Ugh. I don't even know what to say. Maybe having my car sit in port isn't so bad. I can't imagine knowing my car is on the showroom floor for 3 or 6 months being fondled by everyone who happens to stop in to do some daydreaming, with their 3 kids chewing bubble gum and smearing Chik-Fil-A sauce and other goo on my seats.

Edit: Sorry

 

I'd immediately ask them to put it away if it was my car.

 

So the fact that these 2 cars are currently at the dealership yet subject to the stop sale suggests... what exactly I wonder?

that they’re gonna replace engines at the dealer? Possibly a unique situation involving a few cars that got through port and to dealer.

 

I’ve seen kids sitting in cars at the dealer unsupervised and had the same fear. Cars that have a deposit on them are kept locked so I don’t have that worry. Still, if it sits there for six months it’s not going to be better for the experience.

 

I had an E46 M3 built in August 2003. From its introduction in 2001 to approximately May 2003 those cars had bad connecting rod bearings that caused catastrophic engine failure. BMW tried to blame owners for overrevving the engines but you couldn’t over rev the dual clutch transmission. Eventually they did a recall and replaced the rod bearings. That was easy compared to the con rods in the 4.0. They could drop the oil pan and crankshaft, replace the bearings and put it back together without pulling the engine. This requires pulling the engine, opening the block down the middle and reassembling it.

EVERYONE buying an E46 M3 knows about the issue. Google E46 M3 issues and you’ll see what I mean. I don’t believe it seriously affects the value as long as it was fixed. Other issues that arose later are more problematic on that car.

Assuming the fix is a good one, I don’t believe it will impact the value but people will know and buyers will ask. Many buyers will avoid 2021s and look for 2022s. Wouldn’t you?

My fear is that 75 US mechanics are tasked with fixing 1 to 3 cars each at dealers. 70 will probably do a good job. Five will probably botch it and the engines will fail and be replaced under warranty. If that happens all the cars will be suspect and no one will want one without a warranty.

 

It’s a 45 day VIN range in a 3 year build cycle, most buyers are (edit) NOT living on RL.

 

There may be one possible glimmer for those who have had their cars stop-sale but have not paid for them. If the papers are not yet signed then it technically is not your car NOR is the warranty punched yet. I would think if it sat at the dealer and anything untoward happened to it on the dealer property I would think you could walk away and transfer you deposit to another car. Years ago I was in the showroom and they had a rambunctious kid laying on top of the hood of a new 944 while his parent and the S/A were out of sight. on the other side of the showroom.
I got to tell you if the car has had its papers signed and the title in your name I would take the chance and keep it in my garage until all this is straightened out. Let the dealer come collect it for the swap of drive it there yourself under very cautious conditions. It is in warranty and still Porsche's problem. But it is under your care in a safe spot of your choosing.

 

I was talking about used car buyers years from now. They will know about this.

 

My dealer does not allow anyone to sit in a sold car. It remains locked. They can try to keep people from touching it but obviously in a showroom that’s a challenge. Even if someone asked to sit in just to try out to the seats they would decline. I hope all dealers would behave this way if the car is sold (even if not yet paid for or delivered).

 

RL member probably...rest of the world not much.

 

Make an exception for me: my undelivered car is NOT owned by Porsche since my dealer had me pay for it Saturday 3/13 prior to the PDI to be completed on Monday3/15 when the stop sale came in. So I have paid for it, taxes, tags, etc & I likely won't be compensated for it or get a new engine.

 

If you're going to complain, write a letter to Porsche. Here's mine:

Mr. Glenn Garde, VP, AfterSales
Mr. Simon Kuhnimhof, VP, Customer Experience
Porsche Cars North America
One Porsche Drive
Atlanta, GA 30354

RE: IMPORTANT: UPDATES REGARDING YOUR PORSCHE 718

Dear Messrs. Garde and Kuhnimhof:

Thank you for your email of this morning. As you stated, I am “eagerly awaiting arrival of (my) new 718 Cayman GTS 4.0.” I greatly appreciate that your “teams in Weissach and Zuffenhausen have passionately engineered and manufactured this special vehicle” and, I too, wish that you “could let me know that it is now ready to enjoy and drive.”

I bought my second, and what I thought would be my last, Porsche Cayman in 2016 when I learned that the Boxster/Cayman line-up would be abandoning the naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine in favor of a four-cylinder engine. You sly devils though were smart enough to put an even better naturally aspirated six-cylinder in the 718 GTS 4.0. When I learned about the GTS 4.0, I not only put in an order for my third Porsche and sold my 2016 Cayman, I told my friend how wonderful the car will be and he put in an order for his third Boxster. My beautiful new Cayman GTS 4.0 now sits side by side with his less beautiful, but still amazing, Boxster GTS 4.0, on the showroom floor at Hennessy Porsche.

As I sold my 981 Cayman and it became clear last week that it would take a while to remedy the issues with the GTS 4.0, I bought yet another Cayman from Hennessy to drive until the GTS 4.0 is ready. Yes, that’s right. I bought another car from the dealer who wouldn’t sell me the car I ordered and still intend to wait and buy the car I ordered.

While the vision may be delayed three to six months, it is alive and well. I am very much looking forward to the day that I will take delivery of the “special vehicle” for which your “teams in Weissach and Zuffenhausen have passionately engineered and manufactured” a new engine.

But while we are talking about visions and things that are “passionately engineered and manufactured” by “teams in Weissach and Zuffenhausen”, let’s make one point perfectly clear. No one has a vision of a brand-new car that was manufactured in Germany and delivered with an engine rebuilt in the service area of the local dealership. Porsche has dedicated engine builders who are focused solely on building engines using world-class practices and quality control procedures. Any other engine is not part of the vision. An engine rebuilt at the dealer will cost Porsche more to make, forever tarnish the image of the car, and be far less reliable in the long-term. Spreadsheets that argue otherwise are incorrect. If engines could be rebuilt more cheaply and to higher standards at the dealer, all engines would be built that way. Engines are built on assembly lines by dedicated engine builders because it is cheaper, and the quality is higher. Please don’t lose sight of that fact and supply the recalled GTS 4.0 cars with factory-built replacement engines.

The three to six-month delay is a disappointment, but please take as much time as necessary to replace the engine and fulfill the vision.



Sincerely,

 

What do you say that based on? I gave the example of another car with bad rod bearings. Everyone knows the issue with that car. Look at the comments section of Bring a Trailer for 996 and E46 M3 listings. On the 996 everyone asks about the IMS. On the E46 M3 everyone asks about the rod bearings, Vanos and rear subframe. I guess there are used car buyers who don't know how to google but they are few and far between. When I sold my 981 a few weeks ago, the buyer commented on the door cards because apparently that's an issue I didn't even know about.

 

In your example it was every car in a 2 year production cycle...that’s significantly different than a 45 day blip.

Besides, for US cars 90+% undelivered wont carry any paper baggage. 190 US cars in a run that’ll be several thousand is a couple percent.

Don’t mean to diminish for those that are involved and certainly for those now it’s big news. Future buyers ...nope.

Just my opinion— as is yours.

 

Delete.