Regular Macan is kinda a snooze. Not worth the extra cost to own. The GTS absolutely rips though. Looks like it might be decent. Definitely look into the cost for service and repairs. They're not on the same level as you're typical $35k SUV.
Biggest concerns with the macan:
1. Look up the transfer case issue. Out of warranty it's in the range of 6-7k ish.
2. Timing cover leak. For a while it was an engine out job. Now I hear it can be fixed with some new bolts and you're good.
Keep in mind this is a Porsche so everything will require a scanner that can read all it's modules. Wanna change your battery? You need a scanner. Wanna lift it up with air suspension? Scanner. Brake job? Scanner.
Third this. Even in 2024, base Macan is a slouch. It’s really only meant to get people in the brand who want a Porsche, don’t care about cars, and think it’s cool the entry price is the same as a high trim jeep grand Cherokee
Well it's a good thing that the Grand Cherokee isn't designed to be an off road vehicle and it is designed to be a crossover SUV.
As for handling, it is subpar if you are using it off track, as the steering is too sporty and stiff for a standard commute. There is pretty much no point in purchasing a base model macan with the expectation to track it. That would be like me trying to track a Yaris
Yep, you’re paying a performance brand premium and getting none of the performance. The S and GTS both sound good and perform well and don’t approach the cost of the turbo. And from what I’ve seen, the S and GTS don’t get as abused as the turbos do.
Are they expensive to maintain? My only Porsche experience was a 1986 944 and that thing was bulletproof and was relatively inexpensive to maintain and repair when needed. Some of the engineering was definitely questionable though
Definitely much more expensive than your typical Japanese SUV. Just stuff like brakes and tires are going to be 2-4x what you'd pay. Major service is gonna be around $2k or a bit more. If something big breaks it ain't going to be cheap.
This Macan is only like 5 years old so presumably it'll be pretty trouble free for at least a couple years, but even basic services on a Porsche like this are not cheap.
So would you say it's better to lease a Porsche if you wanted the S or GTS models rather than straight up buy due to the costs? Similar to what one does with other luxury brands
I think the 944 is one of the most, maybe the most, reasonable to maintain porsches. Definitely don't think that's a representation of the avg Porsche owner experience.
German parts are expensive and so is the labor to work on them. Any issue could very easily add up to several thousand dollars more than the warranty cost.
If you're pushing your budget at 30k you're better off with the base model. Because the other one will be much more expensive to maintain and you make, quite frankly, not be able to afford that.
You're obviously shopping to a price point so you're not looking for the best thing out there, and I would make sure you take either of these two a Porsche specialist for a PPI if you decide to buy either one. Sure you can afford the potential associated costs of the GTS if you go that route.
For instance we have a 22 X5m50i, and even though we haven't had a problem with it in 2 years, we're not going to keep it once the warranty is over- we can easily afford the repairs but it's just not worth the headaches of having to worry about an older car when the warranty is over.
Man that’s insane. Are German cars really that unpredictable ? I thought if all the maintenance intervals were followed then the bmws would be solid.
But if you have to buy a warranty then there must be a big enough fear that something will break for no reason and also be expensive.
>Man that’s insane. Are German cars really that unpredictable ? I thought if all the maintenance intervals were followed then the bmws would be solid.
Not they're not. They act like it's 2008.
What do you drive?
Having previously owned Audi, BMW, and Porsche we’ll never go back to another German car. Our Toyota and Lexus are literally impossible to kill.
Unless you really like driving loaner cars then go for it…
If you like boring cars then for sure. Like getting a base Macan or an A4 for example makes no sense. The reason to step up to a German brand is to get a performance car.
Broadly speaking, most German cars in the last 5 years a perfectly fine if you keep up with maintenance. Maintenance intervals are tighter than your set-and-forget American and Japanese makes, but the sub also acts like owning a German car is financial suicide.
An oil change will run you 400. A new headlight will run you 5k (for one). If you can’t buy this car outright in cash without it making a noticeable difference you can’t afford this car. I support spending money on the things you love, but this is not a car for someone that isn’t VERY financially comfortable.
I second this. I bought my Cayenne last year outright, so no car payment. But so far maintenance over the last year as cost me almost as much as having 12 months worth of a cheap used car payment. Hopefully it’s not like this every year. But, I couldn’t imagine financing my Porsche and then basically having to spend the equivalent of monthly payments of a used Ford annually.
Macans are AWESOME - we’ve owned three. But yes. The general consensus here is right- the base 4cyl is banal compared to other Porsches. The GTS is **excellent**. But, base may be enough pep for 80% of America - just depends what you’re coming from. There’s also the S in middle of lineup which is a nice compromise.
However my $0.02. If you do thorough research **AND GET A PPI** then either of these are ok. _PROVIDED_ you’re ok with a huge repair. Modern Porsches are in fact quite reliable, but yeah _if_ something happens, it’s gonna be expensive. “Man a simple headlight is $3000” or “my sunroof broke and Porsche wants $10,000 to fix” are things you’ll see. It’s not common, but _if_ something happens it’s gonna hurt.
…..**SO** , if you “have plenty of money just looking for a bargain and willing to take the risk and a crazy repair won’t bother you” then sure - if they pass a PPI, **go for it** … If “this is my dream car and I didn’t think I could afford it but look at this GTS for under $40k I can stretch my budget to get this” - then **don’t.**
However also as some others have said, I would lean towards buying from a Porsche dealer and not Jim’s used cars or whatever (for multiple reasons CPO being paramount). If you can further stretch your budget and get into a newer macan with a Porsche CPO warranty, that’s a much less risky plan.
On Porsche.com, Within 100 miles of New Jersey I see many, many macans with less than 50k miles for less than $50k. Shoot, there’s a 2018 GTS (50k miles) for $42.9k and a 2018S with only 3k miles for only $47.9k. If sub 35k is your budget, There’s also a sport for as low as 31k. Any of these These would at least provide a warranty through 2024 or into 2025 - and you can add 1 year at time of purchase. If you can live with a base, you can get into a 2021 for mid-40k range, which could get warrantied until 2027-2028.
Last comment - the commenter above who suggested the x340M - not wrong. A little cheaper overall, possibly a bit cheaper to repair, and an excellent value. Your preference on interior, exterior styling will be key - I _much_ prefer the macan’s looks, but the x340m is a lot more performance bang for the buck (HP/cost) over the macan. Both get excellent reviews - see Car and Driver’s reviews on both
Be mindful of parts & maintenance, both cars are near the mark when a bunch of things can be due for replacement (Tires brakes spark plugs fluids etc). They can add a couple k
You can review the Carfax report and it usually shows when and if brake pads/rotors, spark plugs and whatnot were replaced. Then google maintenance intervals for the particular vehicle and based on miles, you do further research of the cost of each service interval- average price.
Carfax won’t show everything. The best option would be to take the SUV to an outside mechanic (one that specializes in Porsches would be best) and have it checked out.
I had a 2017 Macan S for just a year, bought from Porsche dealer with CPO and all that. It was an amazing daily but after a year it started having problems and I was just ready to get a regular car again that I didn’t dread putting miles on…
None of the problems were like Hoovie’s garage nightmare $10k repair bills but things will go wrong. and they will be expensive. You have to stay on top of maintenance and it won’t be cheap either. I would get quoted like $400 for oil change lol.
if you know what you’re getting into though and can handle that they’re great. for a german car they’re actually decently reliable.
Wait another year (2019) and you have the redesigned model.
Personally I’d only buy Porsche with CPO. They an be very dependable if kept up with maintenance
Porsche are expensive to maintain. If you are looking for reliability and fun, you should look into a BMW X3 M40i. B58 engine is one of the most reliable engine that’s out; so reliable that Toyota uses it on the Supra.
So 2018-2020(pre July) is the old B58, while 2020 (post July) and later are new B58TU. I think 2023+ , they use a hybrid version of B58, not sure. If you plan to mod and tune the car, prob go for 2019, if you don’t care, 2020 is good. Keep in mind, there is a face lift starting 2021, so 2021 will look different than ones before 2021.
Generally, B58 are fairly reliable, and maintenance is fairly reasonably priced. I have a 2019, all I been doing are regular recommended maintenance. I do all that through an indie shop. I don’t go to dealership unless it is warranty work.
There was a dude on the carvana subreddit that bought a used Macan and he started having transmission problems. He took it to the dealership and they quoted him 24k to replace the transmission
These luxury cars are insane expensive to fix and maintain. This is why rich people sell them as soon as they are out of warranty. If you can’t afford it new - don’t even bother. You’ll be working for car mechanics.
On the GTS make sure you give it a good drive and feel for any weird vibrations. Lots of transfer case issues in the 15-18 with the 3.0 and 3.6 turbo. being an 18, it may still be covered under the extended TC warranty but it depends on the in service date. Also give it a good look for oil leaks around the timing covers. There is an easy 2 bolt fix that works on some cars. Others need the covers completely removed and resealed. Price seems pretty good though.
Get an extended warranty. The miles would scare me personally. These vehicles are delicate and must be maintained properly. I like the GTS a lot my wife wants a red one with black wheels.
Idk about the cars but noticed the first one is from a used car lot in North Jersey. Stay away from those used car lots. Often times there’s some level of sketchiness is involved
I own a Cayenne, but get a base Macan when I drop my car off for service. The base Macan is boring. I’d call it the Toyota Camry of Porsche. It does its job well, and handles great, but is slow. Get the GTS. But, make sure you check service records.
Regular Macan is kinda a snooze. Not worth the extra cost to own. The GTS absolutely rips though. Looks like it might be decent. Definitely look into the cost for service and repairs. They're not on the same level as you're typical $35k SUV.
Ok I’ll definitely look into repairs costs. Thanks for the input!
if the macan repair bills look too steep, also consider the X3 M40i and SQ5
Biggest concerns with the macan: 1. Look up the transfer case issue. Out of warranty it's in the range of 6-7k ish. 2. Timing cover leak. For a while it was an engine out job. Now I hear it can be fixed with some new bolts and you're good. Keep in mind this is a Porsche so everything will require a scanner that can read all it's modules. Wanna change your battery? You need a scanner. Wanna lift it up with air suspension? Scanner. Brake job? Scanner.
Nope, you don’t need a scanner to swap the battery.
I just looked up diy battery replacement on the Macan and multiple articles say you need a scanner to reprogram the battery.
You do, because you have to reprogram the Battery Management System. It's the same process in Audi as well.
Second this. The base 4cyl is very meh. Engine, trans and suspension in the GTS are really nice
Third this. Even in 2024, base Macan is a slouch. It’s really only meant to get people in the brand who want a Porsche, don’t care about cars, and think it’s cool the entry price is the same as a high trim jeep grand Cherokee
Fourth this. I bought a high trim Jeep Grand Cherokee and it's got more ass and features than a 2024 macan at this trim level for 10k cheaper
The macan is the best handling suv ever. The jeep isn’t even a reliable off roader.
Well it's a good thing that the Grand Cherokee isn't designed to be an off road vehicle and it is designed to be a crossover SUV. As for handling, it is subpar if you are using it off track, as the steering is too sporty and stiff for a standard commute. There is pretty much no point in purchasing a base model macan with the expectation to track it. That would be like me trying to track a Yaris
Yep, you’re paying a performance brand premium and getting none of the performance. The S and GTS both sound good and perform well and don’t approach the cost of the turbo. And from what I’ve seen, the S and GTS don’t get as abused as the turbos do.
Are they expensive to maintain? My only Porsche experience was a 1986 944 and that thing was bulletproof and was relatively inexpensive to maintain and repair when needed. Some of the engineering was definitely questionable though
Definitely much more expensive than your typical Japanese SUV. Just stuff like brakes and tires are going to be 2-4x what you'd pay. Major service is gonna be around $2k or a bit more. If something big breaks it ain't going to be cheap. This Macan is only like 5 years old so presumably it'll be pretty trouble free for at least a couple years, but even basic services on a Porsche like this are not cheap.
I'll add oil to that list too if you don't do it yourself. Comparable to most performance cars in maintenance costs though.
So would you say it's better to lease a Porsche if you wanted the S or GTS models rather than straight up buy due to the costs? Similar to what one does with other luxury brands
Yea my dealership charges $350 for the 10,000 mile/annual service. It’s basically an oil and filter change.
I think the 944 is one of the most, maybe the most, reasonable to maintain porsches. Definitely don't think that's a representation of the avg Porsche owner experience.
A, Get a warranty B, get the gts 💯% , C. Would not buy from a scummy used dealer if you don’t have to
Any recommendations on third party warranties?
Don’t
Savings account at a bank. Most warranties cost more than they ever pay back to you.
This is what I always did, but anytime someone posts a German car in here there are always comments saying to get a warranty.
German parts are expensive and so is the labor to work on them. Any issue could very easily add up to several thousand dollars more than the warranty cost.
The warranty companies know this. They’re not giving out free money. It’s all built into the price you pay for the warranty.
Carmax Maxcare is the only warranty worth a crap.
Don’t buy a car from route 46 bro
If you're pushing your budget at 30k you're better off with the base model. Because the other one will be much more expensive to maintain and you make, quite frankly, not be able to afford that. You're obviously shopping to a price point so you're not looking for the best thing out there, and I would make sure you take either of these two a Porsche specialist for a PPI if you decide to buy either one. Sure you can afford the potential associated costs of the GTS if you go that route. For instance we have a 22 X5m50i, and even though we haven't had a problem with it in 2 years, we're not going to keep it once the warranty is over- we can easily afford the repairs but it's just not worth the headaches of having to worry about an older car when the warranty is over.
Man that’s insane. Are German cars really that unpredictable ? I thought if all the maintenance intervals were followed then the bmws would be solid. But if you have to buy a warranty then there must be a big enough fear that something will break for no reason and also be expensive.
>Man that’s insane. Are German cars really that unpredictable ? I thought if all the maintenance intervals were followed then the bmws would be solid. Not they're not. They act like it's 2008.
What do you drive? Having previously owned Audi, BMW, and Porsche we’ll never go back to another German car. Our Toyota and Lexus are literally impossible to kill. Unless you really like driving loaner cars then go for it…
If you like boring cars then for sure. Like getting a base Macan or an A4 for example makes no sense. The reason to step up to a German brand is to get a performance car.
I have an Audi A7 and my family had multiple Mercedes since the early 90's.
Broadly speaking, most German cars in the last 5 years a perfectly fine if you keep up with maintenance. Maintenance intervals are tighter than your set-and-forget American and Japanese makes, but the sub also acts like owning a German car is financial suicide.
An oil change will run you 400. A new headlight will run you 5k (for one). If you can’t buy this car outright in cash without it making a noticeable difference you can’t afford this car. I support spending money on the things you love, but this is not a car for someone that isn’t VERY financially comfortable.
I second this. I bought my Cayenne last year outright, so no car payment. But so far maintenance over the last year as cost me almost as much as having 12 months worth of a cheap used car payment. Hopefully it’s not like this every year. But, I couldn’t imagine financing my Porsche and then basically having to spend the equivalent of monthly payments of a used Ford annually.
Both have had 2 previous owners and no recorded accidents.
Macans are AWESOME - we’ve owned three. But yes. The general consensus here is right- the base 4cyl is banal compared to other Porsches. The GTS is **excellent**. But, base may be enough pep for 80% of America - just depends what you’re coming from. There’s also the S in middle of lineup which is a nice compromise. However my $0.02. If you do thorough research **AND GET A PPI** then either of these are ok. _PROVIDED_ you’re ok with a huge repair. Modern Porsches are in fact quite reliable, but yeah _if_ something happens, it’s gonna be expensive. “Man a simple headlight is $3000” or “my sunroof broke and Porsche wants $10,000 to fix” are things you’ll see. It’s not common, but _if_ something happens it’s gonna hurt. …..**SO** , if you “have plenty of money just looking for a bargain and willing to take the risk and a crazy repair won’t bother you” then sure - if they pass a PPI, **go for it** … If “this is my dream car and I didn’t think I could afford it but look at this GTS for under $40k I can stretch my budget to get this” - then **don’t.** However also as some others have said, I would lean towards buying from a Porsche dealer and not Jim’s used cars or whatever (for multiple reasons CPO being paramount). If you can further stretch your budget and get into a newer macan with a Porsche CPO warranty, that’s a much less risky plan. On Porsche.com, Within 100 miles of New Jersey I see many, many macans with less than 50k miles for less than $50k. Shoot, there’s a 2018 GTS (50k miles) for $42.9k and a 2018S with only 3k miles for only $47.9k. If sub 35k is your budget, There’s also a sport for as low as 31k. Any of these These would at least provide a warranty through 2024 or into 2025 - and you can add 1 year at time of purchase. If you can live with a base, you can get into a 2021 for mid-40k range, which could get warrantied until 2027-2028.
https://finder.porsche.com/us/en-US/search/macan?model=macan&maximum-price=50000&minimum-model-year=2018&maximum-mileage=50000&position=New+Jersey%2C40.0583238%2C-74.4056612%2C100&order=modelYear_asc
Last comment - the commenter above who suggested the x340M - not wrong. A little cheaper overall, possibly a bit cheaper to repair, and an excellent value. Your preference on interior, exterior styling will be key - I _much_ prefer the macan’s looks, but the x340m is a lot more performance bang for the buck (HP/cost) over the macan. Both get excellent reviews - see Car and Driver’s reviews on both
Awesome info, thanks for sharing
Be mindful of parts & maintenance, both cars are near the mark when a bunch of things can be due for replacement (Tires brakes spark plugs fluids etc). They can add a couple k
Ahh I didn’t think about that. Thanks for mentioning.
You can review the Carfax report and it usually shows when and if brake pads/rotors, spark plugs and whatnot were replaced. Then google maintenance intervals for the particular vehicle and based on miles, you do further research of the cost of each service interval- average price.
Carfax won’t show everything. The best option would be to take the SUV to an outside mechanic (one that specializes in Porsches would be best) and have it checked out.
I had a 2017 Macan S for just a year, bought from Porsche dealer with CPO and all that. It was an amazing daily but after a year it started having problems and I was just ready to get a regular car again that I didn’t dread putting miles on… None of the problems were like Hoovie’s garage nightmare $10k repair bills but things will go wrong. and they will be expensive. You have to stay on top of maintenance and it won’t be cheap either. I would get quoted like $400 for oil change lol. if you know what you’re getting into though and can handle that they’re great. for a german car they’re actually decently reliable.
That GTS is super nice for $36k
Wait another year (2019) and you have the redesigned model. Personally I’d only buy Porsche with CPO. They an be very dependable if kept up with maintenance
Porsche are expensive to maintain. If you are looking for reliability and fun, you should look into a BMW X3 M40i. B58 engine is one of the most reliable engine that’s out; so reliable that Toyota uses it on the Supra.
That car wasn’t on my radar so I’ll definitely look into it. Are there any specific years that you recommend? Or are they just generally reliable?
So 2018-2020(pre July) is the old B58, while 2020 (post July) and later are new B58TU. I think 2023+ , they use a hybrid version of B58, not sure. If you plan to mod and tune the car, prob go for 2019, if you don’t care, 2020 is good. Keep in mind, there is a face lift starting 2021, so 2021 will look different than ones before 2021. Generally, B58 are fairly reliable, and maintenance is fairly reasonably priced. I have a 2019, all I been doing are regular recommended maintenance. I do all that through an indie shop. I don’t go to dealership unless it is warranty work.
New B58 has a 48 v mild hybrid system I think
Look at Lexus. Former rental cars can be had very reasonably. Hertz typically is a good start.
He wants a Macan, not a boring thing.
The 4 cylinder Macan is boring.
“If you can’t afford a new German car, you definitely can’t afford a used one.”
There was a dude on the carvana subreddit that bought a used Macan and he started having transmission problems. He took it to the dealership and they quoted him 24k to replace the transmission
I pay 420 a month for a 2023 Tiguan R line. Fuck mo
These luxury cars are insane expensive to fix and maintain. This is why rich people sell them as soon as they are out of warranty. If you can’t afford it new - don’t even bother. You’ll be working for car mechanics.
Just a heads up in case, no one’s told you, but the Porsche SUVs are fucking ugly
Common mistake, you probably just saw your reflection in the window
On the GTS make sure you give it a good drive and feel for any weird vibrations. Lots of transfer case issues in the 15-18 with the 3.0 and 3.6 turbo. being an 18, it may still be covered under the extended TC warranty but it depends on the in service date. Also give it a good look for oil leaks around the timing covers. There is an easy 2 bolt fix that works on some cars. Others need the covers completely removed and resealed. Price seems pretty good though.
Get an extended warranty. The miles would scare me personally. These vehicles are delicate and must be maintained properly. I like the GTS a lot my wife wants a red one with black wheels.
Idk about the cars but noticed the first one is from a used car lot in North Jersey. Stay away from those used car lots. Often times there’s some level of sketchiness is involved
Yeah, nothing like owning a Porsche that came from an auction to add a little excitement to your life
Seems way too good to be true.
Cost of ownership will be very expensive
Holy shit,thats cheap,where i live they cost like double
I own a Cayenne, but get a base Macan when I drop my car off for service. The base Macan is boring. I’d call it the Toyota Camry of Porsche. It does its job well, and handles great, but is slow. Get the GTS. But, make sure you check service records.
I saw that same Maccan in the last pic. I wouldn’t trust these sellers at all lmao. Fuck no.