lcrain

I am looking to trade my daily driver Audi TT-rs for an suv. I love the Audi, but it can't tow my track car, so I need an suv. Initially I was considering (and still am) something like a Toyota LC or a chevy Tahoe. My reasoning there is I know they are reliable and the ownership experience will be relatively care free. But they are also very boring, which brings me to a cayenne.

I drove a 957 gts and it was much more exciting, but I have some concerns and questions. How much of a maintenance hog are these things? What should I look out for? Would I regret owning this car without a warranty? The car looked clean, superficially, and it has a clean carfax. Everything worked. It's an 09 with 63k on it and they are asking 34.9k, offered a fair price on the Audi.

Next question, should I consider ponying up for an early 958 s, maybe CPO? I like the newer body style a lot, but it appears they would stretch my price range. Not undo able, and a CPO would be a huge peace of mind on what are very expensive SUVs.

Is one better at towing than the other? I will probably use an aluminum trailer and the track car weighs about 2800 #s.

Any advice is welcome! Thanks fellas

endless_corners

The GTS wasn't available during the 955 run. It came out in 2008 as a 957. I would highly recommend doing nationwide search on autotrader to calibrate your price barometer before walking into a deal. 957's are anecdotally quite reliable but of course anyone can land in a Friday car.

matt_o_70

IF you live someplace with freezing temperatures... you might want to go read latter pages of the 'engine replacement' thread.

endless_corners

Thats only a relevant concern IF somebody is considering a non turbo 4.5L v8. Its seems like the early 955's are the most likely to experience this. The 955 turbos and all 4.8L engines are not grenading. Also, engine failure threads have a way of going viral and creating an ambient climate of fear.. and yet not a very high percentage of NA v8 955 engines are failing.

Dennis C

I drove my 955 Cayenne S for over 150,000 miles without issues in an area that had harsh winters.

lcrain

Mixed up my model codes. I didn't realize the facelift got a new code!

Not overly harsh winters here in north Texas. We get some icy days typically but nothing too wild.

As for the price, it appears to be advertised appropriately based off a nationwide auto trader search. 2010s are advertised for more, the 2008s are asking less with similar mileage. Not sure where they are transacting.

garrett376

Go drive the different versions! A 958 drives much better than a 957 as it's lighter in weight, the steering is lighter feeling, the interiors are upgraded (front and rear areas), the drivetrains are more efficient thanks to the 8 speed tranny, and there are numerous fancy options with 958's you can't get on 957's... like adaptive cruise control which is super handy for long trips, or lane change assist, etc. I loved my 08 GTS when I had it, and it towed nicely, but the 958 is definitely a step above in every aspect (including price!!).

lcrain

I drove a buddies '11 TT a few years ago and it was an absolute beast. Is there any reason to avoid the 2011 models? I know a lot of cars have some bugs that need to be sorted with the first year of a new model. The fact of the matter is that the 958 S stretches my budget unless I am going higher mileage. Not out of the question, but 50k is my limit and 45k or less would be ideal. The less I spend on this car, the more I spend on the track car!

Is it worth retrofitting the tow package, or should I just look for one that has it already?

http://ucl.porsche.de/ucl/plsql/usa/...&pnr_=2&lnr_=1

This car checks all boxes for me except tow package. Can't do black exterior and would prefer black interior. Other than that I am open to just about everything.

endless_corners

Why not get a nice 957 turbo for $35k and call it a day? Having low range could be nice for towing if you were ever starting off from a less ideal surface.

lcrain

The turbo, on a high level, seems more likely to empty my wallet. My only basis for that assumption is the fact that it is turbo'd. I have not done my diligence on turbos.

Thus I have been focusing on the NA v8s.

dave911

Yep. I pretty much faced the same issues as u. Loving my 2008 Cayenne GTS 6 speed. And I do expect to tow near the 7700 tow limit in the next 6 months (boat). The gts truly handles incredibly well (car like behavior). If u crave something different and with driver involvement then keep your eyes peeled for a manually tranny. I did see a beautious deep red 2009 on Craigslist yesterday in TX. Low miles asking 40. If u don't need the manual, then I'd probably get a faster, and cheaper turbo model. My 2 cents...d

endless_corners

Everything I have gleaned here over the years seems to point to no anecdotal reason to think that way. On 955's for instance the turbo is actually the most reliable choice. Also they all come with pasm which you will want for towing. It's actually kind of hard to find an S with pasm. They are out there just not in high numbers.

Sniffer

I started off with the same (wrong) preconception

Turbos have common faults but are generally regarded as pretty bulletproof. In fact the general consensus is that with the uprated internals and different cylinder surface material they are less likely to suffer scoring which can be an issue in cold climates

Fuel economy, if driven "sensibly" is pretty much the same, VERY little difference apparently. Of course if you step hard on the fun pedal neither the turbo or non turbo will be overly fuel friendly.

I`d very much advise on looking at the CTT before making a decision

Sniffer

With your budget this is what I`d be looking at

Nice cars

You could have a solid 957 CTT and some change if you played your cards right

garrett376

The thing about turbos is that they also usually come optioned with a lot more good stuff (air suspension, PDCC, PTV, comfortable seats, etc.) which makes purchasing a turbo well worth it from that standpoint, too.