zorba1331

I was looking at that air suspension thing and wondering about it. I like my VW because I feel like I sit nice and high. I did feel like I sat lower in my friends' '06 Cayenne and I supposed I would get used to that, but will that air suspension allow me to change it that much. I'm not sure I want to spend the extra $ for a few inches though.

endless_corners

With the standard steel springs it drives the way it drives... change the road surface... too bad. With air suspension you can control... how it absorbs bumps comfort/normal/sport and how high you ride.. you can lower or raise the car. I personally would not get a cayenne without it. It would also allow you and your husband to customize the ride height and feel if you had different tastes.

Its not just for height though.. it just feels different from steel springs because you are riding on air.

Needsdecaf

The reason I'm going to be getting a diesel over the V6 gas or the S is as you mentioned above....you can't tell it's diesel, but it has plenty of power and more torque than the V8 powered S.....but will get consistently high 20's and in the low 30's on the highway. I look at it as a bargain S....as you say, you can get plenty of real world performance without having to be in the upper 80's, 90's or 100's.

For the record, the Cayenne will be my wife's vehicle, and we've looked at the Touareg TDi, Q7, Q5, Grand Cherokee, Mercedes ML, GL, etc. She loves the Cayenne's sportiness, it's looks, it's lack of huge size, and it's overall package. We currently have an MDX that has served us well and the Cayenne is very similar, but much nicer.

Overall, we're looking forward to it!

Needsdecaf

The Base V6 does not come with automatic standard. When you add the auto, the price becomes $4,000 more for the diesel. So it's not a huge gap.

philg3

You can go crazy on options -- my sales guy told me he had a customer order a V6 that listed at $90K. Options are a personal preference, and there are many differing opinions on this board: I respect all views. I order a diesel back in Dec -- it's on the ship now, and here's my take:
1) As Mr/Mrs endless mentioned above, the Premium Plus is good value -- start with that one.
2) Bose sound system is good, but instead of the package, I ordered the Bose w/o XM or CD changer, and added the HD radio -- ends up being about $100 less than package. Who uses CD changer anyway, and you can plug in a flash drive in the center console, or load music on a hard drive -- all standard.
3) Standard leather is actually very nice -- full leather is outstanding -- but it didn't make the cut for me.
4) If you go with PASM, might as well go with the air -- didn't make the cut for me.
5) Don't forget the tow package, even if you don't tow anything. It's good for a bike rack, and gives you more flexibility down the road.
6) You can go crazy with the wheels -- 18 inchers will give you a softer ride. If you go larger, the air suspension would give you a better ride. I went with 18 -- one step up with the Cayenne S III wheel. Color hub cover is nice and is cheaper to order with the car than to add after.

Basically, the full leather and air suspension are very nice, and I had the both on my prior Cayenne 2004 Turbo, but I discovered upon selling that vehicle, that no one wanted to pay for those options, so my objective was to order a nicely equipped Cayenne, while keeping resale in mind. But I'm a finance person, not everyone thinks that way. Many people on this board like the Panorama roof -- didn't care about. Frankly, I like to limit sun exposure.

I already have a 2012CV6 -- my wife drives it and enjoys it very much, I do too. But for just $4K more you get the diesel that will give you better fuel economy, and many attest to better engine performance. And this particular engine doesn't have some characteristics that many diesel's have: There's no clatter, and no diesel smell. Range of 700 miles is amazing on one tank. Many believe resale will be higher on diesels than the V6's -- that would be my take.

Initially, I was going to order a V6 as I was turned off by the lower horsepower of the diesel, until I understood the torque issue. But after reading all the positive reviews here and elsewhere, I decided to check out the diesel, and I'm a believer.

Good luck to you.

RESP

So Zorba1331, are you more confused or clearer on what you will want?

If I can make a suggestion, request an overnight test drive with a diesel and then do the same with a V6.

Get a feel for what you will be driving the Cayenne in a real world sense, not just some 15 minute test drive.

I am someone who likes the air suspension, but then I am vertically challenged and enjoy the low step down. Plus we carry stuff in our Cayenne, and the load height is a much shorter lift than the steel springs. Makes a difference when we are loading our 2 small dogs in too

We have 77,000 km on our Cayenne since picking it up in Germany in July 2011.
We have enjoyed every minute, and I can't get the grin off my face

GVA-SFO

I just write again, ..what I wrote to another topic near by :
We have a 2006 Cayenne S, bought new in Feb 2007, it has now more than 100k miles, ..and still drive and feel like new. Just a fantastic SUV.
About the air suspension, I'm also a full pro, to the point that if I could chose only one option, than, no doubt, I would pick this one.
Yes, it allows you to change your ride height, but, "normally", it was supposed to be designed to pass over obstacles !
A joke to illustrates possible deviant usages (about "seating high") : we are based in the San Francisco bay, ..and when we pass the Bay bridge, (the car is usually in "low position" as IMO, it drives the best in the freeways like this), I'm used to tell my wife : "I just set it in high position, ..like that you can see what's up down there, in the ships traffic !"
..And it works pretty well !
(Beside the "loading" position (i.e.: ultra low, to let grandma entering into it quite easily, ..and still, you may leave it in high for "inlaw" !) you have low-normal-and high, high being selectable only up to speed around 50 mph !)
Well, this Cayenne S is normally her car, this, after 5 Range Rover and 2 Grand Cherokee. Note that the two last RR we had, ..were Diesel.
What is the con of Diesel ?
Imo, very easy : it makes your hands smelly, ..when you fill it up.
I remember that she would say: "Could you go and fill it up ?". It is true, that having the hands of your wife that smell the "Diesel", ..is all, but NOT very sexy !
So, OK, you have more "torque" (I doubt you care about this one, ..only your husband would, ..if he use your car to tow the boat during the week-end !), and about the MPG saving that you would made over a gas engine, frankly, I doubt that this will change the balance of the "thing$", as for a car like that, the biggest "lost" per mile, ..is simply the devaluation of the cost of the car (price new minus price when you will sell it), so, if you ask my wife "Diesel again ?" (yes, ..I do tow OUR boat with HER car !), the answer will be simple: "Yes, ..but then you will fill it up when empty."
I can add, yes, I do know the Touareg V6, one of our son has one, ..because I bought it, ..because, he was using using Moms car .."too much" !!! (i.e.: So, OK, I see, you prefer MOM's SUV over your truck, ..I understand !)

But, frankly, a Cayenne with air suspension "feels", much nicer...
I'm ready to take any bet, that ..you will enjoy the difference, big time.
My 2 cents : Take what ever you like in the option list, ..but make sure, at 100%, that it has air suspension !

And for the Diesel choice, I have a idea for you: next time you stop at a gas station, ..while you fill up your car, check were is the next Diesel pump, ..and when you find it (..that could be another question !!), play a little bit with the Diesel nozzle (may be, just do that, ..when nobody looks at you).
Then, I would be curious to read more from you ..after this simple "test" !

I can add a funny one : with the Diesel, I remember that when we were on a "long downhill" road, if someone would be kind of tailgating us, then, at the end of the downhill, I would tell our two boys (they were young at that time): "hey, look a the back window, it is going to be funny" ..and then, I would put the pedal to the metal. The kids were always laughing big time to see the "tailgater" being delicately "smoked", with a dense and very black perfume, close to the one that could be in your hand, if you do the above test. Well, with a tiny difference: I think smoked Diesel, ..is even worse that raw Diesel !

steve_Cayenne

My diesel envy is now officially over!

gnat

True the smell does like to get stuck on you, but simply grabbing a paper towel and using that between your hand and the pump handle is all that is needed to take care of this "problem".

Seriously? Even beyond the sexist nature of your comment she has already said that she wants that quick off the line feeling which is exactly what torque provides.

gnat

You already said that in another thread Steve. Don't make me start talking about how the clocks tick again!

EnigmaWmn

Test driving both with/without PASM/air is a must.

After putting 130k miles onto 2005 CS without PASM/air and almost 60k onto 2011 CTT where it's standard, it still doesn't feel nicer to me and if it were optional, I'd never go for it.

zorba1331

Yes and no. Since I have yet to drive either (supposedly will drive a service loaner V6 tomorrow) it is still tough to say. There are things that I think I will not really care much about like the air suspension, but still am not sure. I was at the dealer today and sat in a nice Hybrid that just had the moonroof and not the pano, and I know the pano gets high marks on this board, but I would be find with the moonroof. It is similar to the one in my touareg and I am fine with that.

That's great. We kind of need to do our trip to Europe in July so if we are going to do the ED we need to get on it. Was the build time any different for you because you did the ED on it?

zorba1331

Haha, no biggie...I definitely care more about this kind of thing than my husband does. He just bought a Denali. He loves it but it isn't what I would chose.

Nice info. Thanks! As I stated in an earlier post, I initially thought I would go with the pano roof, but after seeing the one in the hybrid today, the moonroof will be fine. I agree on the other stuff you say. I have a feeling I will be going with the V6 because I want to add some small things (that add up) like red guages and black leather with red stitching. I will have a better idea tomorrow after I get to drive one.

steve_Cayenne

If you are on the fence for pano, check out the photo here ... that did it for me!

https://rennlist.com/forums/9777346-post52.html

Really brightens up the interior.

gnat

Maybe you'll turn him. Car's were point A->B for me, then I got her the 996 (cause she'd loved Porsches since she was a kid) and opened my eyes to what driving is all about. I still let her change the oil though


Meh. Still doesn't make me want it. Makes me regret not getting the Alcantara head liner though! And that I didn't do the ED!