I bought a 2003 TT with 21K miles last month for $55k including tax from the local Porsche dealer. The near perfect car was previously owned by someone with lots of cars who obviously drove it infrequently.
I mistakenly declined the CPO warranty for some unknown reason during the purchase process as they try to tack on a lotta stuff and I'm just wanting to hit the highway..... Big screw up, as it turns out.
Fuel pump fails almost immediately, I have to have the car towed in and so the dealer fixes it with a hose clamp ( venturi tube popped off) and I saved $900 not having to buy a fuel pump (which I most likely still need). At the same time, I also am noticing that there is some oil on the floor of my garage. I mention this to the dealer and they tell me they overfilled it. This is shocking.
Now the kicker: A week later, the car is still leaking oil, 1-2 cc/day on the garage floor. I take it in to the dealer and this time they say the engine needs to come out and have the head gaskets replaced and another leak around the transmission cooler fixed as well. Total estimate yesterday for service was $8500 and I don't even have tags yet!
True, I gambled against the warranty and lost. Apparently, CPO has to be done at the time of the sale, and I can't get one now. After this fiaso, I'll get some sort of warranty. Salesman now sorry he didn't force the CPO on me. $2k for it wouldn't have been a problem for me, but I thought it was more... Who knew? I sure bought some experience - please someone else learn from this!
Question: How responsible is the dealer for a car I bought from them and have driven carefully for less than a month? They'll R&R the motor on their dime, they say now, if I'll pony up for the repair parts and labor; small consolation...
My former 1990 Honda never leaked oil in 230K mi; my daily driver 1997 S320 never leaks; my girlfriend's Toyota and Honda never leak... A Porsche should never leak oil, in my opinion.

Am I getting screwed, or is this just life in the "Porsche lane"? What recourse have I?

Thanks in advance for whatever input you fine board members have.

 

Bring it to a good P shop in your area and get a second opinion. The dealers seem to always have big $$ in their eyes when you pull in for service.

 

I would be real careful about a dealer that immeadiately jumps to a head gasket R+R. HG are more likely to leak coolant than oil..... yes, these fine examples of German engineering have been known to leak oil now and again

 

Ric, would it be possible to invoke the lemon law? they would have to take it back from you... the lemon law is different in each state, so you'll need to check in Ca.
The dealer told me that if I want to keep the car in shape, I have to drive as often as possible, and the cars that have very low mileage are suspicious and statistically fail more than average! don't know if I believe the statistics, because it depends how it was driven, cared, etc...

 

The earlier models have been known to have the oil leak problem, something to do with the balance of the plate, I always though that those issues were worked out on the 02 and later models. I bought my 03 with 21K and declined the CPO... Didn't pay as much but I did get an inspection from.. Did you get one and did they identify a leak at that time? I would leverage that if the dealer had no indication of the leak and now it's there. I would play hard ball with them, Is this an actual Porsche dealer? They do not want the bad wrap. Maybe try to split the cost. There is NO WAY in hell I would pay that 8500...!

 

You brought the car without an independent PPI ?????

Why do people get stupid when the cars get more expensive? They seem to equate a high level sales process with some higher level of ethics, honesty or integrity.

As Jay Leno famously said "What were you thinking?"

You agree to buy the car 'as is' with all the leaks and faults. Why should the dealer pay a dime?

Lemon law does not apply to used cars IIRC.

But MOST DEFINITELY find an indy mechanic, forget the dealer. No reason to not get smart now!

A

PS Not really calling you stupid, just for effect.

 

They had inspected it and it was ready for CPO, which I declined. There were no leaks at the time of purchase. The wing failed in my test drive and they fixed that. I would not have bought a leaky car. No way.

 

How do YOU know it wasn't leaking???? You never, ever, ever rely on an inspection by the seller's employees.

Anyway, live and learn, If truly it failed after you bought it, and you turned down the "CPO", well.... I suppose there are more expensive lessons in this life.

Do ask around, get local recommendations, and find a independent mechanic. You will save A LOT of money over the course of normal and the occasional fixes....

Good luck

A

 

Porsches don't leak. They mark their territory.

 

Personally I would never own a Porsche without an extended warranty. When my vehicle was purchased as a CPO, they required that the spoiler hydrolics, MAF, clutch accumulator, etc all be changed out as a mandatory requirement of being CPO warrantied because they are commonly known to fail.(at buyers expense of course)

I'm sure you could probably save close $3K by having the work done at an independent shop.

 

Other than a CPO is there a reputable 3rd party maintenance warranty even available for our 8 year old vehicles?

Cheers,
J

 

So the dealer you bought it from also did the inspection... Probably looking back at it now you can see that a 3rd party inspector may have been a better course to pursue. Is the dealer willing to negotiate with you on the repair? They could do the repair at cost and make a customer happy. Take it up the chain at the dealer. How many miles has it been since you drove it off the lot?

 

Never crossed my mind to have the car inspected elsewhere; the magnificent dealership is like the Starship Enterprise and smacks of credibility.
I put around 1200 mi on the car since the purchase. The dealer has now offered to remove and reinstall the engine at their expense to ascertain the actual causes of the leaks. Again, the car was not leaking during the first week or two of my owning it... They did not sell me a leaker, but I feel that the car should not require a huge service so close to the time of purchase while leaving the buyer holding the bag. Maybe I am asking too much...

Thanks for everyone's input here....

 

Well if it makes you feel any better, when I bought my boat, with an inspection, and paperwork on the Port engine with only 4 hours on it, As I was driving up the east coast the day after I bought it, the port engine locked up. 11,000.00 to repair. The exhaust flapper was installed backwards. I spent over a year fighting with the seller and the engine rebuilder. In the end I still spent the 11K. Just one of those things you look back on that makes you an a..hole whenever you purchase anything again...

 

When did they overfill it and does that coincide with the leak? Maybe they spilled a bunch of oil over the engine and it is still dripping? I would take it to an independant and have them give you a second opinion. If they spot something that was obviously a cover up or something that the "inspection" should have caught, then you may have a case...