The thing that worries me about Porsches is...
Discussion
that most models seem to have their little 'issues' or worries. The recent 996 engine blowup discussion got me thinking about this.
Aren't they supposed to be reliable? (Sorry to sound like an idiot there). I guess they may be no less reliable than a BMW, but the problem is if something does go it might well be extraordinarily expensive.
If it's a design flaw, then I can live with it in a Ford...
Feel like you could say 'the hell with it' and just get a Ferrari instead?
Even the thought of owning a 968 gets my wallet trembling for the inevitable 'oh yeah, that happens on that model'. Great.
Russ
'86 190E, '62 Elan
Aren't they supposed to be reliable? (Sorry to sound like an idiot there). I guess they may be no less reliable than a BMW, but the problem is if something does go it might well be extraordinarily expensive.
If it's a design flaw, then I can live with it in a Ford...
Feel like you could say 'the hell with it' and just get a Ferrari instead?
Even the thought of owning a 968 gets my wallet trembling for the inevitable 'oh yeah, that happens on that model'. Great.
Russ
'86 190E, '62 Elan
They are getting that way.........air conditioning on the late cars seems a weak point as well as engine problems..........I think on the earlier cars you expect a certain amount of tinkering, however I must admit I now find it a little tiresome allways having to repair something, or if not Im waiting for something to go wrong. (ala Jaguar feeling !!)
I know what you are saying here guys, but i don't think this is just a Porsche problem.
Aswell as my GT3 and Turbo (no problems so far ) I have an AMG Merc, which has had more than its fair share of visits to the Garage for various seals electrical and computer problems.
Ontop of this, My brothers new shape BMW 745i has been shockingly unreliable due to the engine failing and various other electrical faults.
Maybe isolated cases i Know, but not what you'd expect from two of the worlds other leading car manufacturers either !!
Aswell as my GT3 and Turbo (no problems so far ) I have an AMG Merc, which has had more than its fair share of visits to the Garage for various seals electrical and computer problems.
Ontop of this, My brothers new shape BMW 745i has been shockingly unreliable due to the engine failing and various other electrical faults.
Maybe isolated cases i Know, but not what you'd expect from two of the worlds other leading car manufacturers either !!
pentoman said:
Even the thought of owning a 968 gets my wallet trembling for the inevitable 'oh yeah, that happens on that model'. Great.
Russ
'86 190E, '62 Elan
granted many of the porsche line up have their foibles but they are in general extraordinarily well engineered, hence their longevity. Many of these threads are about 944s, 968s, early 911s and 964s, most of which are over a decade (or two) old and still beating the pants off many modern challengers.
The key as always is in how well the car has been looked after, not mileage or age. My 944 is now 16 years old and totally useable, great fun to drive, practical, and it cost me 4 grand. I challenge you to find better performance/value for money anywhere.
with regard to the 968 it is a SUPERB car, combining practicality with frightening performance (OK you GT3 guys, I'm talking relative here) and peerless road manners. They stopped making them at the L/M reg so they are all at least 10-11 years old. The only serious major issue is with timing belts breaking, ruining the camshafts, or camshaft teeth breaking, but provided the servicing schedules are adhered to, this happens once in a blue moon. Even if it does, a competent specialist will drop in a pair of new cams for about £1.5K. So you get a galvanised body, bomb proof build, stunning performance and everyday useability for about 12-14K and a worst case scenario is that you might spend a grand or two on new camshafts if God really hates you. Buy any new car with comparable performance and you will lose as much in depreciation the moment you leave the dealer.
My advice is chill out and take these threads with a pinch of salt. And dont go anywhere near an old ferrari if you want reliability. Buy a really well looked after 968 with a huge service history file, enjoy overtaking just about everybody, whoop with joy as you go round tight corners like a scalextric car, placate your other half, if you have one, by fitting two small children in the back and 2 weeks shopping in the capacious boot, and smile every year as your mates take a 2-3grand hit in depreciation and you dont!
Well ref the Ford comment, I'd go so far as to say in build quality or more specifically new car reliability terms, a Focus is now better built than the majority of Mercs- which used to be absolutly built out of granite & iron girders, but now are built from playdough & plastic & now have more electronics than the space shuttle & have an absolutely woeful new car reliability record, & Porker build quality is also not a patch on what it used to be either.
Ref the 968, I really wouldnt worry, as with the exception of the cam teeth issue they are amongst the best built porkers there are. Sure given high miles there are a few issues but all these are obious to a good specialist as are the cams- they only need a quick look at to check & as long as you budget for these then no probs.
Ref the 968, I really wouldnt worry, as with the exception of the cam teeth issue they are amongst the best built porkers there are. Sure given high miles there are a few issues but all these are obious to a good specialist as are the cams- they only need a quick look at to check & as long as you budget for these then no probs.
My porsche Experence is limited I have only ever had water cooled cars 968,996 & 996 + breif flirtation with boxter and Cyanne but each has done over 17K miles a year with only relativly minor problems what evryone tends to forget is that we are all enthusiasts so tend to know a lot more than the average punter because we are passionate about the things we sit on chat rooms and talk about cars for gods sake . If we were on a Rover forum (heven help us) I am sure we would all know about all of there defects. The Car trade always has a dodgy side always will. How many VW golf drivers know that the first MkIV GTI's they drive is likley to be built in south africa with inferiour underseal and paint. How many people who drive a RHD merc circa 1997 know how many 2 year old cars were brought back from asia where they were unsold and sold in the UK as new!!
Dont forget porsche are still the only manufacturer of a practical everyday supercar
Gospal acording to St Porc
>> Edited by lightweight on Friday 10th September 14:34
Dont forget porsche are still the only manufacturer of a practical everyday supercar
Gospal acording to St Porc
>> Edited by lightweight on Friday 10th September 14:34
Always seemed like a good idea to go for 'last of line' for any particular variant of the 911, and not jump in as soon as the next incarnation emerges if you want to buy new. Probably true for other Porsches.
If the factory have ironed out the early production problems, and a previous owner has also paid the emotional and financial price for sorting any remaining niggles, pre-owned late cars can be even better. By-product - you don't get the same VAT hit and instant depreciation woes, however small. Downside - not getting a virgin car built to your ideal spec, factory collection etc.
With so many 911s and Boxsters around these days, it's not difficult to get as close as dammit on the spec.
If the factory have ironed out the early production problems, and a previous owner has also paid the emotional and financial price for sorting any remaining niggles, pre-owned late cars can be even better. By-product - you don't get the same VAT hit and instant depreciation woes, however small. Downside - not getting a virgin car built to your ideal spec, factory collection etc.
With so many 911s and Boxsters around these days, it's not difficult to get as close as dammit on the spec.
I shouldn’t tempt fate but my 993 in the three years I’ve had her has had not one single thing go wrong with her. Utterly faultless in every way, boring really.
Compare that to the heinous plastic pig of a Cerbera which at no stage ever worked properly, the 993 has been the perfect antidote.
I know you can’t really compare but I use a Landcruiser Amazon for work a vehicle which by most peoples reckoning is one of the best made and indeed over engineered cars you can buy. That has been in to the garage twice in a couple of months and is only just over a year old. Not the 993 though
Compare that to the heinous plastic pig of a Cerbera which at no stage ever worked properly, the 993 has been the perfect antidote.
I know you can’t really compare but I use a Landcruiser Amazon for work a vehicle which by most peoples reckoning is one of the best made and indeed over engineered cars you can buy. That has been in to the garage twice in a couple of months and is only just over a year old. Not the 993 though
Guys, As a prospective 928 owner this thread is making me feel slightly wobbly. All this talk of fault, breakdowns and known problems. 
Seriously though, I've considered the downside and chatted to quite a few owners who feel that they're no worse than any similar aged car with similar performance abilities. Part of the appeal to me is that if I buy the right car, look after it correctly and learn to deal with any possible faults early then i'm not going to be seriously more out of pocket than buying a new, though lesser performing car and suffering the mass depreciation that new cars all have. The upside is that i'm going to have an automotive dream for my pride and joy.
I'm itching to find the right one and get it on my drive just so I can enjoy it.
>> Edited by mx5alive on Sunday 12th September 16:44
mx5alive said:
Seriously though, I've considered the downside and chatted to quite a few owners who feel that they're no worse than any similar aged car with similar performance abilities. Part of the appeal to me is that if I buy the right car, look after it correctly and learn to deal with any possible faults early then i'm not going to be seriously more out of pocket than buying a new, though lesser performing car and suffering the mass depreciation that new cars all have. The upside is that i'm going to have an automotive dream for my pride and joy.
I'm itching to find the right one and get it on my drive just so I can enjoy it.
>> Edited by mx5alive on Sunday 12th September 16:44
Exactly. they are no worse then any other. Porsche have the reputation for reliability because, for their performance they are very well built and reliable. But just remember that storming away from the lights upto 160- mph ands then braking hard for a tight slalom will put a lot of stress on the car. They can take it more then other cars (of similar performance and price) but they will still be unreliable if miss-treated.
Also remember that people only talk when they have a problem. No-one has written "6 months without a serious breakdown", but they will write if they have a breakdown. Does this make sense??
Anyhow, last weekend I finished rebuilding my engine after my head gasket started to go. Unreliable? Hardly, the head gasket was 15 years and 119,000 miles old...
Find a good'un, and a Porsche will look after you
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