Petza914

BMW isn't the company it used to be nor are their cars the driver's cars they used to be. We bought our first BMW recently an 08 X5 for my daughter and by comparison to the same generation Cayenne 09 957 there really isn't any comparison. I also believe the Porsches to be much more reliable. My wife's 997 has had virtually no repair work done to it other than wear items - brakes, tires, etc and it's at 106k miles. On this BMW since buying it at 90k miles and it now having almost 100k, I've already had to replace the camshaft position sensor, the fuel system purge valve, the crankshaft position sensor, repaired water leaks in the rear doors due to the design of how it manages water ingress and egress. If parked on a pretty decent angle with the front higher than the rear, the transmission pan gasket leaks, so am going to have to do that and the full servotronic service sometime soon. It drives OK, but not superbly. Stick with the Porsches.

smohr33

Today is my Macans 21st day out of service in the shop this year. 1.5 years old and 13k miles. Closing in on lemon status. They're not all perfect and you cant generalize an auto brand based on one experience or one car, but your vintage of X5 are known for various issues.

I really do like my Macan. I doubt any of the competition rides as well, has as quiet of a cabin, or are put together any better, but it hasn't been a trouble free experience for me. It's also slower and more expensive than its competitors.

honghong322

I'm sorry to hear that. What has it been in the shop for?

smohr33

Timing chain cover. Original servicing dealer did it incorrectly TWICE, causing other issues along the way. Should have it back shortly from the 3rd try at another dealer...

blepski

I'm sorry about your bad experience but your absolutely right about not generalizing a brand based on a handful of personal experiences. I also find that brand bias and high vs low expectations play a major factor as well.

We have a 2017 Toyota Highlander in our family that has already had several issues since new and is currently at the dealer for a replacement transmission. Toyota is a brand with legendary and almost mythical reliability yet still not immune to major issues like any other manufacture.

What year and model is your Macan?

JDailey

My thoughts exactly. Yes, I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. There's no other vehicle that is just so enjoyable to drive, comfortable on long road trips, and gets me to the trailheads. Next time around, I might spring for the S over the base model, but otherwise I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

-James
Seattle, WA

smohr33

2018 GTS

tk-porsche

Have to agree. Our BMW 2014 X3 and X1 have had a lot of issues and post-warranty repairs are very expensive and not uncommon. So glad I got rid of the X3 just shy of 90k miles. The deal I got on the 2019 Macan gives me up to 5.5 years of warranty coverage and the last 2 years above 50k miles or 4 years have unlimited mileage! They started the clock designating the date as only 6 months old, since it was a loaner vehicle, which is why the extra half year of coverage. How can you beat that combination? The fit and finish and technology come in first rate, and I love the big screen and great navigation system. Only real complaints are somewhat less cargo space than in the X3 and even with the 14-way seats, I don't find them quite as comfortable as in the X3. Maybe they just need to wear in more?

PSEE

SillyGoose - you should drive both the Macan and the Panamera.

I've owned my Macan Turbo for a bit over 3 years and really enjoy it! That said, I drove a Panamera 4S loaner
for several weeks in 2019 and it was a real eye opener! Great car (too)! It's both longer and wider than the Macan,
though considerably lower. Outward visibility isn't great. It's more luxurious than the Macan - and costs more as well.

The Panamera has just four seats - and the rear seats are almost copies of the front seats, with adjustability as well
as their own climate control. The 4S had a hatch and the rear seats folded down. It had the newer PCM system as
well as a Burmester sound system (as does my Macan), so it sounded great!


Do yourself a favor and check out both models before you make a decision! You can't go wrong either way!

SillyGoose

Visibility is a big deal and may be the deciding factor here, along with price. Have you ever driven a Scion xB or a Nissan Cube or one of those boxy cars? The increased visibility is inherently a very interesting and amusing aspect of those vehicles that other cars simply do not have.

tk-porsche

Evaluating the visibility, the Macan compares favorably with the BMW X3. The lane departure and passing car warnings are nice. You can raise the seat up to get a pretty commanding view of the surroundings. The side mirrors -- in the interest in part of better aerodynamics I imagine -- are a bit small, smaller than on the BWM X3, but comparable to the ones on the X1. Visibility via the rear view mirror is good.

siberian

Since the demise in the US of the V8 Touareg (keeping mine until I can't find any more electronic parts for it) there's nothing like the Macan in its class. It doesn't tow near as much as a Touareg, doesn't have a host of features that the Gen 2 Touareg had (locking rear diff, opening rear hatch window...) but for today's money/market very happy. Just wouldn't buy it from the same dealer (ever).

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

BobPopular

Definitely agree with the recommendation to drive both models. Although I like my Macan (2018 Turbo PP), I find sedans in general and the Panamera in particular much more enjoyable to drive.

JDailey

I think that's the key here: If you expect to go off-roading, then it's clear the Macan is the right choice. But if this is strictly for on-pavement use, I'd go Panamera for the lower center of gravity, unique look, higher-end luxury features, and better performance. So to me it comes down to whether you really need/want an SUV.

GoBlue!

I love my Panamera more than my Macan