sandwedge

Same here. PDK crapped on my -09 C4S. Replacement cost was just shy of $13,000 covered 100% by extended warranty.

dcharnet

I too wonder about the reliability of the PDK, and whether Porsche has made non-publicized small internal changes year to year since '09 to quietly improve reliability. Is a '14 PDK "better" than an '09? Does anyone know?

MY997

WOW! Thanks everyone for all the great info...the following are a couple of thoughts and questions and I would appreciate any further info you can provide:

1) I keep reading PPI...a couple of things about that...if the car is certified would that not have included a PPI by the dealership as my understanding of the CPO process is that they do a complete inspection of the car and fix things like brakes, tires, etc...or is doesn't pass...also if I pursue a PPI..who would be authorized to do it other than a Porsche dealer and how much would i expect to pay?

2) Also I have seen some post about PDK problems...at what mileage have people had problems with the PDK on 2009 models because this car has 41K and it shifted like "I Stole it" when I test drove it...also I would think if there was a problem it would have happened and/or been dealt with by 41K miles???

Thanks again for any advice you can offer...

MY997

Thanks John for your honesty and info...I too would have the dealer maintian and stick to the service schedule...

MY997

Good question and I plan to follow up with them about that today but I think it has to do with the year...meaning once cars get to a certain year they either don't quailify for a CPO or only portions (time wise) of them???


Thanks and can u comment on what type of PDK problems and would I be wrong to assume at 41K miles that it has already been dealt with or is not going to be a problem???

Mojo31

Porsche's CPO warranty program works like this:

1. It can be issued on cars that are no older than "X" years and that meet certain criteria;
2. It is good for 2 years or 50,000 miles, up to a max of 100,000 miles on the odometer;
3. It is added to whatever is left of the original warranty;
4. Therefore, for a 2009 model, it would be either 2 years or 2 years plus whatever is left of the original 4 year warranty, if anything;
5. If the car is acquired by a Porsche dealer during the 2 year CPO period, the CPO warranty immediately ends; however, it can be re-certified for an additional 2 year warranty if it meets the criteria;
6. If the car ends up on the hands of any other dealer, the CPO warranty terminates even if not expired; and
7. The warranty is transferable from one consumer to another, but not from consumer to any type of auto dealer.

In your case, if a dealer is advertising a car with a "certified" warranty that is good only until May 2015 (less than a year), then it is not a Porsche Certified Pre-Owned warranty. Check this out carefully. If they are telling you that it is, then be careful as you will likely be surprised to find yourself with no warranty from the day you buy it.

It sounds like this dealer is offering you the dealer's "certified" warranty, which is only as good as the dealer. Are you sure this is a Porsche dealer? It doesn't sound like it to me.

MY997

Thanks for the info and yes...they are a very reputable Porsche dealer with a Motorsport (race) division and very active with local Porsche club. They also own a BMW and Audi dealership near by...very big. I will get the details of the warranty today!

Robocop305

The PDK transmission is solid. Most of the reported problems, which has been very few, revolves around the PDK external electronics. Since Porsche doesn't want (as of yet) for dealers to crack open the transmission in most cases they replace it. I was having issues with the transmission emergency run message on the dashboard. After some research I replaced the car battery and problem solved! PDK is one, or the best double clutch transmission on the market!

MY997

Okay...does this sound correct...I just talked to the dealer and they said the "certified" on this car means they are offering the remainder of the CPO that was onthe car when they took it in...they are saying that by not recertifying it that keeps the cost down for the consumer but yet the car has a CPO warranty until 05/30/2015...Hmmm...sounds reasonable to me.

Also they said they will share their PPI as they had to do one to keep it a "Certified" car...does that sound correct??? And should I trust this?

MY997

Thanks for the info and would u agree that at 41K miles if there was going to be a problem it would have already shown up?

Reason being is this 997 shifted excellent (test drive) in all modes, Sport, Sport +, etc...and I would know if somehting felt weird as I am coming from a great transmission (8 speed) in the Lexus ISF...

3Series

1.) I would get something in writing regarding the warranty. That doesn't sound right to me.

2.) Regarding PPI, ask for the checklist they use to certify a car and the checklist for PPI. A PPI has many variables becuase you can ask them to check and give an opinion about anything on the car.

Whoever is feeding you this info really wants to make a sale. They are on the verge of telling you anything to make you buy the car. I would not trust them.

mattyf

It's my understanding that once a CPO car is bought by a dealership CPO is ended. If it is a Porsche dealer they can re-CPO it. If an indy, then that's it, it's gone.

BrakingBad

Couple of things...

Just because a car is CPO doesn't mean it is a good car. The cars maintenance history isn't a part of the cpo process. It may have been a lease returned because it spent more time in the shop than on the road and still got certified. Your dealership may cover the repair costs for the warranty period but is this a car you'd want?

CPO'd cars carry a higher profit margin than non cpo'd cars. We've seen dealerships where every used porsche is sold as CPO. Do you think all of the cars really qualified?

The dealerships mechanics are paid by the dealership. They are the one doing the PPI for the cpo certification. It is in their best interest to pass the car.

As a buyer it is in your best interest to purchase a PPI from an independent 3rd party.

Mojo31

That does not sound right. It is my understanding that when title changes, the CPO warranty ends unless the car is sold by the individual consumer to whom it was first issued to another individual consumer. Once title is transferred to any type of company or entity, the CPO warranty automatically terminates.

I would be very, very wary.

sandwedge

If you're concerned about it, just make sure you have warranty coverage while you own the car rather than relying on a random mileage number for assurance. The PDK is a complex component with a lot of electronics involved. According to the dealer, my failure was almost certainly electronics related and could well involve a $50 part. Doesn't matter. The dealers aren't allowed to take the PDK apart so it's a $13,000 repair/replacement job no matter what fails inside.