Porsche Cayenne

highender · August 2004

hi alan3:

I have not heard of any chips for the V6 yet...but you can check the powerchip company, which does have chips for both V8 and turbo models. However, both chips voids the warranty, though they are nearly indetectable . I have thought about upgrading the engine with a chip, but decided to hold out for now...the guys at powerchip insist that the setup is flawless and hidden. Costs about $2100 for all ...including mailing the board to them and they install the chip , then fedex the modified board to you. Supposed to be an easy removal and install that you do on your own.

You may want to check some other chip company...autoauthority, etc..

loum · August 2004

To whoever is interested, if you are waiting for rebates from Porsche, you are dreaming! The 2004 models are discounted heavily (depending on the dealer)since the 2005 models are coming out next month.

I just signed up for a 2004 Cayenne S at almost $8K off MSRP, or a few hundred dollars under invoice. I am taking delivery on Monday! This is the second car I buy from this dealer within the last 2 months(this helps!) The dealer is in MA, and I am happy to share more details with whoever is interested.

hankypanky · August 2004

The fact is that the 2005 cars are sitting at the docks waiting for delivery to dealers. Porsche held those so they can move more 2004 of the lots. If dealers add up the inventory of current 2004 and in waiting 2005's it is well over 60 day inventory. 60 days is considered a point where most manufactures give some incentives to move the vehicles. But Porsche thinking is that the sales may pickup due to winter and all. But my guess is due to rising rates and slower economy that may not materialize.

Also the other fact is Porsche is selling Cayennes at 10K to 15K premium which is hard to justify when you look at the quality and problems reported (pulling Porsche from 2nd to 2nd last in JD Edwards initial quality survey). SUV is a very competitive market, with fat margins, and there are many good offering from Lexus, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes and even VW and Volvo, Infinity/Nissan etc. So unlike sports cars which are Porsche's forte, SUV is very different market. Porsche is slow to understand this; also the other factor is the dealerships. They need to change their mind set and service. To give you an example: My Lexus dealers service dept (http://www.woodfield-lexus.com/index.html) hours are:
Mon-Fri 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sun Closed

While Porsche dealers (http://porsche-exchange.porschedealer.com/service/) service dept hours are:
Monday-Friday: 9:00 - 5:00
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
(Little ironic that this dealer also claims to be the largest in Midwest.)

Also the fact that dealers are already offering 5K (4% to 5% over invoice) or more off on custom ordered Cayenne S, and 1% to 2% over invoice on in stock 2004s. I believe time is on the side of buyers at this point. Also not to mention these same dealers were gouging there customer 5K to 10K over MSRP just last year.

loum · August 2004

You are right on!
However, if you are interested on a 2004, I would try to negotiate the deal sooner rather than later. You may put a deposit on the car and tell the dealer the day you want the car delivered. I had my car on hold for about 6 weeks. Good luck!

sandalfoot · August 2004

Sorry, new to posts and haven't had chance to read through all msgs. Got 2 front Continentals replaced on my '04 S which Porsche paid for, along with alignment and balance. My service guy told me Porsche has been aware of alignment issues for quite some time. Must take it back in though because vibrations are back (within a couple hundred miles of service) there even after all that. I'm wondering if alignment issue is even correctable?

odba · August 2004

We are not seeing those kind of discounts in the South. I am interested in the details on your great deal!

dennis721 · August 2004

Hi,
My 2005 Cayenne S is still on order, but I have been doing a lot of tire research and I zeroed in on the 235-60x18 XL Dunlop Grantrek WT M2 winter snow tire as the tire I intend to install and use all year. I had the Dunlop Grantrek tire on my Toyota Land Cruiser year round and loved them. They were not the WT M2 however. If you visit the tire rack and read the customer reviews, they say the WT M2 is effective in deep snow without chains. The WT M2 was infact designed for the Cayenne and is considered a OEM tire by Porsche, in fact you can even order them installed on Porsche rims from the Porsche parts dept. The all season Conti's are also sold at the tire rack and the reviews of end users indicate that they are not real good in deep snow, only light snow. I am planning on using mine all year, the only draw back is the size is 235-60x18 HR and so the diameter (odomoter will read correct) is ok but you loose .8" of tread width. Good luck! PS:The dunlops on my Land Cruiser lasted 50,000 miles and that is a heavy vehicle just like the Cayenne.

loum · August 2004

Here are the details:
Cayenne S MSRP: 60,725, Invoice 53,064
I bought the car for $52,845
Black/black, moonroof, turbo wheels, dark wood package, dark wood steering wheel, front seat heater, floor mats, wheel hub covers colored crest, 18" collapsible spare, compass display.
I did not wanr to pay for Nav. I have no use for it. Good luck!

jfk663 · August 2004

Carkook,

I bought mine from Pacific Porsche in Torrance and paid $5000.00 below invoice. I'm sure it all depends on if you are buying one in stock or if they have to special order one to meet your specs. I bet if you are willing to be a little flexible on what features you are looking for, you just might get the deal you are looking for.
Let me know if you need the salesman's name.

autocrazy · August 2004

I'm interested in buying a base 2005 Cay v6 and have three questions:

a) What is the invoice & MSRP for the V6 Auto. I've seen a prelim 2005 Cay V6 order guide -- it states $41,100 for the six-speed manual. Am looking for the auto (hard to imagine a manual on a 5000 lb SUV).

b) Any significant changes between the 04 and 05 models? Dealer indicates none.

c) Where can I learn more about the JDPower rankings that are quoted on this forum? Am concerned if Porsche has truly dropped in quality.

Lastly, the one dealer I spoke to gave me $2500 off MSRP on a base V6. Based on previous postings on this forum, I think I can do better...any comments?

Thanks

Thanks

habitat1 · August 2004

jfk663,

Please confirm that you paid $5,000 below invoice for a Cayenne. Please post the MSRP, invoice and price paid.

I had ruled the Cayenne out for "practical" reasons of wanting a bit larger of an SUV, but at $5,000 UNDER invoice, I would rethink my decision.

Thanks.

mop · August 2004

Hi, yes I live in MA and am interested in a 2004 S with the adjustable air suspension. Miller in NYC starts with a proposal that they will deal 2% over invoice on any in-stock car. My belief is more like 2% UNDER invoice and/or attractive financing. I am a cash buyer but would be happy to finance at an attractive rate.

carkook · August 2004

Can you please tell me the salesperson at Pacific Porsche and his contact number, because I will buy one this week at that price.
Thanks

stever · August 2004

Ask to be emailed - we don't permit that kind of contact info to be posted lest the boards get filled up with shill posts (please see the Rules of the Road link above).

Steve, Host

autocrazy · September 2004

All, I found the 2005 prelim price guides on renntech.org. The base V6 triptronic is listed at $44,100 MSRP. The dealer has offered MSRP less $2500 to order one for Nov/Dec delivery. Any comments on the "value" of this offer?

axelnilsson · September 2004

Thanks for the info. I'm from the San Francisco area and would take a trip down for a good price. Please let me know the salesman if you think that makes a difference in the deal. Is this the biggest and most dealingest(?) dealer in the LA area?

Axel

jfk663 · September 2004

You can e-mail me @ jfk@cpcclaims.com for more information.

jfk663 · September 2004

My apologies habitat1 and to all who were miss lead,

I ment to say "Below Sticker" not invoice, my BAD. I should know better then that, again I apologies and didn't mean to miss lead you in any way. Pacific Porsche is still a Great place to purchase and I'm sure they will take good care of you.

loum · September 2004

Hi mop,

If you can get it at $1,000 off invoice (about 2% on a 50K car) you are the man! Try Pass & Weiss in Burlington MA and tell them you want Anthony's deal (just describe the car to them from my previous postings). I am not sure however if they have the exact car you want. If you are flexible on the options it is easier to negotiate. On the leasing side, the money factor on a 740+ fico credit score is .0021 and you should do the leasing through Porsche credit and NOT with Chase. The Porsche residual is higher!
(I consider myself a leasing expert, so if you have any other questions please feel free to ask)
Best of luck!

maine · September 2004

I have a new Cay 6 cyl. The rear window washer may be leaking from time to time. Every few days I see a dry streak of washer fluid down the rear window. Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

modela · September 2004

My dealer ( Silver Star in Roslyn, N.Y.) has acknowledged that the comfort settings in the dashboard display are not accepting changes to the remote key settings. I have been changing the setting to allow for a one touch opening of all doors. After changing the setting and using the key one time, the setting reverts back to two touch mode.

A part is on order.

highender · September 2004

It has happened to me...and I think its not a leak, but the positioning of the controls . If you accidnetally touch the wiper lever, even if trying to wipe the front, and there is enough pressure to activate the rear, then you would cause it to spray, even though you were not aware of it....

after some getting used to the controls, I don;t activate it accidentally anymore...

joemillionaire · September 2004

Even after owning the TT for a year, I've finally discovered its true (horse) power. This is my first Porsche so I'm still a novice in terms of understanding its capability. I "now" understand why Porsche full capabilities are hardly used during every driving. Let me explain. Understand that I'm novice and welcome any enlightnment. :-)

I put two and two together when I decided to visit my local Porsche dealer to test drive the new 911 997 model. The sales guy drove the car first in the surrounding empty streets and what a thrilling drive it was. The acceleration was incredible in the new 997. However, I did notice that most of the time he was driving above 4000RPM and the accelleration from 4K RPM showed it's true performance capability.

So, I decided to try it with my Cay TT on the highway and using the manual Tip to shift down to achieve 4K and then accelerating. It was amazing. Its like accelerating from zero to 60 but now you're starting at 60 and then to 100+ in no time flat. Wow, what a feeling it is!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating we all run out and do this because it's not safe (and addicting :-) ). I'm just pointing out the capabilities of the Porsche is much more than what we can do during our normal driving.

highender · September 2004

hey joe....welcome to the club...

I was at a dealer launch of the new 997 yesterday also....and felt it was great too.

I stated before that I did go 110 mph or so on a lonely stretch of freeway ....
what I did not say was that from the normal cruising speed of 80 mph , the cayenne reached 110 very quickly, with no increase in vibration or strain. The car was whisper quiet inside. Some increase in wind noise outside, but no extraneous noise. Once it settled down at 110mph, the noise level decreased also...felt like I was going 40 mph with granny driving...

I do not advocate driving at this speed, except on lonely stretches with no other cars(desert areas) or on the track.

I drove both models , S and TT, on a course..and both handled and braked superbly. They cornered like they were on rails....definitely would put quite a few sports cars to shame...and this is a SUV....<grin>

I just got 20" wheels and Falkens on the TT...so it handles even better now. But will upgrade to Dimaris later....

glad to hear you are enjoying the TT.../

IT is great fun !!!

cpaulsen2 · September 2004

Hello Hotpepper,

I found my o4/S dead the other morning. Jumped it and got it to the dealer. They found a current draw from the rear hatch latch mechanisn and relaced it. Previous electrical problems include loosing digital displays on main instrument cluster. Dealer replaced entire cluster. Condensation in taillight units. Dealer replaced.

Have you had any vibration problems?

Let me know how you make out,

Chris

jarekg · September 2004

Hey, what do you all think I should expect to pay for a 04 Cay S with low miles? Base model OK no need for the toys.What would be the best place to find one? Delars seem to want to charge premium but I have seen some ligimate places selling them for 42k or so with less then 10k. Any suggestions? Willing to go out of state. I'm in Chicago.

gardencar · September 2004

arielthecat,

Thanks for the info on your trade-in value for the Lexus RX330. I am also thinking of trading in my RX330 for a Cayenne S. I am hoping to get a little more for trade in. What options did yours have? Did it have NAV or Levinson package?

Hope to get a deal at least as good as you. Here in the SF Bay Area, some dealers are offering $12,500 off on demo S models with less than 2K miles.

I'm wondering what other people think about purchasing a demo model and an extended warranty. I don't recall seeing any owners mentioning that they purchased extended warranties. Any thoughts?

gardencar · September 2004

I have been reading as many posts as I can about the Cayenne ever since I somehow got the notion that it would be exciting to own one. However, some issues that I am leery about are the posts where an owner stated that he was on his third set of tires in 15,000 miles, vibrating steering wheels, 7 mpg mileage, and non functioning fobs. I can live with the short ranged fobs, but the alignment issue is something else. Does anyone know if it is inherent to the Cayenne design or if there is a permanent fix?

I am currently in an '04 Lexus RX330 that is a beautiful car in every respect, but lacking in the performance department. I have been a long time Lexus owner and have become totally spoiled by their service department. From other posts here, I can see that not much has changed in Porsche's service department from the days when I used to drive a 944.

I am wondering if what I will be giving up in superb customer service and bullet proof reliability will be worth the increased performance and fun factor of driving a Cayenne S. Anyone's thoughts on this are gratefully welcomed!

scottphillip · September 2004

I recently traded my RX330 (Nav/Lev/RSES) for a SL55. No doubt, the SL is more fun to drive. However, IMO the Lexus is more rewarding to own. I miss the Nav and the intuitive controls.

nyccarguy · September 2004

Does Porsche Financial lease or do they just do traditional finance and balloon financing? I live in NY.

If they do lease, does anybody know the residuals for a V6 for a 3 year/45K mile lease?

svinaik · September 2004

I have owned the Cay S since july 2003. I have not had any problem regarding alignment etc. Only issue I had was relating to PCM (Porsche communication management) and a bad display cluster in the center console. PCM was taken care of via a software upgrade and the bad display was changed outright.

In terms of driving, Cay S has been a rock solid vehicle. I will give a whole hearted recommendation to go for it.

Sanjay

clpurnell · September 2004

want reliability and performance. Look at the FX. Don't mean to crash your party Highender

But if you are used to the lexus treatment, service costs etc you may be happier in the FX.

highender · September 2004

no problem, cl...

the truth must be dealt with....

and while some drivers have had problems, it seems like not all have had problems...many, like me, have had nothhing but good times in the cayenne....

joemillionaire · September 2004

From the Porsche web site,

05 Cay Turbo is 109K w/500HP,
All Cay versions have panaroma roof as option
More on Porsche web site.

gardencar · September 2004

Thanks to scottphillip, svinaik, clpurnell, and highender. Your thoughts and opinions have been thoroughly helpful!

msingerbmw · September 2004

The Cayenne is not perfect. But when compared to all other SUV's it is head and shoulders above the rest. I am totally impressed with the structural rigidity and the driver feedback that this vehicle exhibits. It is a joy to drive. It is an up high sports car that has the performance times to back it up.

utomdsb · September 2004

My dealer in Montreal (Lauzon) organized a
precision driving school at the Mont-Tremblant
circuit (30ft wide track with elevation and blind
turns, real nice track. They run Grand American
series there). So I signed up and brought my
Cayenne S. I did not regret going. I was still
grinning the next day.

In the morning, there was an hour class then
we went for drills: Emergency stops, slalom
course and more braking drills. The last one
was useful only for the cars as they practiced
heel and toe technique.

In the afternoon there was another short class
and then we were off on the track. We had 2
sessions on the short track and one on the long
track. For each sessions, we had an instructor
in each vehicule to help us around the track
and to give pointers and also correct our
mistakes. The only drawback was that there
was a *pseudo* speed limit as some drivers
were more agressive than others (guilty as charged!)

As for the the Cayenne, it showed that it had
awsome brakes. In the slalom, it took some hard
cornening to make it go off the line. I did
leave the PSM on but did not find it intrusive at
all (actually never felt it coming on). I was
able to push hard thru some sweepers and I could
feel all 4 tires working hard but the Cay was
real stable.

If was fun having the instructor call on the
walkie-talkie for permission to pass some boxsters and 911s. But I wish I had a TT as there were two
at the school but not in my group so I couldn't
compare against them.

If you ever get the chance, do attend one,
it's a hoot and you get to know what the Cayenne
is capable of in a safe setting.

highender · September 2004

wow...sounds like a real adventure and great experience....wish my dealer could get together with others and put one on at Buttonwillow or Laguna Seca ....

were there any vibrations at high speed ?

how was the steering feel ?

wish we could have a Cayenne Road Tour, or Rally.....it would be fun...

highender · September 2004

yes, thanks for informing us about the 2005 changes. I think there are other subtle corrections to previous small problems also.

Now I think that our engines are also capable of increased horsepower...just by modifying the chip and perhaps increasing the exhaust bore and releasing backpressure during full throttle with a bypass gate/pipe.

powerchip company offered to 'chip' my TT to 487 hp...but I can not get 93 octane, so cannot get the 495 hp chip upgrade....

do you know how Porsche is upping the hp on all 3 models ?

joemillionaire · September 2004

Power upgrade is only on Turbo model.

Also, I forgot to mention, 04 models Turbo can also get the Tequiment upgrade (500hp) for $18,500. Not cheap but will get the Cay TT 0-60 under 5 secs (4.9sec vs 5.2 sec).

Please don't use the dollar to sub seconds ROI calculation. Instead use the the ROFF (Return on Fun factor) calculation and buy only if extra dollars are in the bank. :-)

From the Porsche web page:
Porsche adds more spice to its Cayenne Turbo by introducing a new model tuned through the company's Tequipment program. The already potent Cayenne Turbo  the world's most powerful production sport-utility vehicle rated at 450 horsepower and 460 pounds-feet of torque  gets a boost to 500 horsepower. At the same time, torque  what drivers really feel in the seat of their pants during acceleration  increases to 515 pounds-feet. The extra ponies allow the Cayenne Turbo to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and achieve a top test track speed of 167 mph (compared to 5.2 seconds and 165 mph for the standard Cayenne Turbo). The Tequipment-tuned Cayenne Turbo also gets upgraded brakes and suspension to ensure stopping and handling precisely matches its increased power.

Also available in December 2004, the Cayenne Turbo with the Tequipment upgrade will have a U.S. MSRP of $109,200 (compared to $89,300 for the standard Cayenne Turbo). For those who already own a Cayenne Turbo and desire these upgrades, Tequipment will offer a retrofit package for a U.S. price of $18,500.

highender · September 2004

yes...that was nice info...thanks

but $18000 and change... seems like the Powerchip and some aftermarket parts may be a cheaper way to go....

but it may invalidate the warranty....which is one reason I did not go for it...

overall, I think the engine is the same 4.5 liter with twin turbos, right ?

I agree, use the ROFF method for the tequipment upgrade.

I heard the S model and the V6 both get improvements in HP....good but it does not decrease the fun factor not one bit, for the 2003 and 2004 models, in my opinion.

I just bought the some upgrades from CEC in LA....20 " wheels and tires...

what does your cayenne have ?

IN life, I use both, depending on the circumstances...

utomdsb · September 2004

we weren't allowed to go too fast so I can't say anything about vibrations.

Steering was pretty good, it handled well in the slalom course.

now, I'd like my dealer get us into an off-road course

arielthecat · September 2004

To Gardencar:

My 2004 RX-330 was a 4WDR, with no nav or upgraded stereo. It did have the premium package. I got $32,500 for it with 15K miles.

I have had my Cay S for a month, now. Could not be happier with the car, I love driving it. I, like many people on this forum, had the vibration issue. My dealer put 4 new tires on the car and that took care of the issue. While the Lexus got better mileage and was a bit quieter on the road, it does not compare in acceleration, handling and overall fun. Good luck with your purchase, you should be able to negotiate a pretty good deal as the '05's are arriving now.

jaramabeige · September 2004

Dear Everyone:

Any advice for tire recommendations? On a Cayenne S, the four originals are 10 spoke 19 inch Porsche wheels with 275/45/19 Pirelli PZero Rosso tires. Yet, the spare is a 5 spoke 18 inch, 8 inches wide, Porsche wheel with a 255/55/18 Pirelli Scorpion Zero tire. Hence, the spare is lower in height and also has a different width. Would like to obtain a new tire with the appropriate size so that spare will be same size as others. What tire size and tire brand do you suggest? Thanks.

tidester · September 2004

While you're waiting for a reply here you might also try Tires, tires, tires or Ask Connor at The Tire Rack.

tidester, host

highender · October 2004

i recently was there...and seems Connor was rather knowledgeable with correct tire sizes and maybe he can suggest one for the 18" rims..

but I think the different unsprung weight of the 18" wheel and tire combo may confuse the computer , traction control, and all wheel drive system....

maybe use it as an emergency wheel only will be OK, but I would ask Porsche directly....

jfk663 · October 2004

I just bought the exact same tire & rim set up so I wouldn't have to worry about a different tire size. Since there is no place to put this massive spare and still have room in the rear, I just take it with me on long trips and when off roading as well as for peace of mind. I'm not about to buy the OEM rear mount for a full size spare, for me, it takes away from the overall good looks of the spicy little rocket ship. DO not pay full price if you get a full size spare to match, look for take off's.

matlock · October 2004

I have a Cayenne, and unfortunately ordered it WITHOUT PCM (figured it was a waste of $$$$ considering it's usefulness), and now that's it's the "second generation" and DVD-based, I figured I'd give it a try.

I'd like to know how much $$$$ is necessary to take my Cayenne to a Porsche dealership to have PCM installed as Tequipment? Right now (duh) I have just the standard radio and that open space on the bottom.

Do you guys think now's a good time? (probably...)

Thanks!.

jbursch · October 2004

I have seen postings which indicate that one could get larger discounts for 05's ($6-$8K off sticker) for cars ordered to spec vs. purchasing off lot? Looking to purchase a v6 or S soon in the Los Angeles area. Thanks in advance.

highender · October 2004

certain aspects of the PCM requires it to be factory installed, as it is pretty complicated, ( from what the dealer told me). keyless entry if one example. IT must be factory ordered.

but I think they must have the car pre-wired , so if one upgrades, all one has to do is pull out the faceplate , connect the wires, and install the PCM in. I spoke to my dealer, and he said they were willing to give certain discounts, especially if you bought the cayenne from them.

Porsche Cayenne

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