Anyone NOT had an engine problem?

[Guest]

Having read this forum and a few others it's hard to avoid the impression that the norm for a 996 engine is an RMS leak and/or an engine failure before about 45000 miles. but maybe thisis just because only those owners who've had a problem discuss it. Is there anyone out there who has had a 996 for a few years and 45K+ miles who has not had either problem?

In my recent tour around several OPCs I was told that engine failure was "known about" and that the typical cause seemed to be town drivers who from time to time work the car hard on more-open roads without giving it time to warm up properly. Does this ring any bells?

David

 

[Pete B]

Yes, to the first paragraph.
Can't comment on the second one, though. Not much fun razzing a cold 'un - think of that awful gear change from 1st. to 2nd. with a cold 'box. They all run better warmed up!
FWIW most P owners that I have met are more than happy with their cars. These forums allow the relatively few to blow steam and canvass support (which sometimes is very useful to the rest of us in a roundabout sort of way).

 

[Rotorhead]

Bad news always travels faster than no news.

I'm on my second 996 and my wife has had three Boxsters (no.4 arrives shortly), over the last 8 years.

We have never had an engine problem (apart from an RMS under warranty a couple of years ago). We also know quite a few other 996/Boxster owners and we are not aware of anyone having any problems.

On the contrary, when you consider the sophistication and performance capabilities of these cars, they are remarkably well engineered and reliable.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

ORIGINAL: oliver

Bad news always travels faster than no news.

How true. If only this thread would reach 10 pages long, as has the "Engine Failure" thread. Come on chaps, how about it? Probably too boring...........

Although I have only owned my 996 for a year, it has no history in its 60000 mile life of either a RMS or engine failure. It doesn't need any oil top-ups between changes, an has been ultra-reliable as my daily drive. (As he crosses fingers and knocks on wood).

 

[philippe]

I must say that i can agree with most of the above. My car a late 98 C4 has had 1 RMS replacement, i have a friend with the same car but a 2001 year and he did not know what RMS was, but if you just own a car and don't go through these web-sites then why should you as i am sure there are 1000's out there who are in this situation.

Phil

 

[Guest]

Also never had any (crosses fingers, touches wood, crosses self) problems with mine and just coming up to 50k miles.

 

[Guest]

My previous car, C4S, I had for 16 months and 27,000 miles - no issues.
Current TT, 9000 miles - no issues.

I start the car, drive off after about 20 secs, just long enough for the oil to circulate.
I then keep below 50% throttle and below 3500 rpm till the water temp comes up close to normal.
Once warm I think you can use full throttle, just make the shifts smooth and have some consideration for the clutch, and avoid ramming into the rev limiter on a regular basis as it sets up unfavourable harmonics.

About 10% of it's life is at 30mph, 20% at 40 mph, 70% at national speed limit (+ a lilttle bit[]).
Normally change gear around 5000, but occaisionally go 100% all out to try to get 1 bar of boost. Trouble is the wheels start spinning unless it is dry and it accelerates so fast you run out of road.

The cars have been used everyday in rain, snow, hail, sun, fog, whatever, and live outside. They were/are washed every 2-3 weeks and the wheels cleaned every 2 weeks (since getting the brake dust off on a regular basis is essential).
The brakes do rust quite quickly, but all the more reason to do a couple of eye-ball popping stops the next time you drive it, just to make sure they are smooth and shiny (plus they work better when warm).

A good wax is all it needs, and a bit of oil every 6 weeks.

 

[Guest]

Very pleased to read the good news! No doubt we all sympathise with those who've been unlucky it's good to know that there are exceptions.

The driving hints are just what I needed, being new to Porsche, though it'll be a few years yet before I can get concerned about boost issues.[] Who knows, your message may have saved me 10K.

Many thanks.

David.

 

[garyw]

Last 996TT had 45K and no engine problems, no issues with this one either.[]

 

[38F3E1]

The 996TT has a different engine design which does not suffer from RMS or intermediate shaft problems.

 

[Laurence Gibbs]

of the 9 posts so far, only two have answered in the 100% positive. The rest are either turbo owners (with a different engine) or have had RMS on previous cars. Come on there must be more!!!

 

[Guest]

I do love the exquisitely casual throw away line above: "We have never had an engine problem (apart from an RMS under warranty a couple of years ago)" What have the Romans ever done for us?

 

[Rotorhead]

Five cars, 60,000 fault free miles, over 8 years, and one piddly oil seal, replaced foc at a service, without me even knowing. Seems pretty trivial to me.

 

[Rodney Naghar]

I reckon a lot of people won't reply to this post as they'll just consider it tempting bad luck to say 'Nope, no problems whatsoever with my engine, she purrs like a kitten, starts first time, every time....RMS, slipped liners...what RMS, what miners....?'

Bang!

Doh!

 

[Francis Jackson]

My wife and I are now on our third Porsche, a 996 after a Boxster and a Boxster S covering a combined total of 90k with no engine problems.

So far![]

 

[Paul Fraser]

I'm sure there are lots of owners who have had no or few problems (I'm not one: I had to pay for a RMS on my 996). The problem is the huge expense if you have an engine failure and this is why I'm going to try (and I mean try: look at what happened to Scouser in the other thread) and get mine back under the warranty scheme. Whether I'll also try and do this with my Boxster remains to be seen. I'd have to add that if I had known at the time of purchase that I'd be advised to shell out £1500 p.a. on two warranties because Porsche couldn't design the engine so that there wasn't a finite chance it would fall to bits, I'd never have bought either.
Further, I think it is extremely cynical of Porsche to head off this problem by extending the new warranty to cover the RMS problem while leaving those outside the warranty scheme high and dry. I'm not suggesting that just because I have FPSH on both cars that I deserve the same level of cover as warranty holders but some help towards the RMS and slipped liners et al engine design faults would be a step in the right direction. As it is, the way Porsche have abandoned this group is appalling.
I would have once considered myself a new model Porsche buyer in the future: now I would not go near their new cars with a barge pole. Porsche's arrogance sucks.

 

[carrera4boy]

I have a 996 C4 and have had no problems (45,000). There's never any wood when you need some.

Always follow the advice of Stuart Martin above. WARM THE CAR UP GENTLY UNTIL 80 degrees, don't go over 3500rpm until its hot.

3 mates of mine have 50,000 mile 996s and follow this advice too, none have had any problems.

I'm positive I could thrash the arse of my C4 and blow just about every major seal, hose, plug, crank etc, but I choose not to.

Rgards
Si

 

[beershark]

HI,

I have a 93,000 996 3.4 C2 Tiptronic.

I have had it for just under a year and done 6,000 mixed miles including motorway, local and Track Day.

A few months ago (Brands Hatch Track Day actually) the RMS started leaking and was replaced when the rear diff was serviced (the gearbox had an overhaul about 2 years ago by the previous owner.

Apart from the RMS, I do not believe that its had any major work in the past and after 93,000 sounds, feels and drives great!

Now I am touching wood......

 

[Paul Fraser]

ORIGINAL: carrera4boy
Always follow the advice of Stuart Martin above. WARM THE CAR UP GENTLY UNTIL 80 degrees, don't go over 3500rpm until its hot.

None of that will stop you having a RMS or slipped liners problem.

 

[carrera4boy]

I agree Paul...It's a design issue and the 997 has started to have the same problem already. A mechanic at my local OPC said he'd heard the RMS problem affected about 15% of 996's. Well that is an awful lot considering the number they've sold. I'm sure it's more than that though. I think Scouser has had most of them or been responsible for most[]
Just taking it easy in mine that's all.
S