On its fourth set of tires, which only last 10,000 miles due to excessive inside wear. 3 flats from wear. I only got 3000 miles on each set before they started to vibrate. Too much neg camber built in.

Picked up by dealer 3 times. Had the front aligned, then fr & rear and fr & rear again. I had gotten so used to the vibrations that rather than wait for a flat I took it in for a new set in January. Good thing as all 4 worn on the inside, the driver rear belts showing.

Although it qualifies as a lemon, I think it's a turd.

The only car that has not lasted at least 2 years.

The only car I've ever just wanted to dump.

After the second time it went to the dealership a Red Flag should have been raised. The third trip should have caused an escalation to Corporate or the Regional manager. Instead I got "fake newsed" to by the service assholes. Rather than file a complaint and make lemonade I just got sick and tired and flushed the turd on Saturday.

They just don't care about the customer. But I'll be sure and "Mark excellent on their survey....."

Sunday was the first day in 26 years (11 cars) without a Mercedes in my garage.

This video was taken before my last service. Belts exposed driver rear tire.



This video is 2 months after the last service in January.

FWIW......Texas lemon law says 4 times for the same issue is required for a lemon law complaint.
Porsche eh? Which Model? ***added**** Never mind. You said Panamera Turbo. By all means, pictures of the new ride then.

www.txdmv.gov/.../5143-texas-l...-complaints-brochure

Such a shame that they can't do any better than that for the money. You're better off. Welcome to Porsche ownership. I think you'll be happy.

I do not need a Porsche until I retire. I do not. I do not.

Yeah, bought a Panamera Turbo. When we got inside after the test ride, salesperson went off to the back, my son asked "Did you know you were doing 105?"

I had gone to the dealership to drive the new 911 to see if they made the newer suspension more civilzed in non sport mode and to drive the base 911 which now has a turbo. Salesperson suggested I drive the Panamera Turbo. I was literally speachless. That car is solid as a rock, tracks like the Mercedes of old and is faster-n-shit.

I know Porsches are bullet proof - had a 911 Carrera S. Put 60K miles on it. Not the most comfortable of daily drivers but just a blast to drive. My wife has a Cayenne GTS. She loves that car so much she won't get rid of it, despite it's only major flaw- she can only get 20 bags of horse feed in the back.......


2 words: Launch control

Congratulations on your new toy. Hope they didn't milk you too bad on the trade.
I'd imagine at 105 it didn't seem fast. My old 560SL was like that. Even with the top down, at 90 it was quiet, smooth as silk with no wind buffeting whatsoever. Ugly grille aside, the handling was like no other car I've owned. No wandering at any speed unlike this GLK with the Continentals on it. Tracking on the highway was annoying on a trip until I switched to Michelin LTZ's. I was leery about them since they cost $100 less than the Continentals. But, they also have more grip.
Glad to hear Porsche hasn't watered down their brand. Never drove a Panamera. But, the 911's won me over several years ago. Nothing acts or handles quite like a 911. At least the ones I drove from the 1999 to 2003 period. Nimble and fairly smooth & quiet in the ride. Is it safe to assume the Cayenne and Panamera would follow suit?

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
I do not need a Porsche until I retire. I do not. I do not.

Yeah, you do. Are you absolutely sure you're going to be here tomorrow?

One of the best things I ever did was buy my old Porsche fourteen years ago. It ain't much in a world of high end collecting but it has finally started to appreciate and it is a pure delight to drive on all the two-lane blacktops up here in the Northwoods.

I REALLY wanted a 2010 GT3. But alas what I wanted rarely pops up.

I really like the new 991s (911s) and especially in S trim. I think it is also every bit as fast around the racetrack too as a GT3. But it drives and rides nice on the road too.

I though wanted the Cayman S and I got caught waiting (almost) when Porsche switched off to the new 718 and the 4 cylinder cars. While they are still fast no doubt - I wanted that 6 in mine and it worked out. I had sold off my older Porsches and didn't have any Porsche for a couple of years. But I truly like my Cayman S and I am glad I sprung for it.

I agree Dick. We never know when our time is up. After passing out cold on the sidewalk some 15+ years ago, I found I had a heart condition. Then having headaches most everyday just a few Octobers ago, one day I could barely walk more than a few feet at a time from dizziness and nausea and thought that was it. Laying in a hospital bed makes you think. So, I know exactly what you mean.

Right now, I feel the best in many years and my issue is space. My Wife's car is in the garage and it would have to be left out in the weather as it only holds one car. I figured by the time I'm ready to retire in 3 years, her car would have over 100K miles and I wouldn't feel too bad leaving it outside.
Of course if the perfect car were to present itself at a price that is too reasonable to pass up, I'd have to jump on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Dick Wright:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
I do not need a Porsche until I retire. I do not. I do not.

Yeah, you do. Are you absolutely sure you're going to be here tomorrow?

One of the best things I ever did was buy my old Porsche fourteen years ago. It ain't much in a world of high end collecting but it has finally started to appreciate and it is a pure delight to drive on all the two-lane blacktops up here in the Northwoods.

A friend of mine bought a 2003 Carrera4 cabriolet new and still owns it. It's almost perfect and only has 45,000 miles. He likes the newest style Cayman S too. I hope he buys a new one so I can bug him to sell me the 2003.

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:
I REALLY wanted a 2010 GT3. But alas what I wanted rarely pops up.

I really like the new 991s (911s) and especially in S trim. I think it is also every bit as fast around the racetrack too as a GT3. But it drives and rides nice on the road too.

I though wanted the Cayman S and I got caught waiting (almost) when Porsche switched off to the new 718 and the 4 cylinder cars. While they are still fast no doubt - I wanted that 6 in mine and it worked out. I had sold off my older Porsches and didn't have any Porsche for a couple of years. But I truly like my Cayman S and I am glad I sprung for it.

I think you have a really bad Mercedes dealer. That car wasn't designed to do that and there should be a fix.

One of the best cars I ever had was a MB S class diesel. It wasn't a performance car but we took it out to our daughter's place in Phoenix (2300 miles one way) a couple of times and it was a pure delight on the highway.

However, if want to have fun driving, if you want the local fuzz to follow you a lot, just waiting for you to do something illegal, there's nothing like a Porsche.

Dick,
Most of the new stuff is diagnosed by a computer. If it doesn't show as an error code, then it [officially] didn't happen and is labeled as "could not replicate the problem". CB

A good dealership would be able to diagnose this quickly. I've used alignment machines that use cameras to see what the issue is...then tells you what to do (creates less work for a dealer to train someone)

Panamera Turbo sounds like a fun ride though...I am sure you are enjoying the new vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Dick,
Most of the new stuff is diagnosed by a computer. If it doesn't show as an error code, then it [officially] didn't happen and is labeled as "could not replicate the problem". CB

I love my scan tool, as it has tons of functions to test certain items on vehicles. There are a lot of mechanics out there that only check codes and do not know what engine data should be reading at particular times.

Lots of shade tree mechanics out there who didn't start in a dealer (and go off to dealership training)....or go to a college/trade school for this.

The local MBenz dealer has "pods" of mechanics. Where 3 mechanics work on a car at a time (one is usually a Sr technician). I think this speeds up tasks but not sure if this makes it where the wait is longer to get it diagnosed.

Arrogance.

The MB German engineers know what you need. Remember the MBs of the 80s and 90s. The central vents would only blow cold air as they wanted you need cold air to make sure you wouldn't fall asleep at night.

They aligned the car to specs. They're just wrong.

MBs have always had neg camber dialed in. Don't forget this is a portly car tuned to be a GT with more camber dialed in to account for squat at Autobahn speed and to keep the rear tires on track, which is no Bueno in Texas. It is also a 4 wheel drive car with electronics/stability control to minimize roll, which for a car that big there was none. I drive fast and aggressively on high deg asphalt country roads. Taken all together that is just not a good combo for that car. 3000 miles or 2 months of normal commute before vibration is unacceptable (I am reminded of that demon at Mach 1 from The right stuff). IIRC my Vanquish and 911 made it to the mid 20s before I needed to get new tires, but no vibration. Zip. Zero. None.

Fuck it......and MB. Had enough.

I've been impressed with the all the Porsche's I've owned. I regret being an immature Italian Tifoso having turned my back and not having bought Porsche's earlier. The 3 best cars I've ever bought (combo of heart and brains) were all Porsches- my Carrera S, my wife's Cayenne GTS and this Panamera. (Don't tell anyone but I've been tempted to sell my Ferrari for another 911.....in lieu of a DB 11).

The biggest difference between the S 550 Coupe and the Panamera is that the S 550 reminds me of the big Cadillac boats of the past- heavy on the road, yet light (one finger driving) on the steering wheel. The Panamera is all about feel- you feel it in the steering and on the road, neither light nor heavy.

And it is very fast. Geared appropriately for great acceleration throughout the range and you get kicked in the ass when you floor it.

So, FMC how do you like the Wife's Cayenne? I drove a new one for a friend who wanted my opinion and it handled fine and would run rings around the much-less-nimble G500 we drove the same day. But, he went with the G500 Benz because the interior was more luxurious and cushy. The Cayenne seemed a bit stiff and seats were hard with no leather softness. Essentially I'm curious if the seats soften up over time.
I'm considering one when the time comes as a compromise between the 911 Carerra 4 and my GLK-350. Got to have more cargo room. CB

I've experienced some arrogance from MB as well. But, we still like 'em in spite of my finicky back hatch.

FMC Speaking of vents, I had an issue with the Wife's SLK-280 where the vents stank like hell from mildew since we got it with 18,000 miles. I thought it was just from sitting on a car lot for 3 months. Not. It had been this way for us for nearly 2 years. After leaving it with MB for a day to run some "special Mercedes-Benz vapor through the system and change the interior air filter, it still had the same exact problem.

Not only did I inspect the cabin filter and found it to be in like new condition before I gave them the car, I spent hours and hours post service (unsuccessfully) searching the web for a way to remedy the issue.
I finally figured it out on my own how to clear up the air handler. Parts & labor = $0.
They should have known about this fix. Too arrogant to figure it out and post a service bulletin? Maybe.
It was actually N/C for the service under extended warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by FMC:
Arrogance.

The MB German engineers know what you need. Remember the MBs of the 80s and 90s. The central vents would only blow cold air as they wanted you need cold air to make sure you wouldn't fall asleep at night.

T

Porsche has different seats.

Don't forget we Americans are "bigger" people and the euro sports seats are not made for some of us full figured guys. That being said the Porsche non sports seats fit me well, similar to most MB seats from a size standpoint. Not all MB seats are the same, go from a C Class to an S Class, or for even that the '14 CLS I bought my son. I find those CLS seats very hard. I had the Designo version on the coupe, which IMO was not as soft as the other S seats I've owned.

The same goes for Porsche. I had the adaptive 18 ways on my Carrera S. Not uncomfortable, but not really soft either. Some of the Cayennes I've driven as loaners had non sports seats which were very comfortable- I prefer those to my wife's. My Panamera does not have sports seats, which makes it cozy. We have always taken her car as our default ride when we travel. 2-4 hr trips are comfortable. Not as plush as if we took any of my S Classes but after a few hours not noticeably different.

The Cayenne GTS is just a great car. All the Porsche GTS models are pre-configured to handle well. This is no exception. She wanted the alcantera sport seats. I find them comfortable and soft enough. She can fit 20 bags of horse feed in the back with the seats up so there is plenty of space.

I think I mentioned this before. There are very few Cayenne GTS on the used market- nobody wants to get rid of them. I've offered to buy my wife a Maserati Levante and a new GTS and she says no. "I love my car."

A fine hands-on report. Thanks. Might sit in a Cayenne this weekend.

I am a Porsche fan through and through. And while I might yet get that 2010 GT3 one day I truly love my Cayman S. Yes I liked the new 911 (991 ) quite well too but the 6 cylinder 981 Cayman was the one I wanted. I am glad I got it before the change to the 718s and 4 cylinder cars. Not that they aren't fast and nice. I just wanted the 6.

We looked at the Cayenne and in diesel too. And darn they had a used GTS Cayenne that was Great. But I always get my wife a new car and this time through we got the MB 350 ML BlueTec. It has been rock solid. So far.

Also MB gave us the red carpet in that one. Free A an B service for life of the car. Concierge service. And the 350 diesel is nice. It is smooth and quiet and very planted. But what can I say it just isn't a Porsche.

That suits her though as the Cayenne and the MB were shades of the same. But no question that Porsche always builds more "sport" in to their vehicles whether it is cars or SUVs. That is why it is a Porsche. As custom bolt says the MB handles and rides just a bit softer than a Porsche Cayenne. The seats were a bit less firm and no one thinks a MB 350 will see a race track like a Cayenne might. While I didnt think I would like the electric steering in the MB, the truth is it is very good also. After we had been on a trip in her MB I got back in my truck and I said this thing is a buckboard versus her MB SUV.

But we will have to do this again soon too. Ive been eyeballing the Porsche dealer too. I had a Porsche Cayenne here for a couple of days as a loaner and while I liked it my wife still felt like it was a bit too much sport for day to day and her MB capacity seemed a bit bigger for horse related activities. Id say Porsche is 55% sport and the MB is 45% sport or 60 and 40%. Close but some differences.

Whats worse is that they have a 2010 GT3 there at the Porsche dealer so I have to stay away. I must stay away.