zorba1331

Hi there, my 40th is coming up and my husband said I can get whatever car I chose. My emotional financial comfort zone won't allow me to spend in the $80's for a car, but anything that starts with a 7 or less is fair game I currently drive an '09 VW Touareg and love it (in spite of it's lemon like issues, but nonetheless) I like a lot about it. I feel like for that price I can get a pretty nice either Cayenne or BMW X5, and after much reading, I am leaning towards the Cayenne.

I have never considered getting a diesel, but it seems that people rave about the CD. I feel like it is a little lower starting price but I would be able to add the options that I want while keeping in my comfort zone. I am actually leaning heavily toward this car.

One question: why diesel? Other than fuel economy what are the pros in getting a diesel? (Forgive me if this is a really naive question, but I would love to hear your take on the advantages).

Thanks in advance.

RESP

I think the big question is:
What are you going to be doing with your Cayenne?

Commuting?
Towing?
Highway driving?
Carrying kids and animals?

Whether a diesel will serve you well depends on what you are going to do with it.
Is your VW a Diesel?
You might find the change from petrol to diesel a bit of an adjustment.

We drive a base V-6 petrol Cayenne, and we did spend a bit on options which we wanted.
The excellent posters on this forum helped us decide what was best for us.
I am sure they will add some excellent information to this thread

zorba1331

My VW is a V6 gas. I will be just driving around town, maybe some highway driving, but no towing and only toting my two pugs to the dog park and back

The other day I was getting my VW serviced and drove a '13 Diesel Touareg and was surprised at how great it felt. Lots of jump off the lights, was super smooth and nice pickup on the freeway. I couldn't even tell it was a diesel in terms of the engine noise.

The reason I am now considering a diesel over the Cayenne S is because (based on website) it seems like I can get it for the price that I would be comfortable with along with the options that I would like. What I am curious about is why have so many chosen the Cayenne Diesel over the Base or the S?

gnat

RESP is right, it depends on what you are going to do with it. The diesel is great for towing and you'll get its best eco performance cruising on the highway. Aside from the MPG, there are other eco-related to go diesel too.

You don't have to drive the CD any different. I average 22-24 when I "drive it like I stole it" which far surpasses what I would have gotten with the VR6. If, however, I drive like the people that usually irritate me I can pull 29-31 on my commute.

If power is your thing, you have to look at the GTS and TT to get better torque, but its a much shorter power curve than the gas engines so it doesn't have the legs of even the VR6 for a long run. It gives a great kick off the line and when you make an aggressive speed change (passing). The torque band is low in the RPM range so it is almost always in tap for you.

The problem with the Cayenne vs anything else is that they don't come with much for standard options so even though it looks in the range of a X5 you have to be pretty focused to keep it there.

The X5d was my alternate choice. I think its a good option, but its dated inside and out compared to the 958. We've had great success with both our 911 and 3 series which was why the X5 and 958 were the front runners. In the end I went with the CD for emotional reasons and paid about $15k more for roughly the same car (options wise). Given that I was only interested in the X5d, the CD is a far superior powertrain as the 6sp slush box they use in the BMW is a travesty. The non-diesels have a better transmission (but I still think the Porsche is smoother/smarter).

Go over the option list and decide what you can't live without. If you are option crazy, the base will give you the most room in your budget. It won't take much to get a S to start with an 8.

ProgRockJunkie

Cayenne Turbo's are on the latest top ten list of cars that depreciate abnormally fast. With your budget, I'd be looking at a well optioned, low miles nused. My wife prefers a year or two old to not have the wonderful new car outgassing as well. If you're driving kids around, a year used or more is better for you. I haven't heard average miles per year. Diesel is an investment that takes a ton of miles to recover. If you're not sure you're going to make back the $$$ over the time you own the vehicle, go gas. Go nused turbo

grohgreg

I went from a 2011 Touareg TDI Sport Ltd to a 2013 Cayenne Diesel equipped with Premium Plus, Bose, towing package: MSRP $70,505. Negotiated that down to a net $69k. Before delivery, I upgraded the OE Contis to Michelin GreenX for an additional $500, and post delivery I added a performance tuning box for another $350. Didn't like the shiny black interior trim, so I also have a $164 invested in a wood trim kit that I'll put on as soon as the outdoor temp stabilizes above 70F. Total invested so far - less TTL - is only $4 above your $70k target.

As equipped, this Cayenne out handles the Touareg in all respects. With the tuning box, my 0-60 times are down in the sixes. Fuel economy is better than the Touareg too, altho part of that is attributable to the tuning box. I've seen 36.2 mpg already, and my combined mileage since new (~4000 miles) is 28.7 mpg. I think you'll find it $70k well spent.

//greg//

steve_Cayenne

In case you don't already know:

The Cayenne V6 is pretty much the same engine you have in your Touareg, minus some Porsche tuning. Since the latest generation shaved some weight, and added some power, it will feel a bit nimbler.

The Cayenne Diesel is exactly the same engine as in the 2013 Touareg you test drove. And will have those same characteristics you liked.

As for fuel economy, unless you do heavy mileage, you will not save the price difference in most cases in fuel. Do you want fuel economy for the sake of fuel economy, or for saving $$$? Some will argue better resale value for diesel, but we have yet to see how this model will react to american market after it is a few years old.

For X5 vs Cayenne, just test drive the two. They are very different, you should feel more attracted to one or the other. Beware new X5 coming out later this year, if you buy one now, you will feel out of date soon!

Related to Zorba the Greek by any chance?

gnat

Like the VR6, Porsche has tweaked the TDI a bit too so its not exactly the same. I believe, however, it got less tweaking than the VR6.

steve_Cayenne

Hmmm ... I was under the impression they were absolutely identical. Especially since the new Touareg/Cayenne Diesels have identical hp/torque ratings down to the penny at 240/406.

I did find this quote on quick google:
Audi assembles the engine and ships it to Porsche, “but all of the software is unique to us,” says Thomas Herold, manager of  Special Operations R&D.

Strange that Porsche engine management software could not wrangle out an extra horsepower or two!

endless_corners

I would research which options are important then build it out. If you can still swing the diesel get that. I don't know why ppl are telling you the v6 in the cayenne is just like your touareg. The v6 cayenne is way lighter and it will be fast and responsive and drive nothing like your current egg. The power to weight ratio of the current base model v6 gas cayenne is the same as the first generation cayenne v8. I also don't know why people are telling you to get a turbo since I doubt you will need all that power AND they are expensive. Spend your money pampering the interior you will be fine with the base engine.

Zorba, do yourself a favor and don't get the bimmer. Listen to Jeremy Clarkson bimmers and audis are for ***** and hairdressers. The porsche will make you feel special.

steve_Cayenne

I did not mean to imply that a previous generation Touareg V6 will drive like the new Cayenne V6.

What is a fact, is the new Cayenne V6 is based pretty much based on the old VW 3.6l VR6 (also used in the Touareg). Hers has 280hp, some Porsche magic and 4 years later it puts out 300hp. Yes they also re-designed both vehicles to be lighter.

So she has actually experienced both engines (at least in various forms). Just stated that in case she does not realize, because dealers are not exactly bragging that the Cayenne V6 is the good ole VW VR6. (In fact some dealers told me it is a Porsche V6 like the Panamera is a Porsche V6, which is mostly BS).

endless_corners

I guess I see it like this.. Intel chip in a dell.. Same chip in a retina MacBook Pro. Just not gonna feel the same. But point taken. I would be surprised if ye old vr6 didn't have a top end and all exhaust work done by porsche. That combined with different engine management and connected to an entirely different handling animal.. Would make it difficult to discern the similarities. I bet the throttle response, the exhaust note and the feel of power delivery to be quite different.

zorba1331

Thanks for the input so far. I did one of those build your own things online last night and there is so much you can add to pimp it up! It can add up fast.

I read a huge thread over on the BMW forum and they talked about the shared engine but something to the effect that Porsche has it tuned very differently and with the Porsche suspension etc it feel so different than the VW.

My VW feels really heavy and there is a slight hesitation off the line but once it grabs it goes. I don't love that but I lived with it and I was fine with that. Any improvement there will be great.

In your opinion will there be a difference in 'jump' off the line between the v6 and the diesel? Where does one notice the difference in these two engines in performance aside from towing or fuel economy? I am not a driving conissouir by any means so maybe I should just get the base and load it up? I have always liked lots of bells and whistles in the interior of vehicles.

It's tough because our dealer only has one to drive and at the time I didn't have time so maybe there is more now. I drove my friends '06 the other night, do the new ones feel much different? We had his baby with us so I drive speed limit only. It felt very smooth and responsive, but I never REALLY drove it.

Re: BMW I am aware the new body style is coming out in the fall and I was thinking about waiting but the more I read on the cayenne, the more I want it! I suppose if I get the cayenne and I love the new BMW I can always arrange that. I am starting to get excited though and just want to get it ordered! So much for being calm and patient haha.

PS. Yes I imagine I am related to zorba the Greek somewhere down the way

zorba1331

Great info, thanks. Keep in mind I will be willing to spend 79, 999 but refuse to let the price start with an 8!

endless_corners

cayenne tiptronic + bose audio package + premium package pplus + full leather interior with 14-way seats + Panorama roof + Air suspensions w/pasm + 4-zone climate + natural wood interior package

$78k

I think something along those lines will really set you up well.

Also something that might be fun to do with your honey is the European delivery.

Oh ,btw, a 2006 cayenne is a different platform and heavier than the current cayenne. The new ones are more refined.