(Soon to be) new Macan owner - who would appreciate some advice on engine mileage

[MacanSafari]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy my first ever car (I live in the middle of London so haven't required one before) and I have my heart set on a Macan S. I've got a budget of around £25k and am very interested in this 2017 one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Maca ... SwwMJfyp9K
My plan is to go down to the actual dealership to check it out in person and test drive it, not actually purchase it off eBay!

It ticks all my boxes beyond the standard spec (less than 5 years old, SatNav, bright coloured interior, pano sunroof) and actually has a lot more that I don't actually need, but are nice to have. E.g. the upgraded alloys and Bose sound system. In fact it's more than I expected to get for my money

However, I'm concerned that it has 104k miles on the clock. It's a 3l diesel and I'm not sure how many miles modern engines are designed to last. Is this something that I should be worried about? I was initially expecting something with a lower spec but closer to the 50k mile mark. I'd also appreciate any other useful tips on purchasing a 2nd hand Macan.

P.S. Really sorry if this has been asked before. I spent a good hour or so searching on the forum but couldn't find anything.

Very much looking forward to officially joining the club! Thanks all!

[Deleted User 3304]

HI,
I've never seen a Macan with such a high mileage, about 35,000 miles per year: most have a relatively low annual mileage.
Looking on AutoTrader there are only 3 Macans under £25k, two of which have similar mileages but the other has "only" 69.5k miles.
My concern would be a risk of some high-cost maintenance bills on the horizon for you.
If it were me, I wouldn't be tempted by options that I don't actually needs but are nice to have.
The car's condition and service history are most important.
Good luck with your search

[On-Track]

To get that sort of mileage in around 4 years involves a lot of motorway miles. That's better for the engine than just being used on the school run. As to life, it should last the same again as long as it's used in the same way.

Here's where I would warn you. If you live in the centre of London and will mainly use the car for local journeys then the Porsche diesel is not the best choice. It can be prone to Diesel Particulate Filter issues unless it is regularly fully warmed up and driven for at least half an hour at reasonable speeds (i.e. not 30mile/h).

You should check that the car has been serviced at 20k mile intervals (should have had three intermediate services and two full ones). The PDK gearbox fluid should have been changed at least once and the brake fluid twice. Find out if the transfer box has been changed. This is a known weak spot for the Macan (all varieties). If not make sure the warranty is at least two years and covers engine and transmission.

Finally, welcome to the forum.

[Tracky]

To get that sort of mileage in around 4 years involves a lot of motorway miles. That's better for the engine than just being used on the school run. As to life, it should last the same again as long as it's used in the same way.

Here's where I would warn you. If you live in the centre of London and will mainly use the car for local journeys then the Porsche diesel is not the best choice. It can be prone to Diesel Particulate Filter issues unless it is regularly fully warmed up and driven for at least half an hour at reasonable speeds (i.e. not 30mile/h).

You should check that the car has been serviced at 20k mile intervals (should have had three intermediate services and two full ones). The PDK gearbox fluid should have been changed at least once and the brake fluid twice. Find out if the transfer box has been changed. This is a known weak spot for the Macan (all varieties). If not make sure the warranty is at least two years and covers engine and transmission.

Finally, welcome to the forum.

I agree with all of this

[Nuclear Nick]

The engine would probably be the least concern at this mileage. A full OPC service history would be essential for me.

Check the brake discs as they are likely to need replacing if they haven’t already been done. They will not be a warranty item later.

You’d be safer buying from an OPC but maybe budget might be an issue. Otherwise, make sure you have a cast iron warranty if you go with this one.

[MacanSafari]

To get that sort of mileage in around 4 years involves a lot of motorway miles. That's better for the engine than just being used on the school run. As to life, it should last the same again as long as it's used in the same way.

Here's where I would warn you. If you live in the centre of London and will mainly use the car for local journeys then the Porsche diesel is not the best choice. It can be prone to Diesel Particulate Filter issues unless it is regularly fully warmed up and driven for at least half an hour at reasonable speeds (i.e. not 30mile/h).

You should check that the car has been serviced at 20k mile intervals (should have had three intermediate services and two full ones). The PDK gearbox fluid should have been changed at least once and the brake fluid twice. Find out if the transfer box has been changed. This is a known weak spot for the Macan (all varieties). If not make sure the warranty is at least two years and covers engine and transmission.

Finally, welcome to the forum.

That's really good advice. Thank you. It will be local miles once or twice during the week for the grocery run etc, with a long motorway drive every fortnight or so (about a 200-mile round trip). Would that be fine for the diesel or better off looking at a petrol engine and upping the budget?

[MacanSafari]

HI,
I've never seen a Macan with such a high mileage, about 35,000 miles per year: most have a relatively low annual mileage.
Looking on AutoTrader there are only 3 Macans under £25k, two of which have similar mileages but the other has "only" 69.5k miles.
My concern would be a risk of some high-cost maintenance bills on the horizon for you.
If it were me, I wouldn't be tempted by options that I don't actually needs but are nice to have.
The car's condition and service history are most important.
Good luck with your search

I could probably push the budget to closer to £28-30k, so I guess the moral of this story is to not be a stingy git!

[RAA]

For twelve years (2002 to 2014), I owned a Mercedes 320 E Class CDi Estate from new, and covered more than 180,000 miles in that time with no engine problems (mixed driving - city, A & B roads and motorways).

[Tim92gts]

If you're worried look into independent guarantees; i've claimed a few times over the years and they seem reliable.

Usually easy to factor into a deal as i suspect the dealer gets a discounted rate.

[gasgas1]

as you live with plenty of public transport options, I would get groceries delivered and hire different car for every long trip.