Glad to hear that!

 

I hope you get to enjoy your car soon.

 

Got the car back finally, picked up from the shop and got all the info about what was and wasn't fixed. The dealer wouldn't pay to have anything done once they hit around $2,200. The shop wasn't very happy because he wanted to at least fix it correctly. Once the engine was removed and heads pulled, the engine was run without water for some time, he swears the gaskets were blown and maybe. So he replaced the water pump replaced all the gaskets and I think thermostat because the car stays just under 180. The mechanic thought he could replace the number 4 cylinder sleeve but the dealership wouldn't let him crack the block. So he used something called Water Glass to seal anything, this is a GM product for their NorthStar motors.

So that's what happened, this is how it runs:

The car started fine but for the first time smoked from the driver exhaust heavily and some also from passenger side (#4 cylinder), the car smokes until up to temp and then sometimes after when accelerating from a stop or close to stop. The car threw 3 CELs as soon as I drove home, 2 #4 misfires and O2 sensor forward of cats not reporting. The shop then changed the oil, changed the #4 plug and said good luck. the car ran rough at first but now humms ok. Pulls hard, temp is under 180, oil pressure is high for a while longer than it used to be before it went down (maybe their oil wasn't the right weight?) Other than the embarrassing smoking at first startup, it's great. Drove the car for hours and no issues. Is the smoking from the rings? Having the heads off? New gaskets?

The mechanic said I need to replace the motor or get rid of it soon. How can I trade my 996 in for another 996 and not raise eyebrows?

 

Sounds like a bodge job just to get you out the door I'm afraid , go and trade it at a dealership ASAP, don't drive it anywhere except straight there, smile and wave as you drive your new car, hopefully porsche away , then never return 😃

 

I would get rid of it, but be honest with the purchaser and just take the hit. Then go after the dealer if possible.

 

Can u trade it back to the dealership u purchased at for something comparable $$? Take a hit, but helps lessen it a bit, maybe?

Sorry for your predicament.

 

I will never do business with that dealer again and I wouldn't trust a single car on their lot. I'm submitting a complaint with the WA state Attorney General against the dealer.

I might move up to a 997? and trade in with a hit. Maybe a nicer 996.

 

sorry to dwell on such an unfortunate outcome, but they used this???
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_silicate

 

Yep, that's the stuff. Why? It was explained to me by the mechanic, seems like a decent product but not a real fix. Thanks for the kindness.

 

From what I have read about the product it seems to cause havoc on water pumps, radiators and heater cores. But I could be wrong?

 

Jonathan, sorry to hear this is how things worked out. That mechanic's honesty is appreciated, but according to what he said this is going to end in brutal fashion. I'd contact a lawyer immediately. If you sell this car to an unsuspecting buyer and they find this thread, you'd likely be on the hook for it yourself. Your best bet is to trade it to a dealership TODAY.

996; wanted a different color?

 

Trading to a dealer is still dishonest. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Just because they are a dealer doesn't mean they deserve to be blatantly lied to and take a 15k hit on a motor either. He needs to be honest with a trade, or buckle in hire a lawyer to go after the dealer who sold to you.

Best of luck

 

I agree with what others have said, your selling dealer should be the one still on the hook for this engine. Sodium Silicate is not the correct repair for this, this product has been around for decades and is used mainly in aluminum race engines for short term only.

It is a short term "patch job" that is used by people who can't afford to do a proper repair. It will buy them a few weeks, months, maybe even a year (sometimes)..

It would be dishonest to trade the car in to another unsuspecting dealer. I hate this has happened to you, but don't let the selling dealer get away with this "botched repair". They will just do it to someone else...

 

Maybe someone else traded it to the dealer knowing it's problems then it's worked it's way through the system to you, in my opinion , people buy from a dealer as it gives re assurance against this type of occurrence, I'd be persistent with them , I had a similar problem a few years ago , not porsche but first visit to the dealer didn't look good, but I just kept going back and going back and basically I was negotiating a timing belt failure with head damage etc , first offer was , they pay 40% parts which didn't scratch the surface , final deal was they paid all parts and 70% labour , total bill was like 7k as it was a nearly new car, it's not good advertising with an unhappy customer hanging around every weekend, hey I'd even start chatting to other potential buyers , tell them how good the after sales service is , ********, they should take the hit and have a crate motor put in for you, they probably have insurance to cover it, what's the point paying premium buying from a dealer if you just get screwed if something goes wrong, porsche circles are small and people tend to do their homework so just make it known that you will make sure everyone knows how you've been treated, they trying to F#%+ you so just do the same to them in my opinion ********

 

This was the outcome many if us expected.

The engine will not hold up with that "repair". In my opinion, the best course at this point is to sell the 996 "as is" and disclose the history to perspective buyers. You will take a financial hit, but you won't have to worry about legal issues later if someone comes after you for not disclosing the engine issues.

You can go after the dealer, but you probably won't get much out of them in court. I hope this doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth regarding the 996. This particular car was probably traded to the dealer or sold at auction by a seller who knew the engine was toast. Unfortunately, there are a lot of crappy people out there.