tk-porsche

Greetings, All:

My 2014 BMW X3 will be out of CPO warranty in a few months, hence I was contemplating an upgrade to a used Macan S, probably in the 2016-2018 year range. Not having owned a Porsche before, I have ten questions for starters you can hopefully help me with.

1) I need some cargo space - what is the maximum distance between the rear of the pushed all the way forward passenger and drivers seats to the bottom of the inside hatch? (I do realize the hatch is pretty steeply raked, which limits the height of cargo that will fit pus there is a lip that the BMW doesn't have). WHat about the width and height of the rear hatch opening?
2) What options are there for older vehicles still under the 4-year/50k mile warranty to extend them and what are the approximate costs?
3) Mpg for city and highway driving: are the specs pretty accurate (17/23) or how much do they vary? (Of course, the driving mode and driving style obviously will play a role).
4) I assume the S is worth the extra cost vs. the 4-banger? :-)
5) How has overall reliability been?
6) What have average maintenance costs run (dealership vs. indie shop)?
7) Any particular reason to opt for a particular year (2016/2017/2018)? Don't want to spend for anything newer; max. out the door price around $45-$50k. Only options I really care about are: backup camera, heated seats, navigation, and sun/moon roof.
8) Any tips for negotiating a discount on a used model?
9) Is there a particular time of the year that's mode optimal (looking between early December and later February)? Yes, realize of course the 2020 models just came out.
10) At higher altitudes, can you get away with 89 octane vs. 91 premium without any knocking?

Many thanks in advance!

--Tobias

Jim137a

I can answer a few of your questions.

1. You’re going to have to wait until tomorrow as its 20 degrees here in NJ so if have time tomorrow I’ll take the measurements then.

2. And 7. You should be able to get a CPO car in the model year range your looking for in your price range. A few members here have purchased Fidelity warranties and have been happy with them - I can’t speak to the cost.
I just purchased a pretty nicely optioned CPO 2017 S for $43,500 and its covered until 2023 with unlimited mileage.

3. I average a little over 20 MPG but I commute to work in work in pretty heavy stop and go traffic. The Macan is not known for good gas mileage.

4. When I looked at buying a Macan my dealer lined up a Base car, s Sport Edition and an S, within a mile of driving the base I knew it wasn’t for me and opted for the S.

5. Ive only had the car since August and have put 5,000 miles on it - so far no issues at all, in fact I’m very satisfied.

6. I haven’t required any service yet on my Macan. I also own a 2016 Cayman GTS that’s been absolutely bullet proof and has only required regularly scheduled maintenance- my Indie shop is about 40% cheaper than dealer service.

7. Answered most of that in my reply # 2. I think most of the options you’re looking for are included in the “ Premium Plus Package “. Here’s what the Premium Plus Package includes -
Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), BOSE Surround Sound System, Automatically Dimming Outside Mirrors w/Memory, Heated Front & Rear Seats, 14-Way Power Seats, Front Seat Ventilation, Panoramic Roof System
Porsche Entry & Drive. I’d also look for a car with heated steering wheel. I’ll attach my build sheet for reference. I do wish I had Apple Car Play and Adaptive Cruise Control.



8. Can’t help there as I have an established relationship with a great Brand Ambassador and he’s priced my purchases from him very fairly. Do look at the Porsche website and there’s lots of inventory out there so use that as a negotiating tool.

https://nationalpreownedporsche.com/...%5B%5D=macan_s



9. End of the year dealerships are extremely motivated.



10. I use tier 1 93 octane in Macan and Cayman.



A few bits of advice I can pass on - when your find a car that is optioned the way you want and is clean be ready to buy at that moment - clean Porsches sell quickly. Buy CPO. Try to establish a good relationship with a local dealer if possible - my Brand Ambassador really takes care of me - invites me to PCNA track days, sends nice gifts etc, if I do need service he gets me prioritized, lets me test drive cars etc.



Good Luck.

tk-porsche

Hi, @Jim137a :
Awesome feedback, many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I take it that the super long extended warranty was through Porsche, directly? Did the vehicle still have to be under the standard warranty or CPO to be eligible
for that long of an extension? Seems like a fantastic warranty, especially compared to what BMW offers.
Cheers, and many thanks again,
--Tobias
PS. Am originally from upstate NY and hear you loud and clear about cold,
wet winter nights!

Jim137a

The CPO was directly through Porsche and I believe the car has to be under warranty. You stated you were looking for 2016 - 2018’s so they should be under factory warranty and qualify for CPO . I personally would stay a way from a late model Porsche that a Porsche dealer wouldn’t CPO. The link I provided for the Porsche search tool lets you search for just CPO cars if you so desire.

I love upstate NY, spent most of my childhood in Cape Vincent on the St. Lawrence and travel all over NYS for recreation. Where upstate are you from.

A few pics on a climb up to White Face Mountain on a cold wet nasty day but still worth it.

As an added note I put 32 K spirited miles on my Cayman GTS and not a single issue, point being Porsche’s have been very reliable for me. Maintenance costs are higher than most cars but it’s worth the price of admission IMO.

tk-porsche

Nice wheels! And, yes, as long as under 50k miles and 4 years, I believe it should be covered under the factory warranty. I will definitely try out that link you provided, thank you.

BMW maintenance isn't exactly chump change, either, but you live only once (unless you're James Bond) and this has been a dream for some time now. I personally am not liking the newer Bimmers -- they keep getting larger and contain more and more plastic parts. If a vehicle runs reliably, its costs will actually work out to be less long-term even if individual services run higher than the norm, is how I see it. I thought about keeping the X3 past CPO, but have not been happy with the limitations and costs of extending coverage, which is capped at 6 years unless you pay something like $3k for one additional year.

I was originally born and raised in Rochester, NY, and after living in various other places in the US and Europe, have been for the last several decades in Arizona. In my city, we're around 7,000 ft altitude, hence we get cold winters and usually around 100" of snow -- not like what most folks think of when they hear Arizona.

usctrojanGT3

I just listed my low mileage 2018 Macan S for sale on here and autotrader, here's the link...

https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1168998

Jim137a

I finally had time to take the measurements you were looking for.

max length with the passenger seat all the way forward is 76”.

Width of rear hatch 42”.

height of rear hatch 30”.

tk-porsche

@Jim137a, hey, many thanks for that! That's surprisingly similar to the X3 as far as the length goes. I'll have to measure the width and height and report back. My hope was that something 6 feet long and reasonable flat would fit, which it evidently will (albeit with the driver a bit cramped if the individual is reasonably tall, but tolerable over shorter distances). The rake of the hatch will make it tougher for bulkier objects.

Many thanks again and hopefully it's a bit warmer there today!
--Tobias

tk-porsche

BTW, the X3 hatch is 43.5" wide at the narrowest point and 31.5" high in the center, hence very similar.

cas951

thanks for posting this. I’m also in the market for a Macan and doing some research. I currently have a Boxster S and a 944 turbo S. To date I’ve had 4 Porsche’s.

Id like to add a couple questions to what’s already posted.

Reliability. What are the known issues with the Macan?

Has anyone taken a long road trip and actually measure your MPG? I have two sports cars for spirited driving so I. Considering the base car primarily because of the better mpg since I do a lot of road trips.

CaymanSinAR

A small sample size, but my indy says he's seen zero major issues with any Macan he services. Of course the new ones have a completely new (Audi) engine for the Macan S, so that potentially kinda resets things a bit.

PDKs are generally reliable, but certainly not without failure. That is why a lot of people get a Fidelity Platinum warranty once the factory warranty expires. It's PDK insurance.

I took delivery of my wife's 2020 Macan S about a month ago. Had to drive it 400 miles home via I-40. Seem to recall I was getting around 23mpg, so don't expect anything great in terms of economy. I had to take her to the airport today so I'm driving her Macan now. Checked the economy and halfway into her current tank she is getting 19mp in mixed driving.

BIG smoke

My porsche dealer wants $55o for an oil change. My indy is $225, with all the resets. Indy for the win.
My X5 needed new lower control arms. Dealer $2049 tax in, indy said they needed to be done, but never did it. I did them in my garage with basic hand tools for $133. Big Smoke for the win.

Don't be scared of an X3 out of warranty if it has been good to you, and it is paid for.
I run my wifes hand me down X5, She has the Macan S. I get to clean it, and extinguish the need gas light.
The Macan service brakes soon light just came on. i will shop it at the dealer, and my indy. Black friday is next week. I will be shopping for four rotors and pads, and sensor. Most likely for the indy to install.
Though, it looks like two bolts, and one screw, job for the front.
Knowledge aids spending power.

tk-porsche

My indy person in town does BMW and Porsche among other foreign makes. So far he's a bit more on some things, a bit less on others compared to the BMW dealer but I don't have to drive over 250 miles round trip to get service, if needed. If I'm planning to be in Phoenix, anyway, it's of course no big deal. I do also like to give some business to competent local businesses. BTW, the owner of the indy shop drives a Cayenne which is a good sign, I hope. He's also from Holland originally, where mechanics get typically good training, and still has a strong accent. BTW, the dealership that did the oil change on the X3 forgot to reset the service interval! Nobody's perfect.

--Tobias

ottobon100

Transfer case. Lots of folks have had theirs replaced. Mine stared acting up around 32k miles and I had it replaced at 33k miles. Fortunately my Macan S was CPO so it didn't cost me anything. They had the part in stock (that should say something) and I had my Macan back the next day. No problems since. Others have had problems with timing chain cover and cam seal leaks. This requires engine removal for repair! So far I haven't had any leaks. My 4 year/40k service is coming up in January so we'll see if anything else comes up.You need to take into account that Porsche sells a lot of Macans. It is their best selling Porsche by far. Posts you see on forums are typically folks recording their problems. Most who have not had problems don't post that fact.

tk-porsche

Can someone give a ballpark figure as to what Fidelity Standard as well as Platinum warranty extensions on a Macan S cost, please?