Porsche rant

mandm

mandm

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Michael
Gosh, I don’t know where to start. Beautiful cars, terrible quality and smug customer service. Any experiences?

Damaged instrument cluster - PCNA tried to get $6000 for something covered under warranty. After escalating to Germany it was covered. New cluster installed was damaged, had to wait for a new part and PCNA no longer has loaners and was using Enterprise.

Drove out west, electrical issue, had to be towed 4 hours. Dealer tried to say it was a rodent due to Covid and I would need to pay. They ended up covering it yet they did not cover returning the vehicle to me. Returned vehicle was not detailed, interior not cleaned, all personal settings were removed and front seats and mirrors automatic buttons wouldn’t work. (Dealer created issue)

Drove out west again, windshield wipers broke.

Lane sensors routinely do not work (to inform you if you are moving out of the lane without a blinker).

Center clock light went out, dealer said that the clock doesn’t have a light (it does!!).

Lane alert to tell you when a car is in your blind spot seems to work for 10 minutes then quits on longer trips.

Bumper sensors read erroneously ALL of the time!!

Transmission skips at low speeds, Dealer indicated unable to replicate. Happens probably every 3-5 times driving the car and 1-2 times then is fine.

When you take the car into the dealer, ok yes they are respectful (until they tell you your cost for a warranty covered issue) but it is about going above and beyond. You’re after all paying $1500 for an oil change, sparkle that car, fix a few scratches and let the customer know about your superior service. Test that you didn’t erase the customer settings. Yet the dealer is more concerned about sending you 50 automated texts telling you how great they are and asking about your satisfied level when they didn’t even sparkle the car, or didn’t vacuum the interior. Come on, don’t sent a text pretending this and that when you cannot do more than what Honda or Toyota does!

Now these issues above most of them are manufacturing defects and improper testing and design. They are not broke, they are just not reliable!

Lots more stuff. Terrible customer service for a year 2020!!!
 
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I’ve never had a problem with my current dealer, or either current or previous cars. Both my old one and current one are older, however. I have relatives that had about a years worth of issues (electrical, engine, drivetrain, etc) with a new Panamera to the point the factory ended up giving up all together and gave them a new one, next model year.

At my dealer in the NW burbs, I still get loaners when it’s more than same-day work. Even had a new 911 Carrera 4s for a week a while back. When I lived in the loop I went to a high end independent shop in west loop (or west town?) that reassembled my brake calipers and pads backwards somehow. Gouged canyons in 4 brand new rotors. I made it around the block before returning. They were good for it but it was a bit of a wtf moment - what is this, amateur hour?
 
Sounds as if it's new-dealership choice time for me.

Trade this car into them and start your experience anew.

I realize this isn't a decision for the faint-of-heart, but it's your sanity on the line here.
 
kaiser said:
I’ve never had a problem with my current dealer, or either current or previous cars. Both my old one and current one are older, however. I have relatives that had about a years worth of issues (electrical, engine, drivetrain, etc) with a new Panamera to the point the factory ended up giving up all together and gave them a new one, next model year.

At my dealer in the NW burbs, I still get loaners when it’s more than same-day work. Even had a new 911 Carrera 4s for a week a while back. When I lived in the loop I went to a high end independent shop in west loop (or west town?) that reassembled my brake calipers and pads backwards somehow. Gouged canyons in 4 brand new rotors. I made it around the block before returning. They were good for it but it was a bit of a wtf moment - what is this, amateur hour?
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I had issues with Porsche Exchange trying to overcharge. They gave a Macan base model as a loaner with squeaky breaks. They didn’t fix the problem either. PCNA referred me to Napleton who provided better service the first time but the second time they were using enterprise rental cars, disappointing….
 
I can’t say that I will be a customer of theirs much longer, ready to get rid of the car and move on to something else.
 
mandm said:
I had issues with Porsche Exchange trying to overcharge. They gave a Macan base model as a loaner with squeaky breaks. They didn’t fix the problem either. PCNA referred me to Napleton who provided better service the first time but the second time they were using enterprise rental cars, disappointing….
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It’s probably too far for you, but I have used Porsche Barrington (that might be their unofficial name) and have been happy.
 
75k miles on my current car, no issues. I do my own service so I don't need the dealer for much, but every time I'm there I am very will treated.

Quality issues? Oh, I did have to replace the key fob battery. Damn Germans
 
Which model?

I am due to replace my practical car with a fun car, and I have fond memories of my 928.

Been considering any of em but a Panamera :)
 
schmookeeg said:
Which model?

I am due to replace my practical car with a fun car, and I have fond memories of my 928.

Been considering any of em but a Panamera :)
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Beautiful car, just terrible customer service and poor quality (unless you like paying for warranty issues out of pocket then they will surely treat you well). List of issues still not resolved, in the shop 10+ times, broken down on trips in the Rockies.

2 years old, 41k miles.

0D3AD320-CBFA-4E82-847F-A3688AC2B2AE.jpeg
 
C34BB0D6-A634-42A5-AC6C-D6A88B106507.jpeg I’ve had 4 Porsches over the years. Current fun car is my ‘94 968 to which I’ve added a supercharger. Not the panache of a 911, but these days I’d rather have more airplane money. And like my airplanes I’ve always tried to do as much Porsche maintenance as possible by myself.
 
It sounds like your issue is more dealer related. A lot of dealers will try to make owners pay for warranty covered items. One of my friends has had this issue with his Mini, and so he’s had to fight it before. Keep track of how long it spends at the shop and if issues aren’t resolved, you may be able to lemon law the thing.

I still haven’t owned a Porsche, probably will one day.
 
Ted said:
It sounds like your issue is more dealer related. A lot of dealers will try to make owners pay for warranty covered items. One of my friends has had this issue with his Mini, and so he’s had to fight it before. Keep track of how long it spends at the shop and if issues aren’t resolved, you may be able to lemon law the thing.

I still haven’t owned a Porsche, probably will one day.
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It’s definitely a dealership issue but it is a widespread issue and when bringing the issue to Porsche corporate, they couldn’t seem to care or be bothered. They actually sided with the dealer who said to pay for a warranty issue, but I did get it covered in the end. I dealt with 3 dealers for the first issue, the wiper issue below was another dealer, so I am in no way loyal or sticking with one dealer as the car seems to break while traveling away from home!

Just a couple weeks ago the windshield wipers crapped out, and the dealer came to me to talk about the cost for parts and labor, I’m like isn’t this a warranty issue the car is 2 years old. I think most dealers ask for the money as I’m sure many customers just pay it. If I had a non-covered item, I wouldn’t be at the Porsche dealer.

Also, I can tell the transmission is getting ready to go, it’s skipping. I’ll end up selling to a dealer and some unlucky guy will end up with this lemon.
 
mandm said:
It’s definitely a dealership issue but it is a widespread issue and when bringing the issue to Porsche corporate, they couldn’t seem to care or be bothered. They actually sided with the dealer who said to pay for a warranty issue, but I did get it covered in the end. I dealt with 3 dealers for the first issue, the wiper issue below was another dealer, so I am in no way loyal or sticking with one dealer as the car seems to break while traveling away from home!

Just a couple weeks ago the windshield wipers crapped out, and the dealer came to me to talk about the cost for parts and labor, I’m like isn’t this a warranty issue the car is 2 years old. I think most dealers ask for the money as I’m sure many customers just pay it. If I had a non-covered item, I wouldn’t be at the Porsche dealer.

Also, I can tell the transmission is getting ready to go, it’s skipping. I’ll end up selling to a dealer and some unlucky guy will end up with this lemon.
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I know that one of Alfa Romeo’s big issues as stated by corporate is the dealer experience. We’ll see how mine goes with that, but I also don’t mind arguing if I need to.

Regarding it being a lemon, I’d let the lemon laws work in your favor rather than trading it in. Of course it’s more work, but could get you with a new car. The folks I’ve known who’ve worked through getting their cars lemon lawed have come out on top, typically with nicer vehicles than they had.
 
Ted said:
I know that one of Alfa Romeo’s big issues as stated by corporate is the dealer experience. We’ll see how mine goes with that, but I also don’t mind arguing if I need to.

Regarding it being a lemon, I’d let the lemon laws work in your favor rather than trading it in. Of course it’s more work, but could get you with a new car. The folks I’ve known who’ve worked through getting their cars lemon lawed have come out on top, typically with nicer vehicles than they had.
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I don’t think it qualifies as a lemon, a lemon states the same issue has to occur 4 times and in the shop more than 30 days. I am not having the same issue repeatedly, just a lot of different issues, and the dealers trying to either charge for the repair (even though it’s covered by warranty) or not fix it (saying they couldn’t replicate the problem). I do need to use the vehicle and don’t want to be without a vehicle, driving over an hour to the dealer to try to fix an issue that they may or may not fix. Just a headache. Porsche customer service at the corporate level needs to take ownership of any flaws but the dealers have been mentioning that the manufacturer is stiffing the dealers on warranty repair payments so the dealers are inclined to charge the customer rather than risking a rejected warranty payment.
 
mandm said:
Also, I can tell the transmission is getting ready to go, it’s skipping.
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That’s terrible. Could be a control box (which is almost worse). I have experience with electrical gremlins and they are basically permanent.

eman1200 said:
lose the porsche. get the twin.
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If @Lance F can have both… so can I! Also, the Porsche isn’t holding me back… trust me…

Left to right: 2008 RS60 Boxster (new), 1999 986 Boxster (old)
49343A30-4E16-419E-BB98-F119F7ECB6D8.jpeg
 
PCNA = Porsche North America
 
A mini is a lot of fun to drive, breaks down more than the Porsche but the parts cost marginally less.
 
I've always heard good things about Porsche reliability, or what you would consider reliable for a German brand. If you want to be upset, be upset about how over priced they are!
 
Kenny Phillips said:
My Porsche rant consists of people who pronounce it with one syllable.
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What's the joke? Guy knocks on door looking for work, homeowner says sure, you can paint my porch. Guy knocks on the door a few hours later: "I'm finished. And its not a Porsche, its a BMW."
 
masloki said:
A mini is a lot of fun to drive, breaks down more than the Porsche but the parts cost marginally less.
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:yeahthat:

My Mini had a 72k warranty and began falling apart around 80k miles. It finally broke a timing chain and punched a valve. The cost to repair was more than the value of the car so I junked it.

I will never buy another BMW product.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
A Miata is a lot of fun to drive and never breaks down.
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Insert joke about it being all fun and games until your friends see you riding in it, lol.

Build/buy a factory five Cobra and have some real fun. I'd say ask @Ted about it, but he doesn't know much about driving them at this point . . .
 
Bob Noel said:
Maybe Porshe should be spelled so that it actually is more than one syllable.

:)
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It's a man's last name. People butcher it to suit their needs. I pronounced it "Porsh" until I was about 7 years old
I guess we should be glad it's not Piech.
 
Grum.Man said:
I've always heard good things about Porsche reliability, or what you would consider reliable for a German brand. If you want to be upset, be upset about how over priced they are!
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I think it is good value, it’s just a matter of dealers being so casual about charging customers for warranty covered issues and PCNA customer service standing by this practice.

PCNA flow chart

Customer brings in vehicle for warranty covered issue
Inform customer of the cost
If no complaint —> perform work and charge customer (send text message to ensure satisfaction blah)
If complaint —> inform customer PCNA may not cover the warranty claim, attempt to get customer to concede to pay

The ideology is that people with money, especially the wifes, will just pay and not cause a fight for what they should get in the first place or that customers are unaware of what a warranty is.
 
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SoonerAviator said:
Build/buy a factory five Cobra and have some real fun. I'd say ask @Ted about it, but he doesn't know much about driving them at this point . . .
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Yeah, the big thing with the Cobra is if you build it… it takes time. And if you buy it, they’re all different.

I know, I need to keep working on it…
 
Updated original post with more information.
 
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