I will totally agree with that statement. The ML in all its iterations is a yacht on choppy waters but then most SUVs are. The air suspension just made it better and my ex also owned a 2007, so am I well familiar with what you speak of. It still does not mean it feels as good as a properly set up coilover on a low slung sports car.

What we are dealing with here is a 'ute which I have the expectations of a good sports sedan (if not a sports car) in terms of driving dynamics; and in those circumstances until I came across the Panamera and Tesla S's air suspensions, I was convinced that air suspensions just ruined the experience. Like I mentioned in my previous post, my base 991 C2 does not even have PASM so I can get the impeccably tuned spring suspension. I know I will order PASM if I decide to get the Macan, but I will have to test drive one with and out the Air to make up my mind.

 

I have PASM on a 2004 Cayenne and it has been relatively trouble free. I have done considerable off-roading in the vehicle, often at high speed, so the suspension has received a good workout during my ownership. I had to replace one front air suspension strut at about 180,000 miles, but otherwise no issues. I currently have over 210,000 miles on the vehicle.

 

I appreciate the info rpilot has provided here. It is helpful to better understand the differences between AS systems on different cars. Given that the system in the Macan is a new one, I'm a little more nervous about it regarding durability since it hasn't been able to prove itself yet. I'm going to test drive both and if there isn't a significant improvement in ride quality with AS, I'm sticking with springs. I don't really need the height adjustment feature for my needs.

But back to the subject of this thread, I'm definitely getting PASM.

 

Thanks. If you get around to test driving a Macan with and without AS back to back (hopefully with same size wheels), I would really appreciate a quick review along with what you are driving/used to. I find it very important to understand where the reviewer is coming from.


I have read some of those reviews and I don't doubt their sincerity or yours. I however learnt a long time ago that reviews by paid professionals whose livelihoods depend on access to these vehicles (not to mention the fancy junkets) have an inherent bias in their reporting. It may be that the Macan's AS is great as they say but until I personally feel the difference, like keninirvine, it will be hard for me to make a decision on the AS.

 

"PASM, the electronic damping control system, is standard in the 911 Carrera S models....."

Also rpilot's comments had me explore this a little differently:

"When a car is driven off-road or assertively in a manner that demands hard acceleration and braking, the forces acting on the car will normally induce perceptible body movements. PASM intervenes in these situations to reduce them."

I was looking at this equation re: PASM in isolation, but in long run concerns, fatigue is a big factor. The sophisticated dampening is surely to help in this regard.

 

Our CDS has the pasm and it is one of the best things in the car. Truly brilliant. The ability to switch ride settings on the fly, and to have 3 settings that make the car so incredibly sorted on all types of road surfaces is imo invaluable in this type of car. It is a box I would definitely recommend you not miss ticking. In so far as reliability goes, you have 3 years warranty anyway, after which so what. Porsche always takes care with goodwill like no other car company on the planet….especially its new car buyers. Don't miss it!

 

If my pepper's PASM was on FB, I'd click the "LIKE" button, every time.

$0 maintenance since Nov. 2004!

05 Cayenne @130k miles

 

"pepper's"

Sam you got to help me out here.

 

as in Cayenne pepper

 

That's cool!!!

 

Very quietly via pm I've been reaching out to those who report less than glowing reports regarding the suspension and to a man they did not check off the PASM box. Even with the 20s.

IMO given the suspension tuning on the Macan, PASM is a must have.

 

Interesting. PASM is the first priority for me, before AS and SC. I didn't need PASM too often on my 997 since it was already pretty stiff anyway. But the more compliant Macan needs a firm setting to help when you want to drive in a more sporty manner on a twisty. I can't imagine the benefit of Sport or Sport Plus being very significant without having PASM.

 

I would agree on that. While I have never driven the Macan I can only report after putting 10,000 on our cayenne with pasm/air that it is the best way to go no question. Those that say the comfort mode is too bouncy I would recommend raising the suspension to the mid height setting. On the low setting it can be a bit bouncy. With more travel in the shocks the bounce resolves itself and becomes very comfortable in the mid height setting. Normal mode works best in the mid although low is still quite good. Sport delivers its best in low but mid height is also very good.

After taking out a loaner with the steel suspension the other day and putting a few hundred on it the difference is really quite noticeable in all driving situations. At first when I was test driving the two set ups a year back I couldn't really feel much of a difference worth worrying about but chose the pasm with air on the basis of accommodating for all types of road surfaces. I wanted the car to be as versatile as possible. Now 12 months on after spending considerable time behind the wheel, and getting back into a steel sprung vehicle the differences were quite profound in the sense the steels certainly allowed more roll in the body and in general did not feel as secure as the pasm with air in any mode. I think seat time in the macan with both set ups will prove much the same as the cayenne.

So at this stage in the ownership all I can say is I am so f'ing glad we paid the extra for the pasm with air. The steel sprung car really did not give the same feel which a car of this type and standard would desirably have as standard equip. And after clocking the miles up I now truly believe these cars certainly need everything working as much as possible in the handling dept whilst not compromising the ride or comfort levels in the process. That said it would be pasm air all day everyday.....don't miss it if you can help it.

 

To repeat all of speed21's comment would be redundant. But I echo the points made.

124,000 km and 30 months of owning a Cayenne with PASM & AS - it is one of the top options and we have gotten more value than the price paid.

 

Speed21: Just to be clear, when you did the comparison on the steel sprung cars, did they have PASM or not?