Advise Please The 996 From Hell

[mffarrell]

I purchased my dream car less than 3 weeks ago. A new 2003 996 Cab C2 with all the bells and whistles.

I bought the car on a rainy Sat. night. My background is that I have owned Porsches for over 25 years and I use to own a body shop that repaired damaged Porsches, BMWs, and MBZs.

So, I know body damage and repairs.

My problem:

I inspected the car throughly before my purchase, albeit, it was dark and raining. I drove from the dealership straight home, and did not wash/ look or drive the vehicle until Wed. after it stopped raining. The car was garaged.

When I backed the car out my garage into the driveway, after careful examination, I noticed that there was a small gash in the rear bumper. Clearly, I would have noticed this when I inspected the car at the dealership. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. The only thing that could have happened is that someone damaged the car on the dealer lot after I looked at it, when I was doing the final purchase paperwork.

The dealership did not question who or what caused the damage, but offered to fix the damage at no cost at one of their reputable body shops. I said OK, although I was not OK.

The body shop did a fine job of repairing the damage and matching the paint. I was satisfied, but still disappointed that I had a car that was no longer a virgin. :-)

When I took the car out of the garage the next morning, I noticed that my passenger door had about 30+ rock chip like damage in an area of 12"X8" in my passenger door. The damage wasn't there before. The body shop thinks that it is chemical damage. I think that someone got too close with a body grinder and sand blasted my door! Needless to say, that now I am really angry and depressed.

Of course the dealership was surprised as me. They offered to repair the damage at no cost to me. They never questioned who caused the damage, me, the body shop, or?

I will now have my dream/nightmare 996 less than 300 miles and a repainted rear bumper, door, and quarter panel.

I don't blame the dealer, meaning I don't think that they duped me, but I now have a car that it worthless to me. It was under their care when I dropped the car off to have the bumper repaired.

What would you do? I told the dealership that what would make me happy is a new car. Is that unreasonable for me to ask? Or, they should refund several thousand dollars to me to make me whole, as if and when I sell the car I will have to disclose the damage.

I was planning on keeping this car forever. I have a 1995 C2 that I bought new that is in better shape than my 3 week old car.

What would you do? Sue, sell the car, or is this bad luck and the dealer is being reasonable? Maybe I am too anal?

Thanks for your input.

Mike

Edited December 20, 2003 by mffarrell

[KarlS]

As long as the car is fixed to your satisfaction and to factory quality, why worry about it. You don't have to disclose anything when you sell it, this is not structural damage that can affect the handling or performance, it is purely cosmetic. Since it is cosmetic, as long as they fix it to "like new", don't worry about it.

I had a BMW once that was damaged by the detailers the day I was supposed to take delivery. I was as upset about it as you, as I had special ordered the car and waited months for it. After the dealer had it repainted, I looked at it very critically and could not tell it had been repainted. I did get the dealer to give me a guarantee on the paint but I never needed it. After a few months I forgot all about the repainted fender.

Cars are cosmetically marred all the time in transit from the factory to the dealers. They are repaired at the port or by the dealer and if the job is done right, customer don't know the difference.

I say chill out and enjoy the car, assuming they do an excellent job with the repair.

Karl

[BlackTurboCab]

Maybe this will make you fell better...

I have owned a 95C4, 97C2, 01Cab and now an 04TurboCab, all bought new from the dealer.

I totalled my C4 (on the street). It was a track car so I sweated it out before the insurance company totalled the car and I got my new 97C2 (also a track car). I replaced the C2 with an 01Cab (not a track car). There was not so much as a scratch (only the few obligatory stone chips) on the 97 and 01 when I sold/traded in the cars.

Now I too have my dream car, an 04 Turbo Cab. The car was delivered in late October. I had the car 3 days when I clipped the side of a stone bridge with the rear wheel...I guess the rear is wider than the 01Cab. The wheel was scratched badly and slightly dented at the edge so wheel needed re-finishing.

Within 2 weeks, didn't even have permanent plates, I was cut off when changing lanes from a standstill and hit a car. Paint damage to the bumper cover, slight buckling of the integrated air dam and a slight dent in the front fender. The owner of my body shop shook his head when he looked at the damage. I knew him from my track days and saw some of the great restoration work he had accomplished. I aked him nervously, "Can you repair the car?" "Of course!", he replied. "Then why are you shaking your head?" "Because the car is so new and SOO NICE!" $2000 later the car is as good as new. The bumper cover was reshaped/repainted and the fender repaired/repainted. The paint matches perfectly. The lines are perfect. The same night that I picked up the car at the body shop, I barely couldn't stop short enough to avoid the deer that ran out in front of me. I guess I should have gone for the ceramic bakes. I mean the difference between hitting and not hitting the deer was less than 2 feet. The next morning I noticed a very very slight imperfection and paint crack on the front bumper. I guess with these cars, no imperfection seems slight. I took the car back to the shop and now they tell me I need the bumper repainted again to make the car perfect. I'm NOT doing that till the spring or maybe NOT at all unless there is further damage to the bumper. I mean no one outside of a concours inspector and me would notice the imperfection.

The bottom line is yes, I was upset, and yes it hurts to write this e-mail. But the bottom line yes, It still IS my dream car and I love it no less. It's performance is out of this world. It still looks fantastic and factory new.

So you are not alone. I hope you are comforted.

My advice is don't persue getting a 2nd new car from the dealer. First of all, in no shape or form will they give you a new car. You will just aggravate yourself even more. On the miracle that you get a 2nd new car, you will really feel jinxed and be 10 times more upset should something happen to that car.

I hope you get over this and fall in love with your great beautiful car. I consider mine "initiated". Whatever...you can't spend your time worrying about these things...it's just less time spent enjoying your a beautiful jewel.

I feel better now. I hope you do too.

Best regards,

BlackTurboCab@aol.com

[chicagobob]

A 996 from hell is one that leaks, burns and leaks oil and the gutterel fear that when you turn the key nothing will happen. Sounds more like the dealership from hell. Get it fixed and go elsewhere.

Bobby

[alter_schwede]

I got the same feeling as "996 from Hell", when I backed my Boxster rearbumper to a lightpole and broked even the taillight.

it was **** exspensive haircut, 1200,- euro (repair) plus 25 bucks for the haircut.

and by knowing that the car is no longer a "Virgin", but in my case I know that I caused it so it feeled somewhat OK, my own fault.

but also knowing that the rearbumper installed is a repair one, doesn't making it better, it would feel much better if they replaced the hole bumper but there wasn't an option, it was too exspensive to satisfy my innerfeeling.

u know what Mike, see in this way, after sometime (in a few month), u will make the grade to 4S rearbumper anyway and you will feel much better after that!

cheers,

Tony

[b-man]

mffarrell, I think your dealer has been reasonable.

If it makes you feel better, I am in a similar situation. I am a hardcore car guy, very anal, planned on keeping my 911 forever, etc. But, I've had LOTS of "bad luck" with my car. I'm not even going to begin to go into details of my story because it would be at least two or three times as long as your story (and two or three times as bad) and, you probably wouldn't believe me. People I know kid me about all the bad luck I've had with it. Sometimes, I just feel like giving up . . . I'm not sure how but, I feel like doing it! But, when I take a step back and think about things, I honestly still feel grateful that I have this car.

I would just chalk your experiences up as bad luck and make the best of it. Bad things happen to people every minute of every day. I mean truly bad things: cancer, rape, miscarriages, people you know getting killed, getting laid off from your job with no immediate job prospects and many kids to feed, etc.

Cosmetic problems with a car is not that big of a deal.

If you still feel bad, tell me where you live. I'll come by and key the $hit out of your car. Then, you'll realize you didn't have really big problems before! :D

b-man

'02 coupe

Edited December 23, 2003 by b-man

[sandoval]

You would be surprised at the number of cars damaged between Germany and dealer delivery. Many cars are repaired to factory spec at the port because of "accidents". Never disclosed to the new owner. If the paint work is up to your satisfaction and appears 99% factory I would not worry about it.

[netrophile]

When I got my P-car, I remember feeling very humble in a way-I was talking to the dealer about how I should drive it, where I should park it etc. I guess I just wanted it to stay perfect with no stone chips and so on.. :oops:

Anyway, the dealer just gave me one piece of advice-"Remember its just a car. Use it like one" He was right of course. While we are all glad to have a P-car and enjoy the feeling of owning and driving one, it is after al just a car. It will also lose value like any other car. Even if you just keep it on a plinth and show it to a few lucky visitors, it will only be worth half as much as you paid for it eventually with time. :drive:

Enjoy your car and forget about the small accidents life will throw at you from time to time. At least the dealer has fixed them for you at not much monetary cost to yourself.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all. :beer: :king:

Edited December 24, 2003 by netrophile