Bill Gregory

However, if you hang around mechanics long enough, you'll find that they are human, and form opinions just like anyone does. If you take what any one mechanic says as gospel, then there's some prime real estate on the coast of Louisiana for you. You need to learn your mechanics biases, and perspectives, so you can value their advice.

PorschePhD

I for one will admit that if I ever get so set in my way I will go back to a desk job and leave the Porsche arena. I do believe as a professional in the industry we should have the ability to admit when we are wrong and always learn. I love trying to learn something everyday...That doesn't mean I don't know what I am doing or don't have the experience, because I do. Just means that not one person knows it all

I owned an 89 C4 and contest to this day it was one of the best cars I ever owned. I loved it. It was tough and had personality. I could really slam that car like any of the 30 Porsches I had in the past and it smiled wanting more. Maintenance was nothing more than the 3.2s or 3.3s I had owned in the past. The car never let me down. I also have worked on many that have had well over 100K with little to nothing done. They were in need of valve guides and in some case valves due to the improper or lack of valve adjustment. I eventually 3.8ed it, cams, and updated the valve train to the 993 version. Ah La no more valve adjustments. The new owner now has driven it daily in Detroit for the last three years. I think he has added another 40K miles without issue. I also know of most of the other cars we have built are near issue free. Typical silly stuff, nothing major. One thing you will find out is the cars that had the cylinder issues by now are probably fixed. The ones that never had the leaks and have not been touched probably will not have an issue. The percentage of cars with real issues compared to how many were built were rather small in comparison. I still say this is one of my favorite....A PPI is always a must. That is my 1.25 and it is maybe worth a cup of coffee at Mickey Dees, defiantly not Starbucks

g-50cab

Always a hot topic. Always debated heavily on both sides. I was one for one. One 964 - one with cylinder head issues. It doesn't mean a rats **** if someone on the internet says "only a small percentage of these cars were effected" if you have 1/100 in your garage.

Just be careful - that's all I am saying. Oh - and I had a PPI on my car before I bought it - but was not familiar with ALL the questions to ask.

PorschePhD

True, but anyone familiar with THESE cars, internet or not would be able to spot said issues.

Adrian

Dear Jeremy,
I agree in principle with what you say. If you have an oil leak you are not interested if you are in the small or high percentage. You should be seeking a way to fix it.
The problem with the internet and other forms of mass media is that this one oil leak becomes someting approaching an epidemic. The 964 has been for some unknown reason subject to some unfair, unjustified generalisation attacks. If you look at the available data from around the world, the 964 has had no more issues than any other Porsche series. I could sit here and type page upon page of issues for all kinds of Porsches.
I do not because I believe you have to be able to substantiate what you say. "Show me the evidence".
My point being lets try and fix individuals problems rather than creating stories about an entire series.
Yes there was an oil weep issue with the 964 and Porsche offered a fix under warranty. Most 964 owners did not know about, we never offered this by their local dealer (surprise surprise) or did not take up this offer up for other reasons. Every fault detected in the 964 was fixed and warranty repairs offered at the time. If these repairs were not carried out that is not really the 964s fault.
By the way Porsche are still honouring warranty on the 964 in some cases.
Ciao,
Adrian

Want to be

Bill Gregory

Yes i agree mechanics can be like dentist , they do not like others work.
I just wanted to bring out what i have seen and heard. Porsche will never own up to every issue on this car or others.
I realize that no car manufacture is perfect but the price people pay should allow for the simple things to be perfected before they are sold.

You can take FORD for example , i have a 1999 Taurus SHO v8. Ford will not admit that there SHO engine has cam slippage on the exhaust cam. This is causing engines to be destroyed. The problem is being watched currently with a death list of about 3-4 percent. Yes this car is a 1999 but the engine cost more than a high mileage boxster (1997). Most SHO owners that know of the problem are having there cams welded or pinned (sleeping well @ night)

Enough said , i loved every Porsche i have owned !

cheers

jpc

Adrian

Dear JPC,
I do not know about your statement about owning up to everything. Porsche have a long line of published technical service bulletins and when it comes to the 964 I have never found their technical staff and management in Zuffenhausen to be anything but honest and forthright. I have a little experience on the 964 and there are no issues that I am aware about that Porsche deny.
We have to remember that we are 14 years down the track since the first 964 was delivered. This is a sports car of the highest calibre and if you stick 100,000 reasonably trouble free miles on it I think you have done really well. Put 100,000 track and road miles on it and you have a gem.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

PS: Whilst the 964 got a really bad rap in the USA and some of that rubbed off in the rest of the world, the 964 is still loved by many people on this side of the Atlantic. Even within Porsche itself there is a soft spot for the 911 which was designed and built in very troubled times within Porsche. One of the most respected people in the business Mr Alois Ruf will tell you that his favourite Porsche is the 964. So much so that he has traded his RTurbo for an AWD version of the RCT Evo as his own every day personal transport. The RCT Evo is being built right now.