what does it take to be a satisfied porsche owner?

[fab]

Mach-
I can sense your frustration. All I can say is you have to be very persistent with the dealership. Keep all your records! Don't give up! Did you speak directly with the service manager?
Do you have a lemon law? Could this be a case? The car is warranty.

Once this get rectified that LOVING feeling getting into your car will come back


As for the forum being filled with ‘things gone wrong with my boxster’ . I've learned so.........much reading those forums.

[986Jim]

The way you just described your Boxster is the same way most people describe VW's and in particular the MK4 line up like your Beetle is. My Jetta VR6 has been in for maf sensors, coil packs, window regulators, the window glass falling inside the door all kinds of crap. People think I'm nuts owning two high maintance European cars that are notorius for problematic years of ownership.

Guess what, I just love the cars and could care a less about the problems. I just deal with them as they come. The Jetta now has been a charm to own in the last 2 years as it's been really reliable after all the bugs were worked out. I have it slightly modified and the dealer has no problems with that.

I think you may just be expecting more quality for your money, what your paying for is Porsche's racing team, your a sponsor by buying a 20k car for 30k my friend. That the enjoyment we get of owning a Boxster lol...

[drburton]

I own a '05 VW Touareg and my '05 Boxster S, both cars are not known for reliability and they were also both expensive. I was willing to take the risk at the point of purchase b/c I feel the driving experience is so much better than the other cars I looked at.

I am happy to report I haven't had any problems with either car :dance: So now I get the great driving experience without the hassle.

I do expect my luck will run out at some point but I'm OK with getting the car fixed under warranty since I'm so happy about owning them.

So my thought is that most people who buy a Porsche know in advance that maintenance and problems could be an issue, but are willing to make that sacrifice for the other benefits the car can offer.

If you really want to drive a car that isn't going to go to the shop, follow Consumer Reports advice and get a Japanese car, but try not to fall asleep at the wheel from the boredom.

[BuffaloBoxster]

Originally Posted by 986Jim

the window glass falling inside the door all kinds of crap.

That happened to me in my Jetta on Christmas Eve in a ridiculous blizzard with my parents in the car driving home from visiting my grandmother in the hospital.

Talk about crappy timing...

[Brucelee]

To my knowledge, there is no German car out today that would receive high marks from its owner for reliability or value.

I love the way certain German cars look, drive and perform. However, I HATE the way they have become flat out unreliable.

Mercedes is perhaps the most obvious example of this but IMO, they all have fallen prey to this.

I frequent a BMW board and it is the same litany of complaints.

In contrast, I frequent a C5 board where the issues of MUCH less prevelant.

And I don't see any indication that ANY of the German makers are listening and improving their products on the reliability front. The defect rates at Porsche would be a reason for mass suicide at Lexus.

If I were on the Board of a German car company, I would be ALL over the CEO of that company. Sadly, the way these companies are structured, I would likely be a labor rep and of course, would not TOUCH the issue of reliability at all.

And so it goes.

[Brucelee]

BTW- I have bought and sold about 30 Porsches over the past several years so I have a pretty decent sample size to chat about defect rates.

[mach schnell]

this is all good - keep it coming!

[insite]

for porsche, it's all about driving. The cars provide such a wonderful experience behind the wheel that most owners just accept the idiosyncrasies that come with the purchase.

if you want to feel better about the quality of your car, take it to a track. not an autocross course, a road race course. at the end of the day when:

-- the ricers have melted
-- the US cars are out of brakes, overheated and burning oil
-- the british cars never made it to the event (they broke on the way over)

you will ponder.

you look around and you will see the porsches: porsches sitting there, just smiling, eager to run just one more session. it is then that you will finally appreciate what these cars are all about.

on another note, consider you purchased the first iteration of the 987. it will have some kinks that will need to be worked out since it is, in essence, a new model. overall, these cars are pretty reliable. most quality gripes online appear because people are far more likely to seek out a forum in which to ******************** about problems than they are a place to rave about the absence of problems.

i have a '99 986 with 95,000 miles on it. i drive the HELL out of it. i've had a few problems, but nothing major considering the age and mileage. i take it to the track ALL THE TIME. the majority of money spent on the car is for consumables: tires, brakes, fuel, etc. (i spend a lot of money on extra 'stuff' and on track time as well).

sure, some things have broken. here's a quick run-down:

- coolant reservoir
- wheel bearing
- convertible top
- window regulator
- mass air flow sensor
- water pump
- shock tower bearing mount
- microswitch (for conv. top)


for a car that's now almost seven years old with 100K on the odometer, that's a pretty short list of problems. it’s remarkable if you consider how the car is driven. my gut tells me that the people who constantly ******************** about the little things are the people who didn't buy the car to drive it so much as to be seen in it; they're used to lexus. i'll take a car with some hiccups and a SOUL over a zero defect vehicle that's lifeless.

finally, i’m not excusing any repetetive quality issues porsche may exhibit. considering the per vehicle profit margins porsche ag currently realizes, they have created a very strong perceived value in their product lines. porsche must aspire to become that perception or they will surely lose market share in the long run.

enough of the rambling……take care!

[Rondog]

i think it's a safe to assume that the cause of all your problems are the faux-yellow calipers....never mess with karma, my friend.

i'm reading this thread with great interest as i question my own tolerance for unreliability. Having driven a MB e320 for the last 5 years and an Infiniti prior to that -- I have become accustom to reliable autos (BL--- i had no major issues with my benz) in addition, i have also been spoiled by both dealerships--treated very well with great service, loaners and washes,etc,etc.....

We pay a premium for our Boxsters and i have to say the smile on my face as i drive to work is the the reward for that premium. However;.if i have to constantly drive to the dealer as opposed to my office-- not sure how long i'd be smiling....

Good thing is my calipers are Boxster S RED-- and i am not tempting the fates! So, i should be fine........

RD

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Jeez... it's only a Car. You're at that in-between stage which can be frustrating, and maybe you're just venting. But, wait until the Tires come in before deciding that you have a perennial issue with your Car and condemning it out-of-hand.

Not that it will make you feel any better, but I've not had any of the issues you describe with my Used '99 w/ 25k mi. now on it. I suspect that once the Tire issue is dealt with on your Car you'll be in the same boat. Did mine have teething pains? Maybe, who knows? But as the second owner, I was spared that pain and inconvenience as the PO either got it right, or kept it right.

The Boxster has become the new Standard against which all other comers are measured. I just read an article the other day which held the M3 Roadster up against the Boxster, and others comparing it against the S2000, the Solstace, MR2, even the RS4, and the Boxster came out on Top against them all. And not just in performance, but in style, Fit & Finish, Feel and Bang for the Buck!

And, of course Forums like this are essentially What's Wrong with this Car Forums, that's their inherrent nature. Personally, I don't see anyone studying these Forums and concluding that this is the Car they should buy. For all the horror stories, I'd expect to see the majority of them RUN, and perhaps that actually occurs without our knowing it.

Your analogy comparing the Boxster to High/Low Maintenance women is less appropriate than comparing a Draught Horse and a Thoroughbred. Give the Draught Horse a bale of hay, keep it outside and it'll pull a wagon all day for years whereas the Thoroughbred requires a specialty diet, receives more Healthcare than the average Kindergarten Class annually, and must be housed indoors lest it succumb to Colds, Arthritis, or Colitis. But the Thoroughbred is more highly refined than any Draught Horse and needs that extra care.

If you truly studied this and other Forums, Magazines, and the like, you had to be aware that the Boxster was no Toyota Cambry on the reliability scale. Yet, you still chose to buy it, whether for the Performance, the Bling Factor or some combination thereof. Unfortunately, a lot of people are unrealistic when it comes to Cars and often buy the wrong one for them, a Boxster isn't for everyone.

For it to fit into my needs, I had to be able to maintain my Car myself, no extra $$ for Dealers or Mechanics as I own 3 other classics which all draw down my resources. Once I was certain I could perform all but the most Major of chores myself, I decided to go ahead, but by a thin margin actually. But, I have 35 years experience with Classic or Performance cars and had a much better idea of what it took to be a long-term owner of a Boxster than some people.

I suspect that a lot of disastisfied owners never saw beyond the Car's very strong allure before taking the plunge and now they are the Poster Children for Buyer's Remorse.

My advice? Wear the pants off the Warranty and get it sorted out. Then make the choice if in fact this is the right Car for you. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99