johnireland

I can't really blame the warranty company since they based their rejection of the claim on the mechanic's incorrect diagnosis of the problem. Unfortunately the shop I now have the car at is not part of the Mile Edge Warranty program. My first priority is to get the car repaired correctly. Once the car is fixed and I have the total bill, I will go back to the warranty company and see if I can get them to cover it...or part of it.

Imo000

The mechanic misdiagnosed it becasue he works for the warranty company. If the agreement states that you have to use an approved shop then they will pay zero if you try to claim it from the other shop. They won't pay even a little. They are in the bussiness of making money and keeping the money they already got from you. They are not your friend and are not looking out for your best interest either. If there is any hope that they might pay something then, I suggest you contact them ASAP but I will be extremly suprised if you don't have to eat the entire eepair bill.

WalterRohrl

Gotta agree with ImoOOO on this one...asking the warranty company to cough up some money in this circumstance is going to get the same result as asking the hot barista at your $300 oil change place for a little something extra...but hey, you can't get get if you don't ask and she just might like the look of your Faux-lex...

5CHN3LL

Faulex?!? No, no, no. This is a Rouchefoucauld. The thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design, hand-crafted in Switzerland, and water resistant to three atmospheres. This is *the* sports watch of the '80s. Six thousand, nine hundred and fifty five dollars retail!

5CHN3LL

Know how much it's worth in Philadelphia?

WalterRohrl

I thought the Swatch was "the" sports watch of the '80's. $40, all in. Maybe $45 if you had to have the neon version with the squiggly stripes.

ZuffenZeus

When you call them about the bill, what you wanna bet this so called "Mile Edge Warranty Co" rep. is going to tell you, "Um, sorry Mr. Ireland, but you chose to use an *out of network* service center; therefore, we can NOT reimburse your claim. If you would like to make an appeal, you may call the appeals hotline at 1-900-U-SCREWD. Once you finally get someone, please talk slowly in English and explain your problem."

"Thank you for using the... MILE EDGE Warranty Company where **We're happy to walk each mile with you right on the edge!**"

johnireland

So its blood on the tracks as Bob Dylan would say. Life ain't always fun but it beats the alternative. The excerpt from the work order I signed today says it all. Codes...smells...solutions. I'm opting for a used trans from LA Dismatler...same exact model as mine...which may be good...or not. It is cheaper than a rebuild by just over a thousand. My money my choice.

Hoping to be back on the road a week from today. I emailed the report below to the warranty company. If they step up, fine. If they don't...well they don't and I cancel the rest of the warranty and put the money towards the trans.

While the engine and trans is out of the car I have decided to pass on the IMS bearing. Simple reasons, some of you will agree, some will not. My money my choice. The failure rate in the early 3.4 engines is low enough for me to play risk management...anyway a new IMS bearing would not prevent D chunk or bore scoring or all the other crap that can happen...and if the engine lets go...well such is life.

The good news is, I'll be back on the road by a week from today...and I can give the car a good wash.

John



Ireland, John Make: 00 PORSCHE 911 Black

_________________________________________________________________
Job01 Diagnose Transmission Labor: 1.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$135.00
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Vehicle made loud "CLUNK" noise while accelerating; Faults
registered for Tiptronic transmission - Test drive vehicle
to verify customer complaint; Scan TCU and identify fault
codes (P0717 [91 & 92], P0734) ... Remove and install
trasmission fill plug; Check fluid - Trans fluid smells
and looks "burned" indicating clutches likely worn out and
slipping ... Transmission replacement recommended

Job Subtotal: $135.00
__________________________________________________________________
Job02 R&R Transmission Labor: 15.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$2,025.00
__________________________________________________________________
996.300.011.02 ZF Tip. Trans. 1.0 @ 1900.00 =$ 1900.00
__________________________________________________________________
Remove and install motor and transmission; Remove and
replace transmission

Job Subtotal: $3,925.00
__________________________________________________________________
Job03 Service Replacement TranLabor: 3.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$405.00
__________________________________________________________________
996.307.403.00 Transmission Filter 1.0 @ 70.66 =$ 70.66
986.397.014.00 Fill Plug Seal 1.0 @ 4.20 =$ 4.20
986.397.013.01 Drain Plug 1.0 @ 13.12 =$ 13.12
986.397.016.00 Trans. Pan Gasket 1.0 @ 29.12 =$ 29.12
000.043.207.00 ATF 8.0 @ 18.76 =$ 150.08
__________________________________________________________________
Drain transmission; Remove and install transmission pan;
Remove and replace transmission filter; Fill transmission

Job Subtotal: $672.18

__________________________________________________________________
Cost Summary
__________________________________________________________________
Labor 2565.00
Parts 2167.18
Tax 195.05
Total $4927.23
Payments 0.00
Bal Due 4927.23
Status: In process Work Order

WalterRohrl

I understand the reasoning behind not doing the IMS but you really should replace the AOS while you already have the tranny out. Cheap part and it will fail, might as well save virtually all the labor. Good luck!

5CHN3LL

John, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to - and I'm genuinely, albiet morbidly, curious; feel free to tell me to take a hot flying leap.

Knowing then what you know now, would you have just kept your '03 996 or would you still have done the whole 996-to-997-to-VW-to-996 thing?

johnireland

Two days after I sold the 03 and bought the 06 997 I was trying to get the dealer to unwind it and get the 03 back...but he wanted more money than I thought was fair. (Might be in some of my old posts.)

Looking back I should have gotten down on my knees and kissed him plus gave him all the money he wanted. History shows I just never could get to like the 06 997...I'm not sure selling it was a mistake, on the other hand I would have again saved some money so I guess it was a mistake.

Buying the Red GTI wasn't a mistake...though I wouldn't have done so if I had kept either of the first two cars. Well my wife has it now and loves it.

I really have liked how this tip cab drives. There was zero warning that the trans was going to pack it in. But the ZF guy the shop talked to said that is how it can happen. Same thing happened to my brother-in-laws Jag.

This definitely has put me back on the manual trans side of things. No point in going into it now but the next car will be a manual, period.

Depending on what I feel when I get the car back, I'll either drive the money out of it for another year or so...or until I find an irresistible example of another 996 coupe, with an irresistible service history and at an irresistible price. Maybe even a roller and I'll put in a quality rebuilt motor and include the IMS, etc.

In the meantime I better start writing a lot more e-books. At the rate mine are selling I'll need to churn out three a month to pay even some of the bills.

Thanks to all for your ideas and input.

johnireland

Thanks. The AOS was replaced by Porsche just a little over two years ago. Also the water pump and motor mounts.

Imo000

15hrs? Does the engine must come out to pull the automatic transmission?

johnireland

To take just the tiptronic trans out you have to take apart some of the rear suspension which puts you into labor to put it back and then a realignment.

Then...if it looks like the IMS does need replacing...well isn't everything easier with the engine and trans out? You end up seeing everything, all sorts of stuff gets to be inspected and reattached. Etc., etc., blah blah blah.

At this point its just a big p-car pig f**k. I'm just standing there with my money in one hand and a jar of Vaseline in the other. I feel like someone who finally got this great looking woman to take off her cloths only to find that she has a really bad rash and lots of boils and scabs. If it gets that grim I'll just dump the car.

DBJoe996

Expensive high performance sports car = expensive to repair. Friend has a Mercedes Benz GLK. Went for routine service at MB dealer. Serviced engine and transmission, changed spark plugs. Bill was $3000. Just a case in point.