Porsche breakdown statistics

[spongebob]

Found some interesting statistics in an annual report from one of the bigger Swedish insurance companies. It was not a pleasant reading to look through it.
Insurance covers engine failures up to 8 years and 10.000km, after that you are on your own.So it is fairly new cars in the figures.
Porsche ended up at place 5 from botton when it came to amount of engine failures cars with 1,5 breakdown/100 cars ( front motor cars included!) So if the more reliable frontmotor cars could be separated figures would probably be higher.
Also remember that most Porsches in Sweden hibernates from October to April which should also double the figures compared to all other cars in the report.

This means that 6 years of ownership gives you approx a 10% chance of a major failure or up to 20% if used for 12 months per year

When it came to repair cost Porsche was without doubt in top ( or bottom depending on how you see it) with an average figure of $9000
Should have been really interesting to see the failure rate per km instead which I guess could scare us even more.

[Burg Boxster]

Wow, you sure are throwing out a lot of unfounded/unsubstantiated statistics there...

Guess it'd be a good thing to get a different Porsche at least every 5yrs to avoid becoming a 6yr jinx...

Most Porsches in my local shops for motor problems are... Cayennes (aka front motors).

A percent is a percent is a percent... 1.5 cars per 100 = 1.5%. Period. Not 9% (or as you say "approx a 10% chance") over 6 years. It's a total % of all the cars over those 6 years. You see, % is not cumulative unless 1.5% of every XXXX year car sampled (assuming same samples too) failed each year over the 6 years. Furthermore, even if subscribing to chicken little "the sky is falling" mentality, failures happen disproportionately to cars NOT driven regularly. So, if used 12 mo/year the 1.5% failure rate should be lower. Wonder how many failures are due to improper storage technique? Wonder how many are due to user error (driving after coolant all drained out or forgetting to replace oil drain plug or filling oil reservoir w/ coolant , etc.)? We need to know failure mode too.

I agree the M96/97 engine is NOT infallible so please don't misconstrue my criticism of your post as thinking it is. In fact, this is the first seemingly objective set of statistical #s I have seen. I'd be interested in reading more as would others, I presume (well, maybe not those who try to gorilla market warranties or "enchancement" products but I digress).

So, how about a link to this annual report as most major companies post them online for easier and cheaper e-delivery distribution to shareholders.

[Ghostrider 310]

Wonder how many failures are due to improper storage technique? Wonder how many are due to user error (driving after coolant all drained out or forgetting to replace oil drain plug or filling oil reservoir w/ coolant , etc.)? We need to know failure mode too.

I'll field this one, not nearly as many as went kafluey even after being babied, the M96 is not a well designed powerplant, period. Don't see that IMS anymore do we? Here's a stat for you, I wonder how many companies replaced engines and had a second failure in the same vehicle before 100,000 with documented service? That wasn't me but there were many stories like it. Sorry but I expected more than 32,000, M96 is a stain on the Marque, an embarrassment, a time bomb put into production without enough testing. Ironic considering Zuffenhausen considered the Boxster their "comeback kid", have to wonder how many will never buy a P car again becuase of the "kid"... you reading this German bean counters?

[san rensho]

Originally Posted by spongebob

Found some interesting statistics in an annual report from one of the bigger Swedish insurance companies. It was not a pleasant reading to look through it.
Insurance covers engine failures up to 8 years and 10.000km, after that you are on your own.So it is fairly new cars in the figures.
Porsche ended up at place 5 from botton when it came to amount of engine failures cars with 1,5 breakdown/100 cars ( front motor cars included!) So if the more reliable frontmotor cars could be separated figures would probably be higher.
Also remember that most Porsches in Sweden hibernates from October to April which should also double the figures compared to all other cars in the report.

This means that 6 years of ownership gives you approx a 10% chance of a major failure or up to 20% if used for 12 months per year

When it came to repair cost Porsche was without doubt in top ( or bottom depending on how you see it) with an average figure of $9000
Should have been really interesting to see the failure rate per km instead which I guess could scare us even more.

Do you have a link to the data?

[Steve Tinker]

I hope you guys can read Swedish as I doubt that the local insurance companies report multilingualy. After all, how many US insurance co's give out their reports other than in English?

[spongebob]

Link to the report

http://feed.ne.cision.com/wpyfs/00/00/00/00/00/16/73/EA/wkr0006.pdf

Guess that google translate can do the work but as it is a PDF it might be tricky.

I might have some lack of mathematical skills but still it is a high rate of failures for Porsche cars. And I guarantee, most of them are really babied for during wintertime due to the even higher premium pricing we have in Sweden compared to US. Also when it comes to driving errors I do think that we as Porsche drivers see ourselves as slightly more interested in our cars than the average Toyota owner which means that we do probably check the oil better/ more often than average driver etc.

[Ghostrider 310]

Originally Posted by spongebob

Link to the report

http://feed.ne.cision.com/wpyfs/00/00/00/00/00/16/73/EA/wkr0006.pdf

Guess that google translate can do the work but as it is a PDF it might be tricky.

I might have some lack of mathematical skills but still it is a high rate of failures for Porsche cars. And I guarantee, most of them are really babied for during wintertime due to the even higher premium pricing we have in Sweden compared to US. Also when it comes to driving errors I do think that we as Porsche drivers see ourselves as slightly more interested in our cars than the average Toyota owner which means that we do probably check the oil better/ more often than average driver etc.

Many years ago, when most cars burned oil, I would frequently put three quarts in a customer car at the gas pump. That is what I considered abuse, most not all but most Porsche cars are treated like a family member, the m96 problem shouldn't be blamed on the poor bastards holding the short straw.

I worked at Kodak for sixteen years, when the company was founded it almost went broke because Eastman had a bad emulsion run. He paid EVERY customer back who bought a roll. Porsche should have done something, anything except retreat into the safety of how many dealer stamps the car had. There should have been a class action suit too why there wasn't is a mystery. Since I can't shift now I'd like a PDK spyder but I have to say giving Porsche any more of my money is going to be a tough decision.

[JSWR450]

I love my Porsche Boxster S, but I don't think that the engine could be considered bullet proof by any stretch of the imagination. I had my IMS bearing changed at around 75000 miles, and it was going to go at any second, and I was really lucky. I also replaced the water pump, which was also on it's way out....

If you are willing to pay to do preventative maintenance then the Boxster is great. If not, IMO, it is a disaster waiting to happen. I was at the shop today, and my mechanic showed me an IMS bearing that had completely failed at 50,000 in a 2005 Boxster (they replaced the entire engine). Porsches are great cars, and they are amazing but not at all reliable compared to the modern standard. My brother has an AMG Mercedes that is rock solid after 10 years of driving...Flame me if you want, I spent the money to preserve mine, but it is what it is....

[Ghostrider 310]

They may be great cars but like my almost German father-in-law Porsche leaves a lot to be desired in the public relations department. They didn't even send me an eff you letter about the car, nothing, no reply, zip... That's the mark of arrogance and why buying another one is a question mark for me, Audi A8 is looking better & better.

[davzin]

My '05 987 with 27K miles had the CEL come on about a month ago. A few days later, it started running on 5 cylinders, and off to the dealer it went. I thought maybe a bad coil, or some other 'minor' sensor-type item was the cause. Nope, one of the valve lifters went into hydraulic lock and the cam lobe dished out the top of the lifter. The repair bill was $4600...my searches regarding this issue have turned up scant results. The service personel noted the 'defective part' on their report. So far the PCNA answer has been 'the car is 6 years old'...eat it. I can almost (almost!) understand the notion that the IMS is a 'replacement' part of the engine maybe at 100K miles...but a cam & a lifter? I was going to be in the market for the new Boxster S 981 designation when it arrives next year. But the 'passion & thrill' for the marque has diminished thanks to the stonewall from PCNA. The company wants to sell 200K units in a few years...through running ads proclaiming the 'magic' of driving the cars everyday? How about taking care of your core customers, and backing up the claim of fine German engineering? Or maybe that isn't in the budget...

[Paul]

My perfectly maintained 2001 bent all of its valves while trying to start it. No metal in oil, IMS and chains all fine.

If Porsche wants me to buy another new car, they will give me a 10 year 100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. If they have solved the issues, it won't cost them anything.

[JSWR450]

If I hadn't bought my Boxster used I would be really upset by now. My father has purchased two 911s off the dealer floor in the past. I don't think I could after my experience with my Boxster and learning about the current state of the brand. My family has bought lots of Mercedes and while they are different they are still amazing cars and much less to worry about.

I love my car, but any car is only "new" for a few days, and you'd think Porsche would have fixed these ongoing problems.....

[Ghostrider 310]

Unbelievable to read, Porsche only cares about the people who spend the most money repeatedly with their company. No wonder their dealer network is legendary for being peckerheads...