Engine for $6900 good or bad deal? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Frank · 11-01-2005, 04:04 PM

Hi,let me start off that this is reffering to my post at Blown Engine Questions regarding my blown engine.

The shop still refuses to do anything and wants me to pay them their $2000 (for labor I never agreed or signed for them to do) and then pick up my car and all its parts off the floor.

I have spoken with a highly reccomended shop (supporter of Porsche Club of America) call Body and Motion.They said they have an engine with 40,000 miles out of a late model 99 boxster that they took out of a car that had a more powerful angine put in.They want $6900 to take my car that is all apart and install this engine and put it back together.

My thoughts is that that seems expensive for an engine that has that many miles on it and could be half way or a third way through its life.

What is your opinions?If anytone knows of a better place in the New Jersey area or has an suggestions,I look foward to hearing them.

Frank

blinkwatt · 11-01-2005, 04:26 PM

I would either steal your back on your own terms. Or sue the shop for your car and wasting your time. Sorry to hear about your situation.

98Boxster98 · 11-01-2005, 04:34 PM

You might be able to find a lower mileage engine for less money. You can check out www.pcar.com and see lower mileage 986 engines going for $4000-$5000. Los Angeles Dismantlers is on the West Coast so shipping might get pricey. Any one know of a good source of used Porsche engines on the East Coast? Earlier this year I was doing some research on the 3.4L conversion and labor quoted was $1500.00. So I estimate best case for Boxster engine replacement is $4000 (motor) + $1000 (for shipping, taxes, misc) + $1500 (labor) = $6500. Overall cost for your quote doesn't sound outrageous but maybe a motor with less mileage can be found. I imagine the shop isn't too happy at receiving the Boxster in pieces. A low mileage '99 engine may be risky if it happens to be one of the infamous sleeved ones. I know your plight has been going on for some time and hope that it can be happily resolved soon. Good luck!

Frank · 11-01-2005, 05:39 PM

You said you would steal it back.Now,it is being kept in one of his garages and the parts don't appear to be easy to get without some help from him.He told me it is private property and to leave unless I am paying him for his labor and taking my car and parts.The problem is that if I pay him the money,I will have no problem winning a court case against him but as anyone who ever went to court know,collecting is a whole nother thing.It turns out he leases the building so I can't do anything there.

Anyone have any idea also about whether Im better off paying him to take the car (then taking him to court) so I get it out of his shop (avoid parts sitting longer,damage done by being their and just the pleasure to get it back) or should I wait it out and wait to go to court which would take 4-6 weeks they said.Now keep in mind that I have another car to drive so it is not a necessity especially with winter coming (of course I would be driving it all the time if i had it though

)

Is their any way for me to just "take it back"?

MNBoxster · 11-01-2005, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank

You said you would steal it back.Now,it is being kept in one of his garages and the parts don't appear to be easy to get without some help from him.He told me it is private property and to leave unless I am paying him for his labor and taking my car and parts.The problem is that if I pay him the money,I will have no problem winning a court case against him but as anyone who ever went to court know,collecting is a whole nother thing.It turns out he leases the building so I can't do anything there.

Anyone have any idea also about whether Im better off paying him to take the car (then taking him to court) so I get it out of his shop (avoid parts sitting longer,damage done by being their and just the pleasure to get it back) or should I wait it out and wait to go to court which would take 4-6 weeks they said.Now keep in mind that I have another car to drive so it is not a necessity especially with winter coming (of course I would be driving it all the time if i had it though

)

Is their any way for me to just "take it back"?

Hi,

Contact your State Consumer Affairs division. Many States have departments especially for Auto Repair complaints as this is a Hot Button issue with Voters. Contact your State Senator, City Attorney, BBB, etc. Get the proper information before acting. Learn your options from the right places, not here where opinion rules the day. Good Luck!...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Brucelee · 11-01-2005, 06:57 PM

As I understand it, Porsche will sell you a reconditioned and warrantied engine for about $4K plus install costs.

Might be worth a chat, no?

MNBoxster · 11-01-2005, 05:44 PM

Hi,

Tough Call, it all depends how much time and effort you're willing to expend to save $$$. My thoughts: Body and Motion is a Labor Intensive business. That is, their Core business is providing Service and Repair, aka Labor. As such, their main costs are going to be payroll. They need the work, not the sale of spare parts both to meet costs and to retain their trained staff. They're coming up on the slowest time in the Repair biz, especially for Porshes. Engine: 40k mi. is not new, but how many did you have? Subtract your mileage and you have a clearer picture of what you're getting into. Call some Warranty Companies for referral on reman'd Engines, they'll have a few leads. Call L.A. Posche Dismantler and ask for a reference to a similar East Coast operation, they'll have one. The M96/20 Engine is the lowest demand engine and so you should get a better price than you now have. Labor is what Labor is expect this to stay fairly constant.

I would NEGOTIATE. Find several other engines - eBay, L.A. Porsche Dismantler, etc. and come up with an avg. price for an M96/20 (2.5L Boxster Engine) with similar mileage. My guess: somewhere around $3500. Then present this info to them and offer to pay $1,500 on top of this = $5,000. I assume you have a Daily Driver, so tell them it isn't Time Critical, give them a 60 day window. This way, they don't forego other work but can use yours as Fill-in, Plus, they can unload that Lump in the corner of the Shop (they'll know that a 2.5L is gonna take some doing to sell-off. Ask for a 180 Day Warranty against all use except abuse. If No-Joy with Body and Motion, use all this info. to secure an engine and keep shopping for a Shop. More work, but you save $$$. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

Frank · 11-01-2005, 07:06 PM

Brucelee,regarding what you said:I called Schnieder Nelson(closest dealer) and was quoted $12,000 for a factory bebuilt engine installed.Do you know of another number to call to get information on a cheaper price.The car did have 85,000 miles on it but I'm sure everyone expects better from a company like porsche and I would deffinetly expect more from my next engine.

Brucelee · 11-02-2005, 05:11 AM

Let me call my local guy today and see if I booted the number or your number is out of whack.

Stay tuned.

RandallNeighbour · 11-02-2005, 10:29 AM

Call Sunset Porsche at 800-346-0182

I suggest a call to Sunset because my local dealer determines their own prices on Porsche parts. In some cases, it was 30% OVER Porsche published retail!!! I asked about it and they said "supply and demand" determines the price.

Sunset ships anything Porsche sells through a parts counter for 15% over their invoice plus shipping. I bet they'll give you a good deal on that reconditioned engine.