RE: PH Fleet: Porsche Panamera Diesel
Discussion
Dave Hedgehog said:
also some people seam to have a pathological hatred of fuel stations, a break every 4-5 hours to refuel have a drink and drain the python is not a bad thing imo
The single worst thing about driving through France with a c300 mile tank range was having to find somewhere to fill up on a regular basis, in the UK this is never a problem but in a country you don't know, where lots of the 24 hour card only pumps in small places won't accept Mastercard or Visa and where finding a manned station late at night or on a Sunday requires you to be on a motorway a long range would be an utter delight. It's not about having to avoid filling stations but about not having to hunt for them and play fuel light bingo in a foreign land.
E38Ross said:
MC Bodge said:
excel monkey said:
Base price of Panamera diesel - £62k
A decent sized wedge....excel monkey said:
Base price of Panamera turbo - £103k
Eek! 
The Diesel vs 300bhp Petrol sounds like a much more sensible comparison.
i wonder how many Panameras have been sold in the UK so far this year. the bulk of production (excl the diesel of course) MUST go the the states, and china or maybe russia i would imagine. i have driven one, not the diesel in fairness, but the normally aspirated v8 and it left me very cold i have to admit. it felt very wide, which is a bind where i live with lots of narrow lanes, heavy and not especially quick.
given that i have a new GT3 in the garage and a big SUV (Disco4) for family duties, i would have thought i'd be a target buyer for Porsche. i was shopping for a daily driver in january that would do the occassional continent crushing biz trip, regular runs to Heathrow t5 longterm carpark, commuting into the office in London when public transport has broken my morale, and then doubling up with the Disco4 on weekend duties with family etc. but the Pan didn't feature on my list, because you can't order it with a five seat configuration, four seats only and i have three kids. no chance i could get management approval from shmbo on that basis even if i wanted a Pan, thus happily i bought an AMG E63 wagon and it ticks every box and gives a massive sense of occassion each time i turn the key. personally i think Porsche missed a trick with this car, for my needs it doesn't generate any interest. of course if i had to do a lot of motorway miles on a daily basis and ran it solely for business it would be a very fine choice.
and for the record running costs do matter, even on a 70k plus car. no one likes to get stiffed by the government or oilco's, no matter how much disposable income they have.
given that i have a new GT3 in the garage and a big SUV (Disco4) for family duties, i would have thought i'd be a target buyer for Porsche. i was shopping for a daily driver in january that would do the occassional continent crushing biz trip, regular runs to Heathrow t5 longterm carpark, commuting into the office in London when public transport has broken my morale, and then doubling up with the Disco4 on weekend duties with family etc. but the Pan didn't feature on my list, because you can't order it with a five seat configuration, four seats only and i have three kids. no chance i could get management approval from shmbo on that basis even if i wanted a Pan, thus happily i bought an AMG E63 wagon and it ticks every box and gives a massive sense of occassion each time i turn the key. personally i think Porsche missed a trick with this car, for my needs it doesn't generate any interest. of course if i had to do a lot of motorway miles on a daily basis and ran it solely for business it would be a very fine choice.
and for the record running costs do matter, even on a 70k plus car. no one likes to get stiffed by the government or oilco's, no matter how much disposable income they have.
ewenm said:
The D vs T comparison was in specifc response to a post that suggested if someone was going to buy the D, why not just buy the T.
The Diesel vs 300bhp Petrol sounds like a much more sensible comparison.
exactly mate.The Diesel vs 300bhp Petrol sounds like a much more sensible comparison.
another option for comparison....
£79k 400bhp panamera
£122k 550bhp panamera turbo S
£72k 562bhp M5
i'd like to hear Chris's views on the differences between them. I also believe the options lists are more expensive on the panam than the M5, meaning a nicely specced 300bhp panam may cost the same as an M5....though understand the panam is more S-class/7 series rivals (with 4 seats)....but what's it like inside, panam vs M5? money for money, which would you take, M5 or panam?
thanks chris
Ross
E38Ross said:
exactly mate.
another option for comparison....
£79k 400bhp panamera
£122k 550bhp panamera turbo S
£72k 562bhp M5
i'd like to hear Chris's views on the differences between them. I also believe the options lists are more expensive on the panam than the M5, meaning a nicely specced 300bhp panam may cost the same as an M5....though understand the panam is more S-class/7 series rivals (with 4 seats)....but what's it like inside, panam vs M5? money for money, which would you take, M5 or panam?
thanks chris
Ross
If it was my only car and money wasn't a problem and I had fewer children, I'd have a Panan Turbo every day of the week over an M5. It feels ten times more special. another option for comparison....
£79k 400bhp panamera
£122k 550bhp panamera turbo S
£72k 562bhp M5
i'd like to hear Chris's views on the differences between them. I also believe the options lists are more expensive on the panam than the M5, meaning a nicely specced 300bhp panam may cost the same as an M5....though understand the panam is more S-class/7 series rivals (with 4 seats)....but what's it like inside, panam vs M5? money for money, which would you take, M5 or panam?
thanks chris
Ross
The M5 is mega, but I prefer estates, so much like the poster earlier, I'd have an E63 wagon. Which we did until this February, and I miss it like crazy.
Only goes to show how one meanders through supposed classes of car and ends up in a quite different place to the one you began your search in.
Chris Harris said:
If it was my only car and money wasn't a problem and I had fewer children, I'd have a Panan Turbo every day of the week over an M5. It feels ten times more special.
The M5 is mega, but I prefer estates, so much like the poster earlier, I'd have an E63 wagon. Which we did until this February, and I miss it like crazy.
Only goes to show how one meanders through supposed classes of car and ends up in a quite different place to the one you began your search in.
My thoughts as well. I would take a hatchback or estate over a saloon every time.The M5 is mega, but I prefer estates, so much like the poster earlier, I'd have an E63 wagon. Which we did until this February, and I miss it like crazy.
Only goes to show how one meanders through supposed classes of car and ends up in a quite different place to the one you began your search in.
The lack of an M5 Touring is a massive mistake. Or even a 550D for the Uk.
The PanAm is well up there, but , again, having it strictly 4 seats only is a mistake.
I was looking at the Audi S7. It costs the same as the Panamera Diesel, obviously uses a bit more fuel, but for some ridiculous reason Audi have decided to completely go against every other car in their range and equip the S7 with seating for 4 only, making exactly the same mistake Porsche made.
Chris Harris said:
E38Ross said:
exactly mate.
another option for comparison....
£79k 400bhp panamera
£122k 550bhp panamera turbo S
£72k 562bhp M5
i'd like to hear Chris's views on the differences between them. I also believe the options lists are more expensive on the panam than the M5, meaning a nicely specced 300bhp panam may cost the same as an M5....though understand the panam is more S-class/7 series rivals (with 4 seats)....but what's it like inside, panam vs M5? money for money, which would you take, M5 or panam?
thanks chris
Ross
If it was my only car and money wasn't a problem and I had fewer children, I'd have a Panan Turbo every day of the week over an M5. It feels ten times more special. another option for comparison....
£79k 400bhp panamera
£122k 550bhp panamera turbo S
£72k 562bhp M5
i'd like to hear Chris's views on the differences between them. I also believe the options lists are more expensive on the panam than the M5, meaning a nicely specced 300bhp panam may cost the same as an M5....though understand the panam is more S-class/7 series rivals (with 4 seats)....but what's it like inside, panam vs M5? money for money, which would you take, M5 or panam?
thanks chris
Ross
The M5 is mega, but I prefer estates, so much like the poster earlier, I'd have an E63 wagon. Which we did until this February, and I miss it like crazy.
Only goes to show how one meanders through supposed classes of car and ends up in a quite different place to the one you began your search in.
Thanks again
Ross.
fluffnik said:
Yes I do, on occasion 5. 
Planes only really work if you can keep a car at each airfield or only go city to city.
See my garage...
ok, i doubt many people do, but there will be exceptions i appreciate. but i would strongly believe that say starting from the s.e.of england if you needed to go to Paris or Edinburgh with four people you are most likely to take a train, if Geneva or Frankfurt you are most likely to go by plane, i accept for shorter journeys you would use a car. for me the idea of wedging several children into a trip over 4 hours by road is not appealing. my children hate it, thus i hate it. Planes only really work if you can keep a car at each airfield or only go city to city.
See my garage...
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