What do you think about engine fails?
 

After readind this article from Total 911, I began to be a bit frightened to buy an early 996.
Can you tell me your experience in this case?

http://www.autofarm.co.uk/new.php3/Total911_July06.pdf

Thanks for making me feel sick again...my car has the symptoms of the intermediate shaft descrbed in the article (frt eng oil leak, "death rattle" on start up). Oh well I hope she holds together. I read that the rattle was from the Variocam system being dry on start-up, vanes inside the gear drum were slapping around until oil pressure got to it, at least that was what the manual said.

make sure you read the part about 5-10% only be afected.
Its propaganda put out by a company that would be happy to fix your ticking timebomb

Cylinder cracks, intermediate shaft bearings, crank bearings. Unfortunately, none are a myth. Mine was a cracked #1 cylinder at start up after sitting in the garage for 5 days and the bill was $11,000.

Cylinder wall cracked, 14k.

I don't think its fair to claim that its 98-2000 build years that have most of the problems. From what I have seen just as many 3.6 fail as 3.4. Most '99 owners on this forum will tell you there cars have been trouble free as was my '99.

Engine replaced at 4900 miles. My car is a 2004 so it is not like it is even old. Yes it is disturbing, but then again they replaced mine no questions asked and it is better than ever with the new engine. Another aspect is that car companies - at least BMW and Porsche are no longer fixing engines, but simply going with componete replacement. It is the way it si these days, and honestly if you offered me a brand new engine vs fixing a shaft or remachining a cylinder wall or whatever I would simply take the new engine every time. WE expect a great deal out of this car based on what we pay, but in the end they are machines. They are not perfect and while annoying and somewhat troubling the company is taking care of the issue so I have little problem with it.

make sure you read the part about 5-10% only be afected.

Are you suggesting that a 5 - 10% engine failure rate on low mileage engines is acceptable?

5-10 % could be affected with any of the above problems not all have the same issues. Anything mechanical can fail, your dishwasher, your watch your lawnmower your car unfortantly is the nature of the machine

I deal with risk analysis every day and after reading this article, I want a warranty on my 1999 996 NOW! If 10-15% of all discount airlines planes crashed, would you fly them anymore? I can easily (not painlessly) afford a $15k engine melt down but if I have an easy choice to avoid it, do I really want that risk?

What does the death rattle sound like?

I have had my 99 since new. Daily driver in spring summer and fall. Drive it all the time like I was leaving a Bank robbery! No engine problems at all. The RMS was replaced at 5000mi under warrenty fine since.

also note the pet theory of driving the car hard will make it work better... the babied 911's are the ones that tend to break.... yup... drive it like it's a porsche!

^

+1
drive it like it's mean to be driven. i'm at 92K, supercharged at 72K and no probs so far. if/when things do go south i'll be doing the autofarm re-sleeve. hmmm 4.0L anyone? :rockon:

I have 98,000 miles on my 99 C2. I just got back from a road trip from San Diego to Michigan and back - at over 90mph the entire way, and it performed wonderfully. Earlier this year I drove to San Antonio and back at high speed also.

I don't burn any oil at all and it runs like a champ. I drive it every single day, usually several times a day rain or shine. I run it up to the red-line regularly, and drive it how it was meant to be driven.

I take it in for regular servicing and don't beat on the car, and it rewards me for it. Remember there is a difference between beating on the car like a jack-ass and driving hard.