rpilot

So.. while I still contemplate a Macan Turbo, I keep reading on the forums that the 19 inchers are too small, etc. I wanted to stick with the 19" wheels for the following reasons..

A) More rubber for dirt roads.
B)More comfort for long drives on highway. (I am not planning on the AS)
C) Lightest of the wheels (even lighter than 18's) and probably the lightest tire/wheel weight combo.
D) Better fuel economy (less rolling resistance compared to 20)
E)Finally, I actually like the design the best.

While the 20s or 21s may perform better on the track or in driving like you stole it scenarios because of the wider width, for my purposes the 19s should suffice. Besides 20 and 21s don't really reduce the wheel gap,since the outer width is the same, they may however appear better to some.

IMO, it comes down to aesthetics..
Have people seen this in person ? and I don't mean staring at it from the top standing next to it on a dealers lot in which case the wheel well gaps always look bigger. FWIW, I have a 991 C2 now with 19s which I like but everyone I know who sees the car thinks the wheel well gap is a bit big.

In this youtube review by a european car magazine, this particular turbo has the 19 inchers and does not have the AS (AS lowers 15mm and reduces wheel gap). I know this comes down to personal preferences but I wanted to get an opinion from some of you. I personally think the wheel gap could be just a bit less but overall the wheel size/ gap relative to the height of the car seems to be ok.


So, what does everyone else think?

Buckfever

I think this is the normal process of figuring out the build that best suits you. You start with needs you get a baseline and then you really look at the vehicle. IMO this is a unique vehicle in that on any other CUV/SUV I could care less about the wheel gap. The fact is that Porsche gave the Macan some simple but beautiful lines and there are some who have optimized the esthetics in their build. I can not deny that it has influenced my decision making. I'm a tighwad but that $3-4K additional what ever it comes to is a pittance if it means doing justice to the vehicle.

Let me rationalize it for you. The jump to the 20s is a small up charge and certainly a bargain for what you're getting in exchange. If you're already getting PASM the AS is only $1200ish more.

For me it was even easier as in researching the tires I realized I was going to get a designated 18" mud and snow wheel set.

But it is very much an individual decision, for instance as much as I like the stance of the 20s I actually dislike the 21s because I find the profile too low. I've never liked that low a profile.

But the 20s and the AS on low man I think it looks awesome!!!

So the way I look at it is I get the best of both worlds. When I'm off hunting in the fall and doing outdoor recreation in the winter I'll throw on the 18s to handle the mud and snow and with the AS I can handle the shallow water crossings all the better. But the rest of the year I'll have the 20s and the air suspension on low and enjoy the performance and esthetics.

Seems like a real small price to pay for all that.

rpilot

I think we both rationalize in similar ways. You hit the nail on the head with your observations about SUVs in general and wheel gaps. The Macan is styled like a nice hot hatch instead of like a boxy SUV and therefore the wheel gap might look odd.

I personally do like the look of the 21s but like you find the profile a bit too small both for aesthetic and functional reasons.

AS may make the ride more comfortable but it does not keep the tires from going kaput on potholed roads prematurely.

And honestly the cost of the AS & 20" wheels was never a factor. If I do go 20s, it will be without AS and the Classic ones. I don't care for the Spyder design. Based on my previous experiences with AS, I really do not want it. It would have to be significatly better both in comfort and cornering/handling abilities for me to even begin considering it again. I refuse to get it for aesthetic reasons.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Buckfever

This is a build from the UK forum, on steel springs. I like it, except for the wheel gap.

Buckfever

OTOH this was a pic sebis posted up on the test drive he did with the 19 steel springs, pasm.




A lot of it depends on the angle. Here it looks fine.

Buckfever

And finally regarding the Spyders, not my favorite wheel design but the pewter is a perfect match to the Agate and when I saw that, actually the 21s, against the Agate at the dealer it's just magnificent.

Actually I think a course of study in decision sciences or perhaps bayesian analysis might be required to fully parse the nuances. Just as long as we're enjoying the process.

rpilot

@Buckfever... thanks for the pics. I think it is more than the angles, although the angles do matter. My guess is that with the 19s the spokes create an elongation visual effect and the extra sidewall height of the black tires balances the black dead space. It may also be different between turbo and S models.. who knows? It's all subjective anyway. If the 19s appear to my eyes in person similar to the second pic you just posted, I think I will be a happy happy man. I will pay more attention to the spyders in person when I see them.

Buckfever

I do think that's true. Here's a video of the 19 turbo's on black and I think they look great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Bkt...ature=youtu.be

kosmo

you mentioned dirt roads. dont you have suspension travel???

the AS is a must for me.

Larry Cable

I'm sure if you go with steel springs that eventually the aftermarket will catch up with the Macan and offer 1" or 2" lowering kits that are available for other SAVs like the BMW etc

rpilot

Well.. to each his own, but... In my 20+ years of driving performance Hondas, BMWs and now a 991, I have never ever used anything non-manufacturer component anywhere and I won't start now.

rpilot

I am not sure what you are trying to say....

rpilot

This pic from sebis that you posted on the other thread...

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Buck...2be29.jpg.html

If this is the macan without AS, I am fine with the wheel gap. I have always believed in looking at the wheel gap from a distance of a few feet away. The wheel gap balances the height of the macan fine. OTOH I do not think lowering the car 15mm with AS would look bad in any way (probably better !) , although lowered further on the highway or for loading it with AS might look silly and it will look silly with the 9" ground clearance off road. But I am not buying this as an offroader per se, just to be an everyday car and get me on the occasional dirt roads we go on. If the Macan wheel gap was anything like the Panny next to it, it would look slammed. I hate that. (BTW, those Panny wheels are my favorite kind of wheels, wish that style was offered on the Macan.)

Buckfever

I'm pretty sure I'm getting the AS now and interestingly for a good bit of the logic you're presenting here. But in keeping with the topic of the thread yes the wheel gap esthetics does play into it.

My wife has a 4 series on steel springs. We did a road trip and she asked me to drive, she had it for 4 months and I hadn't driven it once. I didn't even know how to start it, because you know you have to press a button. LOL We were going through a section of Jo Davies county hill country and the long winter had put a beating on those winding roads to the point of it making my wife nauseous and I had to pull it back. So from that I was pretty much reconciled to PASM. But more importantly I was really surprised by the performance of the 4 series. They widened the stance and lowered it and it felt so well planted that it left an impression on me. And I'm not a fan.

And I am reading that the Macan is rolling a bit in the corners. Since I'm already losing the analog feel by getting the PASM, let me lower this thing with the AS and with the wider tires on the twenties, it's surely going to feel well planted. Plus it looks fricken awesome lowered.

Anyway we've been researching the AS reliability and the feedback I've been getting is that all that ever goes is the pump which is an inexpensive rebuild. Also the Cayenne guys predominantly share a wildly favorable view on the AS.

PTV, sports chrono, not going to happen. But AS and 20s those boxes are checked off.

But like you said it's personal choices. My wife, my friends no one knows I'm buying this vehicle. The only input I've invited is "if" I go black, should it be black or metallic. And even there, one of my closest buddies is leaning into me hard to go plain black because that's what he has. Seriously? This need for social inclusion is going to supersede my optimal build.

That's what's so nice here. No one cares what anyone else does there's no judgement, just shared reasoning to make informed choices.

rpilot

Since you are discussing in the spirit of discussion, I will add a thing or too about the PASM , PTV & Sports Chrono.

I own a 991 C2. I bought the C2 instead of the C2S specifically so I could avoid the PASM and get the 19s with a bit more sidewall and the fact that I liked the free-er revving 3.4 engine more.(although the sidewall height on those 19s is even lesser than the sidewall height of the 21s on the Macan !!) . If you search the rennlist forums you will find a long review of my C2 vs C2S test drive discussing PASM around december of 2012. The 991 base suspension is so impeccably tuned that I did not care for the PASM because I wanted it to feel like that every time and I have not regretted it.

On the Macan, I think the PASM should not take away from the roadfeel, just alter it. It is worthwhile on the Macan and I HIGHLY recommend the PTV+ unless you want to try and let the rear end loose and drift with it (better give the wife some valium beforehand). Sports Chrono is a grey area. I am probably going to pass since I do not care to keep the engine on boil and burn fuel but YMMV, but if available to test drive and I like it, I might add it. Launch control is great for a few giggles but honestly once you test drive a Tesla P85+ with it's full torque at 0 RPM, the macan launch is going to feel like amateur hour and a waste of money.

You might wonder why I am thinking of buying the Turbo instead of the S since ultimate performance is not my goal.. I started to kit out the Macan S. It rang up at 78K with the options (including burmester, which I have on my 991 and would never ever buy a Porsche without.. but that is me). 58% on top of the vehicle price for options and I am going to take a bath when i try to sell it. The Turbo came to 89K with all the same options, since so many are included with the Turbo. Around 22% more in options seemed much more reasonable for depreciation purposes. I might actually come out ahead with the Turbo if considering TCO. Besides from what I have read the 3.6 is a more refined engine vs the 3.0 when pushing it hard. It makes sense since most reviews I have read here complain that there isn't enough exhaust note in the cabin. It makes perfect sense to me since this is NOT a 991 or cayman.

But like you said, everyone has a different objective. Enjoy whatever you go with and drive it in good health.