Spaniards Are In Revolution Against Porsche

[juankimalo]

I want to explain something about this thread title:

In Spain in our Soloporsche.com community, we are trying to give a solid step against the M96 engine failures.

International english-spoken Soloporsche forum

First of all we are compiling several dozens of IMS failures well documented. All of them are soloporsche users. We have opened some threads to get more information. Porsche AG workers had the chance to come into this discussion as anonymus user, to explain us about real percentage and what they really know. (Soloporsche admin are checking the real personality to avoid trolls)

Are people suffering hysteria? No they aren't.

We have lot of friends with engine failures and we know that the M96 engine is a complete design error. Engineers, Porsche Motorsport division, Mechanical experts, told us the real thing. Wendelin Wiedeking is the principal responsible. He tried to rise Porsche profits and order to develop a new platform (M96) to susbtitute air cooled family. This engine was developed half time, and half budget as it needed. Porsche was in troubles and Boxster and 996 were two new models to be the angular stone for a new era of benefits. Low cost materials, an IMS that never was to be born (as the new DFI engines), disalingment shaft problems, different expansion coefficient materials, low cost alluminun frame, a shaft that works in a false steel case that is closed in a twin alluminun cases,... Engines derived from GT1 block as GT3, GT3 RS GT2, TT were too expensive to produce. If they would decided to produce a light version of this block to be placed in Carrera models, surely would be the best decision, because we´ll never heard anything about blown engines. Besides it would cause a huge decrease of Porsche accounts due to the high cost of this platform. Porsche AG left this problem run until they changed the M97 engine for the new family without IMS, DFI, etc. They passed 11 years, so much time keeping the wrong thing. Meanwhile, there are a pile of blown engines in Porsche history, and whats more, there are a pile that are going to fail.

I prefer to listen Porsche experts, not urban legends. I'm always talking about this with real arguments. I'm a bit tired to read that they are a very small percentage, and what we have to do, is to enjoy our cars.

I've seen several failures with my eyes!

What would you think if a Porsche expert engineer tells you that the best thing to prevent the failure, is to reinforce the IMS with a solid kit?

(I don't sell anything, I don't have any commercial interest)

What can we do if you're out of warranty? Pay for a reman engine or throw the car to the river from a bridge.

Porsche should to give us a new engine everytime It happens.

We are trying to compile more data and some soloporsche people want to go to the justice court. Everyone know that It's too difficult to prove that It's a failed design, opposite a Judge, but we are very ungry to read a blown engine everyweek in our small Soloporsche comunity.

I enjoy driving my 996, I love it and I want to keep on with it for many years. I reinforced the IMS with a hand made kit, use a racing lubricant, etc

In Soloporsche, an expert motor engineer is developing a solution but It won't be ready yet because It's a critical idea and needs several test, but It would be probably the IMS 100% guard. Nevertheless there were thousand of failures here in Rennlist, Renntech, 6Speedonline, Pistonheads, Rennteam, and so on. We have lots of articles published in Total 911, Excellence, GT Purely Porsche magazines talking about this.

We want to get a good finish, and join efforts to solve this embarrased problem. All your contributions will be welcome.

Does anyone know a jugdgment that condemned Porsche AG?

Joaquin

Edited May 30, 2010 by juankimalo

[juniinc]

time to start a class action lawsuit.

Rescently the lawsuits were filed on behalf of owners of GM vehicles, which were factory-filled with Dex cool coolant,,,They won.

http://www.girardgibbs.com/dexcool.html

[Wayne R. Dempsey]

The intermediate shaft bearing problem is not well understood by anyone at this point in time. I just pulled one out of a 996 with 31,000 miles on the clock. I'm working on a replacement fix for the IMS that users can swap out when they perform a clutch replacement, using a standard stock bearing. I'm working on the tech article tonight, and we'll also be testing the prototype kit in the very near future. Stay tuned, this problem will be solved by the aftermarket very soon.

-Wayne

[juankimalo]

In Soloporsche forum we have a star thread in which we ask Porsche employees for information (as you know). We have thousand of visitors. An important person (Porsche Centre owner) told us that in the headquarters of Porsche Iberica (oficial spanish import dealer and distribuitor) they are very worried and concerned about all the true. They had an important internal meeting to manage this problem. Soloporsche forum is very important in the spanish Porsche lovers colective, and they know that we are not going to shut up our mouths.

We know that in a single Porsche Centre in Barcelone they are changing about 40-50 a engines in a whole year, more or less one per week.

People are very angry and don't accept as normal what It shouldn't be.

The expensive cost of the extended warranty, the helplessness to renove the warranty if your car passes than 10 years-old, the neglect which suffer users who purchased it as a second hand car... imagine those who suffer a failure when we know that It's due to a fail desing.

I'm not sure if soloporschers affected are going to organize a claim group or not, because they have to prove with an expert engineer report the bad design of the internal parts. They have to collect all the invoice bill, etc.

If a courageus lawyer appears in this issue, he will have the chance to be well known. The Porsche expert engineer told us that the figures they have is around 20% of IMS failures.

[juankimalo]

The intermediate shaft bearing problem is not well understood by anyone at this point in time. I just pulled one out of a 996 with 31,000 miles on the clock. I'm working on a replacement fix for the IMS that users can swap out when they perform a clutch replacement, using a standard stock bearing. I'm working on the tech article tonight, and we'll also be testing the prototype kit in the very near future. Stay tuned, this problem will be solved by the aftermarket very soon.

-Wayne

Why don't use a performance hybrid bearing?

They are 10 times stronger than stock ones

You can also could increase the stud support till 12 mm as I did:

http://pasionporsche...ims-996-36.html

Edited June 2, 2010 by juankimalo

[swynn97]

Joaquin,

Respectfully, performance cars do have problems, and typically they are expensive to fix. PNA did replace my engine, although not with an IMS failure, after the warranty ran out. I was very happy. No one forced you to buy this car. If you don't want the assumed risk and additional liability, sell it and buy a less expensive / performance car. Suing Porsche AG isn't the solution here. It just makes everything more expensive for everybody and fuels more litigation.

Simon

[juankimalo]

Joaquin,

Respectfully, performance cars do have problems, and typically they are expensive to fix. PNA did replace my engine, although not with an IMS failure, after the warranty ran out. I was very happy. No one forced you to buy this car. If you don't want the assumed risk and additional liability, sell it and buy a less expensive / performance car. Suing Porsche AG isn't the solution here. It just makes everything more expensive for everybody and fuels more litigation.

Simon

This sounds as a poor argument.

Everybody know that Porsche is a synonymous with reliabilty, strength, and endurance.

Performance cars do have problems, OK! But a fail design isn't a problem due to high speed, or tracking the car. It can occurs in all circunstance.

I know perfectly what a sport car is. And we are talking about Porsche. Do you consider as normal an engine failure? With clients as you Porsche must be very pleased.

If you suffer a normal problem in your car as electric, fuel pump, etc I think It would be considered as normal. But if you have the corfimation that these horrible figures about blown engines, (MORE THAN 20% DUE TO IMS FAILURE). It was confirmed to Soloporsche's Staff by an Expert Porsche Engineer, besides other employees who said it was even higher. We investigated it with accuracy.

There are lot of Porsche users who want a solution after paying a new engine bill.

This is an important thing that happens in Spain and I think It must be known for all of you

Thanks

Edited June 3, 2010 by juankimalo

[phillipj]

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Juaquin.

There is no excuse for the number of failures of M96 engines. Porsche knew they had a design problem and waited 10 years to rectify it. If there were no design problems there would be no market for Jake Raby and others.

I agree that when you buy a sports car you have to expect more cost and maintainence. But not engine failures with normal use...

I'm against frivolous lawsuits but this one would have merit. If a drug maker hides flaws and dangers in drug but releases it anyway they should be responsible. Same goes for Porsche. They knew they had a major problem and ignored it and covered it up.

I love these cars but I would NEVER own one without a warranty. Been down that road before..

That's my 2 cents anyway...

Edited June 3, 2010 by phillipj

[juankimalo]

And what's more: a 996 Carrera is a sporty car but not a race car

I have lots of friends who are 996 and 997 GT3, TT and RS models owners. All of them use these cars in several trackdays per year. More than a trackday per month.

They take care about intensive oil change, break pads, filters, cooling system, and all the things you need to overmaintain a circuit car.

(Some of them have a RUF, 9ff preparation)

I've never heard anything about an engine failure of them. They use them close to the limit.

Nevertheless, I've seen with my eyes several M96 breakdown since we are organizing mettings in Soloporsche forum.

Cars used as daily, or occasionally transport. People who take care about intensive maintenance, always detailing the interior, exterior, engine, warming the engine, and don't abuse of the engine performance.

The truth is very clear: Phillip is absolutely right. Porsche obtained a good profit with the reman engines. They found a fantastic source to obtain benefits from all people who suffered an egine failure out of warranty. The list is too long

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Juaquin.

There is no excuse for the number of failures of M96 engines. Porsche knew they had a design problem and waited 10 years to rectify it. If there were no design problems there would be no market for Jake Raby and others.

I agree that when you buy a sports car you have to expect more cost and maintainence. But not engine failures with normal use...

I'm against frivolous lawsuits but this one would have merit. If a drug maker hides flaws and dangers in drug but releases it anyway they should be responsible. Same goes for Porsche. They knew they had a major problem and ignored it and covered it up.

I love these cars but I would NEVER own one without a warranty. Been down that road before..

That's my 2 cents anyway...

Edited June 3, 2010 by juankimalo

[swynn97]

Wow - this thread is a total buzz kill - I just want to read about unecessary mods I can make to my expensive toy, not all this rhetoric - ironically I'm encouraging it.

Simon

[phillipj]