pongobaz

took a long drive with the wifey today into the Credit River Forks/Bellefountain and Erin area. It was a perfect afternoon for enjoying my C4S...what a beautiful car! We saw a couple of other P-cars out there and waved to each other; silver C2 and a black GT3. On the way back through BelleFountain, I see the GT3 parked in front of a store and the driver waves to me, I wave back again. I pull into a parking lot 500m ahead and the guy runs up and taps on my window. Turns out he'd rented the GT3 from GTA leasing and the thing was bone dry on oil, and he's hoping that I've got a spare quart or two in my trunk (no such luck). He was a little concerned since he'd been "beating it pretty hard" (his words) and he couldn't reach anyone from GTA on his cell. One of the the many bikers offered to go find him some oil down the road. I can't believe that GTA wouldn't check the car over before renting it out...that'll be one GT3 to stay away from when they try to sell it! I never did see the car up close though.
BTW: I decided that maybe it'd be wise to carry a quart of MOBIL 1 just in case. Problem is what grade? I looked in the Owner's manual and it seems that 10 W 40 fits the bill best, but in reading past threads, it looks like 0w40 is now recomended. Was there a TSP since '03 on oils? What do you guys use around here?

YYC930

It's probably just own a litre or two (no problem really) and his dash warning lights went off (or he can't read them properly).......

pongobaz

Yeah the warning light went off, the e-gauge was showing below min and flashing and he said the dipstick wasn't showing anything on it either. Oh well, treated like any rental I guess.

YYC930

There is no dipstick on a 996 IIRC.

pongobaz

Hmmm... I didn't know that, I assumed it would have one like on my car. But then I didn't see the car up close, so I don't even know if it was a genuine gt3 or a modified p-car. Who really knows what the heck he was checking...he might still be in Bellefountain. Drove past GTA Leasing this morning and I didn't notice any GT3 or p-cars on their lot either.

YYC930

Yah gotta love ex-rental cars.....eh ?

pongobaz

Yeah kinda like "Budget Racing": rent something fast from Budget like 'stang 5.0l, let them upsell you the full insurance pkg including LDW, take it to the track, flog it all day, return with tires on the cords, thank the boys at the counter, and ....walk away! (actually some of my friends have told me about doing just that in the past at Race City in South Calgary)
Just don't ever buy one from them afterwards!

skruggs964

Yeah...and demonstrators! A buddy of mine used to be a salesman at a local Calgary car dealer. (I won't mention which dealership! ) Every once in awhile, they'd allow him take out a demo for the weekend. He'd beat the **** outta them cars........can you say "redline!"

After seeing what goes on with those demo's....I'd think twice about buying one!

YYC930

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to the commonly used advertisment for "executive driven company cars".....doesn't it ? I must admit over the years I have been in this business, I have pushed more than a few cars over the edge at the manufacturer's expense......gotta love track days.......heh.

Vancouver83LTD

we once rented a 15 passenger Ford econoline van, and the oil had not been checked. The thing was at a gas station, just less than an hour after being picked up from the counter, and it was sitting there when it just plain cooked
I'm the car guy in our group so we check the dash and I quickly notice the oil guage is broken?
I pop the hood, pull the dipstick - and it's bone dry not a single drop of oil in the engine - I was shocked - because after we filled it up with gas we were going to head down to seattle - wouldn't that have been fun, having it cook itself in a parking lot in another country?
Just recently we brought our rental in Oregon back (car warranty issue) and within ten minutes, the same car was gone - it was basically vaccumed out and quickly sprayed off with the hose, had the mileage looked at quickly, and then it was gone before we were even out of the office. Some rental offices are so small that they don't have enough cars.
You never get in a rental and immediately check the oil and such - you just assume it's been done

Dale Gribble

I'd have to respectfuly disagree. I'm really really certain that there is a dipstick on my 3.4L 996, i know i've been drinking a lot but i could have sworn there was a dipstick last time I changed the oil in mine.

Maybe the GT3 doesn't have one, but I wouldn't see why they would bother to remove it. There's a Turbo Cabrio comming in for some stuff, i'll make a mental note to check then, but like i said, i could have absolutly sworn it was on there.

YYC930

Dead Eye......you're correct bud.....my bad......it's only the 996 TT that does not have a dipstick....regular ones do....wonder why that is ?

Dale Gribble

i think they might have had 2 move some stuff out of the way for the BOV, and other intake shizzle, so a dipstick even if they could have fit one might have been harder to reach. either that or they thinkg that most turbo owners are too highclass to do their own oilchange..which would kinda reflect which way porsche is going with their marketing and options :| (Quick! lets all get GT750 packages to prove them wrong! )

JimV8

The only thing better than a rental is a company car. Those things can drive forever without lub or an oil change.

LastGT3

You know - that warning level on the GT3 is just 1 litre - the total system including all line volumen is around 16 - further, it is afull dry sump so there is no way he damaged the engine.
FYI - FWIW my dealer who has sold about 12 GT3's has said you can drive 4-5 litres low and not have an issue on the street.
If he was driving it that hard on the street to actually stress a GT3, he would have written the car off in ditch as newbie.
The car is likely quite fine.