rleeq

I’ve been told that my engine needs to be replaced. The Porsche mechanic said it is either a crack cylinder head or failed gasket. The service manager said the leak down test points to one or the other but we will not know which until the engine is removed. He said Porsche recommends replacement rather than trying to rebuild and that it would cost just as much to rebuild as to replace. He quoted me $13,200 for a Porsche remanufactured engine.
I’ve been a life long fan of Porsche cars and it’s very upsetting and discouraging that a car costing this much and promoted as being reliable could have a failure of this nature with so little miles.
Seeing that my car has less than 70,000 miles, 50,000 of which I put on since buying the car a little over two years ago, and having never been raced and just one DE event completed, should the cylinder head crack or the gasket fail? I don’t think so! I haven’t driven the car extremely hard and I change the oil every 5000 miles. The RMS was changed when the clutch was replaced even though it wasn’t leaking. Are head gaskets prone to catastrophic failure? I had the 60,000 mile major maintenance completed a few months ago with no issues. Could or should this problem have been detected then?
I sent an overnight letter this Monday and called again just yesterday. I again received “its Porsche’s policy that we don’t provide good will assistance on a vehicle that is out of warranty.” The CSR wouldn’t transfer me to anyone of higher authority because they aren’t allowed to. I told him that these policies sure don’t build good will with customers. This guy was a little more forceful and defensive that the first CSR I dealt with. I guest the computer told him to step it up to the next level since it was repeat call. My car will be ready either Monday or Tuesday at the latest and I’m sure they won’t let me have my car without payment and I’m not going to let them keep it while I wait on PCNA respond being its their policy to respond within 15 days of receiving a request.
I sure don’t feel the love from Porsche.

1999Porsche911

If it was me, I would either personally or have a professional remove the engine and tear it down, videotaping the entire process. I would want to know EXACTLY what the problem is. If it is a cracked cylinder or bad casing, etc, I would have every confindance that Porsche would be giving me a replacement engine quite quickly, free of charge.

If it turns out to be something other than a manufacture defect, then you are out a little extra money but you have piece of mind knowing you were not screwed.

Porsche loves to talk people into simply replacing engines and the owner never finds out what was wrong. Greatly reduces the liability to Porsche...doesn't it?

What a great YouTube posting the video would be.

newport996

First of all...sorry for your misfortune....What year is the car? Where did you purchase it? porsche dealer? Private party? Where was it serviced? Dealer? Hope PCNA steps up with some help. I ask all those questions as PCNA seems to be more loyal to those that buy from dealers and service at the dealer.

Porsche_Smile

you know what..... why not just replace you engine with one of those at the junk yard with 10K miles on them....? Have you looked into those? as a matter of fact, any renn lister here tried that route? or even the ones on ebay? if you can buy a car there, why not the engine.....? i saw one recently with 18K miles on it, a 3.6L for $6K......... Good Luck

99firehawk

cracked casting or headgasket is generaly caused by overheating, have you had your serivces done at the delaer (have you ever been to the dealer?) what year is the car?

CosmosC4S

That is really disappointing, I feel sorry for you, and wonder if it will ever happen to me.
As 1999Porsche911 said, if it's a cracked engine, I would expect PCNA to pay for it even if it's out of warranty.
It's ridiculous for a $80-90k top of the line sports car from a reputable company, to fail that way.
I hope you get this worked out. Good Luck!

PORSCHE - There is No Substitute........ahemm...but the engine might need one.

newport996

Well if he has a 99 C2 then a 3.6 is out of the question as its ALOT of work to get it working....A remanufactured 3.4L from Porsche should be about 8k plus labor. This is the BEST route as you get all the updates from the newer cars, AND its been VERY thoroughly checked and gone through. If you are gonna spend 6k, why not 8k and get a 2 year warranty. I would be VERY leary of a low mileage 6 year old engine....just me, but that means is sat ALOT, or was driven very short distances...neither is good for an engine. There are rebuilds available for about 4k now as well....

rleeq

My car is a 1999 996 C2. The car has almost 70,000 miles on it 46,000 of those miles I put on the car since buying it a little over two years ago. The car has never overheated. I’m not the original owner but I have had all the service work done at the same Porsche dealer: ignition switch, coolant tank, clutch, starter, and both the 30,000 and the 60,000 major maintenance. I have spent almost $5,000 with them since buying the car.

rleeq

The dealer quoted me $13,200 total. The labor part was $3,690!

newport996

Early 99's did have some problems....and Porsche knows this. Good luck....

Dan V

You spent $18K in 46K miles, which is only about 40 cents per mile --- and you get a new engine. Doesn't seem too unreasonable for a 8 year old high performance sports car.

jdk1

Hopefully we are all lucky enough to buy new engines after only 46,000 miles.

Porsche_Smile

good luck

Down South

What is your vehicle's production date? I'm wondering if it's an early '99 or later production. Seems I read somewhere that the later production engines were not as prone to failure as the earler ones were.

joes c4 cab

I had the same problem with mine at 53K miles - cracked cylinder #1. I took the time (and expense) to have an indy tear down the motor to find out exactly what went wrong. I took pics, and sent them to PCNA and waited from their "customer service" dept to get back to me.

Don't know where you are located, but the guy who did my motor offers a one year warranty on a rebuild for around $5500 in So Cal.

I feel your pain - I remember thinking "how can they be so calous as to think this is a "normal maintenance item. " In fact, I am still pissed at PCNA and their treatment of my issue resulted in my wife getting a Range Rover instead of a cayenne. I will give them no more of my business.

PM me if you are near So Cal and want their number.