[gameson]

Thinking of buying a 2016-17 porsche macan and looking for some information on what to avoid, what to look for, etc. porsche macan or x3?

[ganz]

I believe you want to go to https://rennlist.com/

[chassis]

Rennlist

Transfer case failure and front engine cover oil leak are two well known and well documented issues with those years. Warranty coverage might be available, rennlist has the details.

PDK transmission is a potentially expensive roll of the dice in my view.

Biggest complaint against the Macan, excluding engine and transmission problems, is small rear seat area. It’s not a big car, X3 is roomier in the rear seat area.

[c1pher]

I owned a 2017 Macan Turbo, never had any issues but didn’t own it for 200,000 miles either. I now have a 2023 Macan GTS if that helps with your decision making.

[gameson]

Originally Posted by chassis

Rennlist

Transfer case failure and front engine cover oil leak are two well known and well documented issues with those years. Warranty coverage might be available, rennlist has the details.

PDK transmission is a potentially expensive roll of the dice in my view.

Biggest complaint against the Macan, excluding engine and transmission problems, is small rear seat area. It’s not a big car, X3 is roomier in the rear seat area.

At what model year are these PDK, transfer case and engine oil cover leak resolved? I guess it’s similar to n20 timing chain issue lol

How is the driving dynamics between x3 and macan? I assume macan is a lot agile? Similar to comparing m4 vs cayman? Cayman less power but more fun to drive?

[Alfisti]

The Macan runs rings around everything else handling wise except the Stelvio, it handles better than the Stelvio but that's the only real alternative from a handling perspective.

I've never understood why you'd pay the Porsche tax without a flat 6, that's just me, expensive to own and run without the clatter behind your ears. Seriously, look at the Stelvio and don't be scared of the naysayers, the 2T is fine.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by gameson

At what model year are these PDK, transfer case and engine oil cover leak resolved? I guess it’s similar to n20 timing chain issue lol

How is the driving dynamics between x3 and macan? I assume macan is a lot agile? Similar to comparing m4 vs cayman? Cayman less power but more fun to drive?

Rennlist has the answer to the first question.

Porsche SUV owners agree (biased, and experienced, group) that Porsche SUVs handle better than segment competitors.

X3 xDrive30i vs Macan base
X3 M40i vs Macan S and GTS
X3M vs Macan Turbo

Porsche ride comfort at each segment is also viewed to be better than the alternatives. M and AMG suspensions are known to be harsh in the softest setting. I rented an X3M for a week and didn’t enjoy the loud droning exhaust and jarring suspension. The Macan Turbo and Cayenne Turbo with air suspension can be plush and comfortable in normal mode, and turn into animals in Sport+. I hold the view that Porsche does air suspension better than any competitor including Mercedes, except for the S-Class.

[c1pher]

I was looking at an X4 M40i (X4M wasn't out yet) prior to getting the Macan. I was actually considering a base Macan since it was just for driving around town. The BMW felt more like a toaster than a sporty SUV. I was trading in my Dinan tuned 135is at the time. I really liked the base Macan but the dealer had a CPO Turbo for about the same money. I drove that and bought it instead. It seemed as fast, if not faster than my 135 and handled just as well, actually more confidently. The Macan Turbo didn't have air suspension but my 23 GTS does (which now replaced the Turbo in the lineup), and can say it's very nearly close to driving like my Cayenne Turbo drove. It can be pretty plush if you want it to be but then really low, flat and aggressive when you want. It's pretty brutally fast for a small SUV.

[evomike]

Originally Posted by gameson

Thinking of buying a 2016-17 porsche macan and looking for some information on what to avoid, what to look for, etc. porsche macan or x3?

own a 2016 macan S and the biggest thing you want to look for is front engine oil leaks, the transfer case issue that may or may not have been adressed but i prefer it in every way to the X3 especially driving. It is the best driving car in that segment in my opinion.

check out the macan forum for more info

[dgoldenz]

The timing chain cover oil leak is a big one. I almost bought a Macan Turbo a few years ago and the PPI showed the leak, would have been $6-10k to fix. Definitely find something with air suspension, it makes a huge difference in the ride quality.

[Alfisti]

So Porsche tax plus potentially monumental repair bills.

get a Stelvio for peanuts in comparsion for 90% of the experience. Stick it is D more (Dynamic) and she hustles. The 2T has been reliable, as has the tranny, just try and avoid the security package which is ultra intrusive. Our lease is up and we are going to buy ours out, the only issue we had in 4 years was a power draw that drained the battery but seems we are on top of it. Wife loves the car, and with just 17K miles makes no sense to get a new anything given the insane prices out there.

[chassis]

The Porsche tax is real if using a dealer.

DIY is always the cheapest option. Standard maintenance is trivially easy, for experienced DIYers on German cars, on the Macan and Cayenne: brakes, oil change, spark plugs, engine air and cabin filters. Axle and t/case oil changes are easy. Transmission oil change I let the dealer handle.

Indy shops can easily do regular maintenance if DIY is not an option.

Large repairs are where I would use the dealer. Buying CPO, a third party (Fidelity) warranty or self-insuring is the way to mitigate these situations, if they come up.

Don't take delivery of a Macan until it has the t/case and front cover jobs done. Include a PDK service in the purchase transaction. Then you are good to go and in the normal realm of 7-year old preowned vehicle ownership.

[Alfisti]

I use an indy on my 997, TBH labour is not THAT bad (125 an hr) but the parts, dear jesus effing christ, insane up here compared to what you pay in usa.

I shit you not, hand on heart, the price for oil and parts for a full PDK service was almost the same as what my indy charged me FOR BOTH PARTS AND LABOUR because he got the oil/parts in bulk and cheaper than i could at retail.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by chassis

The Porsche tax is real if using a dealer.

DIY is always the cheapest option. Standard maintenance is trivially easy, for experienced DIYers on German cars, on the Macan and Cayenne: brakes, oil change, spark plugs, engine air and cabin filters. Axle and t/case oil changes are easy. Transmission oil change I let the dealer handle.

Indy shops can easily do regular maintenance if DIY is not an option.

Large repairs are where I would use the dealer. Buying CPO, a third party (Fidelity) warranty or self-insuring is the way to mitigate these situations, if they come up.

Don't take delivery of a Macan until it has the t/case and front cover jobs done. Include a PDK service in the purchase transaction. Then you are good to go and in the normal realm of 7-year old preowned vehicle ownership.

I have only used the dealer for the first complimentary service and any recall/warranty work. All scheduled/routine service is done at an independent shop. My 2 year service for my 911 was just under $600 vs a few grand at a dealer.

[alex2364]

You'll be an expert on deviated stitching if you spend enough time on Rennlist.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by alex2364

You'll be an expert on deviated stitching if you spend enough time on Rennlist.

I have deviated stitching on both of my Porsches lol.

[e61it]

I had a 2016 Macan S prior to my 45e. Great drive, but that back seat is pretty small and the front seating area can get a bit claustrophobic when skies are dark and dreary kind of like a small aircraft cabin. The air-suspension was far superior to the 45e version in comfort. I really enjoyed driving it but moved back to BMW with no regrets.

[gameson]

Is 2016-17 macan interior smaller or on par with the x1 of the same model year?

[evomike]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

The timing chain cover oil leak is a big one. I almost bought a Macan Turbo a few years ago and the PPI showed the leak, would have been $6-10k to fix. Definitely find something with air suspension, it makes a huge difference in the ride quality.

they have a new fix that is significantly cheaper, they have diagnosed that its always the top 2 bolts that break and that is actually the fix now.

[evomike]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

So Porsche tax plus potentially monumental repair bills.

get a Stelvio for peanuts in comparsion for 90% of the experience. Stick it is D more (Dynamic) and she hustles. The 2T has been reliable, as has the tranny, just try and avoid the security package which is ultra intrusive. Our lease is up and we are going to buy ours out, the only issue we had in 4 years was a power draw that drained the battery but seems we are on top of it. Wife loves the car, and with just 17K miles makes no sense to get a new anything given the insane prices out there.

you cannot be bringing up reliability and talking about an alfa come on now. I run a higher end collision center and an alfa dealer approached us and we now repair their customers cars, its not "tax" it is just an overall superior product in every way especially build quality.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by gameson

Is 2016-17 macan interior smaller or on par with the x1 of the same model year?

Looks like the Macan has a bit less front legroom than X1, and approximately the same front headroom. Size is not the Macan's strongest attribute, depending on one's perspective.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by gameson

Thinking of buying a 2016-17 porsche macan and looking for some information on what to avoid, what to look for, etc. porsche macan or x3?

Rennlist is the most active forum. Just keep in mind that Porsche SUVs are largely Audi's underneath the skin. They are not cut from the same cloth the 911, Cayman, and Boxster cars are when it comes to the engineering and general quality. Although Porsche has a very heavy hand in the performance and design of their SUVs, there's no escaping the Audi/VW issues, thus Porsche SUVs tend to have more issues than their sports cars and are more complex to work on (admittedly the Porsche turbo sports cars suck to work on too). I absolutely hate working on Audi/VW products. I swear the Audi/VW engineers give absolutely no thought to serviceability. And yet, I still get allow myself to get suckered into working on friend's Audi/VW products.

Keep in mind you're looking at a 2016-2017 Porsche that sold in 2015 or 2016. That means it's 7 to 8 years old now. You should be prepared for lots of maintenance, preventative maintenance, and minor repairs. If you cannot stomach $2,000-3,000 a year in repairs/maintenance, this will not be the car for you. Oil changes run $400-500. If you're a DIYer and are willing to tackle to most work, then it could be a great car. If you can't DIY, well a 7+ y/o Porsche will nickle and dime you. They are all exceptional driving vehicles which often blinds you into paying stupid sums of money to maintaining them