Engine/transmission failures - action time

[Mr Phish]

I own a 1999 C2 996 Manual (3.4 engine) which was originally bought from an Official Porsche Centre in the UK and all services have been carried out by OPCs since.

It has had an engine and transmission replaced already due to internal component failures. It has had the usual leaking RMS problems.

Recently the car went in for its annual service. The car was fine when it left me and but after the service had been carried out and during the final road test I was told that it developed a major engine problem which has subsequently been diagnosed as a big end bearing failure which requires another engine replacement.

The car is now out of warranty and I have been informed by PCGB that because of this and the age and mileage of the car, they will not cover the costs. They have offered to make a contribution, but I’m still facing a very big bill.

There is plenty of information around on forums about the RMS oil leaks and engine failures due to liners cracking and bearings breaking up in 996s and Boxsters. Transmissions also seem to be a problem. Some owners have received 'goodwill' FOC replacements and others have been left to pick up the bill. Is this just a case of who shouts loudest or complains the most gets the goodwill and rest are left to find more money to pour into a car which has already depreciated more than any almost any other Porsche model in history?

I do not want to be a cause of further depreciation but isn’t it about time something was done about this situation? If the number of failures occurring is a small percentage then it would be in Porsche’s interest to simply replace them FOC and keep their customers happy. If it is such a big issue that they don’t want to spend the money doing this, we all should be made aware.

A few people in the past have tried to gather information, set up websites etc. to bring this out into the open but don’t seem to have got very far. I would like to do something not just to sort out my own situation but also to help all 996 and Boxster owners, past and present, receive fair treatment from Porsche.

To start with I'd like to hear your stories, good and bad. So if you've suffered an engine or transmission failure with your 996 or Boxster, please let me know the VIN/chassis number, year, model and mileage when it happened, description of fault/failure and what the result was (warranty replacement, goodwill replacement, contribution or no help given).

Please post here or e-mail me privately:

mrphish@dial.pipex.com

All personal information will be treated in the strictest confidence. No names or e-mail addresses will be released to anyone without the consent of the contributor.

Please feel free to copy or e-mail this post to anyone you know who has had engine or transmission failures and help get the truth out in the open.

[paulmben]

Hi

Read you post with interest.
I have a 996 C4 Cab April 2001 with a mileage of 32000.
The main bearing has gone and my dealer says it needs a new engine at a cost of £9500.00
I have spoken to Porsche Head office. Tried to speak to Andy Goss but he doesnt speak to customers ( even one who has been driving Porsches for 23 years and is on car number 9, with no 10 on order ,or it was)
They have said the car is over 4 years old and basically are washing their hands of it.
I would like to see if it is possible to get legal action going on this

Cheers
Paul

[Mr Phish]

Originally Posted by paulmben

Hi

Read you post with interest.
I have a 996 C4 Cab April 2001 with a mileage of 32000.
The main bearing has gone and my dealer says it needs a new engine at a cost of £9500.00
I have spoken to Porsche Head office. Tried to speak to Andy Goss but he doesnt speak to customers ( even one who has been driving Porsches for 23 years and is on car number 9, with no 10 on order ,or it was)
They have said the car is over 4 years old and basically are washing their hands of it.
I would like to see if it is possible to get legal action going on this

Cheers
Paul

Hi Paul
Thanks for the reply. I can sympathise with Mr Goss not wanting to speak to customers. He wouldn't get any other work done if he allowed customers with problems like ours through to him!

Very interesteing that you have had a bearing failure. They can't now deny the problems they have with the RMS, intermediate shaft or bore liners but my OPC has denied ever seeing a bearing failure before (just like they denied ever seeing a cracked liner before when my original engine failed).

This is probably because the dealer will hardly ever take an engine apart to find the real cause of a failure as they don't have the expertise to fix them.

However, the first Porsche independant I spoke to about my problems has seen several bearing failures (all no.6) and had the latest one in the same morning I phoned them.

I'd suggest that main bearing failure is the latest trend when it comes to these engines.

Whether it is or not, I come back to my main point that 2 engines in 65,000 miles is not acceptable for a high value product such as a 996.

[ebrinkley]

last thursday lost the engine to a 2004 c4s with 56,500 miles. it quietly lost power and subsequently would not turn over. no warnings on the dash signals prior to the failure. no leaking immediately, but over time lost much of it's oil.
purchased new (single owner) and serviced on schedule. never tracked. used for commuting. pepe porsche of white plains, ny explained it was the shaft connecting the engine and the transmission, so i'm not sure it's the intermediate shaft bolt referred to in many comments in other threads on same topic (but i presume it is).
based on what seems to be a statistically relevant number of engine failures of same sort, i'd say we have a trend.