Hello all, this is my first post and i am lookign for some feed back on a possible Cayenne purchase. I have been a 10 year BMW x5 owner. My current lease which is up in 2 months is an x5 5.0 M sport. i think it is time for a change and Cayenne is one of my considerations. Here are my questions:
1. I test drove a CS which was my original choice and was pleased however the car did have some body roll. My current X5 has m sport suspension with adaptive drive to flatten out the car in cornering. After speaking with the salesmen he recommended PASM which he claims will stiffen up the suspension and provide better cornerning. What is your experience between a PASM car? is the upcharge worth it? This is my daily driver and i enjoy spirited driving. There are very few PASM CS out there to choose from and most likely will need a special order. That car MSRP is approximately $84k.
2. Coming from BMW a CS is about a 10k premium over a similarly equipped car. So he asked me to drive a CD. I was apprehensive and had not considered a Diesel. He finally convinced me to test drive one and i was really suprised. Although it doesnt have the CS performance specifications, the motor had plenty of torque and the acceleration was spirited. This car MSRP is approximately $ 75k, which is more in my budget. How do you feel about the Diesel motor as opposed to a V8 petrol in the CS? Has anyone switched to a Diesel from a V8 an been disappointed? I am seriously considering the CD and the benefit of an extra 10 MPG would be a bonus. Again, not many CD with PASM so it would most likely have to be ordered.
3. A custom order seems to take 4-6 months?

 

I had been planning to get an X5d and Porsche came in "at the last minute" with the CD and my mind was made up. I think the X5 looks old inside and out and the Porsche transmission is light years ahead of what was in the X5d at the time. We've been happy with her 328 e90 which is why I was looking at the X5, but we've been happier longer with her 996 and that is what sold me even with the $15k premium.

First up is PASM, to get the same anti roll functionality you need to get PASM+PDCC. Its the later part that you are after. They are good options and change the car, but unless you are tracking it or towing heavy loads regularly most people with never need them. Since you are coming from a PDCC-like setup already though it may be something you want. There is certainly body roll, but I took my steel springs to an AutoX and was very pleased how well it did. Certainly PASM+PDCC would have made it that much more, but I'm still happy with my decision to forego them.

I can't compare the V8 to the TDI, but I am damn happy with my CD. Check out my BlueSpark thread for my impressions of a cheap excellent mod for the TDI that makes it better.

As to the order time. There are a lot of variables that can impact the delivery time. I ordered in Sept and had it in Nov, but I'm on the East Coast, had a pre-existing relationship with the dealer, and they had a bunch of open allocations. I hate waiting, but if you are going to buy a new Porsche being able to order it exactly as you want it is one of the best parts.

 

Gnat, Thank you for the response. I had a feeling the PASM needed another acronym to accomplish what i needed!!! so much for the dealer knowing his product. THe next gen X5 is due out in 2 months and they have released photos. Essentially it has grown bigger, but lighter, but it looks like the nose on the new 3 series, which i dont like. Time for a change i guess. I am going to check out another dealer and test drive with PASM to see any differance. I also noticed alot of the GTS dont even have the PDCC, so i guess that tells you its probably not needed. What is your real life MPG on your CD? BTW i did read your thread, thank you.

 

PASM by itself lets you change the ride height and gives you an auto-leveling function for heavy loads. At the lowest (Sport) setting it indeed stiffens the car up, but that doesn't help the roll entirely. The PDCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) is what you talk about on your X5 and that is where you will get the most anti-roll performance.

I've seen the "new" X5 and to me (besides the squinty nose it inherits from the sedans) it really looks almost like the current model inside and out. Just minor tweaks. That look dates back to the middle of the last decade and felt dated at that point to me. Just preference though.

Without the BlueSpark installed I had been doing 24mpg calculated over a whole tank (MFD was telling me 26). I've done one tank on Map 8 (26.4 calculated and 29.8 according to the MFD) and one on Map 6 (25.5/28.2). My commute used to run me about a 24-26 average (according to the MFD) but on Map 8 I pull a 29-31 average. Map 6 was just all over the place for me. The best I've seen was 36.3 (MFD) for an 80 mile round trip into the city.

The worst I've seen was 19MPG over 5 miles that took 45 minutes, but the next 11 miles to the office still brought that trip back up to 24.

 

I also made the move from the X5 to the Cayenne but my move was done a while back.

I went from a 2004 X5 4.4 to the 2005 X5 4.8 (The MX5 Equivalent now) then to a 2010 Cayenne GTS to now a 2013 Turbo.

I think PASM is a must. I have PASM and PDCC on my pepper. PASM will greatly reduce body roll and have road leveling height. Also you might like it in comfort suspension mode on those long road trips then put it in sport to carve up the road.

The diesel engines are damn near bulletproof with excellent MPG. If I was choosing between the S and the Diesel, it would be a toss up. With that being said, I think the diesel is the more attractive engine because a majority of its torque comes in the low end which makes city driving so easy. Then you get nearly 500 miles to the tank with the lower price point.

Either way, both vehicles are exceptional.

Goodluck in your search!

 

They claim 720 miles in the PR materials if I remember correctly. I'm always in the high 500s and the light usually doesn't come on until between 530 and 550 depending on how I've been driving and then I usually get another 70 miles before I fill up. I think the most I've ever put in the tank is about 24 gallons (don't have my records handy) which means I should have had another 50 miles or so at worst before it would sputter and die.

Diesel has also been running cheaper than premium where I fill up for quite some time which makes it even nicer

 

How I envy what you can get out of tank GNAT!

I'm almost on my second fillup when you're barely replacing one...

 

I've been tracking my milage and calculating what I would be getting with the V6 since that was the other option I considered. Assuming my math is correct (that really is a big leap) it's about a 1:1.5 ratio and I've "saved" anywhere from $20 (diesel cost more) to $42 (diesel was about $0.10 cheaper) per fill up. And given that I only do about 100-150 miles a week that means it's a long time between stops at the station

It will still be another 75k miles before I "pay off" the diesel premium over the V6 though

 

FKIM011 - So you are saying that the PASM alone will give me a sport suspension with out the PDCC, or is the PASM worthless, for sporting, if i dont get it with PDCC? Leaning more towards Diesel motor at this point. I get 340 miles from my current V8TT gaser.

 

If you want to control sway, you need PDCC. PDCC requires you have both PASM and air suspension.

You can also get PASM alone and this will allow you to stiffen the suspension which is a noticeable improvement on the corners (but not to the level of adaptive drive on the X5).

You can also just get PASM and air suspension which adds some additional forgiveness and is a near requirement for towing.

The choice between these options is really subjective and a matter of budget and uses. If you like to drive hard and can afford it you likely won't regret getting them all - PASM, PDCC, and air.

 

New X5 just debuted and will be on sale in September, with the diesel on sale in Dec / January. Much more modern and updated.

It looks quite different inside and fairly different outside to my eyes. It should be a great vehicle.

Notice that I just ordered a 2014 Cayenne Diesel without waiting for this car, despite my current BMW ownership. Based on the spy photos, I was not sold. Nor am I in the photos. It's definitely better, but I'm not so hot on it.

 

Also changed from a X5, X6M to a 958, great truck with superb handling. More expensive though especially if you option high.

Cheers,

 

You have it all wrong my friend. PASM & AIR SUSPENSION are 2 DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

the height adjustment is done by air suspension only. The ride adjustment is done by PASM only.

PASM ride options are COMFORT NORMAL SPORT. Does NOT affect ride height.

Air suspension gives you your height adjustment options. When your Cayenne is equipped w/air and the PASM sport option is chosen the car will drop down 1 level in ride height.


you can order a cayenne with steel springs and PASM OR you can order a cayenne with Air Suspension which INCLUDES PASM.

The optimal setup for any Cayenne is Air w PASM.

 

you cant get PDCC on a cayenne diesel. Only PASM or AIR w/PASM. The Cayenne diesel option is for buyers who arent make believe race car drivers. The Cayenne diesel is by far the truest SUV of all the cayenne models. Anyone whos driven a diesel knows it can hang with a GTS or Cayenne S all day long in regular day to day driving and the low end torque is 'addictive'. This is not to say the other Cayennes arent good but lets be honest....500HP is useless. Most of that HP is never used.....ever. A 240 HP diesel w its 403 lb/ft torque rating provides a ride that most 300 HP SUVS cant match. If you drive a diesel and than a base 300HP cayenne you will understand. No need for PDCC on an SUV....maybe a 911 but not an SUV. Porsche will eventually offer it on the diesel but only to gouge the customer

 

Ah. Thanks. I didn't realize the two were separate.

I don't know about believing I'm a race car driver, but I don't suggest you knock it until you try it. It's certainly no 911 (in experienced hands) or even a GTS/TT, but even with the steel springs and no PASM it is still very deserving of it's badge and heritage. Put it on a track (AutoX in my case) with an inexperienced driver along side similarly inexperienced 911 drivers and it will hold it's own quite well much to their shame Obviously as they gain better car control skills they would quickly surpass what I can do in the CD though.

Otherwise, I agree with your assessment. The TDI is a great everyday engine with plenty left over for when you can have some fun with it.