Let's talk about Cayennes.....

Alright fellas.... Spring is here and my wife's Audi Allroad is starting to wear after 140k. I spend a lot of time traveling and I want to get her something that is relatively reliable and can still be used to haul the kids. Before I begin poking around in the Cayenne forum. I wanted to ask my ole 996 board about a used Cayenne S. Looking to spend ~$20k or less. I've driven a few but before I get serious...... I'm looking for information regarding common problems/issues (engine, drivetrain, suspension, etc. ) and models/years to avoid? Thanks, Ryan

The main issue I know of with the V8 models is that one of the coolant pipes is made of plastic and is a huge pain in the *** to replace when it goes bad. Other than that, I haven't heard of a lot of reliability issues with them.

Ya know we have a cayenne forum with all kinds of info.

In seriousness - I have seen posts about issues with electrical "gremlins" (body control module), but I don't know how accurate/widespread this is. It also is apparently brutal on tires, but that's to be expected of anything fast that weighs that much. I owned an X5 for a few years and went through a pair of front tires every year. The issue with the plastic cooling pipes Capt. Obvious referred to seems to be the most prevalent issue.

My daily driver is the 2002 996 C4S. My wife's daily driver is a 2004 Cayenne S. Our Cayenne is a wonderful vehicle and it has been very reliable. It has roughly 120K miles on the odometer. Here are a few things to consider on a used Cayenne S: - Cayennes get horrendous gas mileage. We average around 13 mpg in the city, 21 mpg on the road and 16 mpg in mixed driving. - Cayennes are heavy, and they EAT tires and brakes. Tires will last about 30K mikes, and brakes will last about 40K miles. - The electronics in Cayennes (especially the 955) are behind the times. There's no Bluetooth, many of them don't have satellite radio, and the PCM nav is mediocre at best. - Like the 996, repairs can be quite expensive. They aren't common, but they can be expensive. - Common issues include: coolant pipes, cardan shafts, ignition coils, water pumps, fuel pumps and more. If you live in a humid area, you'll need to replace the horns every so often. On the bright side, the Cayenne is comfortable, fast and reliable. The AWD system works very well, although maybe not quite as well as Quattro. There's plenty of storage space and they tow effectively. My advice is to look for one that has lots of options. I highly recommend the comfort seats with ruffled leather as well as PASM. Do your homework. Get a PPI. Buy a Cayenne that has had the coolant pipes replaced. If the major issues are addressed, you'll be very happy with a Cayenne.

A little more Googling indicates that the Cayenne has negatively impacted Porsche's overall reliability ratings, but I can't find my Consumer Reports login credentials to back this up.

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Thanks for the input! Yeah a quick browse in the Cayenne forum and all I see is the coolant pipes. Gas mileage sounds similar to the Allroad (terrible). I am actually torn between the Cayenne S, Volvo XC90 and an Audi A3. Of course the A3 is the most economic of the three minus the interior room. I am concerned with the resale value of the Volvo, they don't appear to hold any value with any significant mileage. Back to the Cayenne...How does the V6 compare to the V8 (other than power)? I recall the gas mileage being nearly the same.

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Can't be any more difficult than doing the IMS on the 996.

I looked seriously at Cayennes and instead wound up with a 2008 BMW X3 with the M sport package for around $20k. Between gas mileage and old, old electronics, the first generation Cayennes, while fun to drive, are just not a great option. 2008s and later are much better, particularly the GTS, but priced accordingly. While X3s have some issues of their own, I like driving the thing, it looks cool, and I average around 21 mpg.

The V6 doesn't fare much better than the V8 in the 955 in terms of gas mileage. It's a little better on fuel consumption and on power in the 957, but I'd still go for the V8. The prices you're talking about will most likely be a 2004 or 2005 955. The only real difference is the CD-based nav in the 2004 vs.the DVD-based nav in the 2005. I would avoid the 2003 if I were you - too many bugs.

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Only one problem.. I need a replacement that is larger or equivalent to the Audi. I think the X3 class vehicles might be a tad small. If I do decide to go small.. A3 TDI

One more thing - buy a Cayenne with the service records available. Also, look for one that had the coolant pipes replaced as a prophylactic measure before they burst. If they burst, the flood of coolant into the engine can damage the starter and also damage the torque converter in the transmission.

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I agree, the power of the V8 is more desirable and fun. 955 S might be a starting point.

A few more things to consider: If you plan to tow anything, buy a Cayenne that has a factory hitch installed. Aftermarket hitches and wiring are very expensive. Also, some Cayennes come with roof rails and some with roof tracks. I prefer the cleaner look of the tracks and they will accept mounts for racks like Thule or Yakima. Finally, you have to decide whether or not to buy a Cayenne with the pano roof option. They have been reported to squeak and rattle. I'd avoid them. However, some people like them.

Having owned a 04 Cayenne S and now a 05 Turbo. The Turbo is much better on brakes. Coolant pipes went on both but once that is fixed with aluminum, it doesn't have anymore issues. I would go Turbo, they are just put together much better and can handle the wieght. My S ate brakes while with the Turbo I am still on the same set of pads after 70k km

Interesting comments about brakes since the turbo and the S share the same rotors, pads and calipers. What do you think causes the improvement in wear in the turbo brakes?

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I have no idea. I thought they were different, maybe my S had something wrong with it or my indy used some other brand of pads rather then oem. That could explain it.

Lets not. (just kidding)

I once heard that every bearing in the Cayenne engine is an IMS bearing.

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V6 Cayenne is considered very reliable with no "bugs". Also handles better than the "S" with less weight on front tires. I attended a Cayenne buying seminar at Tech tactics West in Dec by a 30 yr Porsche tech. He highly advised against buying a non V6 Cayenne unless it was 2008 or newer. 2008 & newer have no issues. 2009 & newer have better touchscreen usability.

One cool thing about the V6 Cayenne is the are available with a manual transmission and the "V6" is actually a Volkswagen VR6 engine, which are nearly bullet proof and have one of the (IMO) most amazing engine notes on the planet when uncorked.

The V6 cars are a bit underpowered for most people's tastes, and they don't really offer any benefit in terms of mileage. I think the V8s are quite good once the coolant pipes and coils are changed. I haven't heard that the V6 handled better than the V8 due to the lower weight. I don't think it matters too much - either one of them handle like a school bus compared to a 996. The Cayenne S is probably more likely to be nicely optioned compared to a V6. There were some V6 cars produced that were heavily optioned, but it's more likely that you'll find a V8 car that has the gear you want.

See my sig. 'Nugh said.

After having a 2005 Cayenne S and a 2003 Touareg V8, my advice is. Don't!! They eat transfer boxes, gear boxes, carden shaft bearings, any number of sensors related to ride height, headlight angle, batteries, tires, brakes, and fuel. Later models (2008 on) are considerably better, but don't get one without a comprehensive warranty IMHO I have an X5 now and love it. Its not without the odd problem too, but its a hell of a lot cheaper to run and maintain. Would you consider an X1? They are not badly priced for 2012 models, and rather cool.

I have an '04 cayenne turbo. Great vehicle and I didn't think i'd like it as much as I do now. Yep coolant pipes and cardan shafts, but other than that... smooth sailing.

We have had our 06 Turbo for 3 years, nearing 100k miles now. My wife daily drives it. Great car, has been 100% reliable. I have even lapped on track with it.

I've been semi-seriously looking at Cayennes for ~4 months. In MY '04-06 Turbo seems to be the way to go, with preventative fix or repair to the things previously mentioned. These are in the low 20s now with reasonable (60-80k) miles. I've also seen some '08 S models in the mid-20s lately so might be worth waiting a few months or stretching your budget a little. Here's a beautiful '08 GTS in central California if you can stretch budget into the 30s. 405HP and GTS trim package is great! http://www.smithvolvo.com/used/Porsc...bd1128d40b.htm Good luck.

BTW -- to your original question -- lots of MY '04-'06 S models out there for less than $20k. If that's the direction you decide to go it should be a buyers market. Set up alerts on eBay and AutoTrader for what you're looking for, and you'll get a browsing list daily.

RP -- not sure where you are in your Cayenne considerations. Here's a decent Turbo on eBay with buy-it-now price <$20k; a little high on miles (108k) but looks like the major things have been taken care of. In your general area so might be worth a look-see.