How could anyone consider it good luck to have no choice but to spend $13,000 on a new engine with only 69,000 miles on it? Anyone that wants to can buy a new engine. The point is that would be unacceptable for any sub $20,000 GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Dodge or Geo to have engine failure such as mine with only $69,000 miles much less a $70,000 Porsche that prides itself on high standards of quality.

Lee

 

I would go to the dealer and talk to the service manager, ask if you can sit down with the rsm and discuss it with him the next time he is in town. If you are cordial (being loud and obnoxisious will get you no where i promise) you may be able to work something out at a reduced rate. Theres really no reason to tear it down, you may not be able to find the failure point and in the end you still need a new motor

 

"My car will be ready either Monday or Tuesday at the latest and I’m sure they won’t let me have my car without payment"

Soooo.... you already went ahead and authorized them to bend you over to the tune of $13+K without getting a more specific diagnosis - from them OR another shop - than "gasket or cracked head"?

C'mon, 996 experts: please tell me that this motor is not hand-crafted from glass and chiffon lace. I have never heard of a piston motor whose only feasible repair for either a blown headgasket or even a cracked head is total engine replacement.

 

How come you have never posted here before? I am starting to see what Dell was talking about. As I am sorry for this problem and I also agree an other than Dealer option may have been the best choice for you as you are out of warranty. Are they going to let you know exactlly what was wrong? Can you keep the old motor? Just curious?

 

How about a 3.8l from GMG Racing .....I was quoted $11,000 with a good core & includes a 1yr warranty

 

the thing is head replacement is going to cost 5-6k as a minumum , and it could be a case problem whic isnt really all the repairable. engines are swap out these days its more time and money effective

 

i expect nothing but perferction from P.
i would expect my P to last easily to 200,000 miles provided regular maintenace is provided.

 

Here we go again. A user that has a whopping 9 posts (including this thread) posts to the board to bitch and complain that their 8 year old car with over 70K miles that they are NOT the original owner of the car and do NOT know how it was treated in the years a priori demands perfection from the car and wants a new engine from PCNA. Are you f'in kidding me?

Man, I really do feel bad for you, and you have my sympathies. But you are looking at this all wrong. You just happen to be a part of the EXTREMELY small number of people that have had catastrophic engine failure and now, for only 13K you can have a BRAND NEW engine with a 2yr warranty. Sounds good to me. However, I do think they are quoting you a bit to steep. It should be in the neighborhood of 9-10K out the door for parts and labor.

 

I have a 2000 996, and have just replaced the engine. At 54000 miles the engine fluids intermixed, coolant in the oil and oil in the coolant. This is a problem well known to Porsche and PCNA. When Porsche changed from air cooled to water cooled engines, they outsourced the casting of the engine blocks and heads. At the same time they mixed different alloys, aluminum and magnesium. The most common failures are either bad block castings or corroded magnesium, where the metal is eaten up. This happens in the coolant paths, where eventually the fluids intermix. Every pre 2002 Boxter and 996 is a potential engine trap. Thousands of unlucky Porsche owners have over the years had to change their engines. Some are covered by the warrenty, but for those unfortunate that the warrenty is expired, PCNA admitts nothing. They even deny that the problem exist. However, due to the fact that the problem absolutely do exist, Porsche (Germany) offers the 996 3.4L engine to a subsidised price of approximately $8,000. THe whole cooling system and radiators have to be completely flushed and cleaned, and maybe even changed out. I paid $12,000 for the whole job at Pro Technik in Houston, and I'm very happy with the job. The engine is a 2006 3.4L with all the upgrades done over the years, new caastings, new alloy material in the cylinder heads, other cam shaft duration, new AC compressor and all other equipment on the engine. The only things that are not new are the fly-wheel and the cats and mufflers. Basically, the car is like new!
The 3.6L engine does not fit unless you change the ECU and wiring harness. This is very expencive, plus the fact that the 3.6L engine is wice the price ot the 3.4L. For the extra 25HP it's not worth it.
The fact that PCNA denies any knowledge of the above described problem, and throws all the cost on unfortunate Porsche owners, is extremely disappointing. Also the fact the PCA does not put pressure on PCNA, so that enthusiastic Porsche owners still will be loyal to Porsche, is incomprehensible. PCA should not only be an organisation that glorify Porsche, but also give aid and assistance members that are victims for a Porsche design failure. Are the links too close between PCA and PCNA, both located in Atlanta, GA?

 

Lee-

I absolutely agree with you. The previous post was my sorry attempt at being sarcastic....

It seems to me that when you buy a used car you have to plan for repairs that you wouldn't have to make on a new car. Battery, alternator, water pump, starter, etc. come to mind. Engine and transmission wouldn't top my list.

Jeff

 

Really? Just curious what leads you to make this claim.


Pretty common? Care to define that? You make it sound like water cooled engines were "invented" starting with the water cooled M96 motor and that before that the "only" technology was the air cooled variety.

 

i am so sorry you are going through this.It is the main reason i have held off from upgrading.i drive an 87 911 and really love it,but think about going newer from time to time..no offence to the 99-01 owners out there,but these are the years i would stay away from..although you can pick up a 99 for under 30k,its too risky for me in my current position..i do feel that porsche should own the reponsibility for their flawed engine...regardless that it is 7 years old,this problem has happened from year 1..i suspect that 996s will continue to drop even more..you cannot warranty 99 -01..this tells me something.j

 

Dell,

The odds may be statistically (very) small, but it's still something that can sting when it happens to a person. When I got the voicemail that my engine had blown up, I started freaking out in the instant between "you need a new engine" and "we already have one being freighted from Germany that will be covered under CPO". It's scary. That's the one concern I had when I bought this car. It's one of the reasons I'm thinking a Turbo may be in my future.

I have sympathy for the OP, regardless of the number of posts. This is the sort of thing that can make a lurker into a poster. I hope the situation is resolved with minimal fuss. I have a new engine, and I have to say, the 2yr warranty is something I keep in mind all the time, and it's nice to know I've now put all the miles on this engine, Dell makes a superb point there. I wish I knew more on the subject, but as usual, Rennlisters have chimed in with very insightful expertise.

Best of Luck!
Justin

 

+1

 

Hey, we finally agree on something!!!! Time for us to have a drink and celebrate