996 engine problems and Porsche customer torture
Discussion
I am astounded, baffled and completely irrate with Porsche. My 996 had an engine replaced (to the tune of 9k or so) last year (almost to the day) due to intermediate shaft failure. The replacement unit from main dealer with 2 year warranty. It was fitted at a specialist which (I checked with the dealer) did not void the warranty.
Just a year later the new engine has sputtered to a halt with a failed variocam unit. This is another engine out job and £2,000 +.
Porsche are refusing to consider that this should be picked up by themselves saying the whole engine hasn't failed, just a part. The Variocam unit was new and part of the replacement engine, though!! Yes, they say and if I had bought the part separately, it would be covered. What kind of bull is that?
I have never heard of such nosense and do not expect this of a company like Porsche. Roll in the fact that I haven't had the car for nearly 3 weeks now while they fart about thinking about a route to wriggle out makes me more mad.
The car has done less than 4,000 miles since the last engine went in!
Anyone else come up against this madness?
Just a year later the new engine has sputtered to a halt with a failed variocam unit. This is another engine out job and £2,000 +.
Porsche are refusing to consider that this should be picked up by themselves saying the whole engine hasn't failed, just a part. The Variocam unit was new and part of the replacement engine, though!! Yes, they say and if I had bought the part separately, it would be covered. What kind of bull is that?
I have never heard of such nosense and do not expect this of a company like Porsche. Roll in the fact that I haven't had the car for nearly 3 weeks now while they fart about thinking about a route to wriggle out makes me more mad.
The car has done less than 4,000 miles since the last engine went in!
Anyone else come up against this madness?
Yes this is just rubbish. Porsche contractual terms on warranties are here
www.porsche.com/international/accessoriesandservice/porscheservice/maintenanceandwarranty/warrantyperiods/
Assuming you paid for the engine yourself (not itself covered by a Porsche warranty or goodwill) then any refusal to honour the warranty is a breach of contract and should be dealt with as such
www.porsche.com/international/accessoriesandservice/porscheservice/maintenanceandwarranty/warrantyperiods/
Assuming you paid for the engine yourself (not itself covered by a Porsche warranty or goodwill) then any refusal to honour the warranty is a breach of contract and should be dealt with as such
fidgits said:
member for 22 months though Veu..
could be genuine?
could be genuine?
Aye, fair do's.
He's been a fed a load of bollox though. The engine's covered for two years.
They may be wriggling on the basis that it was fitted by an Independent. IMHO the poster is a bit daft to take a risk like that. He got a verbal that it was OK - did he get it in writing I wonder...?
Edited by Vesuvius 996 on Tuesday 1st August 15:09
The engine was out of warranty went it went. I bought the car after the new engine had been fitted and the last owner went off to lick his wounds (well, buy a 360). I made 100% sure the engine was covered in a transferrable warranty before I bought the car by talking directly with Porsche.
Versuvius >> Bit daft? Excuse me but don't start that. Porsche are not denying that the engine is still under warranty. What they are saying is that the whole engine is covered -not the variocam part. They are saying if I bought the variocam as a separate part it would be under warranty. I have been going through Porsche centre Reading with this one already and they have referred me on to Gareth Austin in the customer team(?) if I want to argue. I am expecting a call at 4pm today.I am spitting blood.
Troll - the story is so implausible, I really don't blame you for thinking that ;-(
Mike
Versuvius >> Bit daft? Excuse me but don't start that. Porsche are not denying that the engine is still under warranty. What they are saying is that the whole engine is covered -not the variocam part. They are saying if I bought the variocam as a separate part it would be under warranty. I have been going through Porsche centre Reading with this one already and they have referred me on to Gareth Austin in the customer team(?) if I want to argue. I am expecting a call at 4pm today.I am spitting blood.
Troll - the story is so implausible, I really don't blame you for thinking that ;-(
Mike
From link above from Porsche website:
2-year warranty for genuine Porsche parts, exchange parts and accessories, which are used or sold outside of warranty work. The warranty period for Porsche parts which are used in connection with warranty work ends contemporaneously with the warranty period for the purchased item which has become defective;
The defence Porsche seem to be formulating is that 'part' constitutes engine failure which they are saying they would cover rather than a failure of a 'part' of that new engine like the variocam unit. I have never in my life heard anything so proposterous.
2-year warranty for genuine Porsche parts, exchange parts and accessories, which are used or sold outside of warranty work. The warranty period for Porsche parts which are used in connection with warranty work ends contemporaneously with the warranty period for the purchased item which has become defective;
The defence Porsche seem to be formulating is that 'part' constitutes engine failure which they are saying they would cover rather than a failure of a 'part' of that new engine like the variocam unit. I have never in my life heard anything so proposterous.
Thanks, Dan
I am actually half laughing, half crying. I love the car and it's my second 996 so consider me a fan. Porsche have lost an advocate but I doubt they care too much. Their customer service guy would have called me on time (4pm promised) if they did. Hope he's wearing earplugs when he finally does.
I am actually half laughing, half crying. I love the car and it's my second 996 so consider me a fan. Porsche have lost an advocate but I doubt they care too much. Their customer service guy would have called me on time (4pm promised) if they did. Hope he's wearing earplugs when he finally does.
Edited by mookle234 on Tuesday 1st August 16:15
mookle234 said:
Porsche are not denying that the engine is still under warranty. What they are saying is that the whole engine is covered -not the variocam part.
What a load of pap! By that token the warranty would be worthless, as only individual components can cause the engine to fail! It's like saying that if the crankshaft sheared, it's not the engine that's failed, just the crank! PAP!!
Just take the car down and ask them, as the engine is supposedly in working-order, to get it to turn over!
The car has already been down to the dealer(Reading) so I have actually been through this. Dealer ummed and arred and so up until now, I have been waiting for news on what they have been calling a possible 'good will gesture' (gimme a break!).
You are right. It is total and utter PAP. The biggest pile of PAP I have ever had dropped on me. The engine consists of a number of parts. It still ticks over but is totally undriveable. Engine warning light on so has been in my home garage for 3 weeks. If it was my only car I would be stuffed.
You are right. It is total and utter PAP. The biggest pile of PAP I have ever had dropped on me. The engine consists of a number of parts. It still ticks over but is totally undriveable. Engine warning light on so has been in my home garage for 3 weeks. If it was my only car I would be stuffed.
Strange this - usually a "failed variocam" means to me that it no longer operates but usually the engine still runs - after all it only changes the timing from one setting to a slightly better one at higher revs. Yes the mixture can go funny and the engine can hunt a bit - but not terminal.
Also we have changed these variocam units - engine in (in fact done a cylinder head to) and it is not such a big job (mainly removing the exhausts).
I wonder if actually something else has actually gone wrong that does need a new engine? Perhaps a cam chain snapped or tensioner has failed and bits have gone all round the engine - or perhaps another intermediate shaft has gone. Maybe when it is so bad that it needs a new engine anyway they are not too worried about the description of the fault and remember the engine has to go back to Porsche fully assembled (even if you stripped it down) or you are charged a huge surcharge for rebuilding it first (although it is knackered) so there is a dis-incentive to strip it down and find out what really went wrong - both for the garage and the customer.
I am not suggesting that the description is wrong - perhaps just the interpretation - although I am a very cynical guy when it comes to such reports - having fixed numerous engines that were previously designated elsewhere - "as requiring replacement".
Baz Hartech.
Also we have changed these variocam units - engine in (in fact done a cylinder head to) and it is not such a big job (mainly removing the exhausts).
I wonder if actually something else has actually gone wrong that does need a new engine? Perhaps a cam chain snapped or tensioner has failed and bits have gone all round the engine - or perhaps another intermediate shaft has gone. Maybe when it is so bad that it needs a new engine anyway they are not too worried about the description of the fault and remember the engine has to go back to Porsche fully assembled (even if you stripped it down) or you are charged a huge surcharge for rebuilding it first (although it is knackered) so there is a dis-incentive to strip it down and find out what really went wrong - both for the garage and the customer.
I am not suggesting that the description is wrong - perhaps just the interpretation - although I am a very cynical guy when it comes to such reports - having fixed numerous engines that were previously designated elsewhere - "as requiring replacement".
Baz Hartech.
Interesting perspective Baz and appreciate the post.
First noticed the problem and thought it was an air flow censor causing hesitation in the rev range. My last 996 had this. Before I had a chance to take it in the stutter got a lot worse - akin to the stutter when you are running out of petrol - kind of.
Now over a hour since Porsche promised me a call on this and still not a peep. Customer service hell!
First noticed the problem and thought it was an air flow censor causing hesitation in the rev range. My last 996 had this. Before I had a chance to take it in the stutter got a lot worse - akin to the stutter when you are running out of petrol - kind of.
Now over a hour since Porsche promised me a call on this and still not a peep. Customer service hell!
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