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Then quote the job to the OP and you can provide the guarantee and assume the risk. Unfortunately in the real world that's not how it works because no shop will take that kind of risk on a job that is so labor intensive. It would be a different story if the owner could do the work himself and assume all of the risk, which I'm guessing he can't, otherwise he wouldn't be trying to get quotes.
Many are available with warranties, and I am not even a shop that has access to better supply. I've had transmission rebuilds and swaps done, although not on a Porsche but I can't see how a full swap is any more difficult on a Macan than swaps I have encountered in the past. They will need the right shop and maybe in Florida where I am, there are just more of them that can do this stuff. I have dealt with faulty parts and it sucks to have to pull them and repay labor but the shop will usually work with you, especially if the part has a warranty. If no shop would take the risk as you mentioned then I have a hard time seeing how there could be a market for these parts when there are many dismantlers taking the time to prep and list these for sale. Surely some must be going to shops and are not all DIY.
I have no skin in this game with a 12K mile car and a warranty until 2027 but I did come close to buying one out of warranty. Its at least worth the time to make a few calls so they can save $15K.
I think I participated in this thread earlier, but wanted to (re) share my Macan transmission fiasco. I bought my Macan in 2015, the first week they were available in the US. A couple of years ago, while way out of warranty, the transmission failed. My dealership went to bat for me and Porsche paid my $24k bill. I'm not sure if you're the original owner or if you have a relationship with a dealer, but it's worth trying.
Thanks so much for everyone here offering your insights.
Final updates:
I spent this past weekend finding a solution that works best for me.
- Most transmission shops don’t have the device to program a modern Porsche, there are a few shops willing to work on it but either no warranty or not want to put in a used transmission. The lowest quote I got is ~$4k for labor, plus transmission cost and fluid, etc.
- I tried some junk car sale websites, Peddle and Junk Car Medic both offered to buy the car as is for ~$7.7k, and they will come tow my Macan at no extra charge.
- The trade-in value, with good transmission, is ~$19k on Carvana, and $20-22k on KBB, CarMax needs to see the car so no offer.
So I decided to sell the car as is. And since the repair shop where the car was sitting at is only 10mins away from a CarMax, I thought why not let CarMax take a look and see what they can offer. So I had the car towed to CarMax, and within 30mins I got the offer of $16,000! This is way beyond my expectations, and they told me that could be much higher if the transmission is good. Obviously I took their offer and came home with a check.
Also I left a present for the next owner - a still married COBB access port!
This community has been very helpful. I hope my story can be useful for others too.
The CarMax offer
Last edited by topkerel; Mar 13, 2023 at 10:03 PM.
Many are available with warranties, and I am not even a shop that has access to better supply. I've had transmission rebuilds and swaps done, although not on a Porsche but I can't see how a full swap is any more difficult on a Macan than swaps I have encountered in the past. They will need the right shop and maybe in Florida where I am, there are just more of them that can do this stuff. I have dealt with faulty parts and it sucks to have to pull them and repay labor but the shop will usually work with you, especially if the part has a warranty. If no shop would take the risk as you mentioned then I have a hard time seeing how there could be a market for these parts when there are many dismantlers taking the time to prep and list these for sale. Surely some must be going to shops and are not all DIY.
I have no skin in this game with a 12K mile car and a warranty until 2027 but I did come close to buying one out of warranty. Its at least worth the time to make a few calls so they can save $15K.
Reputable shops will not take this kind of risk because rarely does it end well. Of course there will always be shops out there that will promise the world and smile when they take your money, but I wouldn't hold my breath for a favorable outcome. I guess it all boils down to your risk appetite.
Thanks so much for everyone here offering your insights.
Final updates:
I spent this past weekend finding a solution that works best for me.
- Most transmission shops don’t have the device to program a modern Porsche, there are a few shops willing to work on it but either no warranty or not want to put in a used transmission. The lowest quote I got is ~$4k for labor, plus transmission cost and fluid, etc.
- I tried some junk car sale websites, Peddle and Junk Car Medic both offered to buy the car as is for ~$7.7k, and they will come tow my Macan at no extra charge.
- The trade-in value, with good transmission, is ~$19k on Carvana, and $20-22k on KBB, CarMax needs to see the car so no offer.
So I decided to sell the car as is. And since the repair shop where the car was sitting at is only 10mins away from a CarMax, I thought why not let CarMax take a look and see what they can offer. So I had the car towed to CarMax, and within 30mins I got the offer of $16,000! This is way beyond my expectations, and they told me that could be much higher if the transmission is good. Obviously I took their offer and came home with a check.
Also I left a present for the next owner - a still married COBB access port!
This community has been very helpful. I hope my story can be useful for others too.
The CarMax offer
Smart move! With that kind of offer I would be laughing all the way to the bank! You did very well!
Won't be long before cat thieves switch to PDK transmissions.
Can't remove those in 15 seconds with a sawzall, so yes it will be. I'm glad half my fleet is catless - won't they be surprised when they slide underneath and there's nothing to steal.
Thanks for the recommendation. I just got the report from dealership and they wanted a new transmission for $30k+, I sent the diagnosis to EPE and they said probably do need a new transmission. The cost for transmission is way over the resale value for a 2016 Macan S. I’m not sure what to do now..
Sorry to hear. EPE is a solid shop. I have been lurking in the Macan forum because I was thinking about picking up a used turbo as a DD. We have 2 Cayennes and a 993. Macan would be a nice addition but the trans issue has caught my attention
Later years have less problems because there were multiple durability improvements during production since 2009.
But, they are still not "bulletproof".....
Sorry to hear. EPE is a solid shop. I have been lurking in the Macan forum because I was thinking about picking up a used turbo as a DD. We have 2 Cayennes and a 993. Macan would be a nice addition but the trans issue has caught my attention
Having personally dealt with a PDK issue in a prior Macan and having gone through the learning curve that followed, it's my observation that concerns about the Macan and PDK in particular are blown way, way, way out of proportion on the internet. This poll suggests I'm right: https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...ty-thread.html
I wrote the below yesterday on another thread. Hope it's helpful.
Originally Posted by avid
Exactly. These are DL501 boxes that have been around for ~15 years and have a long history of reliability even under stress. They run stock on cars that have been modified up to 700HP without problems. They are strong but not indestructible and the problem is usually heat, not abuse. Specifically for the Macan with Porsche's programming, the box is optimized for fuel consumption in standard mode which results in excessive shifting and consequently will generate excessive heat when driven in stop-and-go traffic. Solenoids, sensors and harnesses usually get damaged. Porsche's fix for any PDK failure is to replace the box, which is indeed $20k. However, they are fixable and there are specialists in mechatronic transmissions that fix the most common problems for $1,500 to $3k. To my understanding, these boxes should last at least 150k mi trouble free and some RLers have reported mileage north of 200k mi with no issues, including PDK issues.
The biggest issue with the Macan's PDK is that Porsche never instructed buyers on how to operate the PDK and most people who buy Macans think they've bought an automatic when it's really a complex manual box with dual clutches that ought to be driven as such at least part of the time. The best way to prevent failure is to make sure you service it at the recommended interval and that you drive in sport mode when faced with stop and go traffic in order to reduce shifts and therefore heat generated.
Having personally dealt with a PDK issue in a prior Macan and having gone through the learning curve that followed, it's my observation that concerns about the Macan and PDK in particular are blown way, way, way out of proportion on the internet. This poll suggests I'm right: https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...ty-thread.html
I wrote the below yesterday on another thread. Hope it's helpful.
I would say a 6% failure rate requiring replacement is not insignificant. It's only overblown until it happens to your Macan and costs you $15k
is the OP saying the PDK in Macans are not the the same PDKs that are in a 718?
everywhere I look even on Porsches website states Macans have a PDK.
Is there a different type of PDK in a Macan?
They are different. The Macan uses esse tialkt the Audi S-Tronic unit. The Porsche sports cars (987.2, 997.2, 991, 992, etc) use a different and better version of PDK.
