Porsche of Albuquerque incident
08-09-2011 | 04:42 PM
#16
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From: Denver, CO
Selo, I've heard of Mickey and have him on my list in case I need mechanical work, thanks. I usually go to my buddy Russ Kelso at PMCI for basic stuff like oil changes.
AOW- The reason I went to the dealer was because my insurance referred me there. I didn't think it would be a big deal to install a windshield.
NP993, JDHERTZ - Its true what you say, dealers deal mostly with 997s, boxters, caymans, I get that. Our car is old, and rare even among the Porsche community. I get that. But all I am asking is for them to open the shop manual and follow procedure, that all. I dont think my request was that outrageous. In the end the filled the gaps correctly in the windshield. I even provided them with a photocopy of the 993 shop manual, which they didn't have access to, can you believe that?
Update: I informed my insurance company and they are writing a formal complaint the dealer. Im also glad to be able to spread the word her at Rennlist. Im buffing out the scratches and swirls next week at my buddy's garage.
Thanks for listening guys.
AOW- The reason I went to the dealer was because my insurance referred me there. I didn't think it would be a big deal to install a windshield.
NP993, JDHERTZ - Its true what you say, dealers deal mostly with 997s, boxters, caymans, I get that. Our car is old, and rare even among the Porsche community. I get that. But all I am asking is for them to open the shop manual and follow procedure, that all. I dont think my request was that outrageous. In the end the filled the gaps correctly in the windshield. I even provided them with a photocopy of the 993 shop manual, which they didn't have access to, can you believe that?
Update: I informed my insurance company and they are writing a formal complaint the dealer. Im also glad to be able to spread the word her at Rennlist. Im buffing out the scratches and swirls next week at my buddy's garage.
Thanks for listening guys.
08-09-2011 | 05:22 PM
#17
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From: Kalifornia
Would you be able to post that page of the manual? A great deal of us will need our windshields replaced in the near future. Showing installers this shop procedure could save us all a great deal of heartache.
08-09-2011 | 05:24 PM
#18
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Hi all, I'm a newbie to the forum but have owned Porsche's for 20 years. My current is a 1997 993, Ocean Blue on Cashmere. I have some bubbling on the lower left driver's side of my windshield. I'm not familiar with the revised shop manual procedure to 'fill the gap'. It may be too late for me to do this now, but can you direct me to more information?
Appreciate any input. Rennlist is a great resource and terrific reading for Porsche fans like me. Thanks.
Appreciate any input. Rennlist is a great resource and terrific reading for Porsche fans like me. Thanks.
08-09-2011 | 05:43 PM
#19
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From: Colorado
There are exceptions, however. Prestige Porsche in Denver is one of them. The service manager owns an SC and an air cooled Turbo, and he's an active PCA club racer and member of our region. The dealership sponsors some club events and is very PCA-friendly. They have a tech that's been there since the early 80's and all he does is the older cars. They even had a 356 there last week. I brought my 993 there for an AC recharge and they did it for free! I wasn't expecting that. They offer 15% off labor and 10% off parts for any car '98 and older.
08-09-2011 | 06:31 PM
#21
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08-09-2011 | 06:34 PM
#22
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08-09-2011 | 06:40 PM
#23
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From: Torrance, CA USA
Not trying to bash or start anything, but why go back to the dealer multiple times over a long period of time (2002-2011)? After 1 bad experience, I would take my business elsewhere.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I find that Porsche dealers know less than I would expect about Porsches in general. And in the small markets, it is much worse...
It seems like the true "mechanic" has given way to a "tech" that really isn't asked to trouble-shoot anything. Rather than isolate the problem, it is much easier to "replace the whole system". Clearly, that drives profits...
My own Porsche experiences:
1997 - Maryland Porsche Dealer - installed the rear black stone guards incorrectly on my 79 SC. They thought overlapping it with the rocker panel made sense, and charged me $120 for labor to boot... (I took it to them because I figured they would have proper measurements)
2000 - New Jersye Porsche Dealer - tells me the 964 Speedster that I am looking to buy has been repainted. Seller vehemently disagrees, so I fly in and get local Porsche expert (via PCA) to look at paint. Turns out dealer's mechanic doesn't know how to read paint meter.
2002 - Utah Porsche Dealer - tech forgets to relieve back pressure in the oil filter when doing a routine 964 oil change in my Speedster - and drips oil all over my immaculate engine bay, then proceeds not to tell me. It took me many, many hours to get that crap off.
2002 - Utah Porsche Dealer - tech decides to THROW DOWN the hood on my mint Speedster to close it, chipping the paint around the latch mechanism and bending the latch itself. The hood would not open, to which he asked when I brought it back in: "what did you do?". He told me that Porsche mechanics were taught to close hoods that way... I used to put a Colgan bra on the car and needed to alter the latch mechanism a hair to offer clearance. As the tech threw down the hood (literally), it bent the latch. After countless calls to the GM, they finally agreed to replace the plastic insert that they also had broken.
2007 - Utah Porsche Dealer - I take my GT3 in to change the camber and toe-in for the track, assuming the dealer will be aware of the Kussumaul settings (Porsche factory driver). I tell them to rotate the struts to get the required -3 degrees camber. They tell me that this can't be done, and actually laugh at my request. I have to come on Rennlist and print out the Porsche alert that shows them how to do this.
2011 - Utah Porsche Dealer - A few weeks back, I asked the local dealer for the Porsche Approved Oil list. I was debating changing from 0W40 to 5W40 due to the hot desert climate in the summer. The service manager told me that he did not know that Porsche published an oil list. And on that same visit, for the 2nd time, the parts department sold me the wrong oil filters for my cars.
With all that said, the Mini Cooper dealerships have given me even more angst. I could tell stories....
-B
It seems like the true "mechanic" has given way to a "tech" that really isn't asked to trouble-shoot anything. Rather than isolate the problem, it is much easier to "replace the whole system". Clearly, that drives profits...
My own Porsche experiences:
1997 - Maryland Porsche Dealer - installed the rear black stone guards incorrectly on my 79 SC. They thought overlapping it with the rocker panel made sense, and charged me $120 for labor to boot... (I took it to them because I figured they would have proper measurements)
2000 - New Jersye Porsche Dealer - tells me the 964 Speedster that I am looking to buy has been repainted. Seller vehemently disagrees, so I fly in and get local Porsche expert (via PCA) to look at paint. Turns out dealer's mechanic doesn't know how to read paint meter.
2002 - Utah Porsche Dealer - tech forgets to relieve back pressure in the oil filter when doing a routine 964 oil change in my Speedster - and drips oil all over my immaculate engine bay, then proceeds not to tell me. It took me many, many hours to get that crap off.
2002 - Utah Porsche Dealer - tech decides to THROW DOWN the hood on my mint Speedster to close it, chipping the paint around the latch mechanism and bending the latch itself. The hood would not open, to which he asked when I brought it back in: "what did you do?". He told me that Porsche mechanics were taught to close hoods that way... I used to put a Colgan bra on the car and needed to alter the latch mechanism a hair to offer clearance. As the tech threw down the hood (literally), it bent the latch. After countless calls to the GM, they finally agreed to replace the plastic insert that they also had broken.
2007 - Utah Porsche Dealer - I take my GT3 in to change the camber and toe-in for the track, assuming the dealer will be aware of the Kussumaul settings (Porsche factory driver). I tell them to rotate the struts to get the required -3 degrees camber. They tell me that this can't be done, and actually laugh at my request. I have to come on Rennlist and print out the Porsche alert that shows them how to do this.
2011 - Utah Porsche Dealer - A few weeks back, I asked the local dealer for the Porsche Approved Oil list. I was debating changing from 0W40 to 5W40 due to the hot desert climate in the summer. The service manager told me that he did not know that Porsche published an oil list. And on that same visit, for the 2nd time, the parts department sold me the wrong oil filters for my cars.
With all that said, the Mini Cooper dealerships have given me even more angst. I could tell stories....
-B
08-09-2011 | 09:20 PM
#24
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I had a windshield installed at Walter's Porsche in Riverside, and had an outstanding experience. However, Walter started as an independent shop servicing Mercedes himself many years ago, so all his stores (Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche) have a reputation for excellent service.
As far as parts, I don't think any of the dealers carry much inventory. There is very low demand for parts for the older cars at the dealerships, and the new stuff they can get same day or overnight from the distribution system, unless it has to come from Germany.
As far as parts, I don't think any of the dealers carry much inventory. There is very low demand for parts for the older cars at the dealerships, and the new stuff they can get same day or overnight from the distribution system, unless it has to come from Germany.
08-09-2011 | 09:22 PM
#26
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From: Park City, UT
I did find an amazing indy for the GT3 - in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he is 400 miles away... Other than that, invested in a scissor lift and have been doing my own service since 2007.
-B
08-10-2011 | 12:47 AM
#27
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From: Torrance, CA USA
Great question, and not offended. We have two dealers in the state, and I was citing both. The 2002 incidents were with the same dealer, months apart. Learned my lesson, and moved on. The 2007 incident was with the other dealer, but they are the closest so I often ask for advice (some of it is good, some not so good) and buy supplies there (it is close to home).
I did find an amazing indy for the GT3 - in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he is 400 miles away... Other than that, invested in a scissor lift and have been doing my own service since 2007.
-B
I did find an amazing indy for the GT3 - in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he is 400 miles away... Other than that, invested in a scissor lift and have been doing my own service since 2007.
-B
08-10-2011 | 05:22 PM
#28
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From: Cortlandt Manor, NY
Well, they may be 'certified', but they have no practical experience using their minds to diagnose problems. I'll take an older mechanic any day!
So the repair guy shows up, and "repairs" both windshields. My wife's car had a quarter-sized frosted patch directly in the line of vision, and my car ended up with a 50-cent-piece-sized "fisheye", also directly in my line of sight.
Took both cars to the agent's office, and showed him the repair guys handiwork. We got two new windshields the following day.
--Chuck--
08-10-2011 | 05:47 PM
#29
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From: Denver, CO
Hi all, I'm a newbie to the forum but have owned Porsche's for 20 years. My current is a 1997 993, Ocean Blue on Cashmere. I have some bubbling on the lower left driver's side of my windshield. I'm not familiar with the revised shop manual procedure to 'fill the gap'. It may be too late for me to do this now, but can you direct me to more information?
Appreciate any input. Rennlist is a great resource and terrific reading for Porsche fans like me. Thanks.
Appreciate any input. Rennlist is a great resource and terrific reading for Porsche fans like me. Thanks.
I will absolutely make it a point to scan this procedure from the shop manual and post in here. That bubbling sounds like corrosion. The only way to see how bad, is to get in there and see. Research a good body shop in your area and check it out. Best of luck my friend!
08-10-2011 | 08:06 PM
#30
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speedbump2,
I had a go-around with my State Farm agent getting my windshield replaced. He did his damnedest to steer me to Safelite for an aftermarket windshield, and pretended not to know how much SF would pay if I took the car elsewhere. I think he was skating right on the edge of the law that allows choice of repair shop.
The dealer was just shy of $1500 for a genuine Porsche windshield and gaskets. The SF adjuster paid in full (minus deductible) without comment.
I had a go-around with my State Farm agent getting my windshield replaced. He did his damnedest to steer me to Safelite for an aftermarket windshield, and pretended not to know how much SF would pay if I took the car elsewhere. I think he was skating right on the edge of the law that allows choice of repair shop.
The dealer was just shy of $1500 for a genuine Porsche windshield and gaskets. The SF adjuster paid in full (minus deductible) without comment.