been avoiding playing with the newer PCM3.0 because I know I'd then have a hard time going back to the 2.1 in the '08's, but maybe I should just do it and let that make the decision for me!!

SRL

Seriously, you need to check it out....I'm a car guy all the way - I have an '87 Carrera, '04 GT3, and a restored '73 Alfa GTV....I've always put performance above all else....so when I say I'd rather have the newer PCM in lieu of PDCC, that means it's a huge improvement!

mcbit

In left hand buttom Sport Mode the harder you drive it the stiffer and flatter it gets to the point where I no longer notice any body roll.

By the way PDCC was on my shopping list until I drove the one I have!

PCM 2.1 and PCM 3.0 are night and day. I'd go for the '09.

jcastle

I had same dilemma 18 mos ago. Loaded 08 S vs 09 GTS. I rarely use the nav. I use the PDCC everyday. Lots of twisted here in WV. I chose the older PCM with PDCC and have never regretted it. Unfortunately, I just drove an 11 CTT. The new models are really a big improvement. Good luck with your purchase. You really can't make a wrong choice.