Hi all. After recently getting rid of my E92 M3 for another 996 C4S, going out with a few friends has become difficult again. So, I was thinking about buying something relatively cheap, but nice to use for nights out, running around, etc etc, and keeping the 996 tucked up in the garage when of no use.

I've had an X5 before, and started looking at those, but then thought I'd have a look at the classifieds for a Cayenne and turned up this one. There are a few to be had with decent mileage and spec for good money these days. I was looking to spend around £8k, no more than £10k!!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/3894520.htm

I wouldn't be using it all that much due to working away from home, so fuel wouldn't be a big concern. Does anyone have one, or have owned one before, that could offer a first hand opinion on such a vehicle please? I assume they are fairly reliable and built well??

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for that. I think they look good, and have a bit of class attached to them. Is it brisk enough or does it feel slow? I'm not up for traffic light GPs in one, but purely from a driving point of view?

Thanks Mike, a good write up.

I'm not necessarily buying cheap, per say, but if buying a second car this would be my budget. I might have a look at some other options than, i.e. other manufacturers. Tyres and brakes would take me 2 years to go through with the mileages I cover, and I've replaced the centre prop bearing for a friend on hid 4.5 coincidentally, which was straight forward enough. Is the coolant pipe DIYable by a very competent home mechanic, or are there speacial tools involved??

I can't see why it could not be done by a competent person, only problem is all the wiring and palstic breather hoses that can break and actually extracting the broken off plastic pipes out of the aluminium castings on engine. We actually had to replace the rear coolant housing bridge which got broken by another garage trying to replace the pipework this almost needed the engine removing but we were able to complete the repair with engine in car. The rear coolant bridge is very thin walled aluminium and could break if you were clumsy.

Mike

Great idea, but £20k + £10k = £30k, if it were not for the Cayenne Turbo being worthless in a year's time I would consider it! Lol.

It also really defeats the purpose of my purchase!! Lol.

The vibration could possibly be the propshaft centre bearing??

Turbo all the way, if you can live with the fuel usage there is no substitute :-)

I might be a BIT biased,but....has to be the turbo.Bugger all in it fuel wise anyway,if you are going to have one get a big one!

I'll second all of these shouts for a Turbo!

I bought a Turbo the middle of 2011, and dispite a few little issues, have not looked back. The fuel economy is not that bad, it's quick enough, nice and refined and nice to drive.

Go for a Turbo, I think the 3.2 will be too much of a slug, and every time you see a turbo in a S (V8) you'll wish you'd gone for one!

Chris

I had a 3.2 Cayenne, can't get rid of it quick enough, got a Cayman S now. My friend has the turbo but he complains spending too much time at petrol station forecourt. Good luck to whatever your decision is.