Cpa4S

$6,500 gives you a day or 2 in court if you are lucky!

Get them to roll something else in and make sure the warranty is transferable. Alternative, see if they will assist on a great trade value with someting already sitting on a lot?

PogueMoHone

I'm with Bob on this one. You're being treated very fairly. There is an old Irish expression which goes.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

Be positive, assume your quiet professional demeanor, Porsche loyalty and reasonableness got you a nice response. Politics may be the "art of the possible' but negotiation is not.

I would say thank you very much, and I'd be further delighted if you'd also recognize that there is a cost for the labor and will you pay half of that. Then I'd turn to my dealer and ask since Porsche is being so nice about this what arre you going to do for me. The dealer has future business riding on it and he should at least do it at his cost.

My $.02

JasonAndreas

If they are charging you 50% of retail they are not really doing you any favors. What is dealer cost? What was dealer cost a few months ago before they doubled the price? Its too bad you don't know what happened to your old motor? It is 6 years old but a manufacturer/design defect is still a defect and Porsche is probably hoping you don't know that. (that is what they've done with all there F'ups on previous models).

Laura

That is a pretty fair offer. From talking to others that have been in the same position, don't push too hard. The car is out of warranty. They do not have to do anything, they have proven that many times with their lawyers to other customers. I understand it is still a bum deal to have to replace the motor at any expense, but some other manufacture's wouldn't be even talking to you.

There is not much margin for mark up on these motors, and the warranty is a good warranty, The motor is complete minus belt. All new hoses, wiring, plastics, etc. - these remans look like a brand new motor.

KY_soldier

I want to thank everyone for the good advice. It's funny, sometimes I think we know each other better than half the people I work with :-)

Anyhow, in trying to analyze this decision, I am wondering if anyone can feed me a few data points:

- how much is a new 2.5 engine from a dealer (cost/list)?
- how much is a new 3.4 engine from a dealer (cost/list)?
- how much would it cost for a reputable porsche mechanic (not a dealer) to install an engine?
- any feedback from anyone who has put a 3.4 in a Boxster?

lastly, if I just replaced the 2.5 from dealer, what could I reasonably expect for a 74k mile body '99 Boxster (AS/blk) with a new engine and clutch, PCM, TC, Hardtop, Sport seats, DSP and hollow spoke 18" turbo designs? 20k? 25k?

THANKS!....E

KY_soldier

OK, I am answering some of my own questions here:

new 2.5 (reman) = 6963.57
labor seems to be about 20 hours, give or take.

NEW TWIST (man is this tough!)

I found a used 3.4 with <10k miles at a nearby independent shop (Doug of Doug&Julie, you out there?) that could be had for only $5k. This means that for about $7-8k, give or take, I could have a 3.4 in my baby. For $500-1500 less, I could get a 2.5 with a two year warranty.

Anyone know what other mods I would need to make to the Boxster to accomodate the 3.4? I know the ECU needs flashing, but I am talking suspension, brakes, etc.

This is getting tougher by the minute!

djantlive

I'd venture that engine replacement is somewhere around $1-1.2k in labor.

My advice is not to put a 3.4L into your car if you ever want to sell it. perspective buyer won't see that as a huge plus and you'll never recoop your add'l expense which includes new ECU etc, In fact, they'll wonder if any abuse / tracking was done to the engine since you are putting a bigger one in. Not to mention that you'll want upgrade to brakes at very min.

No matter what engine you put in, you'll never get as much as an S would sell for.

If you are not satisfied with the power of 2.5, sell it later or put some mods. If you plan on keeping the car forever (doubt it), just dont expect ppl to pony up more than 2k for the big motor.

KY_soldier

I am very interested to hear from anyone who has first hand knowledge of a 3.4 in a Boxster.

JasonAndreas

Is that dealer cost?

Laura

Retail with core return.

JasonAndreas

Answering my own question, $5153USD is dealer cost (M480?) so if retail is $6963USD than dealer markup is 35% which is a lot less than it use to be.

autobahnNY

Shoot a few questions on the Boxster Racing Board. Plenty of guys have 3.4L in their Boxsters.

ebaker

Ask them to give you the motor at 1/2 dealer cost and the labor at the warranty work rate. Check the price on the engine at Sunset Porsche. I believe their cost plus 10% rates are accurate.

KY_soldier

I told the dealer that I would like to have the opportunity to spend two minutes on the phone with the Porsche rep. He came back to me and said that the rep is not trying to be rude, but he doesn't have the time to speak to me directly, and that if their offer wasn't good enough, to withdraw the offer. Boy am I steamed! For crying out loud, I have 3 friggin P-cars and he won't even give me the courtesy of a phone call! My next step is probably straight to PCNA on the phone tomorrow. I still have yet to receive ANY cause for this, other than a likely slipped sleeve. I believe my car was a Feb 99 production date, which makes it one of the last to have that known issue. Is it my fault that I took better care of the vehicle than most, and it held out until 74k miles to happen? I even got 35k, that's right 35k (not a typo) miles on my first set of tires! That's how much a babied it.

Given my situation with a baby on the way, I am about to say F it, they can keep the thing and trade it in on a CPO BMW. I am NOT very happy with P right now. Don't even get me started on the 20 or so times I have had my Cayenne in the shop for electrical gremlins, tramsmission cooler, wheel issues, vibrations and more. I spent 100k to be their beta guinea pig there. Anyone have any contacts at PCNA, or will they tell me tough sh** as well? I am the kind of customer they could be selling a Carrera GT (or equiv) to in three years time, and instead they making me want to dump them all and go elsewhere.

poindex30

I wouldn't take it too personally or be too upset about it. PCNA has probably established a policy for handling engine failures and does not want to deviate from that policy no matter how important or loyal the customer has been. If it gets out that they offered you a better deal than they offered the next guy customers they've previouly settled with may come back looking for more. Previously closed cases may be reopened and I'm sure that's the last thing they want.

I think the offer they presented sounds pretty good. I would pick the 2.5l engine to have installed by the dealer and keep the car as long as you want or sell it with the new engine and warranty. That sounds like a nice deal to a prospective buyer. Isn't your C4 cab about the equivalent to a 3.4 Boxster?

For what its worth, if I saw a 3.4l Boxster and it was in good shape for a good price I wouldn't be afraid to buy it!

Mickey