I have tried and tried to get into a Cayenne. Now I am ready to pull the trigger and I can get Porsche give me the time of day, no matter where I call. I have called Bakersfield Porsche (My 911 Dealer) about some service and they dont even call me back. I called sales there and no answer. I thought it would be different but so far I have left a couple calls, and the same issue. I actually got ahold of a REAL salesman in Pasadena and they were luke warm but because I was after a Cayenne S it was more frustration.
I called my BMW dealer in Bakersfield and the Sales manager calls me from an airport in EUROPE, asking me what I needed. I told them I was interested in the 2011 X5Ms and he is saying he can get me trunk money, another 5 K off the invoice yada yada. Just bends over backwards to help me out. No wonder this would be my 5th car from him. I told him I wanted to trade in my 335i and that I wanted to sell my X5 4.8is to my son. He said NO WORRIES I will take care of it when I get back to Bakerfield. THATS my kind of dealer. So bottom line is I get a X5 M for the same price as a typical Cayenne S.
What I got from Porsche was no room to move on Cayenne at all. Man if Porsche dealt with me like BMW did I would have had 1 or 2 Caymans maybe a Boxster or a Cayenne or two.
Oh well I remain a frustrated Porsche SUV wanter. I JUST CANT find service at Porsche like I can at BMW.

 

Heh. I bought my Cayenne well-used from Don Rosen in Conshohocken, PA, which is a 2-hour drive from me. The little service I've had is done by my local indy, so I haven't been dealing with Rosen since. I get letters at least once a month from Rosen asking me where I've been, offering deals and once - literally - asking what they did wrong that I don't call them any more.

It sounds like you're more interested in the Beemer anyway, since it seems to me you ought to be more concerned about the service department. Dealer experience is important, but you're only dealing with a salesman for a few hours; you'll be driving that vehicle for years.

 

There's a reason why the X5 is available and at a discount. It's a very nice vehicle and I was considering it to replace my old CTT with a new one but in the end it came down to personal preference since performance is nearly identical. IMHO the interior design of the CTT is awesome when compared to what feels like the vanilla envelope and commonplace look of the X5M (looks like many of the other BMW's). Also there just wasn't enough visual difference or "emotion" that the X5M conveyed to me and having other P-cars and owned a dozen BMW's, there is enough of a difference between to two that keep me coming back to Porsche.

BTW, it is frustrating to deal with stealers who don't do their job! Salespeople that don't call back or investigate every lead simply are not doing their job and should not be rewarded with a sale/commission. If you look at other dealers (not necessarily in your area) there are some good dealers that are responsive. I don't buy my new cars from my local dealer for a whole host of reasons but they do get to service it while they attempt to earn my business back. They have not been successful in getting it back and they own the local BMW and Porsche stores...

PS - Oldguy, like your signature referencing "who would die for you"! I'm a retired Navy officer

 

The one difference in the equation paul, is that dealers can't get enough Cayennes....except in the states where are inventory hybrids as they are not in demand. The worldwide demand for the Cayenne is very strong

And none of what I said means the x5 is not a good vehicle, they just sem to be more available right now but who knows that may change. Enjoy the new car, my wife loves her 328i.

 

Congrats, Old Guy...

 

+958

 

"The 2012 BMW X5 M is powered by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that produces 555 hp and 501 pound-feet of torque that is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. In Edmunds acceleration testing, the X5 M went from a standstill to 60 mph in a staggering 4.5 seconds. That's quicker than an M3."

- Edmunds.com

"Proving once again that reduced mass is at least as important as horsepower in all-around performance, the new Turbo’s performance rivals the old Turbo S’s (which had 550 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque) at the test track: 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, the quarter-mile in 12.4 at 113 mph. The Turbo S hit those marks in 4.1 and 12.6 at 112, respectively; the previous Cayenne Turbo needed 4.8 seconds to reach 60 mph and 13.3 seconds for the quarter, at 107 mph."

-- Car and Driver


Looks like Porsche wins.

 

I don't care which one you buy, whatever makes you happy go for it. However Porsche is selling the Cayenne's before they can even be built. BMW on the other hand is having to discount them to get them off the lots. Now maybe that's because BMW is building so many more of X5M's than Porsche is of Cayenne's (I have no clue as to production numbers) but I would look into that.

The non-responses from the Porsche dealership is another issue altogether. I would mention that to PCNA. We've got an outstanding dealership here in Nashville so I don't know what to tell you on that front.

 

OG - congrats on the M. Sounds like a great car.

Not all Porsche dealers are the same, especially when they don't have much to sell because new Cayenne's are flying off the shelf. Fortunately, I have identified two good dealers (not close to me) that don't mind taking the occasional call about a used Turbo Cab.

Buy the car you want and not the one that's easy to get. Remember your C63.

 

OK now I'm interested - what was the deal with the C63?

 

...it doesn't matter...

 

Porsche of Nashville (JPA Nashville) is excellent. I got my new one from them and the experience was perfect as a benchmark for others to follow!

 

Here you go:

But he really sold it to stay with RL:

 

Country of origin may make a difference. ALL X vehicles are made in the US since BMW decided that was the biggest market for them. I imagine BMW makes more money on X5's in the US then in Europe due to export costs.. so there are plenty of them available here. And they can afford to deal on them.

 

I was told long ago that quality is enjoyed long after the purchase price is forgotten.