Another one bites the dust - value??

[AddictionRacing]

Originally Posted by Quickurt

I know this is an emotional time, right now, but I think in a few years you'll look back and see it was also an emotional decision.
You talk like every Boxster motor is going to fail, it's only a matter of time, while not seeing that the vast majority of them don't fail.
Bad luck is bad luck and I'm sorry your luck was that.
It's also a bad decision for Porsche to have a replacement as the only option on the Boxster engine , when parts availability would make them as rebuildable as every other engine on earth. That one is a mystery to me. They would make money on parts, also.

Renagade Hybrids has been doing Chevy conversions on 944s, 911s, and 914s and I'm just going to check with them to see if they are in development of a Boxster kit. It could be cool and is the only way I may be comfortable keeping the car. I loved driving it, but I just wouldn't trust it anymore with a Porsche power plant.

I know not every Boxster motor is going to fail, but based on the limited information available it appears that somewhere between 10 and 25% of them fail due to RMS, IMS, or a slipped sleeve. I'll call it a 10% failure rate and in my opinion half of that would still be way too high for any reputable manufacturer of "durable" goods. Hyundai stands behind their cheap North Korean econo-boxes with a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. Why doesn't Porsche, a company with a (recently underserved in my mind) reputation for longevity have a similar policy? I no longer believe in German engineering and as has been suggested so many times on this board, I will not own a Porsche without a warranty because it's just too risky.

As for being emotional about it, yes, I most certainly am. I have been obsessed with these cars for 20 years and feel betrayed by them. A reputable company claiming that "The most valuable capital this company has is its loyal customers with their sense of Porsche responsibility." (taken from the PCNA web-site http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/porschecarsnorthamerica/n432/ ) should stand behind the product they build, fix the engineering flaws that become aparent, and take care of their customers so that we, as my father did, instill the love of Porsche in our kids and grandchildren that made the company successful. Failure to stand behind your products and take care of loyal customers is asking for failure.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

Renagade Hybrids has been doing Chevy conversions on 944s, 911s, and 914s and I'm just going to check with them to see if they are in development of a Boxster kit. It could be cool and is the only way I may be comfortable keeping the car. I loved driving it, but I just wouldn't trust it anymore with a Porsche power plant.

I know not every Boxster motor is going to fail, but based on the limited information available it appears that somewhere between 10 and 25% of them fail due to RMS, IMS, or a slipped sleeve. I'll call it a 10% failure rate and in my opinion half of that would still be way too high for any reputable manufacturer of "durable" goods. Hyundai stands behind their cheap North Korean econo-boxes with a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. Why doesn't Porsche, a company with a (recently underserved in my mind) reputation for longevity have a similar policy? I no longer believe in German engineering and as has been suggested so many times on this board, I will not own a Porsche without a warranty because it's just too risky.

As for being emotional about it, yes, I most certainly am. I have been obsessed with these cars for 20 years and feel betrayed by them. A reputable company claiming that "The most valuable capital this company has is its loyal customers with their sense of Porsche responsibility." (taken from the PCNA web-site http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/porschecarsnorthamerica/n432/ ) should stand behind the product they build, fix the engineering flaws that become aparent, and take care of their customers so that we, as my father did, instill the love of Porsche in our kids and grandchildren that made the company successful. Failure to stand behind your products and take care of loyal customers is asking for failure.

Man, I'm sorry to hear about your engine blowup. It would be nice if Porsche offers a 10 yr. / 100K mile powertrain warranty just like Hyundai, but they probably will never do so. Hyundai does it cause simply like you said, the powertrain would be cheap to replace in a Hyundai, but not in a Porsche. That being said, with all the stuff you read on Porsche boards about engine failures, I believe Porsche should step up and goodwill replace any failed engines due to RMS, IMS, or slipped sleeve issues. It would go a long way in restoring confidence in the Pcar community.

FWIW, however, as much as I've heard about these issues for all these years I've been on these boards, the only problems I've ever personally had on my 2001 Boxster were a cracked coolant tank and peeling radio knobs/door pocket lids, which were all replaced under warranty. I think now with the modern Porsches (the 987/997 line), you see even less stories about blown engines, so it may not even be much of an issue these days, but it would be nice if Porsche took care of the folks who have issues like you, to restore their reputation, and insure that they don't lose any more future customers due to this known issue. Good luck with your situation.

[rick3000]

Also, have you contacted Porsche about this. If you bought the car used, and the previous owner had an engine replacement, you might be able to get PCNA to fix the car. I have only heard of them fixing a blown engine out of warranty once or twice, but it would be worth asking.

[Lucky]

Addiction,

Sorry to hear about your engine failure.

I think the letter to PCNA is a good idea. Follow it up with phone calls, too.

My car suffered the dreaded IMS failure wihile with its previous owner. He had it religiously serviced at the local dealer, so they went to bat for him with PCNA. End result is Porsche paid for 75% of the total cost of replacement, despite the fact that the car had 69K miles on it and was out of warranty.

I think you have a stronger case if you can document the maintenance history and an even stronger argument if most of the service was done by dealers. Do you have any records from the PO?

[AddictionRacing]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Addiction,

Sorry to hear about your engine failure.

I think the letter to PCNA is a good idea. Follow it up with phone calls, too.

My car suffered the dreaded IMS failure wihile with its previous owner. He had it religiously serviced at the local dealer, so they went to bat for him with PCNA. End result is Porsche paid for 75% of the total cost of replacement, despite the fact that the car had 69K miles on it and was out of warranty.

I think you have a stronger case if you can document the maintenance history and an even stronger argument if most of the service was done by dealers. Do you have any records from the PO?

Unfortunately I don't have any records from the previous owners. Through carfax I know it has been a CT car with 2 owners before me, but I can not verify maintenance history. I really don't expect anything to come of contacting PCNA, but I need to do it just to make myself feel better. Plus, if I don't let them know about what happened they won't have the opportunity to make good on it.

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

Unfortunately I don't have any records from the previous owners. Through carfax I know it has been a CT car with 2 owners before me, but I can not verify maintenance history. I really don't expect anything to come of contacting PCNA, but I need to do it just to make myself feel better. Plus, if I don't let them know about what happened they won't have the opportunity to make good on it.

Addiction, that is some good advice. Carfax tells you it has been a CT car it's entire life, you should be able to find out who it belonged to and what dealers it was serviced at. That could go a LONG way toward getting some help from Porsche. It will take some leg work, but what do you have to lose?

[Quickurt]

Also, Addiction,
I don't mean to sound callous in some of my posts on the subject. I am just a realist when it comes to purchases such as a used Porsche. For the many earlier Porsches I have owned, it was only because I could do the work myself (twisted wrenches at a couple of Porsche dealers, years ago). Even then, parts were so rediculously expensive, it was, at times, difficult. Many times the DD was driven while the Porsche sat waiting for parts money to accumulate and I NEVER had a Porsche as my only car.
I waited, and listened to my old buddy still in the Porsche repair business, and sat it out until I could afford a newer car with a long term factory warranty.
But when you're older than dirt, a couple of years is a small thing

[2001saxster]

Originally Posted by AddictionRacing

Unfortunately I don't have any records from the previous owners. Through carfax I know it has been a CT car with 2 owners before me, but I can not verify maintenance history. I really don't expect anything to come of contacting PCNA, but I need to do it just to make myself feel better. Plus, if I don't let them know about what happened they won't have the opportunity to make good on it.

Sorry to hear about your situation. I know exactly what you are going through. I'm about your age (28) and just got my first Porsche last December. Five months later I had the slipped sleeve issue develop. I just got it back last week with a factory re-manned engine at a cost of over $12,000. The dealer helped me out a little, but nothing from PCNA. I'll never buy another Porsche again, new or used. Mine had a perfect history and was even bought from a Porsche dealer (alothough it wasn't a CPO), and it only had 61,000 miles on it. PCNA was really pleasant on the phone and opened a claim for me saying they'd get back to me within a week, then nothing. Subsequent calls just got me the run around. I never got a call back, not even a denial. What a way to do business huh? Well, best of luck resolving your situation. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

[Dragonwind]

Sorry to hear the problems! I would be curious to get a readout from the computer to see if it ever had been over-revved. Call Musante Motorsports and see what they could do for you.

These Boxsters made it from all over the US (self included) to Charlotte last week. I still think they are great cars.

Chris

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by 2001saxster

Sorry to hear about your situation. I know exactly what you are going through. I'm about your age (28) and just got my first Porsche last December. Five months later I had the slipped sleeve issue develop. I just got it back last week with a factory re-manned engine at a cost of over $12,000. The dealer helped me out a little, but nothing from PCNA. I'll never buy another Porsche again, new or used. Mine had a perfect history and was even bought from a Porsche dealer (alothough it wasn't a CPO), and it only had 61,000 miles on it. PCNA was really pleasant on the phone and opened a claim for me saying they'd get back to me within a week, then nothing. Subsequent calls just got me the run around. I never got a call back, not even a denial. What a way to do business huh? Well, best of luck resolving your situation. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

Man, you guys are scaring me. Sorry to hear. I thought the slipped sleeve issue was fixed after 1998 model runs. Yours is a 2001 I assume?