thoughts on this Cayenne S ?
 

I have been thinking about adding a pepper wagon to the fleet for rainy days or when more than one passenger is in need of a ride . Have looked/driven a few nothing said buy me yet :D . Started an email conversation with the seller of this one , titanium edition with black/gray interior . Supposedly a fair amount of service records including coolant pipes and Kardan shaft bearing . What do you think ?


https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/d/low-miles/6607468747.html

Looks nice but very few details. It’s all about maintenance with those things as I’m sure you know.

I drove a GTS before buying my Cayenne S. Rode like a tank with stiff suspension, yet the Cayenne is way too heavy to feel nimble or sporty.

They didn't make that many GTS's yet there are a ton for sale all the time. Run a CarFax...I bet it's had several owners. For some reason people just don't keep them.

Craig - the GTS has selectable ride firmness as part of the air suspension.

rf - Good looking ride. The GTS wheels and color...

The air suspension was an option for the S. If that one has it, it's a great deal. The options for these can drive price.

Recommend nothing before 2009 unless all the known issues have been addressed. That said the Cayenne’s are great vehicles.

What are the " known " issues ? I know of the coolant pipes and drive shaft bearing and the seller says both have been replaced . Also coil packs been replaced . What else ?

I love my 06 and it has 135k miles. I know the air suspension (I do not have) can be expensive down the road if it fails. Outside of the bearing and coolant pipes, which you stated were done, sounds like you are golden. Gas mileage on the 4.5 is roughly 11-12 in town and 17 on the highway. Yes, it is dismal, but the fun factor makes it worth it. What else can haul the whole family, in any weather, blast through corners and tow my boat with ease for the money?

Personally not a fan of the Ti editions as they all have the two-tone seats (not my cup o' tea).
For that vintage (pre-facelift) and price-range, I'd probably be looking at an `05-`06 Turbo or even a Turbo S.
In addition to the HP bump, the TT rigs have a quite a few niceties that are either options or not available at all on the base/S models.

FYI here's an `05 TT in the same area with similar miles for $2k less. Might be worth a look:
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/2005-porsche-cayenne-turbo/6611536160.html

SmileWavy

Yep I went and looked at that one , dealer couldn't get it started :( It took two jumper packs to get it started , warning lights flashing like a disco ball :D Carpets are trashed and when I walked around the vehicle I touched the passenger side rear tail light assy and it fell out of the vehicle :confused: Needless to say I passed . I like the two tone interior especially the black/grey so not a show stopper for me . But thanks for the feedback .

I don't' know anything about the Cayenne but I would safely assume it's a a decent car.

"Any issues are worth fixing & it would stay fixed". Am I wrong?

I don't understand why you didn't buy it. :confused: :D

I test drove a really cheap, used Ford Aerostar van from a dealer many, many years ago. I was driving really slowly listening to the thing. Then I got out on a road where the speed was 45 or so, and from 25 or so, stomped the gas. I wanted to put a load on it and see how it ran when pushed a bit. It's the kind of thing that it would be forced to do occasionally on the freeway or when passing someone, but at a higher load/speed, so I didn't feel bad about it. It made a horrible noise like an old coffee can full of nuts and bolts in a paint shaker. I immediately let off and went back to slow and steady. It seemed fine again, quiet and smooth. I was headed back to the dealer and tried one more time, again, same horrible noise. I pulled back into the dealer and backed it back into it's spot. Just about the time both of my feet hit the pavement, I heard a noise. I stepped around in front of the van just in time to see what looked like the old girl puking her guts out. I can only assume that there was a problem with a motor mount and when I put the load on it, a fan or something chewed into the radiator, but it was OK, until I got back to the parking lot. I don't know, maybe it was just a hose or something, but the fan in the radiator seemed to account for the dump AND the sound that I'd heard. Yeah, the sales guy stared with his mouth agape. I watched the antifreeze flow with him for a second, and then said "I think I'll pass on this one," followed by a chuckle.

I've seen lots of "it's been great with no problems" comments here on the board over the years. I've also seen a ton of them (including in the comments on the board) with miles in the 100k-250k mile range. I've gotten the impression that they are pretty solid aside from a few well known issues, that can be fixed. (don't ask me what those issues are).

Nice !

Yeah, a dead battery will throw all sorts of faults - warning lights flashing like a disco ball. The tails light snaps on to detents, and then screwed in from the sides. I cant imagine how someone screwed that up.

As Eric said, lots of extras with the Turbo. Full leather and suede-ish headliner, color center display...

It's all about comfort level with a sophisticated machine. Little things are huge, if not understood.

OK last night I called the seller , per him and supposedly backed by Carfax he's the 2nd owner . He bought it with aprox. 58,000 miles it now has 85,000 . Said the first owner bought it in Miami , was eventually transferred to Spain for work and the vehicle also went to Spain . Vehicle spent time in Spain then sent back to the U.S. and eventually sold to current owner . Somewhere in that move from Spain to the U.S. the windshield cracked ( still cracked ) and the car was " keyed " on the passenger side doors and the scratch/s are down to the primer . The seller said he thinks he has the vehicle priced keeping those items in mind .

So he has a Carfax and all the records since purchased new . Has paperwork signed off by dealership in Spain for routine work . Has paperwork for coolant pipes replaced , driveshaft bearing , coil packs and recently both headlights replaced ( bi xenon ) . He said the modules on the headlights went kaput . So it sounds like a well documented vehicle , he stated it runs fine with no issues and no warning/check engine lights . The vehicle is out of state at the moment as he just bought another vehicle and left the Cayenne at a friends house . So the way we left the conversation is next weekend he will bring the Cayenne back to Georgia . He will take pics of the windshield crack and the keyed paint . I will then go look/drive the vehicle and see what happens .

Spain? I really don't like the sound of that. Cars can suffer if they're not in protected storage on the boat.

But if it's a steal then you have to factor that in.

And why didn't the PO replace the windscreen and get the scratch fixed?

Stuff like that make me suspicious.

Good question but I have no way of knowing . Maybe he was planning on selling cheaper than market value ? Will never know . I need to look at the records but either the first owner or the 2nd spent a good amount of $$$ to replace coolant pipes , driveshaft bearing , coil packs , headlights plus regular maintenance . Also has newer set of Pirelli's . The current seller told me last night the windshield crack and keyed paint are more of a nuisance to him vs. a must fix/repair . In the overall scheme of things I'm more concerned with running issues ( or lack of ) vs. cosmetics . If he really has all these records he say's he has it could be a diamond in the rough . But they all look good over the phone :D I am going to go see/drive the vehicle when it's available and look over the paperwork . If I make an offer it will include the cost of windshield replacement and paint repair .

I be my ‘04s for years now.
Had to do the drive shaft.
Cracked fuel filter in back seat area
Battery
Fuel vapor valve
Ignition coils.
Valve cover gaskets.
Brakes
Tires
Oil changes.
Put in a NAV unit.
Horns.
Horns.
Horns.
Headlight wire harnesses. (They dry out)
Transfer case motor. Got a used one for $50

And that’s about it. Not bad for 8 years.
The coolant tubes were already done when I got the vehicle.

That Turbo in Eric's link is looking like the better buy. --easier to fix a tail light than keyed paint.

Along with the issues you mentioned the fuel pumps tend to fail at about that mileage. Also the lighting is usually a problem but you said he already replaced the headlights. Check the tail lights I bet they are cracked along the top that allows water to get in. I think there was some sort of flex in the body that cracks the tail lights. They eat up brakes and tires but I found that using cheap pads and rotors from ebay is better than OEM stuff and lasts much longer for some strange reason. I just replaced the pads and rotors last week I paid under $200 for everything and got two years out of the last set. All of that being said I love my Cayenne it is 14 years old with 181000 miles and still going strong.

This thread is a head-scratcher for me. First off, why would you consider this? Why spend $12k cash on an aging, high maintenance SUV? And if so, I would think that the supply is very plentiful and would preclude looking at one that needs a paint job. Unless someone likes their cars pre-keyed, to not have to worry about it happening.

I get that they drive well for a lumbering SUV but at today’s gas prices, it seems like you could drive something a lot newer and smarter for less $$. YMMV, as they say. 12mpg on premium would get stupid in a hurry around here.

NFW would I buy a recent model car that has been to Europe. This car has way too many stories and Cayennes are a dime a dozen, you will be able to find something better.

G

You must flog that like...

Well, I certainly don't have issues with brake pads or tires wearing too fast. Although I get 17-19 mpg. Just saying, driving habits...

Funny, speeder says; lumbering SUV - ridiculous. Drive a Tahoe, then a Touareg and then a Cayenne... Cayenne are buttery smooth and well mannered. Hell Denis, go from one of your MBz to a Turbo or GTS Cayenne and get back to us about which is lumbering. :D

Gas prices don’t make that much of a difference. All depends on how much you drive.
My CS does about 12,000 miles a year. Average 15mpg.
So I’m spending about $2640 a year on gas.

If I bought a Prius for $35,000. And got 60 mpg. I’d spend $660 in gas per year.

Say you spent $15,000 on a cayenne. There is $20,000 difference in price.
Prius will save you $1980 on gas per year.

In 10 years the Prius will break even. And be more cost effective.

fify.

;)

There was a poster here whose wife drove a Cayenne. I think it was an S. I think that guy had a problem with weird, uneven hyper fast tire wear on that thing. THe dealer had been over it and had it over and over again and couldn't find the issue.

Ha! Yeah, when I would let my wife take mine the fuel economy would plunge to 13-14 mpg.

When confronting her she says something about the stupid drivers out there and having PMS and a Porsche. :D

a few months back I found her a CS to be her own. --I'll be tracking the tire and brake consumption. ;)

Oh, and on tire wear...

If it has air suspension, the toe will change with ride height; and significantly between highest and lowest heights. Clearly alignment issues will eat tires and fuel.

I aligned mine at the lowest ride height because that's were it's driven 99% of the time. And I've been amazed at how long the tires last. As in, I worry about the age more than the wear.

Life is too short to drive boring vehicles that's one of the reasons I'm looking for a pepper wagon . Gas mileage means very little I might only average 50 miles a week ! The turbo I looked at was beat to crap , I wouldn't give that dealer 5K for that POS . If this one is a clean as the seller say's with all the records 500.00 for a windshield and 750.00 to paint both doors and it's done . My wife drives a Toyota RAV4 with a V6 , it is an appliance . Reliable as a stove but just as boring . We are just talking here so all comments welcome .