Real world life with a Cayenne S?

[Nemesis]

Hi everyone.

New here, and I'm starting to look into a SUV now since I need a bigger boot, but I also want something that purrs when I floor it (TechArt exhaust :P )

Right now I drive a BMW M5E60, and while I love it and it surprises me every day, I get 8MPG in the city, no matter what. Sometimes, it drops to 7MPG. Needless to say that the local gas station knows me by name :rolleyes:

What is the real world MPG on a CayenneS 4.5V8? They say 12MPG, but they also said the M5 gets 14MPG. :rolleyes: The newer 4.8 S models are out of my price league.

How expensive are they to maintain?

Do they break down alot?

Thanks!

[geoff]

I realize you asked about the earlier models, but I have an '08 Cayenne S, bought new last year. 2008 was the first model year with the larger V8 engine (4.8L) and direct fuel injection. Easy to get 16+ around town, and I've had some tanks of gas where I got 21 MPG on the highway, never dropping below the posted limit. In general, average around 18-19 MPG in typical driving, including lots of canyon driving. I know the earlier models get much worse mileage, based on a friend's comments (she has one of the really early ones), but still much better than her husband's 7-series BMW

The car has been as reliable as our '05 Carrera. I read lots of horror stories about the earlier Cayennes (think of the first few years alpha and beta test versions). Parts appear to be less expensive on average than for a Carrera, based on the cost to replace a cracked windshield, but it's all relative and will still be expensive. The Cayenne drives great!

[rizzo]

Hi everyone.

New here, and I'm starting to look into a SUV now since I need a bigger boot, but I also want something that purrs when I floor it (TechArt exhaust :P )

Right now I drive a BMW M5E60, and while I love it and it surprises me every day, I get 8MPG in the city, no matter what. Sometimes, it drops to 7MPG. Needless to say that the local gas station knows me by name :rolleyes:

What is the real world MPG on a CayenneS 4.5V8? They say 12MPG, but they also said the M5 gets 14MPG. :rolleyes: The newer 4.8 S models are out of my price league.

How expensive are they to maintain?

Do they break down alot?

Thanks!

I have an 04 S. If I am flogging it in the city it has dropped to 13mpg. If I take it really easy I have done 15mpg in the city. If I am using cruise control on the highway at 75mph I have done 18.7Mpg. One a recent trip back home I averaged 16.6mpg with several 130mph+sustained runs.

As far as breaking down... it has been my experience on this board that the early models have had their quirks for sure. Mine still gets a bulb out warning despite all bulbs functioning. Durametric software (code check and CEL light clearing) has been a big money saver... I get cylinder misfire, crank and camshaft position sensor warnings regularly (Once every two months or so, every five tanks of fuel?).

The coolant tubes will likely need to be replaced soon after 80K miles (not looking forward to that). Some have had nearly incurable drive shaft vibrations.

Do some more reading on this board and prep a list of things you need to find out about the unit you are looking at buying. Check the local Porsche dealer to at least get a feel for how yo will be treated when you bring it in for service. Some on this board have talked about less that good service from their local dealer for legitimate warranty service.

Good luck! And enjoy what you get!

God knows I have!!

[Nemesis]

Thank you guys!

Re my local Porsche dealer, my first experience with them was fantastic, the best I have received ever without a doubt. I got a tour of the workshop and the car warehouse, very friendly people.

Do you guys run them on regular or premium? My M5 for example, hates regular; it works rough and doesnt rev as nicely.

[Dennis C]

Cayennes need premium fuel.

My 2004 Cayenne S gets about 17.6 mpg (according to the computer) in mixed city/highway driving.

The earlier models are more prone to problems, especially the 2003 and 2004 models. That being said, they aren't all bad. Mine is still running on the original coils, I've never had a problem with the cardan shaft, and it has been overall pretty reliable.

[schmidty]

My 04 S averages around 16.5-18.5 mixed use, never slow. The only problems I've had is a nav unit that went out and a water pump which was showing early signs of failure both replaced under warranty. That being said it is still quirky: the parking brake light is a bit fussy ( a gentle tap backwith your toe is at times needed to make the light go away even with the brake off) and the PCM has mysteriously lost connection to the amp a time or two while driving. Also these things really are best out away from cities. I looked at a job in SF and would have sold it if I moved there. Out on the open road they are an amazing vehicle. I drove from Seattle to Denver with a very short rest stop in the middle and felt great when I arrived. I can't say the same for the either the x5 or the land rover I had before this. I have had it in 14 inches of snow out in the woods and it just flew through it like a (albeit very heavy) rally car. Just be aware that they do require some work, and (for an SUV) are really a drivers set of wheels with all the inherrent wear items (breaks tires) that go with that. And change the oil more than it asks for. My local dealer has had 3 engine failures despite servicing "well over 300" v8's-common factor: all were driven as shopping trip vehicles (aka very lightly, stop and go city traffic) and the oil was not even looked at until the next service at 20k miles was called for by the vehicle. When they took it out it was sludge.

[Noor]

OK. So here is my personal experience with our family 06 Cayenne S that my wife drives. All gas mileage, engine quirks and greatness of the car, in terms of power, acceleration etc and others issues that are being talked about aside, the one SINGLE reason I love this car is because it may have literally saved my family's life.

Late last year, my wife was driving, with I on the passenger seat and my 2 boys (5 and 6 then) in the rear seats. We were in the middle lane on i680 going North bound at about 70+MPH. There was a honda accord in fast lane little ahead of us on the left side driven by some female who I believe was trying to text using her cell phone while driving. All of sudden I noticed that the honda has started to swerve around and she lost control of her car with all the action in next few micro seconds. The next thing I know that Honda has completely done a 180 and I am looking at its headlight directly coming towards us. My Wife does what her instincts tell her to do, pulled the steering wheel to the right to avoid a head-on collusion pushing our Cayenne in right lane, avoiding the head-on with the Honda and yes there was another car in the slow lane ahead of us moving in the right direction however at a slower speed and after we missed the honda literally by inches or centimeters, my wife pulled the car right back in center accelerating to avoid the collusion with the slow car. And with in split of the second it was all over and we were completely untouched. The Honda behind us passed over the slow lane and hit the edge of the highway crashing into a dirt mound.

I can tell you, if this was another SUV (May be besides an X5) God knows what would have happened to us. My wife is a good driver but she is not professionally trained. She halls my 2 boys to school and soccer fields.

That day every penny that I have spent on this car paid off and more. And I had a totally new found respect for this fine machine. I am a fan for life. 14MPG or 21MPG, nothing is worth more then your life. Only thing you have in your control on the road is your action and not the other drivers. Get this car!

[3ball]

04 turbo owner here, I get ~11mpg if i drive aggressively, and around 15 for normal city cruising steady at 40-50mph.

The mpg decreases drastically the faster you go over 70. That's all I'll say.

[mazingerv1]

mine is 16.8MPG

[rogerhavoc]

16.7MPG for mixed driving here.

[odix]

2004 S w/58,000miles. (2004 S has the engine you cite in your post: 4.5.) Recent purchase (CPO from dealer) in March 2009. MPG overall city/hwy is 15 to 16 but that's mostly city, suburbs. If taken easy and driven within limits then 19 and possibly 20MPG may be attainable on hwy. So far all premium gasoline (Shell).

Love the vehicle. We have a new baby girl and seeing her in the middle of the rear seat in her car seat is a significant comfort. Cayennes are well built, handle well and are solid/safe. Yes they are heavy but you know this already. Google "Cayenne crash" and you can see how well these vehicles do in major collisions.

You may find this amusing, we came close to purchasing a Honda Fit. We also looked at the Subaru Forrester XT and the VW Jetta TDI wagon -- all new. All decent vehicles but none as safe as a used Cayenne. They seemed like tin cans compared to the Cayenne. The CPO is a comfort as it's under warranty for 2 more years or 100,000 miles plus roadside assistance. The vehicle has been well cared for -- it's all stock, was a lease return -- in stunning condition -- and all the service and TSBs have been completed by dealers.

Cayenne handles well -- more high-end sedan than SUV. My S does not have the air suspension -- the spring suspension provides a somewhat harsh ride but we test drove it (it's mainly my wife's vehicle ) and knew what we were getting into. We opted for less complexity and the tighter ride is fine with us. Plus that's what the dealer had in the CPO price range we were looking at. But, it does have PCM, HID lights, amazing interior, tire pressure monitoring, etc, etc.

We are somewhat mellow drivers but we can tell this vehicle, when pushed, totally delivers. You name it, merging, cornering, braking, wet weather, high speeds. And a low speed note -- the turning radius is excellent. Better than my Subaru Outback I sold after we purchased the Cayenne.

Dealer has been amazing. I am stunned with their overall service (Sonnen Marin) and attention to detail. As a CPO it's still under warranty and we've had a few minor issues dealt with quickly and professionally (and more importantly, preemptively. It was at the dealer, when we were driving away, that they noticed the starter sounded odd -- we did not notice -- so they replaced the starter under warranty).

We are treated as if it's a new car. And we are not the typical Porsche demographic. We first drove up in a VW Golf dressed in hiking clothes and dusty (we stopped by the dealer after a hike). We were treated as if we were anyone else in business clothes. The Porsche vibe is more down-to-earth/techno hip than BWM or Merc snooty vibe from what I can tell.

So yes, service costs more than other vehicles, the weight makes tires wear quickly (I have 19" wheels) and MPG is an issue but you know it going into the deal. And you can purchase Cayenne/Porsche approved tires at Costco although the dealer has almost as good deals.

Know that the Cayenne will take some time to "learn" -- so read the manuals, spend time on this site and you are set. I purchased a battery conditioner which I plug in and then can sit for hours in the Cayenne in the garage with the engine off, but electrics on, which allowed me to learn every switch and setting overall, PCM, etc. -- with no battery drain. By learn it I mean know where you battery is, how to jack up the vehicle the event of a flat, how the keys work (and the key is a mini version of the Cayenne -- so very cool, I love the detail), how to set-up Homelink, etc. You'll be surprised how much detail the manuals cover. How to access your battery, pull the headlight/tailight housings and a lot more is covered.

It's a very safe vehicle and I actually look forward to driving it. PCM is straightforward and the sound excellent. I have not taken it off road or in the snow. I'm not an off roader but it will handle fire roads and similar terrain with no problem. I may get all weather tires this fall and trips to Tahoe will be fine.

Upgrades I've made: I purchased the 18" collapsible spare (found one on Craigslist ), front and rear carpets (from an online store) and a Weatherguard cargo liner (from another online store). Also roof rails from Sunset Porsche -- with the Renntech.org discount. And it's this site that has the roof rail installation instructions. I love the rails. They look great (silver) and you can then use Yakima or other cross bars. The rails do not change anything as it reals to wind noise. Cross bars do but you can take them off and on easily from the rails.

I happen to like the older Cayenne front ends without the LED lights more than the new front ends so the '04 is fine with me.

So, would I repeat my purchase, buy this vehicle again? Yes. Without a doubt. We love it. I've never felt this way about a vehicle. I'm pushing for a long road trip this summer -- gas prices be damned.

And this site is absolutely, bar none, the best resource. In fact, knowing this site exists makes me consider someday purchasing another Porsche.

Anyway, I could go on and on. The S was fine for me but if you can swing it go for the Turbo.

Edited July 10, 2009 by odix

[Bill_SoCal]

Our '08 S gets 16-18...we love the SUV. My wife has put her claim on this vehicle, so I typically don't get to drive it. My daily driver is my Boxster.

Our '06 gets typically the same in mileage with the V6. I have turbo pipes on it and it sounds awesome! We also have 20" wheels...it's not the price of gas that gets me, it's the price of the tires! I run hard when we drive and we've also done some off-road events. I love to run the gears in tiptronic and just listen to the engine. Even with the under power of the V6, it's a blast to drive and typically the vehicle we use for family outings.

The Cayenne is a great vehicle. I've driven many SUV's and wouldn't own another one.

Quick story...when the first V8 came to Pioneer Porsche in Olive Green Metallic with the Savanna/Sand Beige full leather, I had to have it. I loaded up my kids and we went down and the entire family obviously loved the vehicle. I traded in our '06. Within a few days I has serious remorse that my treasured '06 was traded in. I call Matt at Pioneer and asked him the status of my vehicle. At the time they had changed the front brakes and done a few things to certify it as a used vehicle. I loved that vehicle so much that I took the loss, paid the additional money the dealer had put into the Cayenne to certify it, and brought it home. I have absolutely no need for two SUV's. They are such a great and practical vehicle, that we now own two.

Maintenance is easy...I'm in the synthetic oil business, so I do all my own oil service/filters even though I have lifetime oil service on both Cayenne's through Pioneer in San Diego. We've had no issues with the vehicles. I change the oil on both at 10K. I've done the oil sampling through Blackstone laboratories to ensure the intervals are correct. My '06 Cayenne got front brakes at the dealer when it was used certified...it now has 48K I now need to replace the brakes again. Pretty darn good. I do use my tiptronic through the mountains and in stop and go traffic. It's just fun to drive...correction: They're fun to drive!

I'd buy the Cayenne in a minute. There is not another SUV I would even consider.

All the best,

Bill :beer: