986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post - Lessons learned: Buying a "used low mileage engine"(must read)

Jake Raby · 09-27-2009, 05:44 PM

A second post was required to finish the story, the forum limits single posts to 15,000 characters-

Continued:

The seller is very apologetic about what has occurred, but thats simply not good enough, action is required to make this right, because "Phantom Mechanics" don't exist and we'll maintain that the salvage yard and the "rest of the story" doesn't exist until some form of formal invoice is produced where this engine was bought from a "salvage vehicle". Even at that point someone owes my client reimbursal due to false/mis- advertisement, especially when my client asked the seller specifically about any repairs that had been made to this engine..

After its all said and done, the shipping of the engine, shipping of the car, my (at cost) labor to repair the cam timing and the Indy shop's labor to fix this huge cluster will COST MORE THAN my client paid me for his 3.6 big bore engine!
It goes further... My part isn't over:
The cylinder heads from this engine are on their way back to me to be inspected to ensure that the "Phantom Mechanic" didn't do anything to screw up the heads that will come back to bite the Indy shop, my client and me in the ass for a FOURTH time!

So when these heads arrive I'll drop everything that I am doing and process them.. I'll then give (a value of over 700.00) to my client a set of 24 upgraded lifters (since 22 of his were bad!) and I'll pay the shipping to get all of this back to the indy shop along with a pair of free head gaskets and head bolts to make sure we can get this poor client back on the track for his last two events of the season.... No one has asked me to do this, its what I feel he is owed for all of this BS especially since the seller isn't manning up to the situation
So this is just very detailed account of how a "used" Porsche M96 engine can be mis-advertised as a "used low mileage" engine when it has actually been subject to half assed repair by a total idiot, then sold with false claims to an unsuspecting buyer.

This is what is happening to the majority of "used" engines and thats why you can't ever trust one when purchasing it.. Even those purchased from people you have had contact with that seem to be genuine, with good intentions.

Remember, what is too good to be true; really is too good to be true..

Now, I have not disclosed the identity of this seller and I hope that hell read this and step up to the plate like myself, the buyer and the Indy shop have to make this situation right. If he chooses to maintain that he has done nothing wrong and that the engine was advertised accurately, further action will be taken.

He has wasted a lot of our time and money, so its only fair that we reciprocate that..

Where I come from Porsche enthusiasts don't do this to each other...

Think twice before you buy a used engine, more than likely it had a failure and was patched up by someone that has zero M96 experience, like this one was.. You'll be left out in the cold and the seller won't do anything to relieve the burden that he has created for you... And your mechanic will probably get stuck where I am.

09-27-2009, 05:44 PM	#2
Jake Raby Engine Surgeon Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cleveland GA USA Posts: 2,425	A second post was required to finish the story, the forum limits single posts to 15,000 characters- Continued: The seller is very apologetic about what has occurred, but thats simply not good enough, action is required to make this right, because "Phantom Mechanics" don't exist and we'll maintain that the salvage yard and the "rest of the story" doesn't exist until some form of formal invoice is produced where this engine was bought from a "salvage vehicle". Even at that point someone owes my client reimbursal due to false/mis- advertisement, especially when my client asked the seller specifically about any repairs that had been made to this engine.. After its all said and done, the shipping of the engine, shipping of the car, my (at cost) labor to repair the cam timing and the Indy shop's labor to fix this huge cluster will COST MORE THAN my client paid me for his 3.6 big bore engine! It goes further... My part isn't over: The cylinder heads from this engine are on their way back to me to be inspected to ensure that the "Phantom Mechanic" didn't do anything to screw up the heads that will come back to bite the Indy shop, my client and me in the ass for a FOURTH time! So when these heads arrive I'll drop everything that I am doing and process them.. I'll then give (a value of over 700.00) to my client a set of 24 upgraded lifters (since 22 of his were bad!) and I'll pay the shipping to get all of this back to the indy shop along with a pair of free head gaskets and head bolts to make sure we can get this poor client back on the track for his last two events of the season.... No one has asked me to do this, its what I feel he is owed for all of this BS especially since the seller isn't manning up to the situation So this is just very detailed account of how a "used" Porsche M96 engine can be mis-advertised as a "used low mileage" engine when it has actually been subject to half assed repair by a total idiot, then sold with false claims to an unsuspecting buyer. This is what is happening to the majority of "used" engines and thats why you can't ever trust one when purchasing it.. Even those purchased from people you have had contact with that seem to be genuine, with good intentions. Remember, what is too good to be true; really is too good to be true.. Now, I have not disclosed the identity of this seller and I hope that hell read this and step up to the plate like myself, the buyer and the Indy shop have to make this situation right. If he chooses to maintain that he has done nothing wrong and that the engine was advertised accurately, further action will be taken. He has wasted a lot of our time and money, so its only fair that we reciprocate that.. Where I come from Porsche enthusiasts don't do this to each other... Think twice before you buy a used engine, more than likely it had a failure and was patched up by someone that has zero M96 experience, like this one was.. You'll be left out in the cold and the seller won't do anything to relieve the burden that he has created for you... And your mechanic will probably get stuck where I am.