Blown Engine

[rick3000]

I totally respect Bruceleee, but I have to say that I disagree. While people may post RMS failures commonly, on this forum. You have to remember that forums are an outlet for people with bad experiences to share there problem with there P-Car, or just talk. There are plenty of Boxster owners that never have been to a forum, and have never had a problem. The Boxster owners who are part of this forum, are a small percentage of the Boxster owners in the world, so you have to take the reports of RMS, out of the hundreds of thousands of Boxsters not just the few hundred active 986forum members.

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by rick3000

I totally respect Bruceleee, but I have to say that I disagree. While people may post RMS failures commonly, on this forum. You have to remember that forums are an outlet for people with bad experiences to share there problem with there P-Car, or just talk. There are plenty of Boxster owners that never have been to a forum, and have never had a problem. The Boxster owners who are part of this forum, are a small percentage of the Boxster owners in the world, so you have to take the reports of RMS, out of the hundreds of thousands of Boxsters not just the few hundred active 986forum members.

Good points and I admit my experience may be atypical. We never really have any data on the IMS and RMS failures so we simply go with what we have.

I am not happy with the way Porsche seems to suspect folks who show up with blown motors. My neighbor got the third degree when here new 986 engine blew with 11 k miles on it. She was sort of terrified by the third degree she got.

Seems to me, they could have been apologizing instead. They know that these motors are prone to IMS failures, so why the attitude?

Food for thought.

[prOk]

I agree and disagree with a lot that is said here..

Porsche service seems to have a LOT to do with the dealership itself. The experience differs from one to the next. The dealer CAN fight for the customer and even make the discussion transparent to the customer IF they choose to. This has a lot to do with why enthusiasts choose one dealer over another.

As for the engine failure issue, reality is, most people don't seek out forums like this one until they have a reason to vent, thus the first appearance in places like this is to announce something catastrophic. To that end, it makes things seem much worse than they really are. I have a number of friends with porsches new and old and none have ever had so much as an engine light come on (same applies to me 3 porsches later). It does puzzle me how many people have 98-2001 cars that do have issues and complain to the heavens about engine failures or other problems as if it should be under warranty. The cars are approaching 10 years old at this point in some cases, nearly double the normal factory warranty time frame. Why do people expect porsche to put a brand new engine in a 10 year old car for free? Even if it's got 10 miles on it, it's still 10 years old. Mileage is one thing, time is another. You hear all the RMS/IMS noise constantly from those that feel the need to be vocal after it happens to them, but i'd be willing to bet it effects less than 1 percent of the cars out there.

Anyway, i'm ranting, I know Just try to put the whole RMS/IMS issue in true perspective and BUY THAT WARRANTY on a used car!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by prOk

As for the engine failure issue, reality is, most people don't seek out forums like this one until they have a reason to vent, thus the first appearance in places like this is to announce something catastrophic.

I agree, like the original poster here for instance. His first thread was about his engine failure. If the engine didn't implode he would be happily motoring along like the majority of boxster owners out there and we wouldn't even know he existed.

[choeglund]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

... I am not happy with the way Porsche seems to suspect folks who show up with blown motors...

In dealers defense, they see a lot of blown engines that are caused by abuse. When replacing engines under warranty, I'm sure dealers get a fair bit of scrutiny from PCNA. They need to make sure they get reimbursed so they ask questions and check OBD. Some dealers may cross the line into disrespectful interrogation. If that happens, talk to Service Manager, rip them on the surveys, or go to a different dealer. But you can't expect them not to ask any questions when they are footing the bill.

[fab]

If this happen to me I would sell it fast as I can after the repairs are done because.
1. Once you get the car back it will be stored for the winter and you'll never really know if it runs better/worse until you take it out of storage.
2. Your wife feelings- Having that awful feeling if you are going to break down doesn't make it any fun driving the boxster.
Sell... sell... sell.....just my 2 cents.
Good luck on whatever you decide on

[Brucelee]

Contrast story.

I have a Lexus I bought used recently. I had some concerns and took it in for a diagnostic. The car is way out of warranty but I know the guys at the dealership and they serviced this car since it was new.

They spent a couple of hours on the car, told me it was finde gave me a Lexus loaner for the day. Got a nice free latte in their lounge, valet guys washed my car when they gave it back to me.

They charged me zero and thanked me for my business.

That is customer service and I am a customer for life because of it.

The Boxster is a car deserving of a better dealer network and manufacturer.

IMHO.

[Dr. Kill]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Contrast story.

I have a Lexus I bought used recently. I had some concerns and took it in for a diagnostic. The car is way out of warranty but I know the guys at the dealership and they serviced this car since it was new.

They spent a couple of hours on the car, told me it was finde gave me a Lexus loaner for the day. Got a nice free latte in their lounge, valet guys washed my car when they gave it back to me.

They charged me zero and thanked me for my business.

That is customer service and I am a customer for life because of it.

The Boxster is a car deserving of a better dealer network and manufacturer.

IMHO.

This is an excellent contrast to my continued bad experiences with Paul Miller Porsche here in NJ.

If I am not mistaken, the unusually good Lexus experience is one of the pillars of their business model. I love my Boxster and have been a Porsche fan for most of my life, but this sort of thing would prompt me to consider a Lexus when it is finally time to give up my Box.

[nickg]

Originally Posted by Dr. Kill

This is an excellent contrast to my continued bad experiences with Paul Miller Porsche here in NJ.

If I am not mistaken, the unusually good Lexus experience is one of the pillars of their business model. I love my Boxster and have been a Porsche fan for most of my life, but this sort of thing would prompt me to consider a Lexus when it is finally time to give up my Box.

yuppthey act as if they are doing me a favor when i go there...needless to say, they don't get my buisness at Miller either

[pbanders]

I have owned or currently own Porsche, BMW, Infiniti, Honda, Toyota, and Ford. Of those manufacturers, the only one who had exceptional customer service was Infiniti. I always got a free loaner car, which was a new Infiniti, every time I took the car in for service. I was always treated like I owned the most expensive model of Infiniti, when in fact, I owned the cheapest. The car's quality was fantastic - none of the continuous, niggling problems I've come to expect as normal from BMW and Porsche, and certainly, none of the major issues such as engine failures, tranny failures, and chassis problems.

Toyota's service is good, but it's more of an impersonal mill, with so many cars in for service, not unlike Ford. I've had reasonably good experiences at BMW and Porsche service, but they're closer to Ford and Toyota than to Infiniti. My BMW's quality of service went up dramatically, once my car was out of warranty and I started going to a local BMW shop that knows how to treat their customers.

Fact is, that despite these problems, we put up with it because at the end of the day, an Infiniti or a Toyota doesn't begin to offer the driving experience of a BMW or a Porsche. I've driven most of the "sporty" Infiniti's and Lexus's and IMO it's not what I want in a driver's car.

[Poorshoesless]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Contrast story.

I have a Lexus I bought used recently. I had some concerns and took it in for a diagnostic. The car is way out of warranty but I know the guys at the dealership and they serviced this car since it was new.

They spent a couple of hours on the car, told me it was finde gave me a Lexus loaner for the day. Got a nice free latte in their lounge, valet guys washed my car when they gave it back to me.

They charged me zero and thanked me for my business.

That is customer service and I am a customer for life because of it.

The Boxster is a car deserving of a better dealer network and manufacturer.

IMHO.

Same here, my 96 LS400 was stalling everytime we stop at a red light. Took it to Germain Lexus and they replace the ECU and give me a loaner. No charged even after the warranty has past for about two years. Go figure!

[Chills]

My DD is a Hyundai Elantra and whenever I take it to the dealer to get warranty work or maintenance done the always give me a loaner car as long as I call a few days in advance. They also treat me very well, even though the car is 6 years old and pretty much the cheapest type car in the lot.

If Hyundai can give customer service like that then a Porsche dealership had better as well.

[Bambino Don]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Contrast story.

I have a Lexus I bought used recently. I had some concerns and took it in for a diagnostic. The car is way out of warranty but I know the guys at the dealership and they serviced this car since it was new.

They spent a couple of hours on the car, told me it was finde gave me a Lexus loaner for the day. Got a nice free latte in their lounge, valet guys washed my car when they gave it back to me.

They charged me zero and thanked me for my business.

That is customer service and I am a customer for life because of it.

The Boxster is a car deserving of a better dealer network and manufacturer.

IMHO.

I am treated at Aberdeen Porsche the same way you were treated at Lexus, but i got to watch a cdvd regarding the Carrera gt getting built so i win.

Ive had two visits where money hasnt changed hands and ive had a result.

i ask them not to wash my car though.

The reason must be population, we have a smaller population which even though we are very expensive to live in aberdeen and there are loads of porsches, there cant be too great a demand on OPC here.

James