Screw the Hummer H2, I found my new tow vehicle!

Ok, so for the last few months I couldn't think of anything better than the Hummer H2 for a tow vehicle. But I came across this last night:

Porsche Cayenne Turbo
http://www3.us.porsche.com/english/usa/cayenne/cayenneturbo/touring/towing.htm

This bad boy has 450 HP, the ability to raise and lower 4.5" manually, can do 0-62 in 5.6 sec and can tow 7716 pounds! WOW!

I'm just trying to picture my Wakesetter behind a white one...

BLING BLING, I saw a commercial for one of those a while back. Thing would be crazy to drive. If you get one let us know how it is.

Oh, yeah all for only $88,900.

I just have to figure out how to pay for it... uummm, sell my house!

Its ugly, very ugly.

the best commercial for that is the guy that sees one while driving his motorhome. He gets up from the drivers seat and goes to the back window for a second look. Then walks back to the front and resumes his driving duties....as his passenger wife wakes up. Pretty funny, don't like the looks of the Porsche though. Probably doesn't matter though...the State doesn't pay me near enough.

Very disappointed in Porsche, as I was with BMW to make a jacked up station wagon. Most of the Porsche owners I speak with are not impressed either.

i think it is ugly

come on, get a truck, a real truck. if you go hummer get the real thing not the glorified SUV either.

I like the truck commercial where the guys are standing at the roach coach and each sees the new truck. One guy envisions his business name painted on the side while the other guy is dreaming about backing the down the ramp launching the boat full of hot chicks. I LMAO every time I see that one.

I'm a past prosche owner and my first thougth was what a waste... come on guys you are a sport car company, do what you know. But the more I learn about this vehicle, the more I read about it the more it made sense. Porsche has been making all wheel drive performance vehicles for a long time. The stuff they put on this thing make it truly both. You can raise or lower the SUV by 4.5 inches, increasing the ground cleareance to up to 10.7" or you can lower it to give you the handeling you would expect from a sports car. This thing truly has the power to pull nearly 8000 pounds, it is AWD so slipery boat ramps shouldn't be a problem. I guess if you have enough money to get one of these you might as well just buy a Ford F350 PSD and a Porsche Boxster S... but hey why not, it would be a head turner and I'll bet it would be a fun car to drive and pull the boat with!

and yes it is ugly... but it has been growing on me.

I think it looks great. You can have 5 people in it and beat most anycar you come across in a race. The thing is amazing, if you know anything about cars you should understand why this is such a great car. The towing capability is what amazes me. It is not for everyone but I would own one if I was looking to spen 100K on a car.

Hey what about its cousin, the VW Touareg?
V10 TDI
309 bhp
553 lbs of torque (compared to 447 on the Cayenne)
17-28 MPG
same suspension(air & layout), platform, and gearboxes as the Cayenne.
And its only going to be around 55k.

Well, I still can't afford it, but hey, maybe I can buy a used one in 5-10 years!

Dude I guarantee it will not beat my M3, or out tow my PSD, bumper to bumper see who has drivetrain left

That thing costs more than my double-wide!!!

On the test track that thing was lapping a boxster without a problem.
Stock M3, the Porsche will give it a run for its money.
I would love to have one, as a former Carrera owner, I can say without hesitation, no one builds a car like Porsche does, Mercedes is real close.

If it's not a Ford, Chevy or Dodge, it shouldn't tow! Porshche towing a boat-I'd be ashamed!

what is the wheelbase(only 112") and what does it weigh(4900lb)? There is no way it would tow anything that large comfortably. It may have the power but it doesnt have the wheelbase or the weight to manage a load that big. I think it'll get pushed all over the place.

(Message edited by jwag on April 09, 2003)

Dude that thing is 8/10 a second slower in 0-60 than an M-3, which is quite a bit, lets get down to the facts, thats a hellacious difference can't wait to see the skidpad and braking compared to an M, I will take title for title challenge anyday of the week with one, and when I won, I would sell it.

If I cuold afford it, it might make a nice car for my wife. Looks like a grocery getter to me.

But it is soooo ugly, definatly a chick car.. Buy American muscle, they will always tow better and look a hell of alot better.

My boss has a Black Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
It is in the parking lot next to my F-150 right now!

He has the first one on the road that I've seen.
He told me every dealer gets one to start with.
He had one on order for the last 2 years, but took this one because it was ready.

He says it is awesome.
I bet he still gets his custom ordered one this year too...

btw the way his other cars:

Escalade w/supercharger
Audi S4 wagon (~350 hp)
Audi S6 wagon
benz hardtop convertible (S series?)
two differnet Porsche carerras
(I bet he has some other goodies too)

I've tried a few time to take him wakeboarding, maybe he'll buy a nice SAN or VLX and sell it to me cheap after he doesn't use it


(Message edited by bobbymucic on April 09, 2003)

I'll take my BMW X5 any day of the week over the Cayenne. I love the performance of the Cayenne but just can't get past the looks. Porsche blew it on the design.

Of the Cayenne/Touareg the VW gets my vote hands down. It too can tow 7700lbs. and while it doesn't have identical underpinnings to the Cayenne, it's still based on the same model. I drove a Cayenne S and a Cayenne Turbo three weeks ago at our dealerships launch, and while they were both amazingly sure-footed (with the Turbo being ludicrously fast), I can't justify the cost. Personally I would rather have a Boxster S and a Touareg 4.2 for the same price. The V10 TDI won't be coming here.

I know all the Cayenne can handily defeat an 986 S at the Nürburgring, but I have something innately wrong with driving a Porsche Sport Utility (and it just isn't as stimulating as the 986 or 996).

I applaud Porsche for how well they were able to execute the Cayenne, but I boo them for even trying. Of course if it means they are able to stay independent and continue to create more great cars without the influence of DaimlerChrysler type corporations then that's a good thing.

DONT BUY GERMAN !!!
OR FRENCH!!!

Haha, ok!

I struggled with getting one for my wife, but she will have to wait until next year.

I just ordered a 2003 996 Twin Turbo, Triple black, large carbon package, red deviating stiching on the seats, doors, and dash, red center console, sport seats with red backs, and red seat belts. PCM, stainless crhome package, crest, lumbar rt and lft, and color wheel caps. I also got the tubro aero kit with the GT2 front lip and rear spoiler. Champion is putting their 19 speedlines on it. No X50 as $ 17,998 for 35 horsepower is not worth it. I will chip and exhaust after about 15k miles. Priced out close to a GT2, but the interior will be bad ase.

Alas, a new X-Star will also have to wait till next year with this beast incoming. If I live that long. . .

My brief stint in a Cayenne was exhillirating. This car has a very small niche, the upper middle class dude that like to drive fast and hard, has kids, pulls a boat and takes his kids and dog to the lake on the week ends. During the week, this thing drives like a sports car, not a sport ute. The handling is incredible, as is the accerleration and breaking.

This basically a true sport car for those that want one, but also have to tow boats and families around on the week ends. This car will sell if people will drive it.

m6 is my next daily driver

Dang Doug, how long have you had your 996 for and you're already itching for a TT? The great thing about P-cars is the options, you pay out the ear for them, but it makes for a unique car that you probably won't see anywhere else. That interior sounds incredible.

Enjoy the new machine.

The great thing about law. New car is always just a case away. We settled an 18 million dollars class action suit that was announced last week in court. My biggest one to date, but have two more going.

Oh, I left off that I got the red instrument dials. Have you seen black seats deviating red in the center. I thought about it, but thought it looled too wild. Have you seen one like this. Still got time to change. Keep in mind, the seat backs are already red. The front would just have red inserts area. What you think?

Doug mate,
Who exactly would I have to sue to get that kind of money??? Terrorists, peanuts, and now they want us to have guns in the cockpit? I need a break from my flying gig....Let's say I were to slip and hurt/break something at one of those big franchise places. Any injury in particular I should devote my acting ability towards?

Stay away from the different colored inserts on the seat, unless it's a more neutral color, like Graphite. I've seen a speed yellow and it just didn't look right.

Depending on the look you're going with, small carbon and a red lower console looks REALLY good with painted seat backs.

I haven't seen the red dials, but that should look sweet, especially if you go with the painted lower console.

Do you know which tuner you're going with yet?

Doug doug doug, despite the new porsche on the way you are still not happy are you......... What? You are happy? Bastard!

Ryan:

Check NCF's stock performance since last Monday . . . Boring stuff like ERISA. Personal injury doesn't pay as well. I think my firm had a pretty decent eye injury for a pilot once.

Jason:

I though about red interior with black carpet and carbon. The small package is cool too, but I mainly wanted the door handles in carbon. My thoughts too on the seat insets.

Darren:

Hahaha.

Shane, you are missing the whole point! As a former porsche owner (69 912 restored) and 3 BMW's later I drool over the M3, just bought a 330cic and was this || close to an M3, but just couldn't swing it. The M3 is one of the baddest out their right now, I can't find anything wrong with that car and will probably own one before long, but, and I say but loudly, it will never be able to tow a boat! That is just insane that Porsche came up with a car/truck/suv, whatever you want to call it, that has true porsche preformance, and it does, 0-62 in 5.6, 160 MPH top speed, I'm sorry, what is the M3 limited to... 155 - oh. Just saying that with this porsche you can have your cake and eat it too!

Oh, the Cayenne S, the non turbo version 4.5 Liter V8 has 340 HP, 310 ft lbs torque, and can still tow 7716 lbs for a mere $55000 (hummer, VW, Denaili, competitive pricetag)

understood. I just hate SUV's!. That speed limit only matters until you upgrade the software, then its balls to the wall time. If and this is a big if, I was to ever buy a jacked up station wagon it would be a G Wagen.

what is a G wagen?

I don't know how you could call the Porsche ugly if you like the looks of this thing!

shane you got a picture of your M3? Here is one of our 330 (sorry, my wife's 330) We left the tow package off this one!

Real watersports enthusiasts like to have the public attention on their sweet boat rather than the tow vehicle.

Yeah, but what about when you're not at the lake? Have you ever driven a 996 Twin Turbo? Having 415BHP under your right foot and an a very well tuned suspension gives boarding a run for it's money!

i need to quit this engineering stuff, it just doesn't pay as much as being a weasel

Tony,

Nice looking 3, I have a friend that just bought a black one and just for Tim, he is a 23 year old engineer!

well I had the option of a nice car or a nice boat and I took the boat. Also, I would like a nice car, a nice truck, a nice boat, and a nice house, with plenty of dough to spare. can't do this on an engineer's salary!

Andrew, you are 16 years old, you can't possibly understand the concept of hard work. Some of us have busted our a$$ for a long time to get where we are today and to afford the things we have. My wife and myself both paid for and went to college. We have been working and doing things to get us to the point where we can have a nice boat and a nice car and a nice house. But it didn't come when I was 16. I wasn't handed anyhting. I worked for it. I would like to also understand your definition of a "real watersports enthusiasts" and why it is that you think you know what one is. I have personally put more effort into making wakeboarding a great sport than you have probably spent behind a boat! A real enthusiast would support fellow wakeboarders instead of putting them down. Grow up, get a job, and reread your post in about 15 years!

Go back to wakeboarder.com where you can talk to your buddies about who's dad just bought who the best boat!

I have to agree with Tony. I have only been around Tony at one tournament, but I could see how much work he put into it and I know that anytime you promo boats you are doing way more than what you are getting back.

It takes until about your 4th year of college before you finally see that the hard work may pay off some day!

Tim, lucky for him, he's not into the sport that much yet, his parents have a Bayliner so he can afford the car now.

Jason:

Not sure about tuners or who I would use. I have not researched it, but I understand I can go stage II and get around 500 hp easily and for a lot less than the X50 option that only increases power to 450 hp.

I have not driven the new 996 turbos. I am ordering it on reputation alone, but I have yet to hear that anyone was dissappointed with it. One local Porsche aholic tooks his back stating that he would kill himself in that thing and he went back to a 996.

There are many reputable tuners out there, and I'm sure Champion will help you out. I think people are pretty much split on the effectiveness of the X50 pack. Some like it because it gives them a boost and a warranty, and others like it as a starting point for more mods due to the beefed up tranny.

Anyway, get ready to have a sore face, you're gonna be smiling so much you won't want to get out of the car. Man to have the first drive over again...

Woah, Tony, I didn't know you picked up a 330. That is Sweet!! Congrats.

Back to the Hummer H2, how about this for a knock-off? Studebaker XUV by Avanti.

http://www.zipp.com.mx/avanti/studebaker.htm

Ford motors in those?

I believe it's built on the F-250 Chassis w/ Ford motors.

Whoa......."Griswald Family Truckster" anyone?

Tony, no offense or anything but by the way you talked in the forum made it sound like you were all about cars and boarded once in a while. You made good points about working for the money but i guess i dont get the idea of spending tons of money on a luxurious car. Anyway i do have a job and its mowin lawns for a company 9 hours a day 4 days a week on top of maintaining a 4.0 GPA. So dont criticize me for not knowing hard work.

Education is where it is at. 4.0, keep it up and you will eventually have enough money to buy the fun stuff. School can be boring and a pain, but it sure can change one's life, especially if you pursue a professional degree or an advanced degree. Good luck and stay focused and reap the rewards.

(Message edited by xtigeman on April 11, 2003)

If you want something that will drive like a performance sports car and tow a boat in style and only have around $90,000 to spend, get a corvette and a yukon denali. That porche is not ugly if you like the looks of a subaru station wagon. I don't care how fast it goes or how it handles, I would never buy that car.

Almost Right Kris.

Do a Vette and an Escalade EXT!

Hummm, Denali or Cadillac badged Avalanche....think I'd go Denali all the way.

Wrong 2004 PSD Super Crew, and BMW 3, problem really solved, oh wait I have an 00 PSD and 98 M3, going to stay with perfection, unless the new M6 is all that.

Correction,

2003 Super Crew with the new 6.0 PSD, a small lift, and 35's with an M5, so you can go out and roast C5 Vettes.

I don't care how much power that Porche Cayenne has... Pulling power usually isn't the problem, STOPPING your boat is! It doesn't look big enough to be pulling 3-4000 lb boats. Just my opinion, maybe they have HD brakes or something.

What was the last real sports car you drove? I don't think breaks would be a problem...

I can't say I know if their are any difference between large disc brakes on a sports car and on a truck, but a real sports car can usually stop really really fast thanks to their oversized brake rotors and calipers.

An interesting point that Porsche makes in their literature is that it can pull a trailer of that size only if the trailer has brakes.

The problem is probably not brakes, but size. The boat is pretty much going to control that thing in a high speed braking situation. Probably why they require trailer brakes. Had a situation on the way to the lake Saturday where someone pulled out right in front of me when I was doing 75, had to use the concrete shoulder in the median to avoid them while I was hard on the brakes, if I wasn't in a full size truck that could control the boats pushing I think I would have probably slammed into them. I just wouldn't want to have to make any movements during braking with a smaller vehicle, as the boat is pretty much going to push you around. Really a big problem with a blown trailer tire or some other similar incident.

andrew, I apologize for the hard work comment. It is great that you do work and go to school, that is the way to do it. Congrats! (seriously)

But if you have visited this forum for any length of time you would understand that it is made up of "boats and boat accessories" which has historically included tow vehicles. I think that this thread has been very interesting, and I have enjoyed reading what people are saying. Just because you don't get the idea of spending tons of money on cars dosen't mean that other people don't. I don't enjoy spending tons of money on cars, but I do enjoy having nice things, wheather they are boats, cars, houses, whatever. And when a fellow wakeworlder started talking about his car I thought I would share my personal experience. I didn't put a picture up their to say "look I spent tons of money on a car", it was to share my experiences with others that would be interested.

And one last point, did you look at my profile? Under occupation it says "wakeboarder" not CarBuff. Because I can talk somewhat intelligently about automobiles you would jump to the conclusion that I only wakeboard once in a while? What's with that?

(Message edited by aneal000 on April 14, 2003)

Brad Beach, the cayenne, to my understanding has 6 piston calipers on the front...you tell me that's not stopping power. You can't judge a vehicle's stopping power by "how big it is".

all I can say is only three cars braked better than my m3 in 98, liggenfelder, ferrari f-40 and on other. If a suv or any tow vehicle does not have the weight it will not break well, I have 6500-7000K and I have towed the vlx with a suv, it does not break as well as with my truck, weight does matter, simple.

weight and wheel base both matter. IMO, the wider the better and than things doesn't look too wide. I saw the scariest things the other day, a guy pulling a '03 Malibu Sunscape 21 with a Ford Escape on malibuboatowners.com. If I saw him in my rearview I would pull over and get out of the way!

Okay,

Weight and wheelbase do matter. My PSD Crew pulls and stops way better than my Expedition, or my F-150. I have had to panic stop with the PSD, and I was glad to have almost four tons in front of my boat.

After reading all of the posts, I think I'm going to run out and buy a 98 M3. It seems to be the world's best car. I have to give you a hard time Shane, because the new SMG M3 is a whole world better than the previous. Sorry. But what do I know, I'm an old guy who's next car will be an M5

oh i know, but I am waiting for the m6 besides the m3 is paid for.

I demoed a SMG M3 one weekend and thought it shifted too rough. Even in the lower settings it was jerky around town. In sport mode, you have to nail the gas a bit or it bogs down. The new Audi shifter is much smoother a just as quick.

I really don't have much of a problem towing

I know I started the post off with a kinda negative comment about the Hummer, but I still like them, in fact I actually own one and I thought I would post a pic of it also!

Andrew, the lettering looks good it almost looks like it is going to match the Team. Did you find out if you are going to pick it up on Friday?

If you bought a Z06 corvette and a Chevy 3500, you can toast most cars in the world in speed and you can tow more than any other car also. Gotta love GM.

And you still wouldn't own a Porsche. I hate to sound like a snob, but there's something special about cars that come out of the Zuffenhausen paddock.

I understand that Scot is handicapped by the fact that there is a GM light-duty truck plant in Janesville, WI, but I beg to differ.

The new 6.0 Powerstroke can out tow, out accelerate, and pretty much out do in every aspect everything that the Duramax has to offer. Besides, I can't stand the looks of the new Chevy's and GMC's. What's with the angled headlights anyways. As far as the Z06 goes, yeah, it's fast and quick, but there are rules to owning a Corvette here in Illinois. I can't own a Z06 for the following reasons: I am not having a mid-life crisis, I'm not fat, I'm not bald or balding, and I would prefer not to follow the rest of my neighbors in buying a Vet.

If I had the means, I would be ordering a car similar to the one that Doug just ordered. Porsches are sweet, and they are a unique driving experience. Anybody can go out and buy a Vet, but not everyone has the privalege of owning a Porsche. I have to settle for cars that have multiple purposes. I need a four door sedan that is fun to drive, and can hold it's own. For me, the logical choice is M5. The M5 can hold it's own with a C5 Vet with four adults in the car. There are certain qualities in European cars that American cars lack.

I totally agree and i am looking at a Mini cooper S. But going with stats and not real world the z06 is nice. But the top leval Chevy truck does out tow anything. Frickin 15500 pounds. By the way the cooper s out slaloms a Porche GT2. I am not saying that it is better just that this little car that gets 33 mpg and out slaloms a GT2, how cool it that.

No, no, no Shawn, get an RS 6! The E39 M5 is almost done so either get the RS 6 (which looks way better in my opinion) or wait for the V10 in the Bimmer.

BTW, life really sucks when you have "limit" your options to a 400BHP sports sedan!

Well Jason, we all have to set limits. No new cars for me until the new house is done. I love the way the E39 M5's look, but I haven't seen the RS 6 yet. If you couldn't tell, I love Bimmers. I just thought that the M5 was a perfect balance between a sports car, and a luxury car. You have to admit a 400BHP luxury sedan is pretty cool. Kind of a wolf in sheeps clothing for those who aren't in the know.