Anyone own/have owned a Porsche Panamera?

[Roosky01]

I know Panamera styling is either love or hate, but starting to look at options for replacing the wife's 550i. I've always liked the Panamera, but don't know anyone in my AO that has experience with them?

I'd be looking at 2018 or newer 4S or maybe GTS models and would love to hear any real world feedback if anyone has/had one?

 

[WhatExit?]

I've always liked them as an SUV alternative but never needed a 4-door car.

That said, I'd never own a German car without a factory warranty. Fixing them can easily cost far more than I want to spend.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I know Panamera styling is either love or hate, but starting to look at options for replacing the wife's 550i. I've always liked the Panamera, but don't know anyone in my AO that has experience with them?

I'd be looking at 2018 or newer 4S or maybe GTS models and would love to hear any real world feedback if anyone has/had one?

no direct experience.. my buddy Brandon is the west area trainer for Porsche NA. I can put you in touch with him if you get serious about wanting one. He is a endless pit of knowledge on Porsche and BMW products. He had a taycan most recently as a demo...that thing was bad ass.

 

[Roosky01]

no direct experience.. my buddy Brandon is the west area trainer for Porsche NA. I can put you in touch with him if you get serious about wanting one. He is a endless pit of knowledge on Porsche and BMW products. He had a taycan most recently as a demo...that thing was bad ass.

There is a dude that has a Taycan around here that looks just like this and I believe its the only one that the local dealer has delivered as of yet. I wanted to run him off the road just so I could check it out. That is a beautiful machine...

 

[Ace in the Hole]

There is a dude that has a Taycan around here that looks just like this and I believe its the only one that the local dealer has delivered as of yet. I wanted to run him off the road just so I could check it out. That is a beautiful machine...

they are bad ass...Brandon lives near Napa and drove that thing all over California. He already turned that back in, he has some Macan deal now I think. They cycle him out of different models semi frequently. I was really impressed by the numbers he got mile wise on a charge etc.

 

[Jefftowz]

Have you driven one? I had a loaner for the weekend and felt the driver seat to be very uncomfortable. Apparently there are a couple of different seat configurations. Drive one first.

 

[Roosky01]

Have you driven one? I had a loaner for the weekend and felt the driver seat to be very uncomfortable. Apparently there are a couple of different seat configurations. Drive one first.

Copy that. I have sat in one, but have yet to drive. I'm 6'5" so the first thing is always do "I fit" as far as leg room is concerned.

 

[scottchbrite]

I know Panamera styling is either love or hate, but starting to look at options for replacing the wife's 550i. I've always liked the Panamera, but don't know anyone in my AO that has experience with them?

I'd be looking at 2018 or newer 4S or maybe GTS models and would love to hear any real world feedback if anyone has/had one?

I’ll be driving one later this week. I’ll give you my .02 next Monday.

 

[Mike K]

Had a 2018 … wasn’t my favorite. Traded in a Jag XLS for it … the Porsche seemed sluggish and not sporty at all. Boring car … Porsche’s are weird … this wasn’t my first. They have controls in weird areas and are very expensive to get maintained … that’s the thing … tires, brakes and maintenance are non stop … and pricey … brakes for that Panamera will be $2500, tires will be $1600 and terrible MPG … jeez … etc etc … before the Porsche I bought that Jag cuz I negotiated 5 years of free maintenance that saved me a ton … “ free maintenance“ or forget it. long story short … after chasing what I thought were cool cars I ended up with the Lexus LS 500 Hybrid. Best one so far … no screw you over with maintenance … 33 miles per gallon … (Porsche & Benz dealers all act like they are doing you a favor) … it’s my wife’s car cuz I like trucks and SUV’s so much better. So bottom line … I doubt Id ever go back to “those“ kinda cars … I always felt like I just kept paying and paying and paying . My 2 cents.

 

[Roosky01]

Had a 2018 … wasn’t my favorite. Traded in a Jag XLS for it … the Porsche seemed sluggish and not sporty at all. Boring car … Porsche’s are weird … this wasn’t my first. They have controls in weird areas and are very expensive to get maintained … that’s the thing … tires, brakes and maintenance are non stop … and pricey … brakes for that Panamera will be $2500, tires will be $1600 and terrible MPG … jeez … etc etc … before the Porsche I bought that Jag cuz I negotiated 5 years of free maintenance that saved me a ton … “ free maintenance“ or forget it. long story short … after chasing what I thought were cool cars I ended up with the Lexus LS 500 Hybrid. Best one so far … no screw you over with maintenance … 33 miles per gallon … (Porsche & Benz dealers all act like they are doing you a favor) … it’s my wife’s car cuz I like trucks and SUV’s so much better. So bottom line … I doubt Id ever go back to “those“ kinda cars … I always felt like I just kept paying and paying and paying . My 2 cents.

I've got 2 BMW's in my garage and thankfully haven't had anything major, but I do perform most all of my own maintenance though which does help a ton in the cost department. Her 550i will be out of extended warranty in April and I don't really want that twin turbo v8 around after that...

I have also kicked around the LS500 as well as there are a couple nice F-Sports on the market here locally. I'm afraid the wife unit wouldn't like the performance of the Lexus compared to her 550i though? That little Beemer is like a rocket on rails and she drives it like she stole it...

 

[Willie B]

…A lady friend of mine has a 2020 4S…I guess to compliment her 2012 Cayanne…I will pick her brain when I see her… The only complaint I’ve heard from her is she griped about having to put premium fuel in it…lol…

 

[530RL]

I had a six cylinder Panamera as a loaner for 6 months.

Wife mainly drove the Panamera when we had it.

She didn't like how low the entry to the seats and the seats themselves were. It was more like entering a sports car than a sedan. You end up sitting what feels like quite a bit lower than a sedan.

It was fairly anemic and felt heavy. You had to flog it pretty hard to get it moving especially in the summer with the high heat. I think the twin turbo would certainly solve that but then you are looking at 1.6 times the cost of a new 550.

Interestingly she had an A7 at that time and liked the A7 much better than the Panamera. Although also a 6 cylinder, the Audi felt much more responsive.

She now has a 22 M550 and likes it the best for the same reasons you state your wife likes hers. Although it sounds like a Rocky Point boat launcher when it first starts up on cold cycle, it gets up and goes and is smooth as any car she has had.

 

[Riverbottom]

Following this, as my wife wants one. I have only owned 911's in the past.

 

[twocents]

My son-in-law had a Panamera for about 18 months -- it was okay, but not as comfortable as he wanted. Then he went electric with a new Tesla S which he liked but it wasn't as practical so he traded it in on a Tesla X which seems to suit him better. He seldom keeps vehicles more than 18 months. His wife (my youngest daughter) has a new Lincoln Navigator and they've got a 2020 Chevy 3500 HD Silverado Dually LTZ Crew Cab 4WD to haul the horses around, and their daughter just turned 16 and got a new Hyundai Kona.

 

[El Guapo]

We had a 2018 4S.. It was bad ass IMO and we loved it.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Don’t go from a BMW to a Lexus - the Lexus is a very nice car, but not as engaging as the BMW. We made the mistake of getting rid of our 550i and getting a “more dependable” Lexus RX350 (after our BMW needed a head gasket at 103,000 miles and the repair was more than then the car was worth), not an exact apples to apples comparison, but Lexi are not known for being handling machines, very nice cars, but not very sporting. Don’t go that route or you will be disappointed.

 

[blueflaminhot]

Drove an earlier model. Maybe 2008 or so. Didn’t really care for it, the tech, Nav etc was way behind for the times. Not sure about now.

 

[boatpi]

Not as fast, our friend has a 2021 s class. Quite the car if you can even find one must let’s get it for window sticker.

 

[bonesfab]

A customer just got a Lc500. Pretty bad ass car. His retirement car. and he gets to keep his hotrod. The Lexus is pretty bad ass car. He loves it.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I don’t care how crappy it is. I keep thinking of one like this

 

[johnnyC]

drove a base pannamera ..... felt like a avalon .... drove a 21 gts its a freaking rocket handels ,smooth refined and nothing like a base model..

 

[Xring01]

Don’t go from a BMW to a Lexus - the Lexus is a very nice car, but not as engaging as the BMW. We made the mistake of getting rid of our 550i and getting a “more dependable” Lexus RX350 (after our BMW needed a head gasket at 103,000 miles and the repair was more than then the car was worth), not an exact apples to apples comparison, but Lexi are not known for being handling machines, very nice cars, but not very sporting. Don’t go that route or you will be disappointed.

So performance over reliability?
Are you a F150 Guy?

 

[Roosky01]

drove a base pannamera ..... felt like a avalon .... drove a 21 gts its a freaking rocket handels ,smooth refined and nothing like a base model..

There really is a big difference in performance between the different models on paper. The numbers for the 4S model appear pretty similar in 0-60 with a little less HP than our 550i.

Base-325hp-5.3 seconds
4S-443hp-4.1seconds
GTS-473hp-3.7 seconds
TurboS-620hp-2.9 seconds

 

[hallett21]

The only correct way to buy a Porsche is with the big motor

 

[Chili Palmer]

So performance over reliability?
Are you a F150 Guy?

It’s like eating an awesome steak versus a plate of kale. Yeah, the kale is much better for you, but the steak is so much more satisfying.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

Buddy of mine has the turbo. The acceleration is instant and painful. It's tesla fast but sounds good doing it. Great car. The maintenance bill is shocking.

 

[Blubyu]

Cool cars... fast! We work on a lot of them, the maintenance bills are YUGE. They are kinda like boats, Break Out Another Thousand.

 

[riversteveo]

When purchasing a Porsche... what ever model it is,... the performance really starts with a S model...In regards to the panamera...The GTS is the package that works.

Just my 02

 

[scottchbrite]

@Roosky01
Alright, I’m back from my ski trip to Breckinridge, CO. We rented a 2014 4S. My wife had kicked the idea around of buying one for her work car and we happened to find one on TURO for rent so We could try it. We flew into Denver, picked it up in the parking lot, and we were off. First off, You have to realize it’s not a sports car, but a luxury car. Its not going to perform like a 911. To echo some of the other comments- it sits low to the ground and getting Into the car gives it a sports car feel. I did find the drivers seat odd at first but I was able to find the sweet spot after a few hours. I felt the need for 91 octane unfortunate compared to the performance and mileage it got (juice wasn’t worth the squeeze there). The electronics- navigation, Bluetooth, etc - wasn’t up to 2014 standards I felt. The car overall performed well. We went through a couple big snow storms. We were on our way up to the resort and went the back way up the mountain after stopping in Colorado Springs/AF Academy. The roads were completely covered with snow, there were vehicles stuck and the State Troopers were about to close the pass. The Porsche motored right along. The adaptive all wheel drive was bitchen. I was white knuckled for quite awhile,- driving someone else’s car, a car that I’ve never driven and unsure of it’s capabilities, in conditions I don’t often drive in. I was impressed. It never felt out of control and only lost traction once due to me, but the car seemed to correct itself. The trunk space was perfect for 2 suitcases and a duffel bag and the backseat area was perfect for the girls and their dolls! My youngest daughters only complaint was that she couldn’t see very good out of the back windows because you sit so low (See pic ). Overall, It was a fun car to drive around Colorado for the week.

 

[Roosky01]

@Roosky01
Alright, I’m back from my ski trip to Breckinridge, CO. We rented a 2014 4S. My wife had kicked the idea around of buying one for her work car and we happened to find one on TURO for rent so We could try it. We flew into Denver, picked it up in the parking lot, and we were off. First off, You have to realize it’s not a sports car, but a luxury car. Its not going to perform like a 911. To echo some of the other comments- it sits low to the ground and getting Into the car gives it a sports car feel. I did find the drivers seat odd at first but I was able to find the sweet spot after a few hours. I felt the need for 91 octane unfortunate compared to the performance and mileage it got (juice wasn’t worth the squeeze there). The electronics- navigation, Bluetooth, etc - wasn’t up to 2014 standards I felt. The car overall performed well. We went through a couple big snow storms. We were on our way up to the resort and went the back way up the mountain after stopping in Colorado Springs/AF Academy. The roads were completely covered with snow, there were vehicles stuck and the State Troopers were about to close the pass. The Porsche motored right along. The adaptive all wheel drive was bitchen. I was white knuckled for quite awhile,- driving someone else’s car, a car that I’ve never driven and unsure of it’s capabilities, in conditions I don’t often drive in. I was impressed. It never felt out of control and only lost traction once due to me, but the car seemed to correct itself. The trunk space was perfect for 2 suitcases and a duffel bag and the backseat area was perfect for the girls and their dolls! My youngest daughters only complaint was that she couldn’t see very good out of the back windows because you sit so low (See pic ). Overall, It was a fun car to drive around Colorado for the week.

Thanks for the review! We have an appt. on Tuesday to drive a new 2022 4S. It is not the color inside or out we would want, but anxious to get the experience in it to either pursue further or take off the list.

For the price, It has to be really impressive.to me to put one in the garage. If the wife really likes it then all bets are off I guess...

 

[Roosky01]

OK. So we did end up driving a new 4S yesterday after rescheduling a few test drive appointments. Upon first once over, the fit and finish of the car was beautiful, it was optioned close to what we had thought we wanted, and we were both excited to drive it.

I thought the car was a great driving/handling car, a bit uncomfortable, and at $122k was definitely not worth the squeeze after the test drive. Wife was so excited to drive one and after we were done she says "I know it's a Porsche, but can we just keep my car?" She did not like the interior/layout one bit after riding and driving in it. However, she sat in a new 911 Turbo S at the dealership and thought she could get used to that?

I believe we are settled on a new or certified M550i to replace her old 550i. It has 80+ more horsepower and is much quicker than the 4S (and her current ride!) and it has all the electronic gadgetry that she is used to operating. Plus, if we buy new it's about $35k less than the 4S we test drove which makes me smile.

 

[530RL]

OK. So we did end up driving a new 4S yesterday after rescheduling a few test drive appointments. Upon first once over, the fit and finish of the car was beautiful, it was optioned close to what we had thought we wanted, and we were both excited to drive it.

I thought the car was a great driving/handling car, a bit uncomfortable, and at $122k was definitely not worth the squeeze after the test drive. Wife was so excited to drive one and after we were done she says "I know it's a Porsche, but can we just keep my car?" She did not like the interior/layout one bit after riding and driving in it. However, she sat in a new 911 Turbo S at the dealership and thought she could get used to that?

I believe we are settled on a new or certified M550i to replace her old 550i. It has 80+ more horsepower and is much quicker than the 4S (and her current ride!) and it has all the electronic gadgetry that she is used to operating. Plus, if we buy new it's about $35k less than the 4S we test drove which makes me smile.

We ordered the M550ix for the wife and it took 18 weeks to show up. That way she got exactly what she wanted.

 

[Tooms22]

OK. So we did end up driving a new 4S yesterday after rescheduling a few test drive appointments. Upon first once over, the fit and finish of the car was beautiful, it was optioned close to what we had thought we wanted, and we were both excited to drive it.

I thought the car was a great driving/handling car, a bit uncomfortable, and at $122k was definitely not worth the squeeze after the test drive. Wife was so excited to drive one and after we were done she says "I know it's a Porsche, but can we just keep my car?" She did not like the interior/layout one bit after riding and driving in it. However, she sat in a new 911 Turbo S at the dealership and thought she could get used to that?

I believe we are settled on a new or certified M550i to replace her old 550i. It has 80+ more horsepower and is much quicker than the 4S (and her current ride!) and it has all the electronic gadgetry that she is used to operating. Plus, if we buy new it's about $35k less than the 4S we test drove which makes me smile.

Recently went through this with my wife. She was all over the place... all size SUVs and big sedans.

At one one point it was X5 M50 vs. base model Cayenne. Cayenne was still more and I swear you have to pay for everything as an option. You want a steering wheel? Add $1,000. We came to the conclusion that it was a $15,000 Porsche badge cost... even when comparing fast X5 M50 to slow base model Cayenne.

Just sent off her build sheet for a Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing. Hopefully we pick up an allocation

 

[Roosky01]

Just sent off her build sheet for a Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing. Hopefully we pick up an allocation

I brought up a V to her last fall and she looked at me all pissed off and said "Are you saying I look old enough to drive a Caddy?". I knew right then and there it was dead subject no matter how freak'n awesome that car is.

 

[attitude]

I brought up a V to her last fall and she looked at me all pissed off and said "Are you saying I look old enough to drive a Caddy?". I knew right then and there it was dead subject no matter how freak'n awesome that car is.

View attachment 1081895

Lol, you and I are in opposite situations. My girl would kill for a new Blackwing but my wallet said no. If I ordered one she would be on the fast rack to learning to drive a manual though

 

[Tooms22]

I brought up a V to her last fall and she looked at me all pissed off and said "Are you saying I look old enough to drive a Caddy?". I knew right then and there it was dead subject no matter how freak'n awesome that car is.

View attachment 1081895

That was my wife's first response.

She needed something nicer than her Civic when meeting with clients, networking partners, and other attorneys. She didn't really want to go BMW, Lexus, Audi, Mercedes route.

She wanted something a little different and fast (Ok, she didn't want something this fast).

Then she saw the interior and fell in love...

 

[Willie B]

…A lady friend of mine has a 2020 4S…I guess to compliment her 2012 Cayanne…I will pick her brain when I see her… The only complaint I’ve heard from her is she griped about having to put premium fuel in it…lol…

… got no reply from her… So I guess she has no complaints???…

 

[Bedrock]

Had a 2015 GTS for 3 years hands down my favorite car and I have had some really nice ones. I am 6’3 and my kids are 6’1 and 6’0, never had an issue with all four us driving for extended perios of time. Ridiculous handling, sport mode is incredible, sport exhaust is insane, scary that 85 felt like 55, sold it to get a Denali and boat.

. .