more cayman woes

[snapper65]

went to get the Cayman out of the garage today and the battery was completely dead. Most odd, was fine yesterday and I always check no lights on etc before bedtime. called Porsche Assist who sent a nice man from the RAC who observed that the battery was showing as charging but not actually retaining any charge. He muttered something about the connection between the battery cells being broken, which i think is mechanic speak for "its ed"

Here's where it gets slightly silly. RAC man can source correct Bosch battery from local store. RAC man is subcontracted by Porsche to provide breakdown services. However the battery that RAC man can source, whilst being correct in all aspects, is not Porsche approved and, being an RAC man, these aren't the sorts of things he carries. So he has to leave car where it is. I have to ring local OPC Monday, car has to be recovered there (80 mile round trip) so OPC man can fit identical battery but with Porsche approved sticker on it (for three times the price)

This isn't the standard whinge about warranties - I walked in with my eyes open when buying OPC, I accept I have to pay for approved parts in order to keep my warranty, and I want my warranty so that if and when cylinder No.6 goes up in flames (as they seem won't to do) then I don't have to pay for a new engine.

However it is slightly galling when the person sent by Porsche to fix my Porsche cannot do so because the battery he has does not have the right sticky label on it.

[Al W]

snapper65 said:

However it is slightly galling when the person sent by Porsche to fix my Porsche cannot do so because the battery he has does not have the right sticky label on it.

"Absurd" sounds a better description IMO.
It's hard to see Porsche are doing themselves any long-term favours being quite so pedantic

[jackliebling]

why don't you buy an OEM one from Porscheshop or design911 and fit it yourself? Surely a very simple job? Or order from the OPC and get them to mail it to you?

[snapper65]

Interestingly the nice lady at Porsche Assist suggested to me that if I contacted the OPC who had sold me the car they might agree to let the RAC man fit the correct specification Bosch battery, and I would then retain my warranty....

However I believe this to be cobblers

[helmutlaang]

I agree with the whole stupid official battery issue.

However,the RAC only have limited space on the vans for various things and I guess they do not want to take up this space with an item which may not be used for a year,such as an official porsche battery.

Porsche really need to relax on this issue.As long as a correctly rated battery is used that should be good enough.

[snapper65]

jackliebling said:

why don't you buy an OEM one from Porscheshop or design911 and fit it yourself? Surely a very simple job? Or order from the OPC and get them to mail it to you?

maybe could do the former. Doubt if the latter would work, as Porsche warranty not only specifies OEM parts but that they be fitted by an approved agent

[snapper65]

helmutlaang said:

Porsche really need to relax on this issue.As long as a correctly rated battery is used that should be good enough.

I suspect it may have something to do with the £300+ they are going to charge me for fitting the same battery that RAC man could have got me for £120

[mollytherocker]

Excuse my ignorance, but is the battery covered under your warranty?

MTR

[JamesG]

If the batteries are really the same, I'd just steam the label off the old one and stick it on the new one.

[snapper65]

mollytherocker said:

Excuse my ignorance, but is the battery covered under your warranty?

MTR

You'd have thought, wouldn't you? OPC supplied car 6 months ago, under 2 year extended warranty. However, as explained to me by the nice lady at Porsche Assist, the warranty doesn't cover the battery, but if the battery was fitted within the last two years it has its own warranty. If its the original then sadly no. Although it needs to be OEM for the warranty on the rest of the car to remain valid. Apparently

TBH I really am resigned to having to replace with an expensive OEM battery to retain the warranty. I just hadn't considered the attendant irritants of the car not being fixable at the roadside or having to recover the car to distant OPC to sort it.

[bacardii]

I'd let him fit it. Any problems i would take it to the FOS. Porsche sent the man, he fitted it. They should be able to arrange the correct repair, that why it's called porsche assit.

[thegoose]

bacardii said:

I'd let him fit it. Any problems i would take it to the FOS. Porsche sent the man, he fitted it. They should be able to arrange the correct repair, that why it's called porsche assit.

I think that's the route I'd take too.

[mollytherocker]

snapper65 said:

mollytherocker said:

Excuse my ignorance, but is the battery covered under your warranty?

MTR

You'd have thought, wouldn't you? OPC supplied car 6 months ago, under 2 year extended warranty. However, as explained to me by the nice lady at Porsche Assist, the warranty doesn't cover the battery, but if the battery was fitted within the last two years it has its own warranty. If its the original then sadly no. Although it needs to be OEM for the warranty on the rest of the car to remain valid. Apparently

TBH I really am resigned to having to replace with an expensive OEM battery to retain the warranty. I just hadn't considered the attendant irritants of the car not being fixable at the roadside or having to recover the car to distant OPC to sort it.

I thought that the expensive Porsche Warranty was pretty solid.

I was mistaken. I would have a 'conversation' with the Dealer Principal on an exit plan.

MTR

[Martian O]

One of the reasons why I didn't renew my OPC warranty.

[craigjm]

mollytherocker said:

I thought that the expensive Porsche Warranty was pretty solid.

I was mistaken. I would have a 'conversation' with the Dealer Principal on an exit plan.

MTR

Batteries are not covered on just about any warranty you can get from manufacturers or third parties.