EileenRog

I have a 2004 Boxster S with 48k miles that has been recently diagnosed with an IMS bolt failure by my local Porsche dealership. As the original owner and having had it maintained by a dealership, the service manager suggested I contact Porsche North America and submit a claim for Goodwill Assistance recognizing the Class Action Settlement a few years back.

Porsche reviewed my claim and is offering $5000, the cost of the engine block. The estimated repair cost is over $20k.

Has anyone submitted a similar claim and received higher/better assistance? So painful to have to pay more than the car is worth to have it repaired.

Macster

Thankfully I no experience having to submit a claim for a failed engine.

But I can still feel your pain and let me say right up front you have my sincerest sympathies for your situation.

It has been a few years but this came up a number of times at the various dealers I use and visit frequently. It reads like things have changed but unfortunately not that much and not that much for the better.

Before no assistance/goodwill was offered unless the owner agreed to fund an engine tear down with no guarantee any goodwill would be forthcoming. I'm can't recall now if the cost of the engine tear down was even refunded even if the engine was goodwiled.

The service managers I talked too told me they hated having to submit this "offer" to the customer as most just stormed out probably never to come back again.

Getting back to your situation: If you don't accept the offer of goodwill from Porsche you have a couple of options open to you.

One is to sell the car as a "roller". You won't get much (probably less than $5K but don't quote me) but the car is gone and you have some money and can move on.

Another is to have a shop/tech you have 100% confidence in help you find a used engine from a similar car that can replace the original engine in your car. This brings some risk but a good shop can help mitigate the risks.

I don't know what a used engine costs and what a shop would charge to drop the old engine and install the new (well, make that used) engine. The used engine might need some freshening: New plugs; coils too if the existing ones look bad; a water pump/T-stat; new serpentine belt. The shop/tech should be able to advise you.

There is another option: How about you make a counter offer? Porsche goodwills the replacement engine and you pay for the labor to remove the bad engine and install the new one?

Also, have in mind a fall back position. What would you pay to get the car back on the road?

For instance, would you pay "half" the cost of a replacement engine: The engine and labor to remove the old engine and install a new one? Would you pay say $10,000 using half the $20,000 figure you mentioned.

Check but I'm pretty sure the replacement engine comes with a 2 year/24K mile warranty and there's a year's warranty on the labor, too. This tips the scales every so slightly in favor of a new factory sourced engine but I think we would agree not enough to balance out much of that $20K.

mikefocke

I am surprised you got any offer with a request for compensation for a 13 year old car, 10 years out of warranty. Not that I don't feel your pain and disappointment. I knew they were being helpful to original owners with dealer service but that was many years ago and I thought with the legal settlement they may have felt that discharged their obligation.

If it truly was the bolt and not the bearing, that is a bit unusual but not unknown as the best makers of the IMS replacement kits (not an option if the inside of your engine has been already filled with metal shavings as a result or if you have had valve clash as a result of failure) include an improved version of the bolt in their bearing replacement kits.

Several years ago, I compiled a list of the things I had read you could do if your motor should fail. Here for further reading.

Anker

Are they offering you cash? If they are, I would take it. If they require that you have the engine replaced at a dealership I wouldn't bother.

extanker

i believe they will put 5 grand to the repair bill if a po dealer does the work .....and yes it is rather generous considering the age and out of warranty. even more generous [if you believe it] is a post claiming po is covering half on a used car with a bad PDK .

bzliteyear

+1 on trying to get $10k toward new engine, and perhaps try to get dealer to discount a bit also.
good luck.

PS. Curious you had heard about IMS issue before this, and whether you considered $2k upgrade/insurance given your car was in the low mileage high risk group?

Cbonilla

Just as an FYI, I had an IMS failure on my2003 986S at 100k miles. I sourced a used engine (41k miles) and worked with my indie shop to replace it. Al told between the engine ($4,500) and the "while we're at it" items I spent about $8,500. Car runs great, but the process is one that made me want to pull my hair out

EileenRog

Thanks everyone for your insights.

I did try to negotiate a higher goodwill offer with any number of combinations to split the cost but they didn't budge.

I had not heard about the IMS issue until a week before it happened. In a casual conversation with a colleague, he mentioned his experience with an IMS failure and proceeded to tell me the details. I didnt even have time to do any research or ask the service department at the dealership. Unfortunate timing.

Macster

Unfortunate timing. Unfortunate situation. Just unfortunate.

Might seem like I'm being wise after the fact but I didn't want to put a dampener on your spirits but I didn't hold much hope for any increase in goodwill from negotiation. Porsche has always been tight fisted when it comes to good will.

But you tried and that's worth something I think. At least you know.

Given what's transpired with the 986 Boxster engines (though I have been fortunate with my 2002 Boxster) and 996 engines and the 987 Boxster/Cayman engines I think this is one reason why I'm just not all that fired up about owning another Porsche.

Can't do anything about what has happened up until now but here's hoping you have better luck going forward from now.

tone40

Do a bit of research and learn the CEO of PCNA and his/her contact info. Write the CEO a heartfelt letter explaining your situation. Mention your love of all things Porsche and how you bought your car because of the highly reputed German engineering. Say that you are disappointed in the failure, feel abandoned by Porsche and doubt you will ever buy a Porsche unless you get treated fairly. Hopefully you get a response that you want. If not, place a call to the CEO and make a personal pitch. I have had success doing this with other companies, Sony being one. Good luck.

brianmch

I've not heard of an IMS failure at 100K Cbonilla: sorry for your troubles. I've got 85K on my ticker and will plan on having it done when I do my clutch. Its not slipping but I'd rather be early than late because the IMS.

Cbonilla

Brianmch - yeah, the IMS failed at 100k. Don't buy into the "if it's good at 30k it's good to 230k" myth like I did. My car is a tip so I don't have the option of piggy backing an IMS onto to a clutch job.

Quadcammer

I would thank my lucky stars if porsche offered me anything on a 13 year old car.

Nevertheless, source a used engine and have a shop install it. With some additional items and while you are in there replacements, you'll likely be done for less than $10k.

Or just sell it as a roller.

brianmch

My wife's 01 Box is a Tip so I'll have to put some brain juice into that one.

brianmch

I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to R/R a complete engine. Short form is that they unbolt and fall out the bottom. And when the replacement is in or the old one is down just replace the "while you're there" parts and bolt her back up.

Getting into the block is a different animal NOT for the faint of heart.