2 year review update on SD, but possibly now selling.

[jesim1]

Hi Guys

2 years on and a 2nd review from new, however as I've just retired and it has done around 500 miles in the past two months I may now look at selling due to it not getting used much, I am also getting a new BMW RT1200GS TE motorcycle delivered in a couple of days, so I'll then use it even less as I'm getting back into touring.

My code is no longer valid due to some of the changes in options, but this is as close to it as I can see: http://www.porsche-code.com/PHZTYKE6 although the price does not quite work out right now - it was around £57k when I bought it in September 2015.

So how has it been in year 2? - Absolutely great.

No problems at all, it's never missed a beat, just like the first 12 months.

There is a company called TDI Tuning who make twin module to increase the BHP to around 300bhp - just buy one when you get your car and you will never know the torture of 40 less bhp than the car should have had when it was given to you in the first place. I've had mine fitted since new for 2 years now and it has been perfect, a real pleasure to drive, and with petrol like performance and diesel like fuel consumption to boot.

I've found the car to be a great all rounder. It's quick, nimble, behaves like no SUV has a right to, yet it can munch the miles in quite comfort very happily and easily. I seldom ever touch the sport button, I just don't need it having the extra bit of oomph I got fro TDI Tuning, but I do hit the PASM button from time to time when I don't want to drop speed going through the twisties - well worth the option.

I opted for the 19" Macan design wheels which were a good call for comfort and handling. They have never been kerbed despite felling the tyres touch on occasion, so not a mark on them in 37,000 miles, and the original tyres are still going strong with around 3/4mm of tread left - I can barely believe how good they have been.

So it's a bit of a boring write up for year 2. Everything has worked as it should with no issues. It will be due it's 2nd service next month which I expect it to fly through with no faults and just need the usual check over. Fuel consumption has stayed around an overall 43mpg on a motorway/casual mix and it does over 50 easily on long runs at 60/70mph. The adblue use is good also, I've only put around 20 litres in 37k, so say 10L every 20k or so - it's buttons in £s.

Happy motoring.

James

[Sidscott]

What do you do with the tuning chip when you get the car serviced?
Do Porsche know about it and does it affect the warranty?

[ScotMac]

Great write up.

I think every now and again about tuning but rarely get the standard car "flat out" (due to traffic and police etc. ) so not sure if it is worthwhile for me. May have a go next year (my son is very keen).

My consumption is usually about 40 ish and haven't worked out ad blue consumption yet although it certainly doesn't use much. I bought 20 litres recently and only managed to get about 8 or 9 litres in.

Enjoy your BMW GS - they are apparently very good. I haven't had a shot of one yet (as I may buy one!) but perhaps next year .

[Col Lamb]

Good luck with the sale and your GS.

Ex biker myself I have ridden many GSs but had a 1200RT which was a great toourer let down by an agricultural engine and cr4p gearbox, traded that in for a Triumph 1200 Explorer which was a great bike but my heart will always belong to the Triumph Sprint ST 1050cc that I had.

Had a brief affair with a Goldie 1800 which was an armchair on wheel and the supreme tourer (we did Germany on it) but it was damn heavy in slow traffic.

[mark-yorkshire]

Interesting to hear about the TDI tuning box. The standard bhp is enough for me but good to know that there is an option should someone need a bit of extra ooomph.

[jesim1]

What do you do with the tuning chip when you get the car serviced?
Do Porsche know about it and does it affect the warranty?

Thanks for the comments guys.

I leave the box all wired up, Porsche have never even mentioned it, and as I've had no issues with the car the warranty thing has never rasied it's head, but the general consensis is that unless Porsche can reasonable say htat this has caused or added to the issue then they are still 100% liable for the warranty. So for example, if a door hinge was to go faulty, they can hardly say it was to do with the box?, but if I blew up the engine they would probably say it was a contributing factor and look to pay less or nothing to rectify it. Or I could simply remove it if I ever had an issue!

As for needing "top end" - the box will do that, but it's more about the everyday torque you gain through the whole rev range, I normaly only floor it if I'm overtaking on a more challengeing road - this is not a car I'm capable of driving flat out on a road, so it makes quick progress with little effort in a laid back fashion most of the time.

James

[Obebiker]

All very positive then, after a year of ownership I can second everything you said.

Does anyone know whether the car essentially records that the tdi chip was fitted if removed prior to service or if the worst happened and you needed a warranty claim on the engine or gearbox? I've always been tempted, but just scared..

[Retired]

All very positive then, after a year of ownership I can second everything you said.

Does anyone know whether the car essentially records that the tdi chip was fitted if removed prior to service or if the worst happened and you needed a warranty claim on the engine or gearbox? I've always been tempted, but just scared..

Yes, the car records all sorts of things such a injection pressure / timing / duration, egt temperature and I'm sure a whole host of metrics.

These have expected ranges of values and are the sort of thing the the box messes with to increase performance or are affected by an increase in performance.

I don't know if Porsche do this, but Audi generate a TD1 code when the software sees a reading which indicates the possibility of performance modifications . If this code is present warranty issues with engine / drive-train are going to problematic.

Do not believe anyone who tells you that boxes / chips are undetectable.

For more detail type 'Audi TD1' into google.