Air Suspension

[Deleted User 4436]

Hi All,

I have had a small rummage and seen various comments on this but wanted to check what the general feeling is on air suspension on the Macan S? I'm not overly interested in the ability to raise and lower the ride Hight, although it may come in useful in the carparks at Goodwood! I will definitely order the adaptive suspension but not sure if adding air makes the car/ride better or worse or if its worth the extra money. I tend to be a fairly "enthusiastic" driver so I like being able to adjust the suspension depending on what tune is playing on the radio, but then this is quite a large vehicle so I appreciate its not going to corner like a small, light sportscar. It currently makes £1000 difference and I'm not sure if its worth putting that to other options.

This is my latest build (and not the one I gave the dealer, who will hate me by the time we get to the point I can't make any changes)

http://www.porsche-code.com/PMA5QGL3


I know this will all change when the 2022 model details come out anyway, but I doubt air suspension will be standard, so the question still stands.

Thanks all

[CharlesElliott]

I bought it because I tow with the car - and it is great. But if I wasn't towing, I don't think I would get it.

[Deleted User 611]

Not many people would feel they need air suspension with 20" wheels. I run PASM on sport setting with 20" wheels and the ride is very good.

[pmg]

If you have ever been happy with the ride in BMW with msport suspension and runflats, then 20s plus just PASM will be fine. However if you place a priority on ride then Air will always worthwhile and it could be argued given the state of UK roads it can improve handling a lot of the time. Again try cars even pretending to be a prospective s/h buyer to understand the difference.

[Col Lamb]

I have had two Macan’s, both on 20” spyders and both with PASM.

Actually I would not touch a Macan without PASM, since it gives a great ride.

My second Macan has both PASM and air suspension and I would always go with the air option.

For me it gives a much more comfortable ride and has been well worth it and an advantage is that you can set it to low mode for even better handling.

Mine is permanently in low mode and I only use the off road mode on uneven tracks and car parking in a field.

Whilst I love air there have been members here who find the ride wallows.

Best thing is tick PASM as a must have for now and road test any Macan that has air suspension and the seats you intend to include, that will help you decide for sure.

Also if you can find one do road test in your enthusiastic style any Macan without PASM that has 20 or 21 inch wheels and come back and tell us what you think.

Talking of seats the 14 way that I have used for over five years are the most comfortable of any car I have driven.

[gasgas1]

it's a no brainer, air make the ride wonderful and with three settings firm to soft as your needs require a must, even in high winds on the m-way set to firm and it keeps the car planted.

[Deleted User 4436]

Thanks for all the responses.

Is the firm setting with Air different to firm with the PASM (or whatever the acronym is for adjustable suspension) ?

BTW, I'll definitely be running this with 20" Wheels. I like the 21's but I live in a semi-rural part of West Sussex and the roads are terrible. Someone mentioned BMW run-flats; I had a 335i mSport Convertible with 19" alloys and very low profile run flats and managed to crack 3 of them (which BMW replaced for free).

[On-Track]

As Col has pointed out, the adaptive damping comes from PASM (Porsche Adaptive Suspension Management). Unlike some other manufacturers' systems (e.g. Mercedes) the dampers are separate from Air Suspension. When I bought my first Porsche SUV (a Cayenne) the Sales Exec said you only need Air Suspension if you go off road so my Cayenne and Macan SD both had PASM but no air.

I went for Air Suspension on my Gen 2 GTS because the car I test drove had it and the ride was exactly how I wanted it and there was no prospect of test driving a Gen 2 GTS on steel springs. Certainly with GTS spring rates there is no trace of wallowing but, in the past as Col has alluded some forum members complained. One even went so far as to change her turbo from one with air to one on steel.

Any order placed now will be for a Gen 3 car and whilst various mags have test driven a Gen 3 GTS (which will come with Air Suspension as standard) none have printed anything on the Gen 3 S so it could be different in feel to current cars.

Change of subject: you've specced your car quite heavily (no criticism for that) but have stuck with the base level seats. Make sure you test drive a car with those to make sure you'll be happy with them. You should be aware that all seat memory options are extra.

[Deleted User 4436]

Thanks Peter. Currently, and for the last few weeks, standard seats have been the only option available. All the other seat options have been removed from the configurator.

[Kleynie]

I came from a 535 with 21” wheels and standard M Sport suspension (no runflats as I ditched those). Although I did not get cracked wheels I was tired of the stiff suspension, but I love the look of big wheels. I did my research and discovered the Macan on air was the best riding car on 21” wheels, so I test drove a used one at Porsche Guildford and never looked back.
I live within the M25 and the roads are awful, but the Macan just soaks up the bumps even on 21” wheels.

PS, I run 20” winter wheels in the colder months and I feel they do give an even better ride, slightly.