2003 Boxster Rear Main Seal Question

[Ed Hess]

I have some RMS stuff to ask about. When I took my 2003 2.7 in to be inspected a couple of weeks ago, Paul at Perf. Auto. told me it was starting to seep a little oil near the RMS. I had taken it to Brandywine and had the RMS replaced at 44K and then again to Rosen where it was replaced again at 47K, it now has 49.5K miles and has gone out of warranty in 12/06 after the last RMS replacement. I took it back to Rosen yesterday and they looked at and saw the seep but said Porsche does not approve fixing it unless it is dripping and there is noticeable oil being spashed behind it. Bill at Rosen told me 99 out of 100 boxsters would have as much seepage as mine and 911s as well. He said if they fixed it again it might not be as tight as it is now, but agreed to take another look at it in a couple of months to see if it has gotten any worse.  Bill also said that work done during the warranty period was only guaranteed during the warranty period. 

I am thinking about asking Bill at Rosen about scheduling a meeting with a Porsche regional rep because I think this is unacceptable. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Ed

[smankow]

Ed Hess wrote:

Bill also said that work done during the warranty period was only guaranteed during the warranty period.

that's a good one. So, he's telling you that if Porsche and Rosen doesn't warranty their service and parts? I thought that was one reason that cars get a big check before the warranty expires.

I'd press them on this issue, Ed. Having it replaced a few times so quickly by Porsche dealers adds credence to your case. Keep us informed and good luck.

Steve

[Ed Hess]

I put in a phone call to PCNA and got a message back which said to contact Bill at Rosen "with the understanding that the car is out of warranty and any further repairs would be your responsibility."

Anyone know a good lawyer who has dealt with PCNA?  And they expect people to buy their cars after an experience like mine? 

For me, it is a new low in customer service and unacceptable.  The seal has failed twice and they just repaired it 2K miles and 4 months ago.  So much for guaranteeing your work.

[ccm911]

I honestly thought that repairs were warranted from the time of completion.  Am I wrong?  I know that BMW will warrant any new factory parts you buy from them for I think at least six months or a year.  I always assumed that this was standard for all manufacturers. 

And the real question is why is there a leak after only two-thousand miles?

I would go higher up the food chain at PCNA until I found someone to speak to.

[Tony356993]

I would go higher up the food chain at PCNA until I found someone to speak to.

 

I agree. Call until you get the correct person on the phone and then let all correspondence be in writing.

cc a lawyer friend just to see what PCNA will do.

[Larry Herman]

ccm911 wrote:

I honestly thought that repairs were warranted from the time of completion. Am I wrong?

I too certainly would raise a fuss, but it doesn't seem to carry much weight with any of the manufacturers. I had a front carrier bearing go bad on my GMC Yukon XL Denali at 35,000 miles. They gladly repaired it, and when I asked how long it would be warranteed for they told me 500 miles. GMC's policy and most others are "Any repairs done under the Manufacturers warranty are limited to the duration of that warranty." They were happy to sell me an extended warranty at the original pricing that would add another 72,000 miles and 4 years to it. Guess what I did. $$$

[Wellardmac]

Sorry to hear that - I've had the same experience with Holberts - no warranty when you drive it off the lot. You understand how much it annoys me also.

[Darren]

I stopped going to Rosen's for service because every time I took my car in, they threatened to cancel my warranty because I track it.  Of course when I bought the car, it was specificaly to track it, and I said that much to the sales guy.  The service department (one guy more than the other) was asking me "why is there a fire extinguisher, is this a tracked car?"  I really didn't appreciate the interrogation, and I didn't know how to answer (can I plead the 5th?).  I realize they are doing a CYA, but even the PCNA rep that looked at my car when it was at Brandywine for the most recent RMS repair understood and didn't seem to care that I tracked my car.

The bottom line is that the RMS is a manufacturing defect that Porsche knows about and didn't fix, so don't take any BS.  How did me tracking the car cause my RMS to leak?? Come on now.   My RMS was repaired at 1700 miles, new motor at 11,000 because RMS was out of spec, 21,000 (chassis) again repaired on new motor, and since then has been fine.  The most recent fix seems to have held up.

As an aside, in my opinion, we should be buying cars from dealerships that are friendly to our club and it's activities.


As for your situation -- take it to a different dealership and see what they say.  Don't raise hell because you will likely get a "No", and then be SOL.  They can't admit the severity of the problem (PCNA) because it would be too expensive.

[APXD 30]

Ed,

I too, am disappointed to hear about your predicament.   I'd be on the phone with Atlanta or http://www.bbb.org.    If all else fails, cc your letter to Graham.   He's been through the "off warranty" thing successfully.

Recently, I purchased an '03 Audi with a replacement motor (1.8T sludge defect).   Knopf installed the new engine and, I'm told, Audi is warranting it for 12/12.  I hope that's the case I only have the shop slip showing the date of the work and ($7200 paid by Audi USA).

 

[Ed Hess]

Who is Graham?  I've decided to have a lawyer friend write a letter to Don Rosen demanding an engine replacement.  From a little research I did,  I am not covered under the PA Lemon Laws (12 months only, 3 repair attempts) but may be covered under the Federal Lemon Law (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act).  The thing I don't know for sure is if seepage constitutes a failure of a seal.  I think it does and two of my mechancial engineer brothers do as well.
§ 2304. Federal minimum standards for warranties

(a) Remedies under written warranty; duration of implied warranty; exclusion or limitation on consequential damages for breach of written or implied warranty; election of refund or replacement

In order for a warrantor warranting a consumer product by means of a written warranty to meet the Federal minimum standards for warranty—

(1) such warrantor must as a minimum remedy such consumer product within a reasonable time and without charge, in the case of a defect, malfunction, or failure to conform with such written warranty;

(2) notwithstanding section 2308 (b) of this title, such warrantor may not impose any limitation on the duration of any implied warranty on the product;

(3) such warrantor may not exclude or limit consequential damages for breach of any written or implied warranty on such product, unless such exclusion or limitation conspicuously appears on the face of the warranty; and

(4) if the product (or a component part thereof) contains a defect or malfunction after a reasonable number of attempts by the warrantor to remedy defects or malfunctions in such product, such warrantor must permit the consumer to elect either a refund for, or replacement without charge of, such product or part (as the case may be). The Commission may by rule specify for purposes of this paragraph, what constitutes a reasonable number of attempts to remedy particular kinds of defects or malfunctions under different circumstances. If the warrantor replaces a component part of a consumer product, such replacement shall include installing the part in the product without charge.