VWAffe

/joking on/

Hi, I'm a complete n00b when it comes to Porsches, I haven't read the stickies, and want to ask the usual questions about which Cayenne is the best and cheapest. Can you help me?

/joking off/

Hi - this place looks like fun.

No questions, really, after lurking a while and reading a lot of the stickies. Have personally owned 7 VWs over the last 18 years and have indirectly "sold" at least five more to family and friends (hence the username). I still have five of the 7 (OK, one's become a fun kitbash project, and the other is hanging around to give up its W8 parts), culminating in a 2011 TDI Touareg that I'm about to make a killing on in the buyback. What a great platform and engine... absolutely love it, but don't like the way VW decontented the 2011-up T3s. It's been fun for me (and agony for my wife watching me) trying to decide what to replace it with for the last few weeks.

I started by thinking about a cheap Turbo S Beetle to drive for a while, then a 6-speed Audi TT, then a Stage 2+ C5 Allroad 6MT, and even a 986 Boxster, and finally... I realized my aging knees need a taller DD, and don't want to give up the capability of the T3, so I came full circle to a more offroad-equipped Gen 1 Touareg V8. I may still go that way, but most have been rode hard, and VAG does some stupid things wrt routine maintenance (V8 FSI timing belt every 80k max, but the V8 TFSI chains usually need new guides by 160k, and that's an engine-out job.) The Pig may have some weak spots, but once I realized that if it ever needed to be done, that the timing chains on an S or a CTT are up front, and that CTT brakes are the same $$ as V8 Touareg brakes... I was sold. That, and the fact that even the inflated 955CTT asking prices are within the top end of my cash budget...

My VCDS will work on the 955s, I'm painstaking as a mechanic, and my wife's uncle used to own and race two 911s... ergo she's on board, knowing any Porsche I buy will be possibly forever. Hell, I still have the F-250 4x4 Diesel I bought used and half-broken 20 years ago!

If I get what I think I want (I have a prospect or two, but haven't seen either in person yet), I'll post it up, and will contribute where I can, though most topics have been exhausted. If not, I'll settle for a $5-7k V8 Touareg and wait...

Cheers!

TomF

Welcome! Great start to your post...

It sounds like you've really done your homework- that goes a long way with those of us who have been rattling around here for a while. Post and ask away when you have suitable candidates to consider. There are some really knowledgeable folks here that are very happy to help.

Cheers,
TomF

nodoors

If you are willing to risk cylinder scoring, then the 955 CTT is definitely worth the extra money over any V8 treg. Just remember to order your parts from VW and NOT the P car counters!

VWAffe

I aim to please...

Thanks! I tend to read and research ad nauseam, sometimes too much and to the point of indecision, if you ask my wife... <

I've only found a few threads on the topic, but am honestly hoping to find a unicorn; a CTT with the Off-Road Technology Package - this little piggie will spend a lot of weekends off pavement as it was designed to. (I love to explore, and the added security of a rear locker is peace of mind just in case... getting the family stuck out in the middle of some remote forest trail isn't my idea of fun.) I actually have one lead - I hope to see it soon, but am not sure it'll pan out. If not, there are a number of "regular" CTTs around here locally as well.

Question: My uncle cautions me to beware of folks inflating prices just because it carries a Porsche badge, but in looking for ground truth, I've noticed a huge discrepancy between the KBB and NADA values on 955 CTTs... any words of wisdom there?

A similarly up-optioned V8 Touareg has the same rear locker (but lacks the swaybar disconnects, factory skid plates, and 130 hp!) and although rare, is a little easier to find, and far cheaper. Regardless of which way I go, my extra set of winter/offroad tire rims should fit.

So you're saying the jury is still out on whether cylinder scoring is less prevalent in the CTTs as opposed to the Ss? If it's a universal issue, I've got no problem pulling a plug to check... I'm ordering a cellphone borescope before I go start inspecting cars to sneak peeks at the coolant pipes et al, and could easily check cylinders, too.

That's actually a huge factor in favor of defecting from VW to Herr Ferry's camp now that used values have come down so much. Besides having ostensibly better V8 engines (the VAG V8 FSI has its own share of intake manifold problems), the Cayenne interiors seem to be much better-wearing (except for the steering wheel controls - about equal) and better appointed than the Touaregs, but also share diagnostics and a lot of normal wear parts until you get to the CTTS.<

RMEuropean is not too far away and doesn't charge shipping for next-day local pickups...

Stay tuned... and thanks for the welcome.

phatz

As you are not using CAPS, I assume you are not too ancient ...I guess you could always turn it into a planter

VWAffe

All while hollering at kids to Get off my lawn!

James1911

Welcome... A lot of good people on this site. I'm in Arvada, so it sounds like we could be neighbors.

VWAffe

Thanks, James. I'm a bit further south around the Springs, but will probably be doing my shopping in DEN... not much to choose from here.

James1911

Make sure you check out Hanksville Hotrods in Littleton.