I need some help/advice.
I sold my 996 C-4 Cab and bought the 997 Turbo Cab, with special factory option – no holds barred – just the way I wanted it back in late 2007! When it was delivered, it was extraordinarily rewarding! My girl had the perfect sentence: “It’s the birth of your child---childhood dreams that is!”
2 drives and 82 miles later there’s a puddle of oil on the floor in the garage. It goes back to the dealer (Ray Catena Porsche – ffice:smarttags" /><ST1lace w:st="on"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:City>Edison, <st1:State w:st="on">NJ</st1:State></ST1lace>). After 10 days in the shop, with daily conversations starting as a mild repair, by end of 10 days, they’re telling me they’ve done all they can do and it still leaks. They’ve just about rebuilt the whole engine and replaced just about every seal, gasket, etc possible to no avail and I have discovered it’s a “porous block” and need engine replacement. It seems the Service Technicians haven’t seen this problem since 2001. I don’t want a replacement engine. I want a replacement car – exactly as I ordered it. Something I’ll hold onto for years to come as the one thing I’ve given to myself without compromise.
However … and here’s where I need your help … I am told that full “auto replacement” procedure takes miles of red-tape, approvals, etc and “if” someone says “yes” … it’ll be several more months for the factory get custom orders like that into the system at this time of year.
That sounds like a bunch of ‘donkey dust’!!!! I can’t believe Porsche wouldn’t put someone who has a failure of this magnitude into THIS MONTHS production run. If the sales department is correct, I wouldn’t see a replacement car until August – which means one month later it’s a year old – no way! This also sound like a bunch of ‘already paid dealers’ not knowing who and how to get the right buttons pushed for an immediate, this-month-build solution.
So … who’s got contacts and phone #’s for a solution at Porsche? Or advice on who/what to do outside of Porsche? Thank you in advance for your help.
Feel free to contact me directly as I’m sure I need to move swiftly on this:
Gregory Saint-James Vigeant

gregory@msihq.com

 

Talk to your attorney regarding lemon law arbitration. That will help you get through a lot of red tape in a hurry.

 

That's your answer. Unfortunately, the Lemon Laws vary from state to state and are always a bit vague. Hire a lawyer who knows the law in the state that your car was purchased in. There is almost certainly a provision in your sales agreement that requires all suits to be arbitrated in that state.

I have seen this several times with many different makes/models of cars and with different degrees of success and failure. None of them went easily and they all took a long time to resolve. The sad reality is there is simply no quick fix here. If you want a new car and are not willing to compromise with your dealer, then you are going to have to buckle down and get ready for a pretty bumpy ride. In the end, insurance may be your best bet out of this mess. Check all of your policies. Sometimes even the depths of your homeowner's insurance policy will give you some sort of claim.

Have you already contacted an attorney? I would be cautious about consulting a forum like for any legal advice. All of these sites inevitably have a resident Lemon Law expert that will try to give you advice. In the end, the only person who can really help you is a licensed attorney familiar with the laws of the state that the action should be filed in (the "forum state"). Don't be afraid to take this step. It will be the only one that actually gets the ball rolling towards a solution.

Good luck to you.

 

I know what I would do so I can only answer for myself.

I would go to dealership where I bought the car and sit down and table discussions about a new car . My reasoning would go this route -- by the time an attorney resolves the problem you will have earned any dollar saved in stress and time.

The choice is : 1) denial . 2) a long legal hurdle or 3) a customer and a dealership working together to absorb some of that aggravation on the spot .

They can fix that car a lot cheaper and easier than you .
They can take it in trade and not make ONE cent on the new car .

They wear the headache and you both absob the cost .

My Guess - 20K to hand them that car back today Vs a year (maybe more) of so much BS that you will remember that someone did say --cut your loss.

 

What a sad story. Something that should have been a total joy turning out to be such a disappointment. I feel for you brother.

That is fine advice yrralis1 and I totally agree. Like I said, my post above only applies if you won't compromise with your dealer and are dead-set on getting a new car. See if the dealer will meet you part way on an agreement to take the car back. Even if it costs you some cash, it would be worth it to be out of this mess and start over.

I'm not as optimistic, however, that the dealer will be that willing to work with you on this. They have a million ways to delay and avoid any disgorgement. They also have the time and money to wait it out - while you have no money and no car. They have already been paid. The money has gone into the bottom line and they want it to stay there. The dealership can't possibly make this easy on you or every guy whose car runs differently than he expected will be in there trying to get them to take the car back. And if there is financing involved, that only complicates matters further. Also, in the end, I think that your argument may be with Porsche - not your dealer.

Also, be very careful that you get all of your facts and timeline straight. Your post title says you drove it 180 miles but then the body of your post you say you only drove it 82 miles. Even small slips like that can make you look evasive and come back to haunt you.

Be careful. Keep us posted on how it turns out.

 

Since the car is ordered exactly to your specs, why don't you just have them replace the engine? I would also push for extended warranty just to be on the safe side.

 

Yeah, I saw your car while I was in the shop there its rear bumper was off? Jump on that with the dealer. Read my post as well.

Be afraid, very afraid.


Seriously, they are very service orientated but its a new car!

 

Get a new car, seriously, get the rep down, thats unreal. New engine? What is that car worth resale? And half your motor was disassembled your car is on the first lift to the right? I would look into that.

 

Wait guys the dealership he is dealing with is very customer friendly. I would start up the ladder, why is he parting with a dime?! He should lose 20k because the car is defective?!

I have a Viper they have notoriously noisey lifters. I brought it back to Dodge dealer, owner "on the spot" indicated that he would have Dodge buy the car back if the engine was bad and get me another one. He didn't flinch. Car was three months old. That is a Dodge. Porsche takes the FU attitude we will rip your car down and here you go?! That is very reassuring.

Porsche won't review this? I tell you what if they don't than i would not buy another one and I for one will be carefully watching how they resolve this issue for him.

 

Just get a brand new motor and call it a day... I had a similar experience with a Ferrari I bought.... my friend, it's not worth getting emotionally attacked to a piece of metal.. because that is what it really is... I did and it took over my life to the point that I couldn't sleep nights... not work during the day...
Solution, get a new motor... you will be fine... make them maybe give you a few moths extra of warranty or maybe a free service or two... get back in the ca rand enjoy it...
markski

 

He can do whatever he decides . I wouldn't .


First off - Porsche isn't just going to hand him a brand new motor just because a dealership recommended it. They will send a representative to inspect the car hoping that they can either fix it or deny his claim . Unless he drove those 80 miles like a little old lady he might face all sorts of snags . In fact even if he pampered the car they might tell the dealership to fix hose X or clamp Y to tidy it up. Then it breaks again and the saga continues .

(On a similar thread the dealership had to lock horns with the regional rep stated in the first post .
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...=oil+leak+saga )

At best "a new motor" will take time . By that time his car will be older and depreciate more . Plus he won't enjoy it during that period and it may even bother him afterwards .

He's not "attached" to the car if he trades it in . In fact he's FREE of its problems.

I would not even get the same color if it were me . I would not want any vague reminders of a problematic car .

He can close his eyes , dream of his 170K car running right , and wait while they pacify him with words of promise --OR he can sever his ties to this car right here. For 20K he protects 170K instead of watching 170K depreciate 20K in the time it takes to fix it .

It is sad but that is even one more reason to turn this negative into an immediate positive .

 

That's really stupid, if you have to lose money just because you bought a defective car.
Is Porsche really that bad on customer service?

Please keep us updated, I am also very curious to see how Porsche gonna handle this. I recently purchased a GTS and it also has problems, not serious problems but still annoying.

 

My car arrives at the dealership next week. This story sickens me and makes wonder about Porshe in general. Pay 20k to get rid of a lemon? I am sure this would be your dealers recommendation!! I hope you are treated fairly and get a new car.

 

I think that u should speak to the head of the dealership. If u run an operation as big as Ray Catena's 10 dealerships, making u happy by losing small money (1 car) vs. loosing a customer for life, doesn't make much sense. If it were me, i would make the biggest stink, i would tell them that i am on 5 forums, work for the local newspaper, etc.... u get my point. i wouldnt leave until i get an anwer that i am happy with. Bottom line, dont roll over and be upset, get angry and get what u want, after all, for u this car is a much bigger expense than it is for them, it costs them peanuts to lose a bit by making a trade in deal with u. GOOD LUCK!
P.S. - i avoided ray catena every time, they were overpriced and rude, like they dont need the business

 

I would say argue with them. talk to the management of the dealership directly not the small fry bcoz they cant get anything done. Show them that this is unacceptable and its not like u got some crappy nissan or something.

Talk to your regional porsche in ur case Porsche NA (mention this when ur arguing with the dealership. it scares the crap out of my dealership :P)

a car with 180 miles on it is brand new and should not come with a defect. let alone a defect of this magnitude. argue that they have sold you a defective car.

When requesting a replacement car from porsche, the dealership does not pay a penny so dont surrender your rights as they would not even lose a penny for doing this. they send your car back o germany and get a new car back on the factory's expense.

see what porsche NA have to say about the matter.