doridori

I am looking for a used 1st generation Cayenne.

I know for sure the car is fun to drive. But reliability and cost of maintenance is the main thing that I want to find out more about.

I have read very different experience from different Cayenne owners. Some say they have many problems with the car and some say that the car is great with not much problems.

Any feedback, input and advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

user 83838290

read top 5 posts.

working4it

I agree with lupo....that's a great start...

I would verify the following have been replaced:
Coils have been replaced hopefully with -08 Part number
Plastic coolant pipes replaced with aluminum "upgrade" kit
Cardan Shaft replaced to new version or the center support bearing replaced
Front Control Arm Bushings have been replaced or in good condition
Does it have NAV PCM 2.0

It seems like most owners have experienced all or some of the list above. If you are a good DIY'er you might be able to save some $$. You can search the board for all the ones I listed above. I can tell you my '04 S is a blast and I can pull my boat/trailer/grill etc with ease.

Shawn Stanford

PilotSmith

About a week after the extended warranty expired our 05 Cayenne S started to cost money. Would not recommend to buy one without it being under a warranty, and would sell it before the warranty expired. On ours the coolant tubes exploded, the drive shaft went out, airbag failed, turn lamps stopped working, tranny seal went out, and there is probably more I have forgotten. While it is a great SUV to drive, our personal experience is that the reliability leaves a lot to be desired, the repairs are ridiculously expensive, and Porsche does not take responsibility for their design defects such as the coolant tubes and drive shaft issues that plagued early Cayennes.

With that all said, maybe you can find a Cayenne like ours which has had all the failures repaired and you can get lucky and not have anything else go bad. BTW, ours is going on the market within the next 30 days or so. '05 S with 100K miles with I believe every option offered... Im next door to you in OC.

doridori

Hi PilotSmith,

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me. At about what mileage that you are starting to have all these problems that you mentioned?

Thanks

Scott

Renn 951

Get a copy of the Dec 2010 issue of Excellence magazine and read their article on buying used Cayennes for an objective opinion. Or PM me with your email address and I can share a copy of the article with you.

PilotSmith

85,000 mark. We've debated a lot whether to keep it or sell it. I believe all the "normal" stuff that blows up on the Cayenne's has blow up on it. So on one hand we think it may be silly to sell it after getting the bugs out of her. On the other hand the thought of no maintenance with a leased car for the next 3 years is also very appealing. So we will probably sell it once we get a lease deal worked out in the next month or so.

deilenberger

PilotSmith: Does seem like you're running from a good vehicle. You've taken care of the big concerns. Sometime down the road it may (or may not) need another driveshaft, but the rest of the stuff.. well, it's done and over with and shouldn't have repeat performances (except the air-bag and lights stuff - those aren't common that I've heard of..)

doridori

Hi Working4it,

Thanks a lot for the list. It is very helpful.

For each of the items in the list, can you please share with us the cost of parts and hours of labor that would involve?

Thanks

Scott

working4it

Coils have been replaced hopefully with -08 Part number
Coils and plugs can be done by you. Very easy
I use Suncoastparts.com part# 94860210408 $302.96

Plastic coolant pipes replaced with aluminum "upgrade" kit
This can be done by you if you some decent mechanical skills. Some great write ups with pictures on rennlist and renntech.org.
The upgrade kit at Suncoast is $529 plus coolant etc. Shop around for the best deal. This is an all day night or weekend project.

Cardan Shaft replaced to new version or the center support bearing replaced Shop around go to vertex for the complete shaft or just the bearing on ebay etc. The shaft you can replace with a buddy. I know some rennlisters have replaced the bearing but I think its easier to replace the whole shaft.
www.vertexauto.com has the shaft for $389

Front Control Arm Bushings have been replaced or in good condition
If you have a front clunk when braking/accel this is probably the culprit. Shope around you can get the whole control arm/bushings or just the bushings at a fraction of the price but you will need a press. Get the turbo version as these are much more sturdier and will fit the S version. Each full control arm is about $225 the bushing are around $80

I frequently use the following places for parts but shop around.
http://www.suncoastparts.com/category/PO.html
http://www.pelicanparts.com/index.htm

doridori

Hi Working4it,

Thanks for your great info. How do I check if the Cayenne has NAV PCM 2.0?

Thanks

Scott

Dennis C

I believe the 2003 and 2004 Cayennes have PCM 2.0, while the later gen 1 Cayennes have PCM 2.1.

working4it

There is lots of gremlins with pcm2.0.
The radio will work but the LCD Display won't chang, the steering wheel buttons won't work, the radio will turn on but no display or won't turn on at all. All of this seems to be at the whim of the pig. The best advice if you experience any of this make sure it has the latest updates.

Renn 951

Press the MAIN button and the TRIP button simultaneously and it displays the software version.