Porsche Service a disgrace!!

[Paps]

I'm from Melbourne, Australia and I always have problems with the service consultants at the Melb Porsche Centre. They are never available and NEVER return your calls. But the last instance has now taken the cake...

I called yesterday at 9am to talk to my usual guy (who is slack anyway) & he was unavailable so I left a msg with reception for him to call me. I waited about 5 hrs & called back & thought il try again. I was told his ph was diverting back to recpetion & that either i could leave a msg or talk to another consultant so i did. They put me through to one of the girls that has given me trouble in the past. I ask for a major service on a day I can get a loan car. She says that bc i didnt buy the car from them that i couldnt have a loan car (mind you ive had a loan car about 5 times from them & was never a problem) apparently its a new policy, which i think is so poor because i pay the same rates that others do and i feel like a second rate customer, and thats not what they should pride themselves on.

So i ask to talk to my guy again and say to leave him a msg to call me back as soon as he is free. She replies with saying that he wouldnt be able to do anything for me if that's what i was attempting to do. I then told her to just give him my msg. He still hadn't called by the next day (today) at 11am so i call and ask for the service manager in hope that i can express my dissapointment in their service and that it was really not on. Im young and plan on having a long relationship with these guys and if i get treated like this, why would i want to?

He was also unavailable and ive been now waiting 3 hours for him to return my call. There are NO other Porsche Centres in Melb, we only have 1. I think its sad that people who dont have a brand new car or havent bought from the centre are treated like rubbish & if you cant return a customers call, then you shouldnt be in the business.

I can't even find a contact to explain my situation and disapproval of it.

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

That's terrible! I would contact Porsche Cars Australia directly and share your experience(s) and concerns.

Their Service Rep will contact the dealership and you'll probably get better treatment. Porsche spends too much Money and Effort relating a Positive Service Experience to allow some Smart Aleck to undo it all.

If people don't hold the Dealership accountable for this type of poor service, it'll never improve. And Dealers are truly averse to hearing of complaints from the Top down.

The contact information you need is:

Porsche Cars Australia Pty Ltd
109-111 Victoria Parade
Collingwood
Victoria 3066

Tel. 03 9473 0911
Fax. 03 9473 0959
http://www.porsche.com/australia/dialogue/contactandinformation/contact-us/

Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[Paps]

Thanks for that.
I've written an email on that page you sent a link to. I can only hope that someone gives me a hand and calls me to discuss my situation.
I think its pretty poor that the manager STILL has not called me back. It has now been 4+ hours. Surely they can't be THAT busy.
Im also still waiting on a call from the guy i originally was looking for now 32 hours later

I'll let you know what happens

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Paps

Thanks for that.
I've written an email on that page you sent a link to. I can only hope that someone gives me a hand and calls me to discuss my situation.
I think its pretty poor that the manager STILL has not called me back. It has now been 4+ hours. Surely that can't be THAT busy.
Im also still waiting on a call from the guy i originally was looking for now 32 hours later

I'll let you know what happens

Hi,

Glad I could help. Please do report back as I'm curious as to how responsive Porsche is to their Customers.

If possible, I might suggest that you Cut & Paste your email and send it to them (marked as a Duplicate) in Fax form as well.

Someone can overlook an email (they must get dozens), but someone will have to physically remove your Fax from the Machine - Can't hurt...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[aglsteven]

Hi Paps.

Try Matt Stoupas at Welstmeister. They are based in Richmond, and are an independent Porsche dealer in Melbourne.

They have a fully certified workshop, all the skills but don't charge Porsche Centre rates. I've always had excellent service from these guys. I bought my Boxster from them and will happily recommend them to anyone.

Their in Green St, Richmond.
Check them out at www.weltmeister.com.au.

The best thing to do is to pop round and see them in person. They are always helpful

[ikdavis]

I have recently bought my first Boxster and decided to have a full service carried out by my local Porsche Centre in Devon UK. I duly delivered the car and left it for the work to be carried out. About one hour later I received a call from the centre to tell me that the engineer had tested the car and found a vibration !! and having removed the oil filter had found metal particles in the oil. They asked if they could investigate further and would require the sump to be taken off and inspected, as I was obviously worried I agreed to have this done. I then some 3 hours later had another call telling me that the intermediate shaft bearing was failing and it would cost £7000.00 + VAT $14000 to be repaired. I could not beleive this as the car has only covered 28000 miles in its life and is in perfect condition. The car drove well and did not show any signs of any engine damage to this point. To cut a long story short I spend about 2 hours on the net and found what I think is probably the best Porsche specialists in England who will not only repair the engine for £3600.00 but will uprate and modify the intermediate shaft to prevent this happening again. The porsche centre would only repair as the original which would have probably failed again. My car is a 1998 986 which was bought from a personal freind and has been serviced and very well looked after all its life, that said why has this engine failed at such a low mileage surely this being a Porsche it should have lasted much longer than this, I can only say that my lifetime dream of owning a Porsche has very sadly been very disapointing and what I feel is a complete disaster, I wish I had bought a BMW as I have never had one let me down. Porsche as far as I am concerned are a rip off and I will never use a service centre again as long as I own the car. To crown it all the Porsche centre had charged me £919.00 for the privalige of telling me that my engine is knackered and they never even carried out any of the service. Porsche needs to have a customer service department that lends a sympathetic ear to it's customers and explains why their engineering failed at a very low mileage, I have no doubt however that Porsche are only interested in making money instead of listening to its owners.

[Adam]

Whoa....this one is back from the dead!

[smagerstein]

Try Dealing with Porsche Slovenia.........

They strangely cant speak english when I come in but are fine on the phone.....I now go to a dealer in Austria, takes me an extra 1.5 hours to get there but they are perfect and dont charge like crazy people.

[Bambino Don]

Originally Posted by ikdavis

I have recently bought my first Boxster and decided to have a full service carried out by my local Porsche Centre in Devon UK. I duly delivered the car and left it for the work to be carried out. About one hour later I received a call from the centre to tell me that the engineer had tested the car and found a vibration !! and having removed the oil filter had found metal particles in the oil. They asked if they could investigate further and would require the sump to be taken off and inspected, as I was obviously worried I agreed to have this done. I then some 3 hours later had another call telling me that the intermediate shaft bearing was failing and it would cost £7000.00 + VAT $14000 to be repaired. I could not beleive this as the car has only covered 28000 miles in its life and is in perfect condition. The car drove well and did not show any signs of any engine damage to this point. To cut a long story short I spend about 2 hours on the net and found what I think is probably the best Porsche specialists in England who will not only repair the engine for £3600.00 but will uprate and modify the intermediate shaft to prevent this happening again. The porsche centre would only repair as the original which would have probably failed again. My car is a 1998 986 which was bought from a personal freind and has been serviced and very well looked after all its life, that said why has this engine failed at such a low mileage surely this being a Porsche it should have lasted much longer than this, I can only say that my lifetime dream of owning a Porsche has very sadly been very disapointing and what I feel is a complete disaster, I wish I had bought a BMW as I have never had one let me down. Porsche as far as I am concerned are a rip off and I will never use a service centre again as long as I own the car. To crown it all the Porsche centre had charged me £919.00 for the privalige of telling me that my engine is knackered and they never even carried out any of the service. Porsche needs to have a customer service department that lends a sympathetic ear to it's customers and explains why their engineering failed at a very low mileage, I have no doubt however that Porsche are only interested in making money instead of listening to its owners.

I would be completely heart broken if the same thing happened to my Box s, i couldnt imagine the sinking feeling and im sorry 'that' is your experience of the car.
Mine is similer milage 2002 model.
However, its not Porsche's fault that a problem no matter the mileage went wrong, If the car was a 91 964 with 28000 miles and the problem happened im sure you would think fair enough its the age of the car. However an early boxster as conveyed on this forum has thrown up cetain problems on low milage versions. which under the average milage a year guide would have been picked up by warrenty.
If you own a Porsche you pay Porsche prices its unfortunatly as simple as that. How they treated you was not fair and certainly un sympathetic but if they act differently for one customer what is to stop acting differently for other customers. OPC is about disiplain. I have only been in a similar situation when a Jackson Supercharged broke costing me 3k but not 7K.
I think you should repair the car flog it orIf the car drives well try and trade it in just now for a newer version boxster, they are brilliant cars and i feel you have been very unlucky, try and get an S to make all the hasstle worth while.

James

[porsche804]

best thing to do is take it to weltmeister and let them try and sort it out, i've heard they have gotten warranty out of Porsche Australia a few times when no one else could

Don, I think it is Porsche's responsibility when an expensive sports car maintained to spec and not mistreated breaks under 30, 000. I know the car is old, however so are many past Porsche models that covered many more trouble free miles. My car seems to run great and is also a 98. If the same thing happened to me I'd feel as betrayed as the guy who has had Porsche dreams so long.