[Logicoeur]

Anyone here also own a Cayenne? Are they just as fun to drive as an F30 335i with lsd? Havent gone on a test drive yet but those are never long enough to give a great impression anyways.

Looking at V6 models and possible GTS V8 all used in the $30-40K range. Wifes cla is definitely too small for a car seat and we have a baby on the way (arriving this fall).

May trade in both of our cars for this as neither of us drive that much any more (thanks covid), and are fortunately able to work from home (tech). Plan is to consolidate to a single car, then buy myself a beater track toy (e36, e46, miata, Cayman) after we get a house in the next year or so.

[c1pher]

I drove a few Cayennes and ended up getting a Macan instead because I preferred the size and handling of it. Plus the Macan gets PDK vs the Cayenne gets tiptronic. I find it just as fun, maybe even more so than the tunes 135is I used to own.

[yco]

they re not boring vehicles but comparing it with an LSD 335i is like comparing orange - apple.. drifting Turbo models is not that hard but its an SUV still..

[Logicoeur]

Originally Posted by c1pher

I drove a few Cayennes and ended up getting a Macan instead because I preferred the size and handling of it. Plus the Macan gets PDK vs the Cayenne gets tiptronic. I find it just as fun, maybe even more so than the tunes 135is I used to own.

Macan is on the list when we go for test drives, too. Just weary that it may be too small, but they seem to be much nicer and tech fwd compared to the Cayennes we are looking at.

She did like the GLC300 (about the same size as a Macan) she once got as a loaner, but the transmission was so horrendous (just like her cla), and mercs are just too difficult to work on imo. So a Macan may suffice in the end.

[Logicoeur]

Originally Posted by yco

they re not boring vehicles but comparing it with an LSD 335i is like comparing orange - apple.. drifting Turbo models is not that hard but its an SUV still..

Lol true. No drifting involved though, just highway ramps. Covid has clamped this yrs plans to hit a road course with the lsd.

[jamesinaz]

I just bought a 2020 base model Cayenne last month. I returned a leased 540i to BMW.

Compared to the 540i obviously you are in a larger vehicle. Corners aren't exhilarating or something that feels like a low slung car. And the 540i has better acceleration though that could be rectified with the S or higher Cayenne models. But compared to my test drive of a X5 the Cayenne base was MUCH more athletic and more road feel. I did get the 21" wheels and it tracks wonderfully. Actually rides much nicer than the BMW did.

As mentioned above if you are really serious about both an SUV and sporty the Macan is the clear winner. Get an S or above and it has gusto and tighter cornering than a Cayenne. I chose the Cayenne because the Macan seat wasn't a great feel for me and I really wanted something large enough for 4 guys and 4 sets of golf clubs and asking that of a Macan is a bit of a stretch. Or the X3 M40i is pretty sporty too. The suspension and handling don't touch the Porsche but unless you are planning on really pushing it you'll probably never miss it.

BTW when I was test driving Porsche's I never felt rushed or that it was supposed to be a 5 minute test ride. I think they know they are priced a lot higher and the driving experience is the only thing that justifies the cost.

[zx10guy]

Dropping to one car is a mistake in my opinion with your circumstances. If something were to happen to your only car, you'd be in a pickle in lining up transportation in the immediate term. Something to think about with a new kid on the way.

I'm divorced now and have one kid. I still maintain two cars to mitigate the risk of not having available transportation at all times. This coming from my situation as also working in IT and being based at home.

If anything, I would put more emphasis on finding a car/make with a high probability of being reliable over all else with this being your baby hauler and potentially your only car. I got a Toyota CUV as my daily and kid hauler with my BMW being the backup/weekend play toy.

[ShocknAwe]

Our other car is a 958 GTS. Wonderful V8 and the air suspension is great. But it's a truck.

That said, I've done things in it I wouldn't try in a modern 328i...

[stein_325i]

With one kid a Macan S/GTS should do the trick. It is a tighter space but it is doable, but of course always bring a carseat to the test drive to see the difference in space. A Macan will feel closer to your 3er than a Cayenne. A Cayenne will feel heavier but handling is still very good, however around $40k the Porsche's you would be looking at vs used X3/GLC's would be older with higher milage, and Porsche maintenance is very pricey, I believe the 10/20k service intervals are $1k+ each, so keep in mind the higher expenses you will have.

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by jstein55

With one kid a Macan S/GTS should do the trick. It is a tighter space but it is doable, but of course always bring a carseat to the test drive to see the difference in space. A Macan will feel closer to your 3er than a Cayenne. A Cayenne will feel heavier but handling is still very good, however around $40k the Porsche's you would be looking at vs used X3/GLC's would be older with higher milage, and Porsche maintenance is very pricey, I believe the 10/20k service intervals are $1k+ each, so keep in mind the higher expenses you will have.

Regular 10k service costs $149 at my indy shop, it's just an oil change. Dealer is $300ish. All of my Porsche's have cost significantly less in maintenance/repairs than any of the BMW's I've had.

OP - I had a 2013 Cayenne Turbo, great car for a DD. Macan feels more car-like. PDK transmission in the Macan is much better than the tiptronic in the Cayenne, which is slow as hell on the shifts comparatively. Make sure you know which options are important to you/must haves, Porsche's can feel very very different from each other depending on the options chosen. In the end you can't go wrong either way. See if you can rent one of each for a day on Turo.

If this is your first Porsche, I would highly recommend getting a CPO car, buying from Carmax with a 5-year warranty, or buying private party with a verifiable service history and buy an extended warranty. Both cars have a few known issues that can be thousands to fix. I just recently had a deal to buy a Macan Turbo and the PPI found the dreaded timing chain cover oil leak which costs $6-10k to fix, so I wound up luckboxing my way into a dream deal on a Ferrari FF that I couldn't pass up. The Macan's transmission was also replaced at 7k miles which is a ~$20k job, so things can add up quick without a warranty.

If you are interested in the Macan, I can put you in touch with the owner that I was buying from or send you the link to his ad. It was a 2015 turbo with 43k miles, perfect build/options including full leather interior and all of the desirable options, Sapphire Blue with black interior, already ceramic coated, one owner car, original MSRP of ~$95k. We had agreed on $37k which is barely over wholesale/dealer trade. The oil leak is being fixed by the dealer on July 20th.

[Germanauto]

I think Macan should be large enough for your family needs.

Macan S is very fun to drive, it's the only CUV/SUV I've driven that I can literally just throw into corners. I'm visiting my folks and drove their G05 X5 extensively yesterday and while it certainly is very competent and has a great chassis, the steering is just too light and loose-feeling at lower speeds. Quite a bit of body roll too. However the vehicle becomes quite good at 50+ mph though as the steering tightens up nicely.

Getting into their Macan S today it's like a different world. Plenty fast, tighter quicker steering with some semblance of road feedback, you won't get bored with it even puttering around town. Now where Porsche comes up short is in interior/tech, but it's worth the trade off. Cayenne is good too, but not Macan level fun.

[eluded]

Bigger is bettter. Cayenne S has some pep.

[c1pher]

If you look, you can find Macan Turbos for less than GTSs since they have been offered longer. I tried and found very few GTS, trying to keep the price point down. However, I was surprised when I found my 17 Turbo for a very competitive CPO price.

[Logicoeur]

All good points here.

About consolidating to one car, I've tried to lean her towards something inherently more reliable like a brand new RAV4 or something along those lines. However, I've since spoiled her with my car passion and she's into German vehicles now . She has a CLA right now, but before that was in an old Camry that was beginning to consume a lot of oil and was pointing to an engine rebuild or replacement. My parents live pretty close by so finding a ride in emergencies will be pretty easy. They are just as excited about their first grandchild.

Regarding maintenance, I am pretty well mechanically inclined. I've owned a couple Audi's, but this is my first BMW. I've been too lazy to work on this car, but the prior cars I was able to do VC gasket, plugs, evap and cooling work, oil changes, caliper rebuilds, brakes and rotor swaps, coilovers, fuel pump replacements, headlight retrofits, and some electrical work. I prefer Indy shops for the stuff I don't have the space, tooling or energy to do.

The need for sportiness is really just for me . Haven't been to the office since first week of Feb since she was already pregnant and there really was no need to be there. Neither of us will be in office until next year.

I'm willing to trade my 335 in now so I can leverage it later when I search for a dedicated track car (ideally a cayman, but I'll settle for an e36 M3 or Miata). By then hoping that the 2020 RS6 Avants have started to come off of lease. That is my ideal Dad daily. In the interim a Pcar cuv/suv seems to be the best option to feed some of my fun hunger for now and give her some utility in the long run. Plus get her a Porsche now, easier to get me a Porsche later