Jagdwagen

Hello guys, new to the forums.

I have been reading a crap ton about the Cayenne as I am contemplating purchasing one hopefully. I have read about the coolant pipes and the cardan shafts, etc.
Now on to my dilemma. I have the choice between:

2008 Porsche Cayenne S
The Good:
-134,000 KMs
- Amazing Panoramic Roof
- Local Vehicle
- Better MPG
- 4 Years Newer with Facelifted Look
- Seemingly less problems than earlier years
- Metallic Black Exterior
- Head over heels prefer the facelifted styling over the old Turbo
The Bad:
-Its slower than the turbo, 0-60 in 5.6 seconds.
-One damage claim of $0.
-Silver Brake Calipers.

2004 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
The Good:
-139,000 KMs
- 450HP
- Sand Interior
- 0-60 in Five seconds
- Its a Turbo.....
- Got a clean Canadian record, don't know about time spent in USA.
- Red Brake Calipers
The Bad:
- Looks very dated
- Terrible MPG (Still better than an H2)
- Missing all the amenities of the 08 (iPod, New Nav)
- Beige exterior color (though elegant, but doesn't belong on a Turbo Spec IMO)
- Vehicle is from USA so cluster reads speed in miles
- Feel like I am over paying, $16,000 for a 13 year old vehicle

So, I want the turbo for the turbo and the interior BUT want the Cayenne S for everything else. Believe me if I could afford an 08 Turbo or even GTS spec (with Pano roof, beige interior and metallic black exterior) I would do it in a heart beat. I really really want that Turbo engine, basically right now for me Turbo Engine = All The Good Things on the Cayenne S. However I still haven't gotten a chance to drive the Turbo and really pin it against the Cayenne S (both vehicles are very far away from me) so is there really a HUGE power difference between these two cars *huge enough to really notice a difference*? If there isn't then I am definitely going with the Cayenne S.

So in your opinion, assuming both vehicles are worth the nearly the same price +/- $1000, which one would you go for and why?

Cheers,

Asad





08 CS


04 CT

Wisconsin Joe

I would stay away from the Pano roof myself.

When it works, it's awesome.

But if it fails, it's extremely expensive to replace.

Don't kid yourself on the fuel economy of the S vs the CTT. Even the V-6s suck a lot of gas. There's no way you can have a car that heavy and get "good" fuel consumption.

ScootCherHienie

Running suburban errands in an '08 S gets about 13.5 mpg with NO dipping into the power. Both vehicles have issues... the panoramic roof has had some issues here and you can find those threads. The Turbos have some parts that are different and expensive... brake pads and rotors are VERY expensive on newer Turbos (assume the same for an '04 but not sure), for example. And if either has air suspension, there can be more maintenance costs keeping that working compared to conventional suspension--but when the air ride system is working right, the ride quality is excellent, really excellent. You can update the look of the 04 somewhat with wheels that are a little more stylish and there will be people here who can steer you at other exterior trim bits that can update the look a bit... like replacing the grill inserts, etc.

Petza914

You do have a dilemma. I myself have never been able to warm up to the exterior look of the 955,but with the tweaks they did in the 957, it's my favorite Cayenne body style, surprising since they're very much the same vehicle. I think the new nav yiu referenced didn't start until '09 even though other changes like the bodywork and DFI motor started in 2008 when the 957 was released.

​​​​Someone recently posted here that the most expensive car you ever bought was the one you bought instead of the one you really wanted to buy, and you already know you want the turbo. If you think you'll be happy with the S, for God sake, don't drive the turbo. When looking for my 957, I seriously considered the GTS with the manual transmission, but then drove a Turbo S - guess which one I own.

If i were you, just based on what you wrote, I'd keep looking for the right 957 Turbo so you get the car you want, especially if you plan to keep it for a while. If you do end up with the 955 turbo, I actually have the complete rear bumper from my '09 Turbo S for sale. Not sure if it will fit the 955, but if so, you could do that, find a 957 Turbo front bumper and for not too much money have the kook you want with the performance you want.

ScootCherHienie

The nav system in my 08 S (Navtec, I think, or maybe it's Navteq) is the worst I've seen/used. It does not announce street names and is very obtuse to learn how to use. A 2004 Garmin GPS is better. A $100 late model Garmin GPS with free lifetime traffic and free lifetime map updates runs rings around the built-in nav in the 08s (for $100 you get voice commands that actually work, street names announced, graphic real-looking versions of freeway off-ramps and interchanges with your lanes to stay in clearly marked as well as the green freeway exit signs that match what is on the real freeway exit signs 99% of the time. Plus waypoints, record your trip, altitude, current speed limit, your current speed, time to arrival, and on and on... the inexpensive Garmin looks funny stuck to the windshield with a nav unit in the dash, but it is SO much better. There are threads here describing how people are replacing the factory audio and nav systems with Android devices that support backup cameras and have much more capability than the original Nav system. It's not a cheap change, but it does update the interior and makes it easy to use Sirius if your 08 factory system doesn't have an aux input for a Sirius tuner (mine is the factory Bose system and there is no aux, no USB, no iPhone port). Installing one of these replacement head units is somewhat trickier with the factory Bose system so be sure you read the DIY threads to understand the issues if you do decide to replace the head unit instead of using a $100 Garmin GPS. (BTW, the $100 price was for a reconditioned unit... but be aware, NOBODY reconditions inexpensive electronic items like that. It costs them $50 or so just to handle an incoming "dead" deviice plus any parts that have to be replaced to make it fully operable and cosmetically nice looking. The manufacturing cost of a $200 GPS is around $35. So they can make a brand new GPS unit for $35... while HANDLING on returned unit costs $50... so companies would lose money on every refurb unit they sold. Most refurb units in products that sell for less than $300-$400 are just brand new items, sometimes packed in "plain" boxes (no multi-color graphics). These are sold to second or third tier retailers who CALL them refurb units in order to assuage retailers who may be selling the same "non-refurb" unit for $150-$200 and that also covers retailer "price match" policies so they don't have to match the price of the refurb unit.

Twintipin13

I have driven the 2008 Cayenne S, GTS and Turbo as I am looking at purchasing one right now as well.

The S was ok, GTS handled amazing and had good power........and then I made a huge mistake and drove a Turbo.

Jebus H Christ. I don't think I have been in that fast a vehicle, ever! I owned a 2004 VW r32 with big turbo pushing 450awhp and I think the Cayenne turbo was faster (at the very least more grunt and push back into the seat. For that heavy a vehicle to accelerate like that is insane to me.

Now, I have not been in a pre 2008 Turbo so Im not sure how it feels in comparison.

porschefan931

I may be biased, but Turbo all the way. Mine has the Pano roof, it's an 06 with 300,000 kms and the roof has never had an issue, as long as it lubricated correctly.
Brake rotors and pads are not that much different in cost between the S and Turbo, it's the Turbo S or E81 package that has the pricey rotors. Interior on the 955 is dated but if you use an aftermarket head unit or plug in bluetooth/usb system like the Dension you'll be all good. Similarly if you use your phone for the nav you're all good. Don't even worry about the gas mileage, they all suck so you may as well have the most fun whilst sucking

Jagdwagen

Hey guys thanks for all the replies, very thorough feedback.

So after reading all the above, I think I have decided to go for either the 957 Cayenne S or the 957 Turbo.
Question is, assuming the same year and same mileage, would you guys pay $5000 to go from the Cayenne S to the Cayenne Turbo.

Jagdwagen

@porschefan931 Saying Hello as a fellow Calgarian I am definitely leaning towards the Turbo, but just have to see if I can justify the $5000 jump in this kind of a market.

Jagdwagen

@Twintipin13 Yes I looked at a GTS as well today in the South East at Envision Auto (near the IKEA) and it was very nice, but getting a GTS instead of a Turbo with very little difference in the used market price range, would never go GTS.

Twintipin13

There is a beauty looking 08 turbo in edmonton for sale with 98k on it. Guy is asking high 20s, no idea if he's willing to negotiate, but looks like a good price for a low km car

user 83838290

Turbo all the way.

Petza914

Yup, every day of the week and twice on Sundays

Jagdwagen

Oh yes, I saw that. Very nice clean car especially for the mileage. Yeah he's asking around $29,000, might even be the original owner.

Jagdwagen

Ahahah alrighty. Lets hope I find a decent Turbo, if not I think I will jump for that Cayenne S.