mdosu

I am searching for a preowned 958 SEH. I test drove a well optioned one recently and I realized I don't really want most of the options.

For current and past Cayenne owners, What are some of the most important ones for your needs and why?

Looks like I'll really just want keyless entry, adjustable air suspension, and top view cameras. My nice to have's are 7.2 onboard charger and ventilated seats.
Also, how useful is air suspension? I almost feel like I'll play with it for the first month, and then set it and forget it...It's one of the more rare options on a non-turbo 958.

This particular car I drove had a ton of key options on it and stickered at $92k:

2T - Jet Black Metallic (meh)
4D3 - Seat Ventilation (want)
4F6 - Porsche Entry & Drive (need)
2ZH - Heated Multifunction Steering Wheel (meh)
PE5 - Power Seats (14-way) with Memory Package (meh)
4A3 - Front Seat Heating (need)
PJU - Infotainment Package w/ HD Radio (meh)
7E7 - Auxiliary Cabin Conditioning (meh)
PJC - Premium Package (meh)
CP5 - 20" RS Spyder Design Wheels (meh)
QJ4 - Exterior Package in High Gloss Black (need)
7Y1 - Lane Change Assist (meh)
9VL - BOSEî Surround Sound System (meh)
1BK - Air Suspension with PASM (want)

I'll retrofit staggered wheels and fender flares later (without it, it looks like a Honda CRV)


I'm a current owner of a V8 BMW M3 and a X5 diesel. I plan on replacing the M3 with a SEH. I have kids, but the primary purpose of the car would be for daily commuting and urban weekend rides. My X5 will be for long distance road trips and is my wife's daily.

gnat

Roof rails as adding them after the fact has been ruled as "impossible" by PCNA (there are a few reports of people getting their dealer to do it though). Having the factory roof rails allow for an extra 100lbs over the After,Arlen gutter mount systems.

Tow package. It can be added afterwards, but it's kinda pricy.

HID headlights as the auto leveling function can't be retrofitted (at least not for a reasonable cost).

paul29

Tow package not available on the SEH.

deilenberger

As gnat said - the three items he suggested.

I'll add:

Adaptive cruise. It's GREAT, and also gives you pre-tensioning braking where the car anticipates hard braking and sets itself up for it.

Lane change assist. You said "Meh".. Also great. Wouldn't get another car without it.

As far as I know - seat ventilation ONLY comes with the 4-zone HVAC system. It uses the rear system to provide cooled air through the seat. It's much more effective than the ventilated seats on most vehicles that just blow cabin air through the seat. If you want seat ventilation - I think you're going to find the 4-zone system.

You're dismissing the heated wheel as MEH - not so much for me. Had it on both of my Cayennes and greatly enjoy it in the winter.

I didn't have air suspension on my first Cayenne. I have it on the '11 turbo. I wouldn't buy another one without it. Not only does it provide a better ride quality overall - being able to adjust the spring rate and shock damping on the fly is great. I often change mine. If wife is in the truck - it's "comfort" mode. Highway driving alone - "normal" mode. Backroad wandering "Sport" mode. I don't actually change the height - that pretty much stays at the low level. If I was going off-road I'd probably use it more.

gnat

Nope. Ventilated seats were an option on the diesel, but the 4-zone was not.

Is 4-zone an option on the hybrids? I would expect their battery pack to interfere with the 4-zone installation similar to how the AdBlue does on the diesel.

pdxjim

Is the backup camera in one of the packages? I have it and love it for parking and hooking up a trailer.

mdosu

thanks for the feedback.

I dismiss the heated wheel b/c I never felt a need for it. Living in SF and parking the car indoors, I don't feel it's necessary.

I drove another car with lane change assist. It's seems like a pretty good feature, I wouldn't say no to it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek for it, that's my thought on that feature.

So regarding the air suspension, I meant the adjustable ride height feature, which is an option on the SEH. PASM (the middle 3 buttons) as I believe what you're describing is standard on the SEH. The far right switch is what I'm talking about:

mdosu

yes, that backup camera is one of the options, if you get the top view camera, it also comes with rear facing camera as that how I understand that option.

mdosu

yeah good point, I'll need the rails for a roof box.

I thought I saw someone on here retrofitting an OEM tow hitch on his SEH. Does the battery pack get in the way on the SEH or what's the reason why SEH cannot get a factory installed hitch? Nevertheless, I have no toys to tow and have an alternative vehicle if I really need to tow.

So the SEH comes standard with PDLS, and PDLS+ is an add-on option. Doesn't PDLS itself already have self leveling and swivels?

gnat

No PDLS is for changing the lighting when it senses you are turning so that you have more light to see into the turn (BMW's version is much better). The leveling feature is a function of the HID (LED too?) lights. I wasn't really thinking about it before, but I don't think halogens were even an option on the .2s so that comment would be a non-issue in regards to a SEH.

mdosu

I myself was confused as well. After consulting the handy dandy Cayenne booklet, it says Bi-Xenon is standard on the SEH, and PDLS is an option. PDLS is the swivel function and PDLS+ has high beam assist.

Regardless on the .2's all lighting system has the 4 LED spotlight DRLs.

I have the swivel on both my BMWs, it is very useful on the X5.

mdosu

It appears on the SEH, seat vent is only on the front on the SEH

Snipe656

Have you driven one without the PE5 seats? Mine does not have them and one thing my seats lack that I wish they had is adjustable lumbar. I had a loaner Cayenne for 3-4 days here recently and it had PE5 seats in it and I liked them a good bit more than my seats. I put easily 300 miles on that loaner so got to spend a fair amount of time in the seats to build an opinion of them. I just assume the adjustable lumbar on them was part of PE5 and not some other option.

That loaner actually had most of the options you have listed in the car you looked at. One thing my wife and I both really liked was 4D3 but we also are in super hot/humid Houston, Tx and it was not so nice that we regretted not having it even though my Cayenne has a black interior. The 4F6 was nice to a point, similar to what we have in my wife's car, but after having it in that loaner and going back to my Cayenne that does not have it, not really a big deal at all to me. 7Y1 is something I really enjoyed in that loaner and always liked when test drove Cayennes, but do not have in mine but I more went with mine because of price than options.

mdosu

thanks for the feedback. It appears we agree on many of these points.

The keyless entry is critical to me as I have to handle my baby carrier, bags and other stuff. On my current cars, I pretty much never use the physical key anymore.

I've never had vent seats in any of my cars, and someone had said, Porsche's version actually pumps A/C through it instead of cabin air which will be very effective.

Regarding PE5 seats, I have to say, I've never driven the standard seats before. The PE5 seats felt perfect for me, and yes, I have noticed the firm lumbar support. I didn't adjust it on my test drive, but the seat comfort was one of the best features of the interior.

Snipe656

As far as the seats, I guess it depends on how long you are in the vehicle for most drives. For my daily routine, which amounts to a total of 40-45 miles, the seats I have are just fine. For longer drives, more along the lines of road trips, I miss having adjustable lumbar. Now with that said when I bought my Cayenne, I could got one with the better seats and just a few other option differences and it was only $4-5k more, I never once think I should got that one. Since you have the X5 for long trips then this could be a completely non issue for you.

I like how they do the ventilated seats, but I think I would need to live in an even hotter environment to make me think I really wanted them. It is routinely well over 100 here with the heat index. Factor in being parked usually outside and black seats, my vehicle is going to be "warm" when I get back to it after working. It quickly though cools down and feels comfortable to me. Really when we had the loaner it was more of "what does that button do" and playing with the option than thinking "thank god we have this because today is HOT".

I am right there with you about the carry kids and related gear. I transport my three kids to/from school, bus pickup, and daycare every day. So my hands are full to say the least, but I never really been spoiled by keyless entry so just used to using a key. For unlocking I just keep the key in my hand or accessible somehow, for locking I simply hit the lock button on the key before I grab the youngest and all their related gear. I did think it was a little clunky(sometimes more than one try to unlock back door to sit youngest kid in there, but I think completely in how I was doing it and not a fault of the vehicle) in its implementation compared to my wife's Mercedes but I probably adjusted to it in 1-2 weeks then been a non issue.