Recall 2014 GT3

Porsche is saying
Do Not Drive
Danger of fire

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBREA1J0PO20140220?irpc=932

 

Yea, saw this article this morning in our local online paper:


Porsche tells 911 GT3 owners to stop driving them - WTOP.com



Pretty interesting stuff.

 

I received this email as well as a call from Porsche yesterday, and a call from my dealer today ...



Dear Mr. ******:

We are writing to you concerning reported engine problems with the 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 sports car. Porsche AG, our parent company and the manufacturer of your car, has just this morning released an update and we wanted to share it personally with you. Click here to view Porsche AG’s news release.

As you will see from the news release, we are asking, until we are able to identify exactly the potential problem with the GT3, that you please not drive it. This is because Porsche AG received two reports in Europe of engine damage leading to fires in two brand new GT3 vehicles. Porsche is devoting all possible resources to investigating these incidents, so that it can determine as quickly as possible what engine modifications might be needed, if any, and on what group of cars.

We are not certain that your car is affected at all, but your satisfaction and safety are our first priority. We wish to take all possible preventative measures until Porsche’s engineers have identified any problem and we become able to either repair your car or verify that it does not have a problem. Thus, this request that, for now, you not drive your GT3.

If you wish, we will arrange for your car to be shipped to your preferred authorized Porsche dealer, where any repair that might ultimately be necessary can be made. A Porsche representative will endeavor to call you beginning almost at once to discuss this. Ideally we will speak with you later today, or as soon as convenient for you.

Our representative will endeavor to answer, or quickly obtain the answer to, any questions you may have when they call. If you would prefer to make contact with us sooner, you may call Porsche Customer Commitment at 1-800-PORSCHE, option 3.

We are committed to minimizing your inconvenience and we apologize to you. We only trust we can ask you to understand that we could not have you take any chance while we finish our investigation.

Thank you very much, and we will be in contact again very soon.

Very truly yours,

Tim Quinn
Vice President, AfterSales

 

There is a hold on all GT3 deliveries due to the fires on those in the field. Dealers have a Do Not Sell/Release even on fully paid ones delivered and sitting on showroom floors.

This looks bad.
The 997.2 GT3 had TWO centerlock wheel recalls and the engine cooling hose coupler failure recalls. Not the German reliability Porsche of the past is known for...

 

email update from Porsche today ...

Dear Mr. ******:

As advised previously, engineers at Porsche AG have been conducting technical analysis of the Porsche 911 GT3 engine in order to find a solution to the problem which led us to recommend you stop driving your car.

This analysis is now completed, and we would like to inform you about the cause of the problem and the planned remedial actions.

As already communicated, two vehicles in Europe suffered engine damage, causing the vehicles to catch fire.

Analysis has revealed that in both cases the engine damage was caused by a loosened piston rod screw connection which damaged the crankcase. In order to avoid this in the future, an optimized screw connection is currently being tested. For the final validation of this solution, Porsche AG is currently carrying out extensive tests.

At Porsche we are rigorous when implementing an engineering solution, therefore, after the successful testing and validation we will be installing new engines with optimized piston rod screw connections in all 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 vehicles.

Due to the complexity of the necessary arrangement, we are currently unable to provide you with a specific workshop date for your Porsche 911 GT3. We will be arranging an appointment with you individually, as soon as the logistics planning is finalized. We will be providing you with additional information within the next three weeks.

We continue to remain committed to supporting your individual needs during this time. Your personal contact person will make contact with you within the next days to discuss individual solutions to bridge the gap until you are reunited with your Porsche 911 GT3.

Thank you very much for your patience and your loyalty to the Porsche brand.

Kind regards,

Tim Quinn
Vice President, AfterSales
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

 

Now we know how porche makes 23k per car. Charge quality prices, let the eban counters do their thing. Each version of 911 is less expensive to make than its predecessor and costs more, where will it end.

IMHO the german cars in general drive great, but from a durability and long term prespective that are not what they once were, or built a reputation upon.

 

For those still interested in the ongoing saga, another email update today ...

Dear Mr.********:

I am writing as promised to inform you about the current status of our
solution to the issue with the Porsche 911 GT3 model you have purchased.

We are aware that you are currently faced with an unsatisfactory situation.
As a Porsche customer, you rightfully expect excellence in product and
service performance. This particularly applies to you as a GT3 customer, as
a brand ambassador with a shared passion for Porsche.

We are in the final phase of logistics planning and technical validation
for the optimized piston rod screw connection and we will start production
of the new engines the week of April 22nd. These engines will be
distributed worldwide for installation in all 991-generation GT3 models
built to date.

As soon as the new engine for your Porsche 911 GT3 is available, we will
make contact with you again to make specific arrangements. Please be
assured that we will document the installation of the new engine into your
vehicle and will provide you with a certificate to this effect.

Furthermore, as a gesture of our appreciation for your loyalty to Porsche,
we will apply an additional 12-month Porsche Approved warranty to your 991
GT3 which will commence upon the expiration of the normal Porsche New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. Additionally, we wish to compensate you for your
inability to drive your GT3 during this time. Our GT3 Concierge will be in
touch with you shortly to discuss the specifics and will also be at your
service for any other individual assistance you may need.

I apologize once again for the inconvenience caused by this issue and thank
you for your patience.

Yours sincerely,
Tim Quinn
Vice President, AfterSales
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

 

Porsche is doing a great job of telling the GT3 customers to go to another brand. The compensation package they have offered is ridiculous.

Not whinning about this but those that took delivery and then the car has been recalled are offered $2k per month since the stop sale to the time they get the car back with a new engine (whenever the engines arrive at the dealers (Porsche will not give a date) plus a 1 year warranty that for some is almost 1/2 used. Yes, they are not starting the warranty period over when the car is delivered with the proper engine.

For those that have not taken delivery they are offering the same package as those that have already paid for their car including insurance, finance or lease costs if they did not pay cash up front.

There will be no 2015's produced beyond the 2014 customers that had orders in but production never started. They will get cars in late fall as 2015's.

A lot of us are looking at giving the car back and giving our money to other brands going forward. Porsche has lost its luster to this group including me.

The Arrogance of Porsche is really at its best when looking at these customers.

 

Absolutely horrendous situation. As a longtime Porsche owner I feel they delivered the car with a compromised engine from the start and felt its shortcomings would not be realized so quickly.

 

I have a GT3 on order and has been at the factory since 2/14. Porsche has provided no indication when the car will be completed. They have only said it will be a 2014 model year.

Best guess, if and when it arrives, I will shove it up Porsches you know what. To treat customers and some of their best this way is obscured.

The Italians will continue to get my car spend. German's not a chance.

 

Have I got this right?

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE PISTON ROD CONNECTOR BOLTS WERE COMING LOOSE???

THIS from Porsche, of all manufacturers?

They should have scrapped the whole car and given everyone who bought them their money back...plus a reasonable amount for the inconvenience and loss of service.

 

You are correct from what little information Porsche has provided as to the problem.

I agree 100% with you. The best and smart thing would have been to do was buy back all the cars (which owners are now doing and Porsche would sooner have the cars bought back so they have to pay NO compensation) Cancel everyone's order including those of completed cars but people had not paid for yet, including those on the production line.

Then provided each of those people in the order they placed their orders, the opportunity to purchase a 2015 when it comes out and or give a discount ( I will leave the amount out of this) to buy any other 2014 Porsche to make up for "lost driving" and reputation hit.

But, they are an Arrogant company and have greater a lot of ill will with the high performance sports car group to the point not many of us are not "drinking the Porsche Kool - Aid".

They really need a new PR firm but then again they probably don't have one.

 

one word to explain problem.....Macan

 

how so?

 

true, Scott, but bearing in mind the staggering number of individual components supplied by other manufacturers, not every one of which can be tested and passed by Porsche and some of which may have slipped through QC of the supplier, it is understandable. Unless the3 source of the defect turns out to be in the assembly process itself..................oops, just read later post detailing the cause. Scrub my above.

 

Because the 911 or 991 is only a small part of the SUV makers buisness and profit profile. car.

Even though one may argue that the 911 provides the performance provenance for the suvs.

The problem though is deeper than that. Porche has turned the 911 series into a GT car, a 928 with the motor int he back. The GT3 lacks a motor used in racing is heavy and full of gizmos like rws and pdk. Its less aof a drivers car and more of a really fast car that can be driven. The 997 GT3s were seminal cars and they sild everyone they made. the new Gt3 abandons the formula of a great handling tactile car which is exptremly robust and will last for years. the 991 is more of a really fast car marketing package, and upgrades GTS more than a GT3 of old.

Of course we can see the marketing rot from the signle spline hubs on the .2 Gt3.

Over at rennlist the z28 and z06 are getting a lot of airtiome for good reason. If you own your fast car for street and track, then porche is now sadly not the way to go, frankly the product and this thread indicates the company is makign so much money elsewhere they dont care about their roots or core customer base.

 

You've got it exactly right, boxerman. Porsche 2012 production 151,999 units. Porsche has become a mass market car company and that mentality has to permeate the entire Company. Wikipedia writes: "The [Porsche] company has been highly successful in recent times, and indeed claims to have the highest profit per unit sold of any car company in the world."

Doesn't that say it all? This glitch is going to hurt. Badly. Witness our Porsche friends posting here.

And it all started with Volkswagen taking over. Porsche has become the VolksTourenwagen - the people's sports or gt car.

 

Because ALL of their engineering, marketing and research is going into this new model which could help Porsche DOUBLE its sales of SUV's in the near future

 

That "Core base" just became very small percentage wise in the entire Porsche product consumer group.

 

I miss the days Porsche made only sports cars and won LeMans regularly. What has become of that? Now I hear about their SUVs more than their sports cars and this is a GT3 thread. :/

 

I wondered why they drew that line in the sand but now I see that the modern water cooled ones have one issue after another and that the old ones are more reliable even if they don't have all the gadgets modern drives want. I can even see events where the sign out front will say "Air Cooled only."
I am surprised that they are not reimbursing owners ASAP because word will spread. This is a public relations SNAFU of the first order.

 

The Cayenne and Macan are both badge engineered VW/Audi products, they require very little engineering resources from Porsche. In fact, because they require so few engineering resources from Porsche, they are remarkably profitable, which Porsche gets to use developing new sports cars (991 and 918 Spyder) and continuing their racing programs (RSR, LMP, not to mention regional junior series around the world).

now we can argue whether or not they should be building SUVs and sedans all day long, but I think the handwriting was on the wall in the late 90's that Porsche wasn't going to survive just building sports cars...

I think that's true of most brands how many people wearing North Face gear have climbed a mountain? would North Face be a brand without people wearing their fleeces to Starbucks? how many Ferrari owners know the names of the Scuderia's current F1 drivers?

 

Yeah but North face may well still make products you can climb a mountain with. Porche sells as a race winning track capable performance brand. Porche never won F1 its cred came from cars closely related to street cars. That cred is what allowed them to rebadge amped up VW products for a 23K per car premium. So yes on one hand maybe it doesent matter anymore, but maybe it does. The premium is based on cred, as well as performance. Lose cred and debase perfoance to paper number stats you start to lose premium.

BMW asw eknow it was built of the 2002, a car bought by drivers, but people follow the word of drivers, its a marketing asett. BMW makes luxo cars now, but they keep a hard core range too, and yous e them at the track often.

Its like Jeep and the runbicon trail, if Jeep made no product that could do the rubicon trail or seriously go off road woudl it still be Jeep or just a nother awd suv. Somewhere in your prtfolio you have to ahve a legitimate product. So what doies porche make today that you can hard core track, and that will be durable at it for years to come. Even iff the 991 GT3 did not blow motors, its a fast car on track, but not a hard core track car.

Well maybe ferrari can get away without a legitimate proiduct because now it is a fashion brand, sold in small numbers.

Porche is a mass production brand, drawing cred from the small number of "hard core:" enthisiasts who constantly spread the word and historic race provenance. How much of that can proche losse before it does not matter.

In any event we are spoprtscar forum, and the people whoi used to buy porches as sportscars to usu as sportscars are becomming more and more disillusioned with every year.

On the other hand over at GM, they add real track p[ieces to their track style cars and warranty them f ro track use. Whereas porche GT3s now run a stock block, not a race motr or race drived motor and a bunch of electronic gizmos to make paper speed for a few laps.

 

Porsche never really bothered with sprint racing, as that's not where motorsport is rooted. Its endurance racing like Le Mans 24hrs, Targa Floria and Mille Miglia, where sports car products come from that we all desire so much. Its the highest level of engineering, long lasting and close to perfect from an engineering standpoint.

Bear in mind when Porsche built its 911 brand reputation (thats not all there is in Porsche history by far) it was possible and standard to drive with your car to the track, and race competitively. Look at what von Hanstein says in this documentary by Alain deCadenet https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9E2CFAB4D22C729F

Racing back then was like you and your friends going to a trackday!

Needless to say that's changed a lot, and shortly after the 911 was introduced. For now just look at the cars raced at the DTM (Deutsche Touringwagen Meisterschaft DTM | Official Website), and what Porsche Cup cars are like, there is hardly the identical chassis for street and race usage.

Porsche is becoming a mass product, thats why a Turbo S is nothing so special anymore (and was released at the same time).

But as we've seen with the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 there will be special cars that production car enthusiasts will cling to, and then there's the Motorsport Division at Weissach for privateers. Plenty more than GM offers if I am not mistaken...

 

Actually, Porsche HAS won an F1 race (just one) with a totally factory Porsche car.

The driver was Dan Gurney.

Now, back to the issue at hand (and the topic of the thread):

PORSCHE SHOULD BUY BACK THESE CARS PLUS GIVE THE OWNERS AN INCONVENIENCE ALLOWANCE AND MAKE A CERTIFIED SCRAP PROGRAM FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM.

EDIT - and if they really are "the most profitable manufacturer per car in the world" then they doubly owe their nearly most exclusive customers this minimum response for such an embarrassing engineering let-down.