Could I go wrong with a 997 C2 rebuilt engine?

[steakandchips]

Hi,

I've searched the forum but haven't found anything that answers this specific question: can I go wrong with buying a gen 1 997 C2 with a recently rebuilt engine from an OPC? The engine was rebuilt under warranty at the same OPC. Surely with the two year warranty on all cars bought from an OPC it's not a problem??

Any help or views much appreciated.

S&C

[Trev450]

Given that the engine was rebuilt by an OPC, it is still going to have the same inherent weaknesses that these engines suffer from. And whilst you would have the security of a 2 year warranty should any problems occur, you are really no better off than someone who purchase a car from an OPC with the original engine in it.

If you like the car and the deal is right then go for it and let the warranty take the strain should any issues arise.

[Porkupine]

steakandchips said:

Hi,

I've searched the forum but haven't found anything that answers this specific question: can I go wrong with buying a gen 1 997 C2 with a recently rebuilt engine from an OPC? The engine was rebuilt under warranty at the same OPC. Surely with the two year warranty on all cars bought from an OPC it's not a problem??

Any help or views much appreciated.

S&C

I thought OPC normally replace with new engine rather than getting involved in rebuilds.

[steakandchips]

Porkupine said:

I thought OPC normally replace with new engine rather than getting involved in rebuilds.

Ah, you are right, I think it was a replacement rather than a rebuild. So would that still mean it's just as likely to fail as the one it replaced? I assume it would.

S&C

[Gibbo205]

Hi there

It shall be fine, despite the internet horror stories, they are reliable engines, and the fact this car has a new engine, with a warranty, what are you waiting for?

[Magic919]

I can't see Porsche having a brand new gen 1 engine on the shelf recently. I'd proceed on the basis it was some kind of recon engine.

OPC warranty is some comfort, but I wouldn't say risk is any lower on this one.

[mollytherocker]

Gibbo205 said:

Hi there

It shall be fine, despite the internet horror stories, they are reliable engines

You can guarantee this?

Mtr

[mrdemon]

See if its got blue paint on it :-)

Even new cars have recon engines fitted lol.

[DiscoColin]

Magic919 said:

I can't see Porsche having a brand new gen 1 engine on the shelf recently.

Yes - they do (ask your OPC, but the last I heard they still had early 996 3.4s on the shelves in Germany). The story that I heard with exchange engines is that the stocks supposedly come from engines that for some reason or other failed a quality check during production, causing them not to be put in a car. Instead they are taken off of the line and sent to an engineer to rectify whatever the issue was and then end up in stores having been individually fettled to ensure that they are perfect to spec. As such, exchange engines are by many considered to be much more likely to be better than whatever originally went into a car (Porsche only pull a subset of engines being produced to bench test, but an exchange one has by definition been tested and will be exactly as it should be). I've read variations of that story many times over the years so while I don't have a statement from Porsche themselves on it, I find it credible.

The only caveat for an exchange engine is to still consider the mileage of the rest of the car. So if an 80000 mile car has an engine that only has 12000 on it, don't be blinded to the fact that the other major mechanicals (such as suspension and gearbox) have seen all the mileage thus the newer engine doesn't really add to the value of a car on big miles. To my mind it certainly wouldn't reduce the value either, and that is unlikely to be a factor with an OPC car anyway as they tend not to retail many high milers.

[Magic919]

Nice story, but I gave up on Santa Claus a while back.

[anonymous-user]

I enjoy Pistonheads but you don't half get some tosh on here.

[reedman]

If the engine was rebuilt under warranty and a contribution wasn't made the isn't 2 yrs warranty on the work.
Ie(If you had the car for 23 months then your engine went bang. Porsche repair it and had it back to you on the day the warranty runs out. You're out of warranty)

JR

[anonymous-user]

reedman said:

If the engine was rebuilt under warranty and a contribution wasn't made the isn't 2 yrs warranty on the work.
Ie(If you had the car for 23 months then your engine went bang. Porsche repair it and had it back to you on the day the warranty runs out. You're out of warranty)

JR

+1

[porkyspecialist]

Porkupine said:

I thought OPC normally replace with new engine rather than getting involved in rebuilds.

Porsche now rebuild most engines at the OPC rather than send them out in crates from Germany as they used to.

Cheers.

[DiscoColin]

porkyspecialist said:

Porkupine said:

I thought OPC normally replace with new engine rather than getting involved in rebuilds.

Porsche now rebuild most engines at the OPC rather than send them out in crates from Germany as they used to.

Cheers.

The OP said in a subsequent post that it was an exchange though, not rebuilt. Exchanges come off of a shelf in Germany - they aren't an OPC stock item. Unless the problem is known and minor an exchange is often more cost effective than fixing the original (even diagnosis at an OPC can be rather expensive if it is internal and major).

The point is that while a rebuild would usually be done at an OPC, an exchange is something that they would have to order in and whether it was stock from the production line or a refurbished item, someone other than the OPC would have built it.

Edited by DiscoColin on Sunday 23 September 10:31

[DiscoColin]

Magic919 said:

Nice story, but I gave up on Santa Claus a while back.

Seriously though - stories of 'exchange' Carrera engines actually being brand new have been prevalent for years. If something can be fixed in situ then it will be by the OPC. If an exchange is called for then a significant labour cost is involved even to strip down the engine to find out which major items need to be replaced (which may include some or all of the really expensive individual components - an unknown amount of grinding metal damage will be involved). That done, putting it all back together as an individual item is much more expensive than the incremental cost of building another engine on the production line (take a look at one of the Porsche megafactories episodes to see how efficient engine building on the lines is). For a mass produced engine it is very easy indeed to envisage that the list price of an exchange might look a lot like the cost price per unit (to Porsche themselves) of production.....

Being PH - there might even be someone on here who could test that hypothesis against some real numbers ???

[steakandchips]

I assume that it won't matter either way, in any case. Rebuilt, replaced, I'm thinking it doesn't matter and I'm OK with a OPC warranty? Well, for the two years it lasts, at least.

Just out of interest, is there any options that any of you think I should be looking for on my new (to me) car? It's got 19" wheels, Bose stereo and that's about it. It's a standard gen 1 C2 and I'm intentionally avoiding looking at older or higher mileage C2Ss for those reasons: I think I'd be better off with a younger and lower mileage car even without the extra grunt.

S&C

[Trev450]

Options are a very personal issue and most people will have their preferences. For me its, PSE, sport chrono, full leather and sports seats.

[alan996]

My replacement engine shows up as remanufactured based on the engine number.

Strangely enough its a 3.4 with an original manufacture date of 2004.

I can't find out though when it was remanufactured

[Gary11]

Gibbo205 said:

Hi there

It shall be fine, despite the internet horror stories, they are reliable engines, and the fact this car has a new engine, with a warranty, what are you waiting for?

No they arent.