PCA SDR

Feeling thoroughly deflated, dejected and depressed.

For the second time since owning my 996 Carrera 4, I've suffered a catastrophic engine failure. I've owned this car for under 5 years.
The first one (2 years ago) was the infamous IMS bearing. I wasn't even tracking it. Just putt-putting down Miramar Road. I was thankfully able to find a mechanic to repair the engine rather than replace the whole thing -- but it still cost me $8,500. The class action lawsuit that was supposed to get payments for these types of failures had sun-setted for my model year, so no love there.

This time around, it was a big cloud of smoke at AX a couple months ago (some of you may have seen it -- others helped me get the car off the track, so thanks for that). And this was on Lap 1 of the day.
That "smoke" turned out to be water vapor as a "freeze" plug popped out, dumped coolant into the engine and proceeded to torch a connecting rod. The resulting piston flopping around did some pretty significant damage and so now this time I really do need a new engine.

My question is, why would I bother sticking with this brand that has so thoroughly screwed me? I honestly thought that I was a Porsche guy for life. I really couldn't see myself driving anything else. I absolutely loved my car and spent a lot of time reading about Porsche and gawking at various new and vintage models. I think you're all wonderful people and would hate to leave the fold, but I'm having trouble justifying it...

Thanks for listening.

Brett Goldstock

Take it from a Lotus owner- if you really love the car you'll put up with all kinds of issues and find ways to justify it. Porsches are unique, interesting, and fun cars, but they're far from the best engineered. For some people, they'll put up with the issues because nothing else fits their particular preferences quite so well. For all others, there's the S2000 and Corvette

I'd move on and sell the IMS cursed Porsche.
Find a better year Porsche or expand your horizons and try another sports car.
Why limit your lifetime car experiences to one 996?

hate to state it again, but i'd steer clear of those engines. go 996tt if you want to keep it cheap...they have the mezger and are awesome (i have 1).

sadly, the 996 n/a motors are a black spot on porsche, but i would say the rest are pretty much bulletproof. good luck.

There are better years without that problem...

John

Ahh more 996/986 M96 engine bashing

Just replace the IMSB, problem solved and then you have one of the best bargains in a Porsche

JayG wrote:Ahh more 996/986 M96 engine bashing

Just replace the IMSB, problem solved and then you have one of the best bargains in a Porsche

LOL did you read his post?

Brett, you have every reason to be seriously bummed.
I would probably walk away if I were in your shoes.
or
take a chance and purchase a 2009+ platform that strikes your fancy (911 / Cayman / Boxster)

good luck.

Sorry man. Every car brand has a few lemons and you just drew the short straw. Both Ford and Chevy gave me similar grief in the 80s and it was a long time before I went back. If you need to move on due to indigestion I understand, but the 2009+ models are pretty bulletproof so far with nary a lemon in sight.

Good luck!

I've owned 7 P-cars from a 1975 911 up to a 2006 Boxster S. I've found them all to be fairly reliable and a blast to drive. I never drove the Boxsters at the track, although I did drive them aggressively, and never had any issues with them. The 911's and 944's have been absolutely flogged on the road as well as at the track. They've all performed quite well and I loved driving all of them. That being said, Porsche has a weak spot with the 996/986 and 997.1/987.1 models. Stay away from those and I believe there's a Porsche out there that will provide you with a lot of fun. If you choose to go with another marque, you'll still have fun. Good luck!

mrondeau wrote:I've owned 7 P-cars from a 1975 911 up to a 2006 Boxster S. I've found them all to be fairly reliable and a blast to drive. I never drove the Boxsters at the track, although I did drive them aggressively, and never had any issues with them. The 911's and 944's have been absolutely flogged on the road as well as at the track. They've all performed quite well and I loved driving all of them. That being said, Porsche has a weak spot with the 996/986 and 997.1/987.1 models. Stay away from those and I believe there's a Porsche out there that will provide you with a lot of fun. If you choose to go with another marque, you'll still have fun. Good luck!

+1. The Achilles Heel of Porsches is no doubt the first-gen. water-cooled 996, esp. 1999 to 2003 (ask me how I know about Achilles heels!!). The Mezger 911's, and the newer 991.2's are far more reliable and trust-worthy. If you can afford to find a 993 or a 2010 or later 911/991 you would be far happier, and have a very reliable engine/car. I've owned 1980's Porsches; tracked and streeted them, with great success and few problems. I also think the later-year Boxters and Caymens are remarkable cars with profound potential.

Don't let one bad series sour you on a great marque. If the first-gen. 924 owners would have given up on Porsches, the storyed history of Porsche would be a different one for sure. Luckily, early-924 owners understood their cars were the poor exception to the greater marque, not a vision of it's failing future. Many early 924 Porsche owners are still happily driving the marque today.

Have faith.

Brett,

By the fact you asked the question on the Porsche forum, you must want to stay with Porsche for your own reasons. If you ask that question anywhere else, you would be told to run to another marque and given a long list of reasons how to justify your choice if that was what you really wanted to hear.