Cheap Older Cayenne

[Davidc2190]

Hi all. First time poster 👋

I’ve bought a seat Leon cupra ST, which I’m very excited about. However I ordered it in January, yet it isn’t due to even be built until December at the earliest. Which sucks!

My current car - a lease, is due to be returned next week, and can’t be extended.

I therefore am looking to plug the gap, with something from the used market, get use from for 6 months of so and sell on, in the hope I have few major issues in the meantime and with something I won’t lose too much value on. It needs to be big as I have 2 giant dogs and a small baby. I have about £8k to spend, probably looking to cover about 6000 miles before reselling.

There are a couple of Cayenne’s around at that price. High miles (range from 90-130k), and from around 2005, but all the ones I’m interested in come with unblemished service histories. Naturally I’m most drawn to the turbo, there are 1 or 2 of those for around £8k, and I read that they are less likely to suffer catastrophe than the v6 or the S.

Am I setting myself up for a hideous financial fall, or would I be fairly safe with any of these? I’m ok with consumables, tyres, pads etc, and the huge fuel cost. It’s the risk of catastrophe that worries me. Plus I’m not mechanically minded at all, so I’d be trusting documentation rather than my ill informed test drives.

Grateful for anyone’s experience who has bought a cheaper Cayenne (especially turbo) and if anyone has any advice.

Thanks!

[randlemarcus]

It's a used car. Buy on condition and your trust in the seller. Look up the buying guides, pay attention to the work done in the current owners tenure and if you are happy with that, roll the dice. But it is a dice...

Out of curiousity, the difference between a small Seat and a great big Cayenne is quite large. Are you ditching the dogs or the kids or both?

[clarky5150]

Rules of the 955 are simple... avoid the V6, avoid savannah leather if you want an easier resale MAKE SURE THE COOLANT PIPES HAVE BEEN DONE!!!!

I ran a Cayenne turbo as a family car for 5 years. Stunning build quality. Everything held on with bolts and screws not plastic crap.
Due to Touareg base a lot of the consumables are VAG and surprisingly cheap (rebuilt my window regulators with a kit off eBay for about 20 quid a side)

Same basic air suspension set up as Range Rover but suffers very little of their problems (apparently)

If you can get an Aerokitted car they look far nicer, GTS sounds ace and holds money better, turbo is amazing (but thirsty as buggery)
957 is same car with slightly enlarged engine and better looks.
Diesel is fairly frugal.

I now run a 958 Cayenne diesel as family car. (pan roof, air sus, bose etc) Best car in the household and we do have a few!

Can you tell im a fan?? Seriously the early models are amazing value.. Buy one!

[clarky5150]

Oh and check for the gearbox changing smoothly. Oil change or top up can sometimes sort the valves but expensive if not.
and a knocking/shunt from the transmission tunnel (plenty on these topics)

[Cloudy147]

I bought a V6 2005 cayenne almost 3 years ago with 100k on the clock. It now has just clicked over 130k, touch wood still going strong.

I love it! Not sure on what basis someone above said to avoid V6, as my understanding is that it's the VW engine and pretty bulletproof, if a little underpowered. The V8 are from the era of Porsche chocolate engine design, definately avoid those.

No experience of the turbo, but my cayenne has been pretty reliable for such a cheap motor. When things break they are expensive though.

Mine is probably now worth about £4k which is making it very difficult for me to find something that can replace it, it is such a bargain car for the money. I've got a running report on my blog if you want more details (motorcloud.net)

Good luck!

[davek_964]

I've had a 2003 V8 S for the last 5 years. Cost me a lot in the first year and virtually nothing since. It's not my only car, but I love it - most of the interior still looks like new, which is pretty amazing on a 15 year old 100k mile car.