I picked up my 997.2 on 11/25/08 and assumed the oil was full but cannot be sure. In January I got a warning light showing I was low on oil. I added two quarts and was full again. Now, scarcely a month and 400 miles later I am low another quart! Surely this cannot be normal. I don't see any oil spots beneath the car so it's not leaking any so it must be burning it somehow. Has anyone else had this?

 

I have 4500 miles on my 6-speed 997.2 S. It has consumed two quarts of oil already and looks in need of another. Seems a bit greedy to me...

 

I heard one report of oil consumption starting at 1qt/600 miles and improving after that. That is what we expect with these cars. Well driven cars should use less oil as they are driven.

Your report is a bit off the mark. You should have checked it.

How do you drive the car? Short trips (2-4 miles) is not good for these engines.

 

2K miles (lot's of dynos heh...) and only added 1.5 qt's... These cars are going to be "greedy" on oil. Remember the low light doesn't mean you need to add more than 1 qt or 1.5 qt's

 

I have 3300 miles and have used up 1 1/2 quarts so far.....

 

At around 11,500 km here and have filled my car 3 times already. It is absolutely normal, nothing to worry about.

 

At around 1,500 miles and 3 months on my 09, the oil level finally got to the bottom edge of the level indicator range. I topped it off with 1/2 quart, which didn't move the indiator, then the rest of the quart and now I'm back to being 2/3's to the top of the indicator range. So I'd say the Targa has used about 1.2 quarts in 1,500 miles - mainly 30 min commutes of about 15 miles one way, with a handful of spirited highway drives up I-90 and back down to test acceleration and stretch the engine's legs every few weeks or so.

 

Remember fellas we're talking two different motors here on the 997.1 and 997.2

 

Wow, my 08 C2S has only used 1/2 pint in 6500 miles. Wonder what the difference is?

 

Consumed 4 quarts and oil indicator measured below last notch around 4700 miles. Brought it to the dealer and they are performing oil consumpion test after topping it off.

 

I would bet it's a faulty sensor - telling you there is not enough oil, when in fact you may have enough (or even too much if you added so much since Nov). Too bad there is no physical dipstick on the 997.

 

Guys...STOP....09 (997.2S..3.8L) engines are vastly different than the 2005-08 (997.1S 3.8L) engine...OK?

When I 1st got my 2009 C2S in late September 08 I burned a quart of oil in around 700-800 miles. I burned another quart by 2500 miles and I burned .75 of a quart at 3000 miles.

I topped off at 3000 miles and now at 4100 miles I have burned a tad over 1/2 a quart. Oil burning is getting less and less. I did an oil and filter change at 2500 miles.

When you check your oil level in the new 2009 Carrera S be sure you are on a extremely flat surface like your garage floor. The gas station or Mall parking lot is not flat enough fore and aft or side to side and the level reading is extremely sensitive...EXTREMELY SENSITIVE...should I say this again?

Now, after you get home and check your oil and if reads it is at the lowest level, turn the car off and let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Then crank it back up and check the level again and it will show it is 1/2 full. Weird I know but this is something I have been trying to work with at the dealer level. The dealer noticed this too and people are over filling their new 2009 Carrera's!...not good. If I do not get a straight answer from my dealer by next week I will call PCNA.

Another issue that I have noticed with my 2009 Carrera S is a lot of black soot on the tail pipes...more than any other Porsche or other brand of car I have ever owned. My dealer is very concerned about this so I have an appointment at the dealer Monday morning to leave the car with them.

 

Good info mdrums. Thanks.

 

Doesn't look like your oil burning is decreasing:

0-800mi = 1.25qt/1k miles (1qt/0.8k mi)
801-2500 = 0.59qt/1k miles (1qt/1.7k mi)
2501-3000mi = 1.5qt/1k miles (0.75qt/0.5k mi)
3000-4100 = 0.5qt/1k miles (0.55qt/1.1k mi)

 

This is exactly the right approach. Different engine, different measurement technique. Over the years I have seen Porsche owners overshooting the oil level because they though it was low when it was not.