View Poll Results: Did you have a SITM Mishap? (of course - you may vote for more then one!)
Speeding ticket?
5
7.25%
Other driving infraction?
3
4.35%
Wreck - Minor?
0
0%
Wreck - Major?
1
1.45%
Mechanical Problems?
13
18.84%
NO ISSUES!!
47
68.12%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 69. You may not vote on this poll
SITM Mishaps....
06-06-2006, 09:23 PM
#46
Rennlist Member
Bill Ball
Bill, I think you hit it on the head, I have made 3 trips to SITM now, 4 trips to Frenzies, long road trips on almost routine basis and have not had any mechanical issues. Routine maintenance and using the car seems to keep is running better. I would bet alot of these issues show up on cars that are driven very easily, and then pushed hard on a trip like SITM.
I could not vote in the no issues, because I voted in category 1!
It appears many people do not drive these cars much, so when they do, stuff happens. Mine is a daily driver, and I would take it across country with no concern at all about the timing belt or anything else. I check the timing belt every 15k miles or once a year, change the oil every 12k miles or once a year, routinely inspect the all the visible moving parts and drive.
I could not vote in the no issues, because I voted in category 1!
06-06-2006, 09:26 PM
#47
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Originally Posted by Glen McCartney
Bill Ball
Bill, I think you hit it on the head, I have made 3 trips to SITM now, 4 trips to Frenzies, long road trips on almost routine basis and have not had any mechanical issues. Routine maintenance and using the car seems to keep is running better. I would bet alot of these issues show up on cars that are driven very easily, and then pushed hard on a trip like SITM.
I could not vote in the no issues, because I voted in category 1!
Bill, I think you hit it on the head, I have made 3 trips to SITM now, 4 trips to Frenzies, long road trips on almost routine basis and have not had any mechanical issues. Routine maintenance and using the car seems to keep is running better. I would bet alot of these issues show up on cars that are driven very easily, and then pushed hard on a trip like SITM.
I could not vote in the no issues, because I voted in category 1!
06-06-2006, 10:10 PM
#49
Burning Brakes
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Maybe...
I still think driving them eliminates many of the problems. A very well rspected 928 gurus son has an S4 he drives everyday, 7 days a week and does very little maintenance on it. He just changed the TB and water pump after 100k/7 years. The Shark has 200k on it and he has had no issues
If ya got em drive em.
I still think driving them eliminates many of the problems. A very well rspected 928 gurus son has an S4 he drives everyday, 7 days a week and does very little maintenance on it. He just changed the TB and water pump after 100k/7 years. The Shark has 200k on it and he has had no issues
If ya got em drive em.
Originally Posted by ErnestSw
These are hand built super cars (albeit in reletively large numbers). If you want statistical reliability buy a Honda.
06-06-2006, 11:45 PM
#51
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There is no category for 'electrical issues'. I find this surprising since 928s are rumoured to be full of gremlins.
I found my first gremlin in my '91 on the way to SITM: HVAC Blower operated with the ignition key in my pocket. A tap on the relay put the gremlin to sleep. Time to replace relays.
I found my first gremlin in my '91 on the way to SITM: HVAC Blower operated with the ignition key in my pocket. A tap on the relay put the gremlin to sleep. Time to replace relays.
06-07-2006, 12:09 AM
#52
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Originally Posted by pmotts
I am curious to see how many of the mechanical issues, 12 so far, are from daily drivers. I have 2 daily drivers that I rarely have issues with. I would like to think the majority of the Sharks with mechanical issues were recently brought out of hibernation.
It's my experience the daily, or weekly, drivers have very few issues overall.
It's my experience the daily, or weekly, drivers have very few issues overall.
I'm not mad about the fuel pump failure and subsequent tow... it could have been worse. It really performed exceptionally well up to that point... and I wasn't taking it easy on the car... It had not been out of town before this past weekend.
I'll drop the tank, do the timing belt and fix a couple of electrical gremlins I have, and I plan to start driving it a lot more... We were discussing in the restaurant just minutes before the failure that we should sell the '98 Dodge truck and get a trailer hitch for the subaru wagon... the Dodge is just too expensive to maintain and keep fuel in.
Michael
06-07-2006, 12:13 AM
#53
Electron Wrangler
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Mark,
Statistically relevant is important here... we only have reports on 59 so a tad (statistical term
) over half. I did note that maybe those with issues are slightly more likely to be reporting them - buts it's very unlikely there aren't some issues in the rest of the 'unaccounted for' population... Even at just 10% I'd still be a little dissapointed in the results (a 1/10+ chance of a notable issue on any long drive...).
I'd have to believe that rennlist member's cars are slightly better cared for than the average 928 population... no?
Personally I have driven my car almost every day for the last 6+ years and its only let me down once (gear shift locator cup) and I had to limp home 2 miles in second gear - so no disaster even then.
So yes I agree that regular driving and good steady preventative maintenance is the best for these cars, not least you get attuned to the car and can spot issues easier.
I'm really not worried about the drive to Denver (uh oh! what kind of jinx is that..) but I really thought the stats were a tad depressing, even with some optimism thrown in!
Alan
12 out of 110 cars total....
) over half. I did note that maybe those with issues are slightly more likely to be reporting them - buts it's very unlikely there aren't some issues in the rest of the 'unaccounted for' population... Even at just 10% I'd still be a little dissapointed in the results (a 1/10+ chance of a notable issue on any long drive...).I'd have to believe that rennlist member's cars are slightly better cared for than the average 928 population... no?
Personally I have driven my car almost every day for the last 6+ years and its only let me down once (gear shift locator cup) and I had to limp home 2 miles in second gear - so no disaster even then.
So yes I agree that regular driving and good steady preventative maintenance is the best for these cars, not least you get attuned to the car and can spot issues easier.
I'm really not worried about the drive to Denver (uh oh! what kind of jinx is that..) but I really thought the stats were a tad depressing, even with some optimism thrown in!
Alan
06-07-2006, 12:16 AM
#54
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1 of those 12 never made it out of the garage to go to SITM. 
Out of our caravan of 6: 2 recent owners who probably drove more each way to SITM than they had total since they owned the cars. 1 has an engine richness issue. 1 had been revived from being totaled twice. 3 or 4 didn't have functioning A/C. I think Glenn M's car was the only fully functioning car in the group.
Out of our caravan of 6: 2 recent owners who probably drove more each way to SITM than they had total since they owned the cars. 1 has an engine richness issue. 1 had been revived from being totaled twice. 3 or 4 didn't have functioning A/C. I think Glenn M's car was the only fully functioning car in the group.
06-07-2006, 01:34 AM
#55
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No issues during the drive there and back. Got the best gas mileage ever, Thanks to 928 Specialists, 928 Int'l, Accurate Injector Service, Rich Andrade, and everyone on the list, who helped me with all the problems I had, finding the main problem, and repairing PO wiring screw-ups, and other faults, while Rosy has been down for the last year and a half!
A GREAT trip, helped set a new East "coast" record, and I had a lot of fun! Can't wait for next year!
A GREAT trip, helped set a new East "coast" record, and I had a lot of fun! Can't wait for next year!
06-07-2006, 03:22 AM
#56
Three Wheelin'
Greg,
A TB/WP job done 9 years ago with no attention since is not normal on a regularly driven 928. Its normal to need a re-tension after about 1500 miles after the new belt and possibly new sprockets have seated. If that first re-tension isn't done then it is normal for the T belt warning to come on. Having not re-tensioned and having no warning has me thinking that you may have a problem with the tension warning system, and maybe a loose belt. Belt tension checks after the 1500 mile check usually show little tension change unless something like the tensioner bolt/bushings or water pump bearings are wearing.
A TB/WP job done 9 years ago with no attention since is not normal on a regularly driven 928. Its normal to need a re-tension after about 1500 miles after the new belt and possibly new sprockets have seated. If that first re-tension isn't done then it is normal for the T belt warning to come on. Having not re-tensioned and having no warning has me thinking that you may have a problem with the tension warning system, and maybe a loose belt. Belt tension checks after the 1500 mile check usually show little tension change unless something like the tensioner bolt/bushings or water pump bearings are wearing.
Originally Posted by greg928s4
I'm surprised by all the timing belt warning lights and adjustments that need to be made.
I had the timing belt done on my 89 S4 by a Porsche dealership back in 1997 when I bought the car, and I never had to adjust it once. It's still fine, although due to time, I'm sure it should be changed again. A lot of extra parts had to be replaced, and the bill came to $2,800! At the time, I didn't know if that was too much or not. It was a lot, yes, but I didn't have any information about what it SHOULD cost.
I wonder if the DIY or $1200 timing belt deals really aren't holding up as well because not enough parts are being replaced, and/or not enough care is being taken with the way things are being put back together. Maybe spending more money to do the job isn't such a bad thing afterall.
I had the timing belt done on my 89 S4 by a Porsche dealership back in 1997 when I bought the car, and I never had to adjust it once. It's still fine, although due to time, I'm sure it should be changed again. A lot of extra parts had to be replaced, and the bill came to $2,800! At the time, I didn't know if that was too much or not. It was a lot, yes, but I didn't have any information about what it SHOULD cost.
I wonder if the DIY or $1200 timing belt deals really aren't holding up as well because not enough parts are being replaced, and/or not enough care is being taken with the way things are being put back together. Maybe spending more money to do the job isn't such a bad thing afterall.
