Torq_Connoisseur

Hi guys, looking for my first 958. First Porsche for that matter. Apparently I live in somewhat of a “958.1 desert” as the nearest Turbo or GTS at a dealer is over 130 miles away. So it is a challenge to get test drives to compare the different models. Therefore I am hoping those with experience in some of the different versions can share some insights or counterpoints. I have read the stickies and appreciate all of the knowledge shared here. At this point it is narrowed down to a 958.1 V8 model, just not sure which flavor yet. I have test driven two 958.1 S models, one GTS, and a 958.2 S.



Saturday I was able to drive a 2014 GTS. I enjoyed that one the most so far. One thing I did not like was that even in non-sport mode it seemed significantly louder than the S models. Is this real or did I just imagine it? Porsche V8 exhaust noises are sweet but stealth is my preferred mode.



Next question I have is about the driving character of the 958.1 Turbo since I will not be able to check one out until next weekend at the earliest. How would it compare to driving a GTS in moderate to brisk daily driving? I know the compression ratio is lower, so I wonder if the low end torque as good in those part-throttle situations, or do you have to wind it up a bit and get the turbos spooled before it moves out? Is the turbo laggy at all or is a prod of the accelerator met with an immediate whoosh? I was pretty pleased with the performance of the non-turbo models, but I do love, love, love effortless power. Does the turbo feel like that or do you have to hammer it for it to show it’s real power? I did some searching but have not seen this question directly addressed.

Thanks for reading, looking forward to hearing any thoughts you have to share!

sjt0017

Hey Torq,

I'm a little biased, but I highly suggest you drive a Turbo before you make any decisions. They're a little friendlier on pricing, and you might find some of the creature comforts you would like to have, usually will come standard on a Turbo rather than other models (even a GTS - for example, I need cooled seats because I'm in TX, and a lot of GTS' have the alcantara seats which do not have a cooled seats option).
I'm on my 3rd CTT, and have extensively driven every 958.1 model except diesel (if it's not a pickup truck, diesel's not much of a thing in Texas). Personally, I went with Turbo because I tow a boat to & from the lake every weekend, and it feels fantastic to have the extra hp & high torque.
You won't experience turbo lag like in other vehicles, a lot of small engine turbos (like my fiance's C300), the turbo accounts for probably half the horsepower & torque so it has very noticeable lag unless you're in sport+ mode. I personally have only had it happen maybe a couple of times where my truck was so heat soaked from driving all day in 100+ degree weather that I could feel any turbo lag. The power is pretty instantaneous, and smooth throughout the gears & rpm ranges

Where do you live? When I was shopping around Austin (basically started looking in Texas as a whole) I couldn't find many well optioned, well priced 958.1 Cayennes near me either, so I purchased my last two 958 CTT's from a nationwide search (Salt Lake City, then Lakewood CO) and don't regret either purchase!

Torq_Connoisseur

Thanks for the input, I will definitely make time to drive a Turbo or three. It's a good point about the proportion of the power the turbo is responsible for not being as prominent in the CTT. I have to admit I'm a little scared of the added complexity and how tight those turbos are packed in as I like to DIY most of my own repairs. But I have a feeling once I drive one there may only be one choice, lol.

I'm in the southeast Michigan area, Ann Arbor to be specific. There are some decent looking cars in Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus, all within 150 to 250 miles but I am picky about colors and options and not seeing "the one" yet. When I do, I'll have to make the time for a roadtrip. Longer distance cars are generally out for me, got burned once on an Acura CPO car that had a smell that the dealer covered up with some strongly scented deoderizer. Couldn't tell until about 2 to 3 months later when the smell started to go away that there was an underlying mildew odor that could not be removed. So I'm hesitant to invest time/effort in cars that I cant physically touch/smell first, I'll just wait it out.

sjt0017

You won't hear about 958 turbo failure - at least I haven't seen it yet and there are some really high mileage members on here (I think someone had a 958.2 S/GTS with a defective turbo that was covered under warranty, but the TT v6 is a newer platform for the Cayenne). Maintenance intervals are typical for a high horsepower, high quality car. I go 8-10k between oil changes (that I do myself), every 10k I change the transfer case fluid, brakes have typical mileage intervals, nothing seems to break, running on 87k miles and zero creaks or noises, etc.

I am the same way about working on my vehicles - I wrench on my shop truck, the CTT, and my boat, so I'm a member of a lot of forums!
On my 955 CTT I took the whole upper intake/top end of the motor off to replace the starter & coolant pipes, installed aftermarket PCM upgrades, brake rotors & pads, trailer hitch & harness install, 10 feet of exhaust on my current CTT, installed numerous tunes, etc.
With that being said, a Cayenne won't be much different than anything you've worked on in the past.
The community here is fantastic, you'll have pretty much every common DIY you'd ever need on the DIY page, and for some of those odd DIY projects you can get an AlldataDIY membership for like $18/yr and it will cover all the other bases in regards of fixing things yourself. You can do all the research you want on here, but there's nothing to suggest the Turbo is any less reliable than all the other Cayenne models.

I hear you on colors & options, I was very specific and shopped for months before pulling the trigger all 3 times I purchased a new-to-me CTT. I still never found that '13-14 White/Luxor with sport design kit, but I am happy with the meteor grey with everything else I needed - blacked out everything (including wheels), pano roof, A/C seats, LCA, ACC, installed my own tow hitch & module, etc.

I highly suggest taking some of the vehicles that you seem to like, regardless of location, take the vin & decode the options on www.vinanalytics.com. That'll help you create a comprehensive list of options that are must haves, and others that will be nice to haves. Best of luck in your search!

RAudi Driver

Where is your location

mafpolo

I love the GTS with the V8, because I love naturally aspirated engines. There are GTS' out there without the Alcantera seats. Why Porsche put a material intended for headliner and door panels on a seat (which will get nasty and his hot as hell in the summer) is beyond me. Given the choice of a 958.1 GTS vs Turbo, my opinion is GTS.

wkearney99

Ok, so first point, are you prepared for Porsche service and maintenance costs? And will being 130 miles from a dealer be a problem? Are there any known independent shops closer? Because if you're not prepared for the costs and dealing with 260 mile round trips... this may not be the brand to consider. Just sayin'....

Torq_Connoisseur

That's what I'm gathering is that the reliability on these is actually better than what I am accustomed to with other German vehicles that I've owned. (Audi, BMW, Mercedes)

Same!, except I don't have a boat anymore. I have Alldata subs on all of my current vehicles except the cars I am leasing for my kids.
When I started to research this purchase this forum became required reading. Past experience has proven to me the value of this type of community. In fact, I would say that I would probably have given up German cars out of frustration years ago if it weren't for the online support system. I tend to DIY stuff because I have a very low tolerance for the antics of some of the local dealerships and I love solving mechanical problems, often for pennies on the dollar compared to the dealer quote.

We think a lot alike, as that's exactly what I have been doing. Like my last purchase, a Mercedes GL450, I have created a spreadsheet to compare the available cars/options/prices and each time a new one comes up that is close to my criteria, it becomes another data point in the sheet. It's a little over-analytic maybe, but it is the only way I can get a feel for the market and make sure I don't miss something that I really need/want in the options. It's also a really fun part of the process for me. Often when going to a dealer to see a car I walk in knowing the options and specs better than the salesperson, although I have to say Porsche sales guys are definitely a big step up in my experience so far - lots of real car guys.

Valvefloat991

One reason it's louder is the shorter gearing in the GTS. Final drive ratio is 3.70, versus 3.09 in the Cayenne S and 2.912 in the Turbo. So at any rpm you're turning more revs.

That's good for responsiveness. Not good for noise or fuel economy. At 80 mph, for example, the GTS is turning 2400-some revs versus 2000-some in an S.

Torq_Connoisseur

Raudi: I am in the greater Detroit area. Ann Arbor, MI to be specific.

WKearney: Sorry, maybe I worded my original post ambiguously. I am 5 miles from a Porsche dealer that has no 958.1s that I would consider. They keep a very small used inventory for some reason. There have been a couple of well-used S models in the greater Detroit area, but no keepers. Closest currently available 958.1 GTS and Turbo models that I have found are 130+ miles away. There are a couple of private for-sale Turbos closer, but I am not gonna flog someone's personal car, and I feel that is necessary to really get the feel for each particular model. I don't have a reservation doing that with dealer cars within reason. Thanks for the input.

Mafpolo: What is it you specifically like about the N/A motors over the turbo? The shorter final drive ratio on the GTS is nice. I really need to drive a GTS and a Turbo back to back.

wkearney99

No problem, good you've got a local dealer.

Torq_Connoisseur

On the GTS sound being a bit more aggressive even when not in sport mode, I found this in the 2013 brochure:

"Sport Exhaust System
Available as an option on the Cayenne
and Cayenne S and included as
standard on the Cayenne GTS, the sport
exhaust system provides an even more
distinctive sound."

So I guess it is somewhat louder than a non-sport exhaust equipped S. That's actually a slight drawback to the GTS for me - I like to hear it, but I don't necessarily want everyone else to. Minor issue though.

F SANE IL

RE Turbo failure: I thought I remember seeing someone this year who had one turbo housing cracked, cost $1500 per turbo, plus motor out. I recall something like $10k bill

GDA

If you can swing it, go all the way and get a Turbo S. More power, more options and comes standard with most of the "wanted / desired" items

RAudi Driver

Turbo all the way.