Cayenne Turbo S 06 or Cayenne S 09

[appleweed]

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all well.

I am interested in taking the plunge by hopefully buying a Cayenne over the next few weeks.

I have two options, which I need advice on:

Option 1: 2006 Cayenne Turbo S

• Approximate Price: USD 64,000
  
• Already depreciated
  
• 520 bhp
  
• Better looks (subjective!)
  

Option 2: 2009 Cayenne S

• Approximate Price: USD 73,000
  
• Brand New (depreciation)
  
• New Shape
  
• Better re-sale value
  

I have started off the list by indicating some advantages / disadvantages.

In essence I would like some opinions on whether it would be better to buy the 2006 CTS or get a 2009 Cayenne S. For those who may want to know, this decision is for a buy in Dubai, UAE.

Thanks for your time!

[wvicary]

Have you driven both an S and Turbo? I would go for the newer face lift version myself as I prefer the newer look.

[dsumners]

GO with the '09

[appleweed]

I've driven an 06 Turbo S as well as an 05 S. I am yet to drive an 09 S.

[bigbuzuki]

Turbo. There is no substitute.

[3ball]

I am more of a numbers guy. Same gas mileage(I think the turbo was rated at 1mpg less), and I was looking for more of a sleeper. After years of laser red Mustangs, I've learned the true value of subtlety regarding roadside interview frequency.

Why are you looking at a Cayenne? Because they're fast? Turbo, and you can enjoy the control and impressive power.

The look? then go with the newer S model, you'll be happier longer. And covered by warranty.

I'd take the turbo, but I'm crazy.

[OCNYPORSCHE]

My situation is close but not exact. I just bought a 05 Turbo, and my wife has a 08 S. The 08 S is newer and so far is holding its cost a bit. It is fast and has a new car warranty. But the Turbo (and this is not a Turbo S, since it is a 05) is really another beast. It is truly amazing and super fast. I own a 996, and in the past I have owned a 2 Mustangs, 1 C5 Corvette, and recently a 335i, and this Turbo can hold its own with any of them.

Lastly, you should never buy a car with resale value in mind. You should love to drive the car. Porsche make alot of Cayenne S's, so the actual resale value of the S's will eventually be bad. The Turbo S's are very exclusive. Just my $0.02.

[Bill_SoCal]

I would definitely love to have a turbo ;) ...my wife drives our '08 Cayenne and as with the '09, the updated look is impressive (and it's definitely gets up and goes), but I also like the style and ride of my '06. I can only imagine having my '06 with a turbo.

I see that you're making this purchase decision in Dubai, UAE. Isn't Dubai the largest volume Porsche Dealer in the world? Are these sticker prices or have you negotiated the pricing? Will you be affected by ForEx impacts or are you buying in local currency? I believe the dirham is fixed against the US dollar at 3.67...that makes the S priced at 267,910 in local currency, correct?

Either way, you can't go wrong! Cayenne's are blast to drive.

Good luck on your buying decision. Let us know which one you end up buying.

Happy New Year,

Bill B)

[silverspeedy]

Have you driven them both? A certified 06 is a really solid value. And the Turbo S is a monster. I have only driven an 04 Turbo and for the driving I do in the city and in the mountains, the Cayenne S was the clear winner. Plenty of power (it's still 350 HP!) and much more responsive for stop and go traffic and switchbacks up mountains. My opportunities to exceed 100MPH are very limited. However if you are going to be blasting across the Arabian Peninsula at 100MPH++ then you owe it to yourself to get the TurboS because you'll be one of the very few actually using the car for what it was designed to do better than anything else on the road.

Third "out of the box" option: get at 06 Cayenne S (no turbo) and do some personal (tasteful, though!) aftermarket performance (pipes, say) or cosmetic mods with the money you have left over.

Cheers, and happy motoring.

Feel good, because really you can't go wrong.

Phil

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all well.

I am interested in taking the plunge by hopefully buying a Cayenne over the next few weeks.

I have two options, which I need advice on:

Option 1: 2006 Cayenne Turbo S

• Approximate Price: USD 64,000
  
• Already depreciated
  
• 520 bhp
  
• Better looks (subjective!)
  

Option 2: 2009 Cayenne S

• Approximate Price: USD 73,000
  
• Brand New (depreciation)
  
• New Shape
  
• Better re-sale value
  

I have started off the list by indicating some advantages / disadvantages.

In essence I would like some opinions on whether it would be better to buy the 2006 CTS or get a 2009 Cayenne S. For those who may want to know, this decision is for a buy in Dubai, UAE.

Thanks for your time!

[appleweed]

Wow.

Thank you for all your great responses!

Where should I start?

I have not gone with a decision either way yet.

A little bit about Porsche out in the UAE and more specifically Dubai. A one dealer policy runs out here (i.e. Dubai) and one in Abu Dhabi (the capital), which means that there tends to be limited negotiation on sticker prices - unless you know someone! That can usually knock the price down by 10% or more. I do not expect prices to fall in the near term since I do not expect Porsche themselves to knock down their prices considering that the turned a massive profit in 2008/2009, albeit due to the increased valued of the VW shares.

I do like the new look, I think this is probably be my biggest hold point against going with the 06. The 'that one is newer' syndrome! However, I guess that this should really be weighed up against what my money is buying and more importantly the pleasure of the drive.

Did I mention that the Cayenne Turbo S 06 has just over 40,000 Km on the clock? Again this is weighing on my decision. Should I be worried about a somewhat used engine versus a brand new unused engine (ignoring factors like the newer engines are designed to be more efficient etc)? The Turbo S is not Certified and is being bought from a private seller. However a yearly renewable warranty is available on the car for the next few years. The current warranty runs out in May 2009.

The general opinion that I have heard is that I am crazy to consider an 06 Turbo S versus an 09 Cayenne S, when the price difference is minimal (well, somewhat!). Should I be considering the re-sale value at all - or is it really all about the drive and how it makes you feel..

Thank you once again for all your thoughts. If anyone has more to add, please feel free!

[tXster]

With any Porsche purchase, buy the best you can afford....

I picked up a '06 Cayenne with just 9,100 miles on the clock. I choose a base over an "S" or "Turbo" due to the minimum gain in MPG, price, and resale. In addition, I was able to add an extended warranty for under $1700 that will carry on 'til 2014 or 84K miles. I see plenty of "S" and "Turbo"'s on the road, online classifieds are littered with them. IMO, especially during this global economic downturn, buying the biggest, baddest, and expensive is a terrible idea, unless you really don't care and have the $$$ to spend, if that's your situation, great, good luck and buy the 09 S! If you're looking for a Cayenne and a good deal, pick up a nice base '06 for $30 - $35K with a lower mileage with at least a year of the remaining warranty and hide the window sticker :D

[appleweed]

Hi Everyone,

I went ahead and fired the trigger on the 06 Turbo S. I couldn't resist! It's felt great over the last two days.

I have a few quick questions (I've had a look through the forums, but haven't found satisfactory answers for some of the questions):

• Is the Turbo S meant to come with it's own 'Turbo S' owners manual? Mine came with a Turbo manual. The only reference that I see to the Turbo S is on the back! I ran the VIN number through the decoder, and again it only comes back with 'Turbo'.
  
• The brakes. Ah, the brakes. Lot's of resonance rather than scraping. Does anyone have any workable solutions. I am having the car detailed today, hopefully washing should bring down the noise. Should I consider a brake spray?
  
• Has anyone carried out any leather upgrades? Some images of the 09 Turbo S depict two tone seats, steering wheel and so on. I see that this is listed as an option on the 06, but has anyone done it on an already delivered car? I'm thinking side panels, steering wheel and seats.
  
• The last owner swapped trims from aluminium to light wood. Unfortunately he did not quite finish the job. I have the remaining two or three bits that need to fitted on the rear console. Does anyone have a guide / instructions on how to remove the relevant bits without causing any damage.
  
• Aside from tuning, does anyone have any suggestions on exterior or interior mods. Anything that you've tried that looks nice.
  
• I many have to start a new topic on this: Electronics. I'm considering moBridge for Ipod integration, however I was thinking of pushing it one further and intergrating an Apple Tv or a Mac Mini into the car. I have seen a unit called G-net, for composite / RGB input. Has anyone used this unit? If not, any suggestions on anything similar? I would need to use another device for audio since G-Net does not include audio.
  

Thank you for all your previous advice! It's all much appreciated!

[bigbuzuki]

Welcome to the Turbo world appleweed.

You have chosen wisely.

As I mentioned earlier, there is no substitute. ;)

[appleweed]

Anyone got any answers to my queries?

The brakes are still giving me a bit of a hard time - should I consider ceramics?

[Bill_SoCal]

Hey Appleweed,

Congrats on the ride! :cheers:

I don't have a good answer to many of your questions...in regard to the brakes though, how many miles does your Turbo have on it? In other words, has it had a front brake job before and where was it done? OEM pads or after market? I'm not an advocate of brake spray...please let me know and we might be able to provide further guidance.

As far as the manual, a Turbo owner will have to answer that question. I am unsure as to whether the Turbo and a manual differentiated from that of the Turbo S.

My wife's S has upgraded leather options. I don't know if I would invest the money in the changes unless it's really important to you. I would only order these changes through the factory myself.

We have the dark wood trim...it's a classy look on the Cayenne S. Sorry, I can't help you with instructions to finish the job. Based on the new pieces, once in hand, you should be able to determine the assembly from a reverse engineering perspective. While I've not done it, I can tell you from the work I've done on my Boxster, you shouldn't have too much trouble. I'm sure someone on the forum has made these changes and can provide you a better answer.

Electronics - If there is one thing I've learned from owning Cayenne's, is I don't mess with the electronics. I prefer to keep everything functioning as it was designed. There are lots of good mods available though...again, one of the creative and brave forum members will have to answer this one for you.

Please respond with the miles on your Turbo and whether the vehicle has had a brake job previously.

By the way, how did the detail go?

All the best,

Bill B)

[appleweed]

Hey Bill,

Thank you for your great response!

The detail went well, it feels a lot better, however there remains a few bits and pieces that need my attention. A few marks on the leather seem left over. Strange, but perhaps they weren't 'scrubbed' well enough!

The car had about 40,000Km (or 21,000 miles approx) when I bought it. I was told that the first owner did carry out a brake job, but I am not sure what he did. I will have to check with the dealer to find out. The brakes remain

stock. Any thoughts? The noise is driving me crazy - it really comes and goes. Certain dayd it isn't around, other days it happens all the time!

Unfortunately, an issue with the steering has popped up. I am hearing a sound ocassionally when the wheel is turned in one direction. It only appears whern driving, and not at standstill. I will have a look around the forum for answers..

I think the next service is almost due, it may be good to have the dealer have a look at all these worries!

As usual, any help would be much appreciated!

- Omar

[Bill_SoCal]

Hi Omar,

Glad to hear the detail came out well! Half the battle is having your Cayenne look fantastic! :D

Definitely see what was done with the brakes if you're able to determine the work was done at the dealer or an independent shop. More than likely they replaced the front pads only, and may or may not have replaced the rotors. There is nothing worse than noisy brakes... :cursing: I agree with you. If the brakes were replaced in the last year, the dealer or shop should still respect the warranty period regardless of title transfer and look at the issue for you. I would hope anyway...

When the steering is turned in one direction and you're rolling, is it a clicking or knocking sound that you are hearing? Can you hear it when you are driving slow only? If it's knocking you may need to have the Constant Velocity joints (CV's) checked and make sure you don't have a CV boot that may have been torn and allowed moisture into the CV joint. 21,000 miles is really premature for a CV joint issue...

Sorry you're having these issues. You really did get a fantastic vehicle. I have started to drive my '06 V6 more than my Boxster these days and just love the vehicle (pictured with my profile). No issues...My wife doesn't let me drive the S. Would love to have a Turbo!!

All the best,

Bill B)

[3ball]

Regarding Electronics

The moBridge for Ipod integration is decent, and safe to say the only method thusfar that is fully integrated. If you have the phone option on your PCM, definitely worth it!

For video input to the PCM, I would not expect to see you find an integral way to access it without splicing wires. Not a smart move, unless you are on really really close terms with the dealership. The PCM is rough to modify, but easy as hell to replace.

I have purchased a failed PCM for the framework/casing for a small computer to place inside. I have an electrical engineer who is repaying a favor by helping me fabricate a stock-looking dash computer. So far, we've used Ubuntu 8.04 desktop with KDE to create a basic interface on a capacitive touchscreen. It's still ugly, but since I am designing it in XML it should be extremely customizable for any solution. I can show you pictures on how to gut an existing PCM, and I would be happy to provide the electrical diagram for the interior components we have mapped to date (it is far from complete). This is a wildly longterm project since it's coming out of my pocket and spare time, but it's been a lot of fun so far. I expect I will lose quite a bit of the PCM's initial functionality, but at least my **** GPS maps will work!!