Towing with a Macan

[Pork Chops]

Anyone done it / doing it?  All good?  I note they have a 2,400 kg braked capacity and I'd be towing up to 2,300 kg, but mostly around the 2,000 kg mark.

Many thanks.

[Lucky Phil]

If you go with the Macan drive it first.  I guess as you're considering towing you would be after the diesel.  I had one (diesel Macan S) for the day last week when my car was in for a service.  At first I really liked it but then I noticed that it has a strange delay from stop to go when at the lights after the engine restarts when you take your foot off the brake.  You hit the gas, the car starts and then there is a delay before it goes. Initial reaction is more throttle and then one second later the car suddenly decides oh the engine has started again and wham you are off.  It's all very subtle but you do feel that you are still at the lights when others have already left.

At the end of the day I hated it and when I explained to the my guy at Porsche what had happened he said yes common feedback and he had noticed it too when he drove one.  I would go the petrol I think as it must be a diesel thing.  Would drive me nuts if it was my daily, otherwise really liked the Macan (just not the diesel). 

[Chris-p]

Phil, I had the same experience the week before but in a new Cayenne Diesel they loaned me. I couldn't live with it for the same reason.....

[Pork Chops]

^ good feedback.  Can you disable the auto stop / start?  Also is this annoying habit particular to the diesels?  I'm test driving on Saturday so I'll ask the sales guy and see for myself.  I too had a loaner this week but in my case it was a VW Polo and the stop start thing annoyed the crap out of me.  Never had that on a car I've owned.

[Lucky Phil]

Yep all new cars have stop start now (european cars always) and yes can be disabled.  Happens automatically when you hit the sport button or it can be just turned off by hitting the A button (usually on the centre console).  The default setting though is always on so you need to start the car and disable every time you enter the vehicle and start it up.  Cannot be permanently disabled.  You do get used to it though.  In my Mercedes it seems odd when the car does not turn off at the lights now but in the Merc (petrol) the stop start function is seamless.  My Porsche is the same but I do tend to drive it in Sport mode so the stop start is always off, unless I am in traffic then I leave stop start on (again as it is petrol the stop start is seamless).  The Macan diesel however that was a different story altogether.  I left it in stop start mode for the day as I was in traffic a lot but that delay was so so annoying.

Bottom line when you first get a car with stop start it seems so odd.  After 3 years with cars with the function it now seems odd when I drive my wife's Mazda 2 and it does not shut down at the lights.  You get used to it, just like heads up display and auto cruise control all seem normal to me now and all seems odd in the Mazda which does not have these functions.

 

[TwoHeadsTas]

1 hour ago, Pork Chops said:

^ good feedback.  Can you disable the auto stop / start?  Also is this annoying habit particular to the diesels?  I'm test driving on Saturday so I'll ask the sales guy and see for myself.  I too had a loaner this week but in my case it was a VW Polo and the stop start thing annoyed the crap out of me.  Never had that on a car I've owned.

Last hire car I had was a Toyota Hybrid with stop / start.  Took me 5 minutes to work out how everything worked and what the various things on the dashboard meant 

Last few hire cars I had while looking at 996s had stop start, all were petrol, but in some the lag was worse that others.  I think I'd put up with the lag for the overall superior drivability of a diesel (in my opinion at least, as someone who has had diesels in both SUV and sedans for the past 15 - 20 or so years

[KGB]

Make stop-start fun, try to blip the throttle in anticipation of the lights changing to have the engine running, to go on green!  Or are you texting?

We had a diesel F11 (5 touring) and the stop-start in that was faster than the current C63s we have...go figure...

[Jcg1]

I just bought the petrol Macan and had tow bar fitted as well. I will be towing my 22 foot this weekend with it for the first time it will be all of 2.4t I would say.

i will keep you posted how it does. I also have a Jayco van I will be towing over Christmas with the Macan. 

[Snowman]

I have a Macan (3.6TT Petrol) - tow with it regularly. Drives really well but uses juice when towing.

The stop/start thing annoyed me at first and I always disabled it when I first got in the car. But now I don't bother. You quickly learn a slight lift off the brake pedal (so the car still doesn't move) effectively restarts the car, and you soon begin to just do that whenever you need to in advance. 

[hugh]

Any thoughts towards colour preference? 

[Pork Chops]

3 minutes ago, hugh said:

Any thoughts towards colour preference? 

You cheeky man!  Red or blue.  Absolutely no white, black ,grey or silver and I'm farked if I'm paying for PTS.  Quite like the black and tan interior to go with the blue and I'd go with the smallest wheels largest tyre sidewall so it doesn't ride like a biarch (assuming an S, not a GTS).  Even the Carmine Red is a total rip, so blue would be my preference as it's a standard metallic colour.  Could be second hand though so might depend on what's around.

I'll see how I go but I'm considering selling the 993S, especially if I went the GTS, as I suspect the Medium Mac will do everything the 993 does for me, and a lot better to boot (except the style).  Then I can concentrate on my performance jalopies.  I'll float an EOI out there if it comes to it, so this is a pre-EOI, EOI.

[hugh]

9 minutes ago, Pork Chops said:

You cheeky man!  Red or blue.  Absolutely no white, black ,grey or silver and I'm farked if I'm paying for PTS.  Quite like the black and tan interior to go with the blue and I'd go with the smallest wheels largest tyre sidewall so it doesn't ride like a biarch (assuming an S, not a GTS).  Even the Carmine Red is a total rip, so blue would be my preference as it's a standard metallic colour.  Could be second hand though so might depend on what's around.

I'll see how I go but I'm considering selling the 993S, especially if I went the GTS, as I suspect the Medium Mac will do everything the 993 does for me, and a lot better to boot (except the style).  Then I can concentrate on my performance jalopies.  I'll float an EOI out there if it comes to it, so this is a pre-EOI, EOI.

You've changed man.............it used to be all about the colour threads. I do appreciate use of the term "jalopies" though as it is just not used often enough, especially when it comes to Porsches. 

A sign of you becoming a farmer I guess, Macan will do well on plough. 

[James P]

Some info on stop start for you to consider 

 

[Redracn]

19 minutes ago, James P said:

Some info on stop start for you to consider 

 

Pretty much nails it. I will be the last person to buy a car with stop start and if I do reluctantly find myself with one I will build an electronic button pusher to ensure it is always off. Stupid manufactures of course their stupid system can be defeated. 

Looks like the Porsche GT cars at least for now are not goining down this stupid BS path of usless trinkets like start stop, regenerative braking using standard alternator and battery, coasting, virtual gearbox etc. 

But back on topic. Besides F trucks and similar the Cayenne S Diesel 4.2 V8 and its cousins the VW TDI V8 Touareg and Q7 are at the top of the tow tree with 3500 Kg and 800+ Nm. Towing 3500 with a dual cab usually means that you can only have two people and a tank of fuel before you exceed their pitiful GCM

if you plan on doing a bit of towing a Diesel is a must as it takes more power to tow and Diesels have lots of that at low rpm so do it much more effortlessly.

[vl gra]

My wife's Audi has the stop/start fitted. You can turn it off once you start the car by simply pressing a button or leave it in dynamic mode. It is not an issue for me unless you want to pull out on someone fast.

My only concern would be to future wear down the track with it starting so often. Won't be my problem though as i only keep the wife's cars for 2 years as i don't want to hear the whinging if it breaks down  

[jakroo]

Via the SMH website (https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/2018-jeep-grand-cherokee-trackhawk-full-details-116667.html)..... I suggest you ditch the Porsche car and get one of the 3 fastest cars for sale in Australia...

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will become the third most-powerful vehicle to be sold in Australia, with its 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 producing 522kW and 868Nm of torque – only bettered by the Ferrari 812 Superfast and Lamborghini Aventador S.

It packs enough punch to launch the monstrous SUV from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 289km/h.

Hell, that's quite a car, although I expect that it wouldn't be this quick when towing 2 tonne.  With a resounding 'f ck you' to the fuel misers of the world at 16.8l/100km, the towing range would be measured in 'gallons per mile' and not the more typical 'miles per gallon'.

[Pork Chops]

13 minutes ago, jakroo said:

Via the SMH website (https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/2018-jeep-grand-cherokee-trackhawk-full-details-116667.html)..... I suggest you ditch the Porsche car and get one of the 3 fastest cars for sale in Australia...

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will become the third most-powerful vehicle to be sold in Australia, with its 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 producing 522kW and 868Nm of torque – only bettered by the Ferrari 812 Superfast and Lamborghini Aventador S.

It packs enough punch to launch the monstrous SUV from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 289km/h.

Hell, that's quite a car, although I expect that it wouldn't be this quick when towing 2 tonne.  With a resounding 'f ck you' to the fuel misers of the world at 16.8l/100km, the towing range would be measured in 'gallons per mile' and not the more typical 'miles per gallon'.

But. It’s a Jeep.

@Redracn I’m still waiting on your tie down top tips. Hate to lose one off the back.

[Skidmarks]

13 hours ago, Pork Chops said:

You cheeky man!  Red or blue.  Absolutely no white, black ,grey or silver and I'm farked if I'm paying for PTS.  Quite like the black and tan interior to go with the blue and I'd go with the smallest wheels largest tyre sidewall so it doesn't ride like a biarch (assuming an S, not a GTS).  Even the Carmine Red is a total rip, so blue would be my preference as it's a standard metallic colour.  Could be second hand though so might depend on what's around.

I'll see how I go but I'm considering selling the 993S, especially if I went the GTS, as I suspect the Medium Mac will do everything the 993 does for me, and a lot better to boot (except the style).  Then I can concentrate on my performance jalopies.  I'll float an EOI out there if it comes to it, so this is a pre-EOI, EOI.

You sure about those color choices?

don’t want to get it wrong ...

think about it ...

[Pork Chops]

1 hour ago, Skidmarks said:

You sure about those color choices?

don’t want to get it wrong ...

think about it ...

It’s locked in Eddie. Except now my wife is saying I should consider something bigger so a Cayenne will also be perused. Can’t see it happening myself, but an open and fair process must be seen to be done.

[Mike-S]

Controversial question but, has sir considered other brands of SUV? 

I only say this because there are some half decent deals about at the moment on the Land Rover range, my V8 Sport’s up to 240k and still happily tows 2-3 tonne car trailers. I’d also have a look at the VW Toerag, work colleagues report good things about them for the money and spec levels.

[Pork Chops]

11 hours ago, Mike-S said:

Controversial question but, has sir considered other brands of SUV? 

I only say this because there are some half decent deals about at the moment on the Land Rover range, my V8 Sport’s up to 240k and still happily tows 2-3 tonne car trailers. I’d also have a look at the VW Toerag, work colleagues report good things about them for the money and spec levels.

Sir has, but the reality is most of the time it won't be towing and nothing beats the Macan for driver involvement and fun so I'll stay in the fold on that basis.

[KGB]

My mother-in-law drives a Macan GTS.  Party's over.

Gotta go the next level; Bentayga

[Pork Chops]

4 minutes ago, KGB said:

My mother-in-law drives a Macan GTS.  Party's over.

Gotta go the next level; Bentayga

Got her number? 

[KGB]

6 minutes ago, Pork Chops said:

Got her number? 

And she can cook!  AND she's from farming stock, dad...

[Pork Chops]

20 minutes ago, KGB said:

And she can cook!  AND she's from farming stock, dad...