Hi David, I moved out of a Range Rover TD6 HSE, I fondly remember jokingly saying to my passengers "prepare to tack" "tacking" when driving round corners at any speed but it was the number of warranty visits back to the dealer that finished it. I then went to an Audi allroad for a while great car but underpowered brakes and discs that warped as soon as you looked at them. A spell in a new Audi S4 gave me the speed but handling was terrible due to 50/50 power split. Then bored one day I arranged a test drive in a Cayenne S, the S4 was deposited the next morning and I picked up the 6 month old ex Porsche UK car a few days later. It handles better than RR and pips the S4 on the bends but not straight line accel. (Boxster S arrived 6 months ago to fill all the performance boxes that the Cayenne doesn't) a year of ownership one servicing at 20k that revealed a headlamp washer jet not working and I had a wheel refinished under warranty. My Cayenne S morphs the RR stature, the allroad quality and useability in all weathers and nearly the S4 performance. I love it and everyone who gets a ride all have positive comments whether it be the all leather interior, seat quality over long distance (do miss the RR armrest always a nice touch) but at night everyone comments on the lights that look around the corners (yes I know others cars are so equipped but its my first). I had a 3.2 loaner during the servicing and I'm not sure I would have moved out of the S4 had the S not been available (still a great drive and I'm sure a turbo driver would shudder at the thought of having to drive an S). I had a brand spanking new Cayenne S as a loaner when they fixed the washer jet and after getting back into my own 18 month old with 21k S it was just as tight on the engine and handling and squeak free. I can't afford a Cayenne Turbo (well the fuel) and there is nothing else on the market that I would want to change the S for which is very novel for me the wife says.
My S has the solid suspension, the new loaner had air and I found it good fun to play with when stuck in traffic but left it in normal at all other times so nice if you can get it but wouldn't bust a gut.
Continental 4x4 tyres great in the warm and dry, dangerous in wet and slush. Trying Pirelli P zero rossos seem excellent in wet and dry no slush yet.
Have a dark blue car which picks up stone chips on the front end terribly (probably because I'm closing on the traffic in front too much, in order to overtake and wouldn't of entertained it in the TD6). Swissol zuffenhausen polish does the best job of waxing the car.
I drive to the cars capabilities and have a main road commute which over the last 4000 miles has averaged 21 MPG ( I posted a photo recently of the pcm screen as proof) my TD6 smoker used to give me 23 MPG ave.
The looks aren't to everyone taste but then a mate of mine who has had Porsche 911 and 944 is now on his second fiat multipla due to its useability and at least with the Cayenne you get the raised wing outlook from the driver seat that all Porsches have had (bar 924,944,968, 928).
People will say but its really a VW, fair point they go down the same chassis production line to start with but the similarity ends abruptly there (I know the wife has a Touareg, good in its own right but not a Porsche).
Oh and I don't get paid for the free advertising.
Paul
Enjoy your test driving, Cambridge OPC had a good selection of used Cayennes the other week ask for Michael. In fact try to get on a half day test drive plus around Millbrook test circuit 100mph around the top edge of the bowl with your hands off the steering wheel in a Cayenne is awesome plus the off road test shows its mud capabilities.
] ) With no bike rack bracket the bike is now roped to the spare wheel, bu**er the RR.
