Macan S?

Author
Discussion

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
Casually browsing for a new car for the wife to replace a Jeep GC SRT 6.4.

We both like the Macan. Discounted the RR Sport and Cayenne. Pretty open budget and happy to go up a size.

Didn’t really find the other German offerings very interesting.

Just checking I haven’t missed anything obvious or any other thoughts and experiences from the brains trust?

SWoll

18,379 posts

258 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
Alfa Stelvio QF?

Royal Jelly

3,683 posts

198 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
We’ve a 2016 Macan S. Its a superb thing. Handles like something far smaller, plenty of grunt, very comfy. Lovely size for both open and city driving.

Negatives are the reversing camera on that era Macan is rubbish. Too much distortion due to expanding the field of view. Rear seats aren’t too spacious if the fronts are back - they’re adequate though.

Thoughts on the options I I have on mine; Mine has 14 way seats. I think they’re a must. The adjustability is lovely - laid back cruising, sporty, high etc all at a couple of button pushes. Memory function on the seats is very useful (my wife is miniature). Dual zone climate seems important to most (I’m in Dubai so in fairness the AC is usually just on ‘Lo’). PASM is essential if you want to be spirited with the car. Allows it to really hide its weight and dimensions.

Mine has Sport Chrono which is fairly pointless with a PDK Macan. I spend the bulk of my time in Sport mode, which you get without it. PSE - nice to have I guess, but it sounds great in non-PSE guise too, and not sure it’s an essential like it is on a Cayman.

Bose stereo is decent. Standard is absolutely fine for me. My Cayman has the Burmester setup and the standard Macan speakers deliver a more audible due to the acoustic characteristics of the cabin.

I wish I had extended leather. It’s fine how it is, but again my Cayman has it, and I know how lovely it is to have.

Long story short, you can’t go wrong. They’re excellent things. We pile mileage on ours and it’s a lovely place to be.


G111MDS

320 posts

91 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
Macan S on our Radar too, although it’ll be a Diesel one. Looked at all sorts of other options, but looking like this will be the choice.

Missed out on a couple locally (Edinburgh) which have sold quickly, so looks to be a popular option.

SWoll

18,379 posts

258 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
G111MDS said:
Macan S on our Radar too, although it’ll be a Diesel one. Looked at all sorts of other options, but looking like this will be the choice.

Missed out on a couple locally (Edinburgh) which have sold quickly, so looks to be a popular option.
Any particular reason for the diesel choice? Seems to me you're getting less car for your money and at current fuel costs there's not much in it from a ppm perspective? The difference in fuel over 10k miles per year equates to <£50 a month.

Royal Jelly

3,683 posts

198 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
SWoll said:
G111MDS said:
Macan S on our Radar too, although it’ll be a Diesel one. Looked at all sorts of other options, but looking like this will be the choice.

Missed out on a couple locally (Edinburgh) which have sold quickly, so looks to be a popular option.
Any particular reason for the diesel choice? Seems to me you're getting less car for your money and at current fuel costs there's not much in it from a ppm perspective? The difference in fuel over 10k miles per year equates to <£50 a month.
I have to agree. The engine behaviour/characteristics and sound are quite a significant part of what separates the Macan from many of its peers. Although that may not be important to some, of course.

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
We’ve a 2016 Macan S. Its a superb thing. Handles like something far smaller, plenty of grunt, very comfy. Lovely size for both open and city driving.

Negatives are the reversing camera on that era Macan is rubbish. Too much distortion due to expanding the field of view. Rear seats aren’t too spacious if the fronts are back - they’re adequate though.

Thoughts on the options I I have on mine; Mine has 14 way seats. I think they’re a must. The adjustability is lovely - laid back cruising, sporty, high etc all at a couple of button pushes. Memory function on the seats is very useful (my wife is miniature). Dual zone climate seems important to most (I’m in Dubai so in fairness the AC is usually just on ‘Lo’). PASM is essential if you want to be spirited with the car. Allows it to really hide its weight and dimensions.

Mine has Sport Chrono which is fairly pointless with a PDK Macan. I spend the bulk of my time in Sport mode, which you get without it. PSE - nice to have I guess, but it sounds great in non-PSE guise too, and not sure it’s an essential like it is on a Cayman.

Bose stereo is decent. Standard is absolutely fine for me. My Cayman has the Burmester setup and the standard Macan speakers deliver a more audible due to the acoustic characteristics of the cabin.

I wish I had extended leather. It’s fine how it is, but again my Cayman has it, and I know how lovely it is to have.

Long story short, you can’t go wrong. They’re excellent things. We pile mileage on ours and it’s a lovely place to be.
Helpful, thanks.

In Oz we have luxury car tax (LCT) which is 33% above the threshold of ~A$70K.

So Porsche specs tend to be pretty basic (I used to have a Boxster too).

It’s likely there will be a lot of blanks in the centre console unfortunately frown

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
SWoll said:
Alfa Stelvio QF?
I did forget about that, but feel I’ve ‘done’ the Alfa thing (had 2).

I would love a Giulia QF at some point though cloud9

G111MDS

320 posts

91 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
quotequote all
Fair point on the petrol v diesel. We do quite a lot of miles, plus stay out in the sticks so even a quick pop out to get milk is 10 mile round trip. I think for sure if we stayed in town and only did short start / stop trips, diesel wouldn’t make sense, but enough still to swing it to diesel for us at the moment.

ZX10R NIN

27,604 posts

125 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all

Chamon_Lee

3,795 posts

147 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
were macan S's not prone to transfer box issues?
Don't quote me on it, its just something i came across a few times but not sure how big an issue it is from memory.

Chamon_Lee

3,795 posts

147 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
F pace?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302013...

or SVR version if your feeling naughty

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
ZX10R NIN said:
Good suggestion, but I have a GranTurismo so the Levante just doesn’t feel like a Maserati to me.

It shares some switchgear and infotainment with the outgoing Jeep too frown

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
Chamon_Lee said:
F pace?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302013...

or SVR version if your feeling naughty
Similar to the Levante, the current Jag range does nothing for me, F-Type excepted.

Would love an old XKR, but not sure the wife would frown

lornemalvo

2,172 posts

68 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Chamon_Lee said:
were macan S's not prone to transfer box issues?
Don't quote me on it, its just something i came across a few times but not sure how big an issue it is from memory.
From what I've read about Macan transfer boxes, it's not if but when. Some have failed several times so it's not as if they ever fixed the issue (as far as I know). It's why people pay through the nose for cars with a Porsche warranty

Chamon_Lee

3,795 posts

147 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
lornemalvo said:
Chamon_Lee said:
were macan S's not prone to transfer box issues?
Don't quote me on it, its just something i came across a few times but not sure how big an issue it is from memory.
From what I've read about Macan transfer boxes, it's not if but when. Some have failed several times so it's not as if they ever fixed the issue (as far as I know). It's why people pay through the nose for cars with a Porsche warranty
That is exactly what I remember reading too. Porsche warranty a must

RD-1

Original Poster:

1,119 posts

161 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Thanks both, will do some more reading on it.

Looks like Porsche themselves extended the transfer box warranty on affected VINs.

DiscoSINGH

271 posts

145 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Consider SQ5 as well if looking at Macan's - believe they share the same floorplan/platform?

Shifter1

1,079 posts

91 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
SWoll said:
Alfa Stelvio QF?
From the "affordable" stuff, this is where my money would go too.