Cayenne 4.8 S 2007 onwards - Good engine?

[anonymous-user]

Hi all,

I'm going to buy a 2007 onwards Cayenne this week hopefully and have found a couple of really nice ones to look at. Both facelift with low miles.

One is a 3.6 V6 and one is a 4.8 V8 S.

I have just read in a few places that the V8 can suffer bore score and failure.

But some are saying it only affects the earlier 4.5 pre-2007 engines.

Can anyone clear this up for me please?

I know that the V6 is VW derived and extremely reliable, but I fancy the V8...

Anything else to look out for on a 4.8?

The one I'm going to look at has done 65k miles and full Porsche history.

Thanks

[911wise]

I would turn this question around and ask yoursel. What 11 year car you could go out and buy that does not suffer any type of engine issue?
It’ll be a very small list.
Just do the sensible checks and buy the car you want.

[anonymous-user]

911wise said:

I would turn this question around and ask yoursel. What 11 year car you could go out and buy that does not suffer any type of engine issue?
It’ll be a very small list.
Just do the sensible checks and buy the car you want.

The are many cars out there that are practically 'bombproof' and apart from smaller repairs or serviceable items, won't cause you any massive bills.

On the topic of the Cayenne, the 3.2/3.6 V6 engine, is one of those tried and tested bombproof engines with no inherent faults as such, because it's essentially an ancient VW unit.

Certain engines have design flaws that will cause them to suffer total failure at premature mileages.

I will try not to buy one of those kinds of engines for obvious reasons.

I am asking if the 4.8 Cayenne is such an engine.

I have no issue with 'normal' repairs and maintenance, and running 911's and previously Aston Martin etc, I'm familiar with higher costs.

But I won't buy things like a 996 or early 997 (as examples) because far too many of those engines have 'shat themselves' at what I consider to be low milages, and I don't want become a statistic.

[CS Garth]

I run a 2008 GTS - I did quite a bit of research and concluded the majority of issues related to the 4.5.

The GTS has a sport button which opens the valves on the exhaust and it sounds fantastic - the regular S doesn’t have this function and it was a deal breaker for me.

If also recommend seeking out PDCC and avoid a pano roof - heavy and they can groan/leak.

[Walter Sobchak]

LM, as I understand it the bore scoring issue only applies to the 4.5 S, the later 4.8 engines don’t suffer this issue and neither does the 4.5 Turbo.

[RDMcG]

I have had a 2008 Cayenne S (V8) from new and it currently has 250,000km on it. I have trailered cars behind it over enormous distances ( over 50,000KM towing), It has spent time climbing rocks in the Arizona desert and has never been garaged in the Canadian winters.

There is not an unscratched panel at this stage. Engine problems...at about 220,000km I had engine light go on. Problem was camshaft lifters. Quite a large job to replace them and about $3000 at the dealer. Only major issue. However, it still drives perfectly, a great old workhorse. I will drive it until it is ready for the breakers.