deilenberger

The CPO expired at the end of last year (12/31/12).. since then, I've been driving the P!G naked..

First failure was a sticking rear caliper. Caught it before things caught fire. Luckily found a brand new one on Ebay from a vendor of Big-Brake-Kits for other cars (apparently our trucks are a popular source of calipers for people who want REALLY oversize brakes on their Civics..) Got it for $200. Installation and flushing the entire brake system, added another $240 to the total.

Today I noticed (actually I'd noticed them a bit earlier but was in denial and trying to ignore them) - wet spots under the P!G in the driveway. Finally bent over and touched one of the puddles (about 3" diameter..) and it felt oily. First thought was water pump, but a careful examination showed the pump seems just fine, and the coolant level hadn't changed a bit. Engine oil was fine, and the oil seemed too clean for engine oil. So - looked at the power steering reservoir, and sure enough, down to the MIN mark on the dipstick.

Porsche had replaced the power steering pump and the steering rack in an attempt to fix the rather common groaning/shudder if you turn the wheel lock to lock when stopped. Never did solve that one, so I stopped turning the wheel that way, and all seemed fine.

Ended up crawling under it a bit, to find drips from both sides of the belly pan ahead of the wheels. Decided that was as far as I wanted to go in the driveway and called my local independent. Took it over and left it. I told him about my guess on power-steering fluid. He called later to tell me I was right.

Turns out one of the hoses to the power steering fluid cooler was leaking where it went on the cooler. He said the aluminum pipe the hose fit on was corroded like my old BMWs used to corrode coolant fittings. He cleaned it up and added a screw type hose clamp to it. Leak stopped. $130. He thought the next step would be a new oil cooler and hose - and a LOT of labor to install them. Hopefully this fix holds.

I find it odd that Porsche apparently dearly loves the spring loaded clamps they use. From talking to the service manager back when they were chasing coolant leaks for me under CPO, these just seem to weaken up with age, and you end up getting leaks.

Feeling very naked now, problem is, I can't think of another utility vehicle I'd enjoy driving. Bought the wife a Lexus RX350 after tiring of hearing about the complaints about her BMW 5-Touring breaking every month. It's stone cold reliable, and stone cold boring to drive.

Thanks for listening. Not sure if I feel better now, but I know there are others out there with the same lurking fear of the unknown in the back of their minds.

Dennis C

I've been naked for years. Don't sweat it. Just go with it...

Edward 96 Viper GTS

extended warranty for about $2k for 2 yrs since like a decent deal, no?

deilenberger

It might if it covered anything. I know it won't cover a leaking hose (no aftermarket extended warranty I could afford would..) and questionable if it covers brake components like calipers.

Good for big stuff (engine, transmission), not so good for the small stuff these beasties are prone to. $2k/2-years is a inexpensive. Most I looked at when the truck was still under CPO were in the $4k/2-year category and even these had fairly high deductibles (and lots of exclusions.) Since I'm only putting about 4,000 miles a year on the P!G that gets pretty expensive per mile.

spooltime

I made a conscious decision to purchase my CTTS sans any remaining warranty, so yeah, that's a cliff dive for sure. But I bought at the right price and had already allocated a budget for bringing it back to its full mechanical glory - major service, fluids, etc.

It's been running really great since the "refresh", but yesterday the P0441 code (evaporative pressure out of range) illuminated the engine warning lamp on my dash. I read the code, checked out the diagnositcs for it in my DME manual, and cleared it last night. Unfortunately, it came back today confirming the diagnosis. Swung by the local dealer and picked up a new tank vent valve (these are known to go bad) and will install it this weekend.

There will be issues like this that crop up, but the vehicle is just so overall pleasurable to drive and experience, I am more than willing to fix it as needed. I just keep reminding myself that its prior owners already took the $86,000 depreciation bullet for me prior to my buying it, so some repairs here or there to keep it in optimal running condition seem like a mere pittance to pay for.

DWPC

I expected to read about a cooked turbo or blown trans. No repair bill is welcome, but your stuff sounds more like typical random wear issues for a 7 yr old high performance vehicle.

ltc

CPO ... Makes you feel like.....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pict...9.html?image=2

AdMan21

I once was naked....got scared and ran.....but it felt so good I'm naked again

Cole

So.......you've spent like $570? Boy, that would scare me. It would be much better to spend $100k and buy a new one so that you can have a warranty!!!



.....Think I spend about $570 a month on coffee

Andy E.

+1. There are enough aftermarket suppliers out there that are now furnishing quality repro and reconditioned Cayenne parts at affordable prices. Most indys also have the software to properly diagnose an electrical issue should it ever occur; thus avoiding the dreaded drive to the dealership.

However, many owners who opt for extended warranty or pre-owned service coverage packages do so to have peace-of-mind. At the end of the day, it's your choice.

In my particular case, the warranty on the GTS ended in April and my decision was made to live one day at a time and deal with the problems; should they occur.

deilenberger

Here is what makes nakedness feel uncomfortable, these are all from the first page of thread titles:
At least there wasn't one on losing cylinder #5 and needing a new engine (the cost of which exceeds the value of the vehicle now..)

Gotta admit - it's an impressive list. I gotta stop reading Cayenne forums..

For those who feel owning an expensive vehicle justifies this sort of repair record and expense - try taking a look at a Lexus forum for a comparable price/outfitted vehicle (http://www.lexus.com/models/LX/features/) - the LX series, and note what the posts are about - most related to repairs are on vehicles with 150-200,000 miles on them, and they're fairly minor compared to the Cayenne repairs. SWMBO likes to remind me of this..

Hey - love the truck, but.. when the repair costs start looking like monthly payments - it's time to think about something else.

ltc

I can't believe you would disagree with a Super User's public opinion ... It's the equivalent of a Papal decree.

deilenberger

ltc

Survived P!g ownership...Check
Sense of humor in tact....Check

Welcome aboard.
As a welcome gift, you may chose one of the following:
A. A CPO
B. $570 in gift certificates to Starbucks
C. P!g Pen T shirt

deilenberger

Jeepers.. I have two Pig Pen T's.. they're a favorite of mine. Been meaning to attend a PCA meeting locally just to see who notices them (the PCA doesn't seem to really consider the P!G as a Porsche.. go figure..)

I'll think about A and B..