How many Porsche owners experience "Customer no-service" at their dealership?

[Jeannot]

Guys-

Maybe this is a US thing. I saw a lot of complaints of various forums on Porsche dealers.
Mine is excellent and I have not heard any friend with Porsches complain.
Believe me they treat the customer like kings.
From selling to delivery to giving opportunities of test drives of new models etc. Really top notch service you'd like to see anywhere else.
Even on the phone, the mechanics have always all the answers. They and also salesmen call back etc.

Good luck with this.

BTW-> Even if it was a crappy service I'd still not sit in a Jap car. You're punishing yourself! not PORSCHE !!! :-)

i agree, the service i get is really good, cup of tea as soon as you go in... yes sir, no problem sir... the way it should be 10/10

qporscheq, i am 25 i know 100% what you mean... its annoying. Now i make sure i pull up in my boxster and make sure they see me getting out. I am changing or getting another car soon like in the next few weeks and so far i havent really had any dealings with a salesman but i always take my dad along when ever i do a deal as the last time i was looking there were saleman standing around ignoring me which pissed me off, oh yer and the grin on there face was annoying which i should has knocked off his face.

[IceBox]

While I've yet to need service on my (used) '01 Boxster, I have visited the dealership where it was purchased, and have been warmly greeted by the saleman, who still remembers me. As it's winter and snowy here, I've not had much occasion to drive my car, but have had a few pleasent conversations with Derrick, their service guy, regarding some mods I'm reluctant to try at at home. I hate hearing about experiences such as yours, as it's a real shame what should be a wonderful relationship with a fine automobile has been sullied by poor service. I feel for you, but maybe you jumped the gun a bit un-loading your car. As I understand it, dealerships are awarded to potential owners after a long process, specifically to avoid poor management, which in turn diminishes the repution of the brand. I'm sure yours is not an isolated case at this particular establishment. If Porsche-America (or whatever the parent company is called) were to hear of this, the paryt or parties responsible would be made to shape up or ship out. I know of a few GM dealers who had their franchise revoked for just this sort of thing. Take this to the next level; your desire to own a wonderful car shouldn't be obliterated by the ineptitude of some clown.

[bamaboxster]

qporscheq and porsche 986,

I'm 35 and look a little younger than I am. You would think the salesman would be a little more receptive to their younger buyers, after all isn't that what the age group the Boxster is aimed toward?

It may have been extreme to unload the Boxster so quickly, but I was not getting any help from Porsche at that time. I traded the Boxster on Veteran's Day in November on my G35 Coupe. I took a major bath on the car, which ACV'd (actual cash value) at $34,000...this was a $49,000 Boxster that was only 5 1/2 months old.

I have been in contact with other dealers and wholesalers in the area and asked them why it was so difficult to find someone willing to buy my Boxster in trade even at this extreme depreciation. They told me there were so many new Porsches on the market locally due to the issues at Tom Williams Porsche. People are getting out of their Porsches in droves. The word is out about the horrible service at this dealer, therefore locals are unwilling to buy used ones. Most of the Porsches that are on the market here are wholesaled to Atlanta, Florida and Tennessee.

Crown Mercedes/Infiniti took a chance on selling my Boxster and are having difficulty getting rid of it. It was on e-bay last week for the second time at $34,750. No bids. My Boxster is ultra clean, no dings, no dents, no scratches no curb rash, no interior wear and I'm not a smoker. The car was serviced early and garage kept. I have been in contact with a few locals that were interested in the car, but not interested in driving 87 miles south to Montgomery, AL. It will probably end up in Atlanta soon.

Porsche has contacted me recently to get my take on the dealership. They are very interested in what I have to say about this dealership. Hopefully something will be done soon, unfortunately they have a really bad reputation to overcome.

Jeannot,

My G35 is not a Porsche by any stretch, nor am I comparing its performance, safety and engineering to a Porsche. Simply put, they treat me well, the car retains its value better than my Boxster did, I have more standard options on my first G35 Sedan and current G35 Coupe and they stand behind their cars. Shouldn't Porsche? I felt I was punished for owning a $50,000 Porsche (a true semi-exotic sportscar) and it was a slap in the face to a loyal long-term (21 years) Porsche owner.

Upgrading to my first new "Porsche" I gained an amazing sportscar and a convertible, but lost how well I was treated by Infiniti and any other dealer. I also lost the standard options I had in my first G35; (horsepower, xenons, VDC, Traction Control, Bose, Homelink, heated seats, delay wipers, alarm system, tilt and telescopic steering, 6 disc in-dash CD changer, XM Satellite Radio to name a few) none of which were on my Boxster that cost $12,000 more. Granted, if I bought a loaded S, I would have gained most of it back, but spent another $16,000.

I would love to have another Porsche, a real sports car, but its proving to be difficult to own here in Birmingham, AL.


Dave

[Brucelee]

My experience is not typical in that I deal Porsches. Hence, I am at the local service shop 2-4 times a week.

It took some time, but I have a great working relationship with the service and parts guys. They will go way over the extra mile and I appreciate that. I "work" them extra hard and they reciprocate in kind.

Having said that, I agree that when one purchases a car with a price tag like Porsche affixes, one should be treated with the upmost respect!

[phrankandbeanz]

I am in southern california and I also have had horrible service. I was in the market for a cayenne or a used 996, however the sales associates showed no interest in my presence in the showroom. I went to 2 dealers and the same results for both. extreme snobbiness of the salemen just really gets me mad. I wish I could say "You work at a porsche dealer, however can you afford one?" Now with my 2004 boxster, I have had many problems with it. I saw that someone on this board had said that german engineering is superior to the japanese automobiles.If they are so superior, how is it that the japanses vehicles never have problems?(ex rms, electrical radio glitches, weather sealing,)I understand that japanese cars can be bland and boring, but the outrageous price of an oil change, the frequent trips to the service department and the constant fighting with dealership is almost nonexistent.
I love my $50000 boxster and it has been the most fun car I have ever owned, however my $27000 toyota tundra has had 0 trips to the dealership and they treat me like i am royalty. The bad taste in my mouth from the dealerships for that matter, will play a big part in my decision to buy a P car. That doesn't mean I'm doubting that the porsche is not great car, but I believe when the imperfection of this automobile peaks its head again, I would wish it was a honda or toyota

[tqtran]

The dealership here in Fort Wayne is pretty good compared to you guys
Its always "Hello Mr. Tran", "What can we help you with Mr. Tran", etc... they always use titles. The service techs even come out to talk to you. The parts dept cuts me deals on prices if I'm paying for something $$$$ or something stupid like an umbrella

[Brucelee]

To be fair, I have had some less than stellar dealings with Lexus dealers. Yes, they sell a great car (I have had maybe 6 Lexus over the years). However, they DO BREAK and the service dept can get a bit sticky on the warranty coverage, esp their CPO coverage, which is not as "new car" as they advertise it to be.

Having said that, Porsche can, and should, build a more bullet proof car. There is no excuse for not, given that the basic design has been around for a very long time.

No excuse for rear main seal leaks. What is with that?