Macan diesel - good used buy?
Discussion
Hi, I am thinking of changing my BMW X3 and considering a Macan Diesel.
My X3 is 2013, 3.0 litre and has done 148,000 miles. It’s good to drive and I use it for long weekly commutes, towing a trailer and race car, transporting my wife and dogs, transporting golf stuff or race stuff etc and whatever I replace it with has to perform similar duties.
The X3 has been excellent over the 7 years I have owned it but it is a bit tired now and it’s probably time for a change. I have averaged about 15,000 miles a year in it, including the Covid years. Probably 20,000 miles per year in the non Covid/ working from home years.
I want something that is practical, enjoyable and comfortable to drive over long distances (I currently drive about 3 hours each way on a weekly commute, last year it was 5 hours each way every week for about 4 months etc). The alternatives seem to be: another X3, a Macan and an Audi Q5/SQ5 (I am aware of the shared platform). I rarely need to have passengers in the back and usually run with the back seats down and the rear load area flat for the aforementioned paraphanelia.
I am not bothered about panoramic sunroofs or sports chrono packs; I am bothered about handling, ride comfort, heated seats, air con, ability to tow and rear reversing camera etc
Can anyone give real world experience of using their Macan in a similar way please?
Is it a good used car buy for the sort of use i envisage? Will it take the abuse I give a car over the next 7 years?
Are their any recommended options to look out for.
Many thanks.
My X3 is 2013, 3.0 litre and has done 148,000 miles. It’s good to drive and I use it for long weekly commutes, towing a trailer and race car, transporting my wife and dogs, transporting golf stuff or race stuff etc and whatever I replace it with has to perform similar duties.
The X3 has been excellent over the 7 years I have owned it but it is a bit tired now and it’s probably time for a change. I have averaged about 15,000 miles a year in it, including the Covid years. Probably 20,000 miles per year in the non Covid/ working from home years.
I want something that is practical, enjoyable and comfortable to drive over long distances (I currently drive about 3 hours each way on a weekly commute, last year it was 5 hours each way every week for about 4 months etc). The alternatives seem to be: another X3, a Macan and an Audi Q5/SQ5 (I am aware of the shared platform). I rarely need to have passengers in the back and usually run with the back seats down and the rear load area flat for the aforementioned paraphanelia.
I am not bothered about panoramic sunroofs or sports chrono packs; I am bothered about handling, ride comfort, heated seats, air con, ability to tow and rear reversing camera etc
Can anyone give real world experience of using their Macan in a similar way please?
Is it a good used car buy for the sort of use i envisage? Will it take the abuse I give a car over the next 7 years?
Are their any recommended options to look out for.
Many thanks.
Edited by andy97 on Sunday 31st March 15:50
Macan is in a different league to the F25 X3, there is no comparison imho.
The quality of the interior, the ride, the seats, the way it handles is spot on. Then you have the PDK gearbox which is another bonus.
Get into a 2016 model and you can add Carplay to bring the tech bang up to date too.
We have a Cayenne now, but have owned both the X3 xDrive and the Macan diesel S, and the Macan is an absolute cracker of a family car.
You can buy a 2016 with 65k miles on it for just over £20k now, many still have Porsche warranty on them too.
The quality of the interior, the ride, the seats, the way it handles is spot on. Then you have the PDK gearbox which is another bonus.
Get into a 2016 model and you can add Carplay to bring the tech bang up to date too.
We have a Cayenne now, but have owned both the X3 xDrive and the Macan diesel S, and the Macan is an absolute cracker of a family car.
You can buy a 2016 with 65k miles on it for just over £20k now, many still have Porsche warranty on them too.
Edited by Ed.Neumann on Sunday 31st March 19:22
darreni said:
I’m also looking for a Macan diesel, is there anything in particular to watch out for when buying?
Transfer case. However, don't let the issue put you off.
The big issue is with the transfer case on the cayenne v8 diesel, the one on the 3 litre and thus the Macan, doesn't have the same issue, it can, but very rare.
Porsche have extended the warranty on it for 10 years, 7 years on some cars, and cover all vehicles. The reality is, people are now listening out for issues and often it is the Ackerman effect rather than transfer case issues. Simply putting new fluid in, as you should on any 'sealed for life' gearbox, can make it feel like new.
Apart from that nothing really.
My gf had a macan gts with the air suspension and it was really great apart from one major issue.
The car had some kind of drive train issue with clunking and jerking it went to porsche west London 3 times after which she gave the car back to Exeter within the 6 months of ownership as they couldnt sort it. They were talking about speaking to germany and what not. It went back on sale with them months later so they struggled to sort whatever it was.
We really liked the car but the noise on cold start was too much but with that issue it was unacceptable. I convinced her to buy from opc incase it had an issue and thank god we did, as bad as it was. She ended up writing to the ceo or porsche and only then did it get taken more seriously.
If it wasn't for that issue it would have been great. It handled well, felt a lot smaller than it was and it was a great comfortable ride.
She's now in a merc a250 20k less and she's happy. Just make sure you are aware of the risk. I drove 3 others on test drives and one from either reading or Hatfield I can't remember which did have the clonks and jerking on the test drive!
The car had some kind of drive train issue with clunking and jerking it went to porsche west London 3 times after which she gave the car back to Exeter within the 6 months of ownership as they couldnt sort it. They were talking about speaking to germany and what not. It went back on sale with them months later so they struggled to sort whatever it was.
We really liked the car but the noise on cold start was too much but with that issue it was unacceptable. I convinced her to buy from opc incase it had an issue and thank god we did, as bad as it was. She ended up writing to the ceo or porsche and only then did it get taken more seriously.
If it wasn't for that issue it would have been great. It handled well, felt a lot smaller than it was and it was a great comfortable ride.
She's now in a merc a250 20k less and she's happy. Just make sure you are aware of the risk. I drove 3 others on test drives and one from either reading or Hatfield I can't remember which did have the clonks and jerking on the test drive!
Edited by White-Noise on Monday 1st April 18:46
Air suspension is great, makes it super comfy.
Did you run your X3 on run flats or regular tyres? I would say the none air is like an X3 on regular tyres, on air it is like putting the X3 on 16" wheels.
I am however presuming the Macan has been properly looked after. An early car would be nearly 10 years old now, and bushes etc, would not be like they were when new, not saying they would be shot, but would have hardened a bit by now.
That clunking sounds like the PDK gearbox.
They are a bit weird, especially on these and at slower speeds, going into first, or reverse are nothing like a regular auto gearbox.
If the levels are not quite right they can be really noisy and harsh to engage.
Did you run your X3 on run flats or regular tyres? I would say the none air is like an X3 on regular tyres, on air it is like putting the X3 on 16" wheels.
I am however presuming the Macan has been properly looked after. An early car would be nearly 10 years old now, and bushes etc, would not be like they were when new, not saying they would be shot, but would have hardened a bit by now.
That clunking sounds like the PDK gearbox.
They are a bit weird, especially on these and at slower speeds, going into first, or reverse are nothing like a regular auto gearbox.
If the levels are not quite right they can be really noisy and harsh to engage.
I've had mine for almost 4 years, it's a 2016 model with a huge options list, I bought it 2nd hand from an OPC and kept it under their warranty.
quite a number of things went wrong, nothing major, but the warranty and the assistance from OPC has been impeccable. I can't think what I'd replace it with. Probably another Macan but a newer GTS.
quite a number of things went wrong, nothing major, but the warranty and the assistance from OPC has been impeccable. I can't think what I'd replace it with. Probably another Macan but a newer GTS.
Ed.Neumann said:
Air suspension is great, makes it super comfy.
Did you run your X3 on run flats or regular tyres? I would say the none air is like an X3 on regular tyres, on air it is like putting the X3 on 16" wheels.
I am however presuming the Macan has been properly looked after. An early car would be nearly 10 years old now, and bushes etc, would not be like they were when new, not saying they would be shot, but would have hardened a bit by now.
That clunking sounds like the PDK gearbox.
They are a bit weird, especially on these and at slower speeds, going into first, or reverse are nothing like a regular auto gearbox.
If the levels are not quite right they can be really noisy and harsh to engage.
My X3 is on run flats.Did you run your X3 on run flats or regular tyres? I would say the none air is like an X3 on regular tyres, on air it is like putting the X3 on 16" wheels.
I am however presuming the Macan has been properly looked after. An early car would be nearly 10 years old now, and bushes etc, would not be like they were when new, not saying they would be shot, but would have hardened a bit by now.
That clunking sounds like the PDK gearbox.
They are a bit weird, especially on these and at slower speeds, going into first, or reverse are nothing like a regular auto gearbox.
If the levels are not quite right they can be really noisy and harsh to engage.
I test drove both when bought my 18 plate new x3 (big step up from previous version), on run flats but very comfortable, drives brilliantly, 3.0d engine super smooth and really strong, 8 speed torque converter gearbox perfect. Spent £300 on odd bits, even tyres lasted 30 k miles. X3 is bigger esp in back. Looking to change but nothing compares unless go up in size which I really don’t want to do.
stuckmojo said:
I've had mine for almost 4 years, it's a 2016 model with a huge options list, I bought it 2nd hand from an OPC and kept it under their warranty.
quite a number of things went wrong, nothing major, but the warranty and the assistance from OPC has been impeccable. I can't think what I'd replace it with. Probably another Macan but a newer GTS.
We bought a new Macan GTS last year and I can’t speak highly enough of it. Added about £13k of options on it and it is amazing quite a number of things went wrong, nothing major, but the warranty and the assistance from OPC has been impeccable. I can't think what I'd replace it with. Probably another Macan but a newer GTS.
I have had my Macan Diesel for 4 years now and I love it, I just got an Audi A4 to replace it on a cheap lease, and I want to send the Audi back. It’s night and day different in the quality of the cabin, comfort and ride even after 90,000 miles.
Porsche SUV’s really nail the balance between comfort and performance so well, I don’t think I’ve found another car that’ll do both to a level this does, ok it’s not a sports car but it has no right to be able to get down a B road like it does. I fitted Pilot Sport 4S SUV’s too it and they’re a great addition too.
Depends what you want, I love the Diesel as a daily it’s a real shame they culled it, even more a shame the 4.4 V8 never made it into either, that would have been a monster. But the diesel is buttery smooth with that box, loads of torque so you don’t have to chase it to get a good pace going on. It just builds, and on a long run I can see high 30’s for MPG.
I’ve had a couple of things go wrong, DPF and the Sensor for the PASM stability, but both covered by warranty and as above, OPC warranties in my experience Porsche warranty is spot on, no quibbles, hire cars sorted within hours etc etc, well worth having. But the cabin itself, there isn’t a single loose button, switch, seats are still mega, they are very well put together things.
I just need something a bit bigger, so going to swap it for a Cayenne, and somehow bin off this Audi.
Porsche SUV’s really nail the balance between comfort and performance so well, I don’t think I’ve found another car that’ll do both to a level this does, ok it’s not a sports car but it has no right to be able to get down a B road like it does. I fitted Pilot Sport 4S SUV’s too it and they’re a great addition too.
Depends what you want, I love the Diesel as a daily it’s a real shame they culled it, even more a shame the 4.4 V8 never made it into either, that would have been a monster. But the diesel is buttery smooth with that box, loads of torque so you don’t have to chase it to get a good pace going on. It just builds, and on a long run I can see high 30’s for MPG.
I’ve had a couple of things go wrong, DPF and the Sensor for the PASM stability, but both covered by warranty and as above, OPC warranties in my experience Porsche warranty is spot on, no quibbles, hire cars sorted within hours etc etc, well worth having. But the cabin itself, there isn’t a single loose button, switch, seats are still mega, they are very well put together things.
I just need something a bit bigger, so going to swap it for a Cayenne, and somehow bin off this Audi.
Reading around the transfer box issues it seems a) that changing the transfer box fluid approx every 40k miles is recommended (although I don’t think that Porsche think it’s necessary) and b) that Porsche updated the transfer box casing design at some point to provide a different vent tube that reduces ability of moisture to get in to the box.
Does anyone have any experience of whether changing the fluid is beneficial in reducing the likelihood of transfer box issues and can anyone tell me when the transfer box design changed please, and whether this has alleviated the problem.
Is it a case of “when” not “if” the transfer box fails or is it a relatively rare (but internet high profile) issue?
Thanks
Does anyone have any experience of whether changing the fluid is beneficial in reducing the likelihood of transfer box issues and can anyone tell me when the transfer box design changed please, and whether this has alleviated the problem.
Is it a case of “when” not “if” the transfer box fails or is it a relatively rare (but internet high profile) issue?
Thanks
I have finally been able to talk to the garage owner for the car i am interested in and he tells me it had a new transfer box in Nov 21 at circa 40k miles. Its now done 60k miles.
He thinks it was the slightly updated design.
He also assumes that the 7 year warranty on the box starts again in Nov 21.
He thinks it was the slightly updated design.
He also assumes that the 7 year warranty on the box starts again in Nov 21.
Gassing Station | Front Engined Porsches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff