996 turbo s leaking rads

[sswinno]

Hi guys looking for a little advice and your opinions on this. I have a fantastic 996 turbo s love the car but it has developed a a leaking rad on the passenger side, thing is I have a platinum warranty with warranty wise Quentin Wilson endorsed with a 5k claim limit and 100 ph labour rate and wear and tear cover, so pretty comprehensive or so I thought. Took the car to a very trusted independent as Porsche centre near me are useless and he confirmed rad is leaking from a seam and submitted a quote to replace both left and right rads as precaution. Had a call from the technician at warranty wise who said that if it is corroded they will not be paying. Now and this may well just be my own logic but surely corrosion of a rad is either a faulty rad or wear and tear how can it be anything else?
Maybe some of you have had experience of this issue and warranty wise. It would be great to hear what you guys think
Many thanks

[BrewsterBear]

Aftermarket warranty company in "not paying your claim" shocker. I'm afraid they're all crap, without exception. You'll probably just have to suck it up I'm afraid as driving with a leak is highly inadvisable.

[Magic919]

It's just corrosion.

[RatBoy M3CSL]

.. +1, they are all a waste of time IMO, the only one I would roll with personally is one of the Indies own plans like Hartechs one @ £100 a month or similar.

change both sides at the same time, and maybe the A/C rads too, they will be next otherwise.

Or, sell me your car for buttons and I will get them done after.. !

[Mayhem911]

If you have to stand the cost yourself try euro car parts for the rads. I went round to a friends yesterday, he had his 4s bumper off and was replacing offside leaking rad. He got euro to match the price of there hella rads (which was the same as the leaking one he replaced)with a spurious non oem part at £181. That was £100 cheaper.ordered in afternoon and ready for collection next am.

[Vixpy1]

Pretty normal for an aftermarket warranty company tbh, sharks, the lot of them

[Mankers]

Had the same happen on my C4S early last summer(shares same rads). Got a Hella rad online for about £200, think design 911 had a special on at the time, then got my indie to fit (£200 labour, fluid etc). Could have got both done at the same time but did not bother, the other is still ok so maybe stone damage rather than corrosion in my case.

[Al's 991]

Hi. Had the same thing on my 997. Leaves and other debris get stuck in the drain holes and the bottom of the radiators corrode. A common issue. I had both mine replaced with Porsche original parts for just under £500. I used http://www.autowerkenorwich.co.uk/

[Mankers]

Al's 991 said:

Hi. Had the same thing on my 997. Leaves and other debris get stuck in the drain holes and the bottom of the radiators corrode. A common issue. I had both mine replaced with Porsche original parts for just under £500. I used http://www.autowerkenorwich.co.uk/

That seems very cheap, who supplied the rads and what make were they? OPC quote £300+ for each original rad, just for the parts.

[Al's 991]

Mankers said:

That seems very cheap, who supplied the rads and what make were they? OPC quote £300+ for each original rad, just for the parts.

OPC originally wanted over £1000. That was a over a year ago, so prices may have gone up a bit. As I said try http://www.autowerkenorwich.co.uk/

[996ttalot]

Al's 991 said:

Mankers said:

That seems very cheap, who supplied the rads and what make were they? OPC quote £300+ for each original rad, just for the parts.

OPC originally wanted over £1000. That was a over a year ago, so prices may have gone up a bit. As I said try http://www.autowerkenorwich.co.uk/

The OP is driving a 996 Turbo - completely different price structure to a 997s. A 996T radiator from Porsche is £375+vat each whilst a 997s is only £185+vat each. Not sure how they done it for less than £500, because two Porsche rads for 997s comes to £444 including VAT....they must have a cheap labour rate if they fitted originals.

OP, buying the rads from the same place who build them for Porsche e.g. same part without the number on, you should be able to get one for around £225+vat. There are cheaper versions out there as well. 2-2.5 hours to replace if the rest are cleaned up etc.

In terms of the warranty, we did have warranty direct pay out one o/s rad, centre rad and condensor on a 996t just two months ago without any issues.

Ken

[sswinno]

Thanks guys for all your help and comments, they are inspecting the car on tuesday morning but as previously mentioned i dont hold out much hope but will keep the post updated
at worst I guess I will pay to get both left and right replaced and a lesson learned
Cheers

[RWD cossie wil]

Is there not a decent aftermarket alternative for these rads yet? Plenty of very good fabrication companies around?

[Rockster]

sswinno said:

Thanks guys for all your help and comments, they are inspecting the car on tuesday morning but as previously mentioned i dont hold out much hope but will keep the post updated
at worst I guess I will pay to get both left and right replaced and a lesson learned
Cheers

What about the center radiator?

You will not have learned the most important lesson if you did not learn to keep the radiator ducts free of trash build up.

As good as place as any to mention this: Keep the radiator ducts free of trash build up. Every time I take my Turbo in the techs use shop air with a special nozzle to blow the stuff out. The first time the bumper had to come off to do a thorough cleaning but this shop air blow job works just fine because I do not allow the stuff to build up.

[B16DSS]

Just replaced both of my aircon rads in my 996. Decided to fit Zunsport protective grills to the front to preserve then in future as should prevent all the crud getting in & reduces risk of damaging debris strike. Pleased with how they look..went for black with my seal grey paintwork, & happy with result. Surprised more 996 owners don't do the same?

[sswinno]

Update on warranty wise policy. Had vehicle inspected yesterday with so called independent inspector who agreed the radiators were in fact leaking due to corrosion, deemed that in his opinion the corrosion was present at inception of policy last March and surprise surprise not covered as its a pre existing problem.
And to cap it off had an email from Quentin Wilson today saying as I am an existing customer they can offer me an exclusive and great deal on a new policy mmmm let me think about it ......

[toby tucker]

Having owned a 996TT since new I had all the rads replaced 3 times under warranty over a 10 year period by my supplying OPC. However the OPC said that had the leaks been due to stone damage and not rust then they would not have been replaced under warranty.

[pete.g]

toby tucker said:

Having owned a 996TT since new I had all the rads replaced 3 times under warranty over a 10 year period by my supplying OPC. However the OPC said that had the leaks been due to stone damage and not rust then they would not have been replaced under warranty.

To be clear on this - you've had the originals plus another 3 sets of radiators in 10 years?

This would seem to indicate a life of around 24-30 months, which seems ridiculous.

I've replaced a radiator twice in my entire car owning career - at 130,000 miles and 13 years in a Defender and at 125,000 and 21 years in a Mk2 Golf.

[jonamv8]

Having ran both 996C4S & 996TT for a while i've seen first hand how quickly they build up with muck. Essential to mesh the bumper in my opinion. My current Turbo was running slightly hot when i got it, bumper off and clean the radiators, mesh the grills and it ran cooler.

Mines basalt black and i used matt black mesh, quite small gaps, barely see it and on closer inspection looks factory. Much less build up on the rads now

[jonamv8]

All in the job cost about 30 quid in mesh