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Congrats on the new truck, hope it works out better than the Golf R. Guess swearing off VW's didn't work out😂

Well I....I mean I tried....but see I.....

[sigh]

 

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Well, I just did a build on a standard Q7 - $75k. I can hear my wife vetoing this idea already considering the deal we got on her Durango (bottom dollar on the pricing and nice trade value). Of course she has no real concept that the replacement will easily cost a lot more no matter what we do.

I'm tempted to convince her that we should take the value out of it now (given the crazy used market).....but she likes to keep her cars forever.

I would suggest leasing. They are actually somewhat reasonable in those situations.

Maybe this is the car enthusiast in me talking, but there was a time when I would have sneered at a car like this not being worth the money. I am eating my words now...and I am shocked at the goodness they bake into this thing.

 

[smstiles]

FWIW, I own a Cayenne and also spend a lot of time at the track, but I've no intention of ever putting the Cayenne on it. Being so heavy, in a full session I'd probably overheat the tires and possibly even the very large brakes, and while the suspension is fantastic on the street, for the track I have to imagine you'd pitch all over the place--even my 718 with PASM had too much movement. Not to mention I'm occasionally out there with people in Radicals, Caterhams, Spec Racer Fords, and (once!) an LMP2 car; doesn't seem fair and pretty sure that wouldn't fly with control to be in a vehicle that could quite literally run others over, so we're talking about sandbagging run groups too.

I'll admit it would probably be fine for someone that wanted to do a few days at 7 or 8/10ths in a novice group to experience the performance it has. And there are a lot of Cayennes in the paddock; it's just, IME 100% time it's been a tow vehicle or a support vehicle of some sort. After all, you could reasonably get a Spec Miata + trailer + SQ8 for the price of a Cayenne S and have the best of both worlds.

TL;DR--As a Cayenne owner, choosing one over a Q7 or Q8 is 100% an emotional preference for handling and design.

Great points re: SQ7/8 and Cayenne. Great first world problems to have. I'm baffled by why the SQ8 is heavier than the SQ7 and both are so much heavier than the Cayenne S. Then I went and looked at the Cayenne GTS with the same 4.0TT and I think that's the answer. it's a heavy beast of an engine. At least Audi didn't neuter it like Porsche did in the GTS.

I don't need 3 rows or the extra length of the Q7. I do like the extra features in the SQ8 dollar per dollar. But, that Cayenne S is such a nicely balanced package and I'm a sucker for weight savings when I can, all else equal. I'm really turned off by (of all things) the silly frameless windows in the SQ8. Odd, I know. We'll see. Just bench racing right now because -- let's face it -- I'm not actually driving much for the next 6 months until lockdown lifts

Back to the topic: Congrats on a beautiful audi!

 

[davewg]

I would suggest leasing. They are actually somewhat reasonable in those situations.

Maybe this is the car enthusiast in me talking, but there was a time when I would have sneered at a car like this not being worth the money. I am eating my words now...and I am shocked at the goodness they bake into this thing.

My wife is very hard on her vehicles. They definitely get worked, and she thinks washing them is pointless as their just dirty the next day (she drives dirt roads at work, etc.). I'd be worried about the lease turn in wear penalties.

I'm with you on the thinking that something like this isn't worth the money. Still, even my options Q7 is more than 2x the new car average (I have not looked at lease #s at all). And again - my wife would have to be ready to make a change.

 

[ghost03]

7,700 lbs.!

I am struggling with NOT looking at bigger boats. I need to remind myself that I am really maxed out with my current boat and storage situation.

FWIW, I don't have a boat but I do know the wind loading has been more of a factor for the large stuff I've towed with my Cayenne than the weight. My dad's JD tractor on an open trailer weighing in at ~6.5k was no problem at all. Whereas my 6x12 box trailer at ~1.5k can tug at the wheel a little bit if it's windy and something big goes by. I should've gone double axle, but still, that was a bit disapointing.

Great points re: SQ7/8 and Cayenne. Great first world problems to have. I'm baffled by why the SQ8 is heavier than the SQ7 and both are so much heavier than the Cayenne S. Then I went and looked at the Cayenne GTS with the same 4.0TT and I think that's the answer. it's a heavy beast of an engine. At least Audi didn't neuter it like Porsche did in the GTS.

The motor is part of it; for MLB Evo I don't know all the details, but on the E1 and E2 SUVs the Cayenne has typically gotten a bit more aluminum than Touareg or Q7, particularly in suspension arms and stuff like that which is only partially sprung.

 

[Cabin Pics]

FWIW, I don't have a boat but I do know the wind loading has been more of a factor for the large stuff I've towed with my Cayenne than the weight. My dad's JD tractor on an open trailer weighing in at ~6.5k was no problem at all. Whereas my 6x12 box trailer at ~1.5k can tug at the wheel a little bit if it's windy and something big goes by. I should've gone double axle, but still, that was a bit disapointing.

This has been one of the reasons I don't want to pull a bumper pull camper behind the Q7. Even it it weighs 5,000# the surface area alone would turn it into a kite and I'm sure end up pulling the Q7 all over the road. With as short of a wheelbase as it has, towing something that catches a ton of wind would be a handful.

 

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This has been one of the reasons I don't want to pull a bumper pull camper behind the Q7. Even it it weighs 5,000# the surface area alone would turn it into a kite and I'm sure end up pulling the Q7 all over the road. With as short of a wheelbase as it has, towing something that catches a ton of wind would be a handful.

It depends on what you pull. I can tell you the Highlander didn't much seem to care about the Four Winns back there, but I attribute that to the shape of the boat being a little more aerodynamic.

I am genuinely interested to see how the SQ7 does with the boat. I don't think I have anything to worry about, but anytime you change the setup it's a question mark.

 

[Cabin Pics]

It depends on what you pull. I can tell you the Highlander didn't much seem to care about the Four Winns back there, but I attribute that to the shape of the boat being a little more aerodynamic.

I am genuinely interested to see how the SQ7 does with the boat. I don't think I have anything to worry about, but anytime you change the setup it's a question mark.

I don't think you'll have an issue with the boat. I was specifically talking about campers.

 

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I don't think you'll have an issue with the boat. I was specifically talking about campers.

I can see that. The large flat face of most campers would be an aerodynamic drag.

 

[Pushrods]

I can see that. The large flat face of most campers would be an aerodynamic drag.

Most tow vehicles usually have a ‘not to exceed’ spec for trailer frontal area.

It can be a much bigger factor than weight in some instances.

 

[Itgb]

Reading through your 1st post, I did not expect that ending. But wow, what an awesome family hauler. The SQ7 had such a quiet launch that I had completely forgotten about it. Congrats!

 

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I'm going to post this in Smoo...whatever's RS6 thread, but holy ****, do these Audis have potential with just a tune. Watch it pick the front end up on launch after they give it a little extra oomph.

I really wish I didn’t watch that. The nose-up launch of the RS6 was hilarious.

 

[Sporin]

Great rig and I love the color combo, congrats!!

 

[rich!]

Well, I just did a build on a standard Q7 - $75k. I can hear my wife vetoing this idea already considering the deal we got on her Durango (bottom dollar on the pricing and nice trade value). Of course she has no real concept that the replacement will easily cost a lot more no matter what we do.

I'm tempted to convince her that we should take the value out of it now (given the crazy used market).....but she likes to keep her cars forever.

Come on... join the crowd... upgrade to a hellcat.

 

[puma1552]

I would suggest leasing. They are actually somewhat reasonable in those situations.

Maybe this is the car enthusiast in me talking, but there was a time when I would have sneered at a car like this not being worth the money. I am eating my words now...and I am shocked at the goodness they bake into this thing.

Yeah, so once you've stepped up to this price class, where do you go next? Always hard to go back down; if you ended up in a position where you needed to get back into a two car household and effectively buy two cars for half price, that could be tough to swallow.

 

[Cabin Pics]

Yeah, so once you've stepped up to this price class, where do you go next? Always hard to go back down; if you ended up in a position where you needed to get back into a two car household and effectively buy two cars for half price, that could be tough to swallow.

I fail to see what the problem would be. Our household has a price we will spend per month on vehicles. Whether it be one car or two. Luckily we're both fine driving **** boxes and having one nice car around (the Q7). If for some reason we both wanted new cars at the same time we'd have to drop down a class, or hold Smooremin's 'Rocco hostage while we negotiate our payments.

It would be far from the end of the world though. So we each drive a new Ford, big whoop.

 

[puma1552]

I fail to see what the problem would be. Our household has a price we will spend per month on vehicles. Whether it be one car or two. Luckily we're both fine driving **** boxes and having one nice car around (the Q7). If for some reason we both wanted new cars at the same time we'd have to drop down a class, or hold Smooremin's 'Rocco hostage while we negotiate our payments.

It would be far from the end of the world though. So we each drive a new Ford, big whoop.

Works for you I guess, though the question wasn't directed at you. Nothing against Ford (liked both of mine) but personally I wouldn't want to be driving and paying $700-$800 a month for a $45k Ford (still like to buy, personally) after a $90k Audi, but that's just me. Probably not alone on that either, at least outside of TCL where the $3 manuel brown diesel wagon reigns supreme. I like to move up, not down if possible.

 

[TangoRed]

You really can’t go wrong with any of the German SUVs. They’re all excellent. Congrats!

 

[Pushrods]

Yeah, so once you've stepped up to this price class, where do you go next? Always hard to go back down; if you ended up in a position where you needed to get back into a two car household and effectively buy two cars for half price, that could be tough to swallow.

Dude. Just let the guy enjoy his new car.

 

[ghost03]

Yeah, so once you've stepped up to this price class, where do you go next? Always hard to go back down; if you ended up in a position where you needed to get back into a two car household and effectively buy two cars for half price, that could be tough to swallow.

Eh, I've done it and never minded, it's always been exciting to get a car--something different and interesting. I mentioned the Jimny in another thread, that'd be a "downgrade" from pretty much anything sold in the US in 20 years, but I would be excited as anything to be able to buy one.