Cayenne vs. MB E63 AMG Wagen
02-01-2013, 04:48 PM
#1
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Cayenne vs. MB E63 AMG Wagen
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'm in the due diligence process of looking for a replacement for my MB E Wagen. The car has served me very well but is beginning to get a bit long in the tooth at 263k miles and it's time to "upgrade".
At first I was going full retard into getting an E63AMG (awd isn't necessary even in this part of the US if I use snow tires - and I do). The rear compartment has tons of space as well as the "jump seats" if necessary. The back seats are also more than suitable for adults. The space and sometimes, but not too often, the extra seats are a huge bonus as I coach/manage a travel baseball team and need the space for equipment (box on roof rack too) and lots of teenage kids and some adults. I also have a largish Irish Setter who often travels in that space with me where he lies/sits/stands on top of his foldable kennel (necessary for staying in hotels). However, a "little bird" started whispering in my ear "Freddy, get a Cayenne!"
The Cayenne has nominally more stowage space (to the top of the seats) as measured by cubic feet capacity than the MB E Wagen but appears to have most of that volume "up high" rather than aft-fore in the Benz. My problem is that around here there is no Porsche dealer to "try on for size" and I don't know anyone locally who has one either.
I've had a couple of different P-cars in the past (all 911/variants, have one now) and did test drive a GTS a few years back and enjoyed it but this was before travel baseball equipment space needs and the giant Irish Setter. I wouldn't mind another Porsche, at all. In fact I'd enjoy it but the lynchpin is the usability of the space.
Does anyone herein have experience with both? Perhaps, experience with just a Cayenne where you'd utilize it in a similar manner?
Thanks in advance for all your help and insight.
I'm in the due diligence process of looking for a replacement for my MB E Wagen. The car has served me very well but is beginning to get a bit long in the tooth at 263k miles and it's time to "upgrade".
At first I was going full retard into getting an E63AMG (awd isn't necessary even in this part of the US if I use snow tires - and I do). The rear compartment has tons of space as well as the "jump seats" if necessary. The back seats are also more than suitable for adults. The space and sometimes, but not too often, the extra seats are a huge bonus as I coach/manage a travel baseball team and need the space for equipment (box on roof rack too) and lots of teenage kids and some adults. I also have a largish Irish Setter who often travels in that space with me where he lies/sits/stands on top of his foldable kennel (necessary for staying in hotels). However, a "little bird" started whispering in my ear "Freddy, get a Cayenne!"
The Cayenne has nominally more stowage space (to the top of the seats) as measured by cubic feet capacity than the MB E Wagen but appears to have most of that volume "up high" rather than aft-fore in the Benz. My problem is that around here there is no Porsche dealer to "try on for size" and I don't know anyone locally who has one either.
I've had a couple of different P-cars in the past (all 911/variants, have one now) and did test drive a GTS a few years back and enjoyed it but this was before travel baseball equipment space needs and the giant Irish Setter. I wouldn't mind another Porsche, at all. In fact I'd enjoy it but the lynchpin is the usability of the space.
Does anyone herein have experience with both? Perhaps, experience with just a Cayenne where you'd utilize it in a similar manner?
Thanks in advance for all your help and insight.
Last edited by fast_freddy; 02-01-2013 at 06:54 PM.
02-01-2013, 05:13 PM
#3
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I love E63 AMG wagons! I think the acceleration might splatter my German Shorthaired Pointers against the rear window though.
Are you looking at the brand new 958 or an older Cayenne?
Are you looking at the brand new 958 or an older Cayenne?
02-01-2013, 05:18 PM
#4
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I thought you were Athenian not Spartan. WTF?
2~ years old where the depreciation curve starts to flatten out. E63's are a screaming deal relatively speaking of course.
2~ years old where the depreciation curve starts to flatten out. E63's are a screaming deal relatively speaking of course.
02-01-2013, 05:24 PM
#5
I can't speak to the MB or the 955/957, but I have a 958 with it's reason for being actually needing a SUV to be a SUV. Unfortunately while I love it, I don't think it's a good SUV.
1) Rear glass doesn't open so it's the whole tailgate or nothing. This can be annoying if you have a dog you don't want to jump out or something (hitch platform) blocking the tailgate from opening (which means whatever is at the back stays there).
2) The slant of the D pillar which seems to be all the rage anymore drastically kills your vertical space behind the seats. The result for you is that between that and how the rear seats angle back (in the up position), your dog doesn't have much room to stand and move around. It also makes packing a challenge as you have to take that into account. From what I recall the 955/957 is a bit better about this as the rear slant isn't as drastic.
3) High floors/low ceilings also impact packing/dogs. Standing on the back of the folded rear seats my dogs brush the ceiling. This also means you can't get as much in before you start blocking your rear view.
4) Another common annoyance for me in my search is that the rear seats don't fold entirely flat. Not having them side by side I think the Cayenne is better than BMW's X5, but it's still not remotely flat. Obviously this impacts your packing ability. The 955/957 do actually fold flat.
5) The idiot designers carpeted the walls and tailgate in the 958. That is oh so fun to clean dog hair and dirt out of...
I moved from an 04 Ford Escape and while the Cayenne is technically a bigger car with more interior space I found on our holiday trip that it didn't handle us, the kid (1yr), the 3 dogs (50lbs), and luggage nicely. It worked, but the dogs obviously weren't comfortable due to the angle of the seat back. Even without the kid it wouldn't have traveled as nicely (in regards to what we could take and the dogs being comfortable) as the Escape did. Next time I think I'm just going to pull the seat altogether and build a platform for them so they can ride flat.
It sounds bad, but I do love it and have no intention to trade it for a long time. I just don't think it's a good SUV, but then I went through a long list before settling on the Cayenne and the only one I looked at that I would call a useful SUV was the LR4 but it's gas milage is just atrocious.
1) Rear glass doesn't open so it's the whole tailgate or nothing. This can be annoying if you have a dog you don't want to jump out or something (hitch platform) blocking the tailgate from opening (which means whatever is at the back stays there).
2) The slant of the D pillar which seems to be all the rage anymore drastically kills your vertical space behind the seats. The result for you is that between that and how the rear seats angle back (in the up position), your dog doesn't have much room to stand and move around. It also makes packing a challenge as you have to take that into account. From what I recall the 955/957 is a bit better about this as the rear slant isn't as drastic.
3) High floors/low ceilings also impact packing/dogs. Standing on the back of the folded rear seats my dogs brush the ceiling. This also means you can't get as much in before you start blocking your rear view.
4) Another common annoyance for me in my search is that the rear seats don't fold entirely flat. Not having them side by side I think the Cayenne is better than BMW's X5, but it's still not remotely flat. Obviously this impacts your packing ability. The 955/957 do actually fold flat.
5) The idiot designers carpeted the walls and tailgate in the 958. That is oh so fun to clean dog hair and dirt out of...
I moved from an 04 Ford Escape and while the Cayenne is technically a bigger car with more interior space I found on our holiday trip that it didn't handle us, the kid (1yr), the 3 dogs (50lbs), and luggage nicely. It worked, but the dogs obviously weren't comfortable due to the angle of the seat back. Even without the kid it wouldn't have traveled as nicely (in regards to what we could take and the dogs being comfortable) as the Escape did. Next time I think I'm just going to pull the seat altogether and build a platform for them so they can ride flat.
It sounds bad, but I do love it and have no intention to trade it for a long time. I just don't think it's a good SUV, but then I went through a long list before settling on the Cayenne and the only one I looked at that I would call a useful SUV was the LR4 but it's gas milage is just atrocious.
02-01-2013, 05:42 PM
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2) The slant of the D pillar which seems to be all the rage anymore drastically kills your vertical space behind the seats. The result for you is that between that and how the rear seats angle back (in the up position), your dog doesn't have much room to stand and move around. It also makes packing a challenge as you have to take that into account. From what I recall the 955/957 is a bit better about this as the rear slant isn't as drastic.
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02-01-2013, 05:51 PM
#8
Race Director
You should get the Feb/March 2013 issue of Road & Track. They do a head to head comparison of a Cayenne Turbo and a Mercedes E63 AMG Wagen. I won't spoil it for you..... 
02-01-2013, 06:38 PM
#10
02-01-2013, 06:41 PM
#11
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Freddy, fwiw, I just picked up a 957 (2nd gen) Cayenne. I don't have a lot of practical experience with it yet, so I can't really comment other than that we are going to make it work for 2 teenage kids, a German Shepherd and our 16 hour+ treks to Canada. Roof rack and trailer hitch will be utilized! The car is a daily driver so the fun factor won out over some practicality.
02-01-2013, 07:01 PM
#13
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I think I would have to put my dog in some kind of suit. The idea of long dog hair, slobber and general musk make me so averse in a nice luxury car. My dog goes in the beater lol.
The e class wagons are lonnnng seems like acres more space in the back.
The e class wagons are lonnnng seems like acres more space in the back.
Last edited by endless_corners; 02-01-2013 at 07:29 PM.
02-01-2013, 08:02 PM
#14
Race Director
and the day before, probably tomorrow too.
2) The slant of the D pillar which seems to be all the rage anymore drastically kills your vertical space behind the seats. The result for you is that between that and how the rear seats angle back (in the up position), your dog doesn't have much room to stand and move around. It also makes packing a challenge as you have to take that into account. From what I recall the 955/957 is a bit better about this as the rear slant isn't as drastic.
3) High floors/low ceilings also impact packing/dogs. Standing on the back of the folded rear seats my dogs brush the ceiling. This also means you can't get as much in before you start blocking your rear view.
4) Another common annoyance for me in my search is that the rear seats don't fold entirely flat. Not having them side by side I think the Cayenne is better than BMW's X5, but it's still not remotely flat. Obviously this impacts your packing ability. The 955/957 do actually fold flat.
3) High floors/low ceilings also impact packing/dogs. Standing on the back of the folded rear seats my dogs brush the ceiling. This also means you can't get as much in before you start blocking your rear view.
4) Another common annoyance for me in my search is that the rear seats don't fold entirely flat. Not having them side by side I think the Cayenne is better than BMW's X5, but it's still not remotely flat. Obviously this impacts your packing ability. The 955/957 do actually fold flat.
My German Shepherd is a small (for a GS) female (80 lbs and about 20 lbs has to be hair), she doesn't have an issue in the 955 but I doubt she would be happy in the 957/958.
Freedie, just reading what your needs are I think you would love a Cayenne except on the days you need to haul your people/stuff. I would suggest looking elsewhere.
My .02
Layla next to my previous GSD, he was 100 lbs. Picture makes it look like she's almost as tall as Thor but if you look at the shoulders she's a good bit smaller.
Last edited by Slow Guy; 12-24-2014 at 01:40 PM.
02-01-2013, 08:15 PM
#15
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Another consideration is rear seat space. I'm a little over 6' and fit there without my legs hitting the front seat even with a circus freak show act height person in front. While I won't spend any time in the backseats (I prefer to be felated in the front seat
) I hate it when the seat gets constantly "kneed" while I drive. It's been a while since I've been in a cayenne but if memory serves, its a little tight on legroom. Of course it could just be faulty memory.