miltownhpt

Considering selling my car and the Panamera has been catching my eye lately. Anyone either came from one, considering also going to one, or even have one to give some insight? Difference in ride quality/enjoyment? Interior space? Fuel economy? TIA

will_atl

My neighbor had one, it was a lovely car, plenty of room for four 6 footers, it rode nicely, but I never drove it. The next part I say as a Porsche owner (I have a Cayenne as my weekend toy), the Porsche tax is real, find a good indie, and also, most options on a Porsche are a la carte, there are some packages, but there are a lot of features that aren’t in those packages and you may or may not find (depending on what you are looking for).
What about a Taycan, they are falling quicker than Mercedes EVs!

Lou B

Did not know there is a W222 Porsche.

carlosinseattle

I've "almost" bought a Panamera twice, both times backed out. First time was in 2011, wound up buying a Jaguar XFR instead. Last time was last year, but went with an S63 instead. Main thing for me was what @will_atl said, options. I care about options, so finding a used one with the right options is almost impossible. Mercedes is bad, and a little confusing, but Porsche is even worse. It's really nice for new owners to be able to spec out a car in a way that really suits their desire and personality, but it creates problems for any used car buyer who cares. But, if you are flexible on options, you'll find something that works.

Second problem is the ride. I've only considered AWD versions because of where i live, so I can't comment on 2WD versions. The suspension is tight...in a really good way. But the tradeoff is that it doesn't soak up bumps as well as a nice S-class. I had the V8 non-turbo AWD for 4 days on loan to see if I liked it in 2022. I enjoyed it's cornering prowess and could never quite calm down enough to just enjoy the ride; that's my fault, not the car. But it felt like I was driving a go-kart. That car corners spectacularly for acar that size. If you like ride quality then an S-Class is the winner. But if you're willing to sacrifice ride quality, then you have options. Having said that, I do think it rides better than my S63, and handles better. I'm 6'4" and there's no way anybody could sit in the seat behind me, so I have to differ with Will on that point. I found the interior to be cramped for legroom and headroom, especially in the rear. The car looks "techy" with all the buttons and switches, but not elegant, in my opinion. So it really boils down to what driving experience you want in your next vehicle. Just my $.02 cents.

chassis

2018 is early for the EA839 3.0T/2.9TT V6. Suggest 2019 or newer. EA825 4.0TTV8 is fairly robust but has its nuances aka problems.

Air suspension is a must.

I like sport seats, not everyone does. Usually body size/shape dependent.

Get the newest most well-optioned car you can find in your price range.

CPO is strongly recommended.

Finder.porsche.com

SW20S

Its VERY different from an S Class. Much tighter inside, much sportier, much louder and more visceral. Its an incredible car, but not my thing. Give one a drive, if you have been wanting something much sportier you may love it,

This is a 223, but this is a good comparison between the S Class and the Panamera

VII

Also have a Porsche but not a panamera (911).

Maintenance is about the same, maybe even cheaper on the Porsche because it has less maintenance items.
Reliability has been ok but also it's a simpler car.
Porsche quality in materials is not close to MB both in interior decorative parts and some functional.
Service support is incredibly poor, eg if anything at all happens to the transmission the only option is a complete new transmission for $30k.
​​​​​Soundtrack, lightness and gearbox are big highlights.

Porsche driving dynamics is a level above Mercedes in most models and especially would be on a panamera vs an S class, a better match for the panamera would be a CLS or the GT sedan.

badq45t

Interesting the S500 he reviewed made me think I have zero interest in moving to that!! I was also cross-shopping the Panmera, I wanted a luxury car and while the Panamara is probably more fun to drive it is a long 911, but the interior is very luxury feeling And as he mentioned the seats were no match for the S class

chassis

Agree that S-Class vs Panamera is apples vs oranges.

Better comparison as stated is AMG GT vs Panamera.

wildta

I'm looking forward to the Porsche Active Ride suspension in the new Panameras and Taycans.

VII

Right now it's like the old ABC but I think electrification will bring active suspensions to many more makes after years of being only MB and in limited numbers, road surface scan like features might be pretty standard in the high end market in a few years.

cheapbrass

I had a Panerama loaner for 1 month while my S-class was in the shop getting bumper fixed. I really enjoyed playing with the Porsche. It was fun to drive. But ultimately, I was happier driving my S-Class when I got it back. The ride is still so silky smooth, and its not like I can go speeding around in the city as I am inclined to do in the Panarama. My driving habits fit more in line with the S-class, safety first, and nice smooth ride! Now,.....I am thinking about getting a nice sports car as an additional car though (maybe a corvette).