2001 Boxster bleeding to death...

[laphan]

Originally Posted by aaroncaserta

Devastating update time:

Last week I got a call from Bert Wolfe telling me there was a leak on the transmission and the seal had to be replaced (RMS). I tell them to go for it... Well, today they call me back and tell me that there were metal shavings in the transmission fluid and they recommend to have the tranny replaced. I cringed as he proceeded to tell me that a new replacement transmission was going to be $8000 and a used transmission is going to cost $3000.

(I am wondering if the leak was the transmission all along and they misdiagnosed it.) I wouldn't know how to prove it anyway.

I am checking around locally to see if any shops are able to install a tiptronic transmission in this Boxster, but I highly doubt anyone where I live can do this type of surgery.

The dealership said they would work with me on the labor, but at this point I'm not sure what my options are. Does anyone know of a place that I could find a 2001 Boxster tiptronic transmission?

Thanks for the help,

Aaron

I thought metal shavings are normal for automatic transmission as long as you don't have too much or metal chunk.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbarkley/5334659553/in/photostream/

My other cars are toyota and mercury. both has magnet attached to the transmission pan to attract all the metal shavings. I drop the pan every 50K miles and always find metal shavings build up on the magnet. Never have any problems with those transmission even with shavings...

Is you transmission shifts fine (does it slip??) ? If it works fine, I think the dealer is just try to make money selling you a new transmission. Also, you can check the leaky fluid color. If it is red, most likely it is the transmission. I hate dealer when they just want to make money and treat customer like they know nothing about car.

You can find used transmission from ebay....

[BerneseMtnDog]

I would tend to think that if the tranny was shifting fine before you brought it in for the leaks it's still fine. Something smells funny with this dealer.

Steve
2000 2.7L

[J Tinsby]

Hi Aaron,

Sorry to hear of all your troubles with the stealership. This is the sort of thing that made me get out of the automobile service industry.

If it were me I'd be looking for an attorney to at least speak to, many will give pro bono advice on a situation, so you know where you stand legally. it will be tough to prove negligence I think, I don't know that overcharging you and misdiagnosing would qualify.

What scares me is the more I read from you it seems it's getting worse they more they touch the car.

I'd be finding out if the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Office has complaints about them and what they were. It may also be beneficial to call the State Attorney Generals Office and explain as politely as you can the situation. You can dispute the charge if you paid using a credit card. Make sure you write down the name of everyone you speak to and the date and time, this may be important later on and will establish a time line of events.

Armed with what you have done, and all your notes ask to speak to the owner of the dealership and let them know you will pursue the matter with all the aforementioned entities. Offer to the dealership that you aren't above calling the local newspaper or investigative people at the local TV station to apprise them of your plight.

Even when it's all said and done and you get the car fixed I'd NEVER darken the door of that place again. I drive 65 miles to get my car serviced in Delaware, even though there is a dealer 14 miles from me. ( I used to work there and know how they are, that's why!!)

I wish you the best!

J T

[Jake Raby]

Hmmn, they sound confused. I'd seriously recommend a second opinion.

Misdiagnosis? They can't tell the difference in transmission fluid or engine oil? I guess they aren't as hardcore as we are, hell I taste to tell the difference if I can't smell the difference!
Their probably isn't a publication that directs such action in their library~

[yelojkt]

It is time to get your boxster out of their shop. And X2 on reporting your initial bill as fraud.

[husker boxster]

Politely tell them to reattach the tranny so you can remove your car from their premises. Don't let the tranny suggestion cloud the issue.

What have you worked out on the RMS / cam cover costs? Dealerships make mistakes but they should be offering something for their misdiagnosis. As others have said, there should be a refund of the cam cover cost or a parts only RMS repair. Something.

God forbid your car is still leaking, it would behoove you to get under it and locate the area that's leaking. Cam cover issues would most likely spill oil down the side of your engine. An RMS failure would leak at the bottom center of your engine where the block and trans connect. Depending on what the problem is, the leak would be in a distinct location. When you said it was leaking on your exhaust, did you mean the headers rather than the muffler? That would indicate cam covers, not RMS.

I hope things turn out well for you. Be civil but firm with them.

[yelojkt]

Originally Posted by husker boxster

Be civil but firm with them.

This will go a long way. Good advice.

[thstone]

I don't think that I'd replace a transmission when the only symptom was a few metal shavings in the fluid ... not a good sign, but not the immediate end of life for the transmission either.