Given Up with the 996

[Rodney Naghar]

Simon,

Some people are worried that a leaking RMS may be symptomatic of impending engine failure. There is no hard evidence for this, but it is a fear nonetheless.

 

[hothatch2002]

Sorry, but you have mis understood what I said. I don't for one minute assume that the RMS is not a problem - it clearly is, due to the large amount of evidence. My point was that it is not a major mechanical failure - it is a seal. It doesn't affect every single car either, but it does affect more than you would consider "an acceptable amount", I will never dispute this - but my main point is people banging on about the reliability of the car. The seal does not affect the cars reliability - it doesn't make the engine blow up, it doesn't destroy the gearbox, or the brakes, or the windscreen (I'm sure your getting the picture now, so I'll stop there), but most of all why on Earth anyone would think it would drastically affect the value of the car is beyond me!!!!
With Scouser excluded from this one - most RMS once changed don't need doing again.
In relation to the 997 - I have no genuine first hand experience of this model yet, so I will not get into a discussion about it, but if the "RMS issue" has continued with this new model then Porsche need a kick up the ar*e - and I will gladly do it!!!

Try running a Ferrari / Maserati / Aston / Lambo - then you will know what expensive and unreliable means.

Once again - I think the 996 is absolutely brilliant (my opinion only)

Simon

 

[mwadams]

Hi all,

I was not trying to start a 996 versus any debate......... to answer a few questions here, I had the first 996 for 10 months and the second one for 7 months in that time and mileage they had been terrible cars and i am glad that all of you that have 996's are happy....... I was not hence why I sold them.

Given that I did high miles in both the 964 C4, 993 C2 and 993 Tip with no issues that all I have to compare against.

I was racking up 17K miles a year in the 993's with no issues but general servicing, tyres, pads, etc.

I tried hard with the 996's but they did not give me the same pleasure even though they are great cars to most.

The reason not going back to the 993 was finacial due to the losses on both 996's.

I hope to run the 964 for a year and then look for a good 993.

Mark

 

[hothatch2002]

10 months and 7 months respectively doesn't seem a particularly long time to own the cars, perhaps if you had stuck it out for longer with the first one, the second bit of "bad luck" wouldn't have occurred. I know that what I have just said is a complete assumption - but sometimes you buy a second hand car and after having driven a bit for a couple of months certain noises and tempramental things become apparent that you couldn't have possibly noticed on a 10 min test drive. It has happened to me before (only once and never again), and have found myself having to fork out more money to put right all the "little niggling problems". My feeling was that once I had sorted the car out - best keep it for a while, rather than shift it on and end up in the same situation again.

I think you have been very unlucky to have 2 cars with the same problem in such a short period of time - and you have my sympathy.

Sorry if I appeared a bit aggresive before, but I really must defend the 996 on the issue of RMS - once again, it is a seal, annoying and relatively expensive for what it is, but not a major problem.

 

[mwadams]

Hi Hothatch, it was not just the RMS issue, but I take your point perhaps I should have hung out longer........

Perhaps I will come round again, but it will be a few a years yet to recover.

As I said I before I wish everyone well with the 996's they own .....

Mark

 

[carrera4boy]

Mark

both of these cars had the RMS failures at 73K miles and 80K miles

I think that's blo*dy good going then.

Deleted xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Johannes

Si , when you are ready to buy an older 911 , I will come with you , and especially for you we will go in my boxsterS, Happy Days.

Jeeeesh, thanks mate, i will. Can't wait....ahem actually can we go in the Turbo[8|][]
Have a great weekend everyone
Si

 

[Rodney Naghar]

Scandalous comments Si!

There have been many reports of RMS failures from cars that are nearly new with very low mileage, the 987 suffers from it and so does the 997. On what evidence do you base your assumption that if a car is thrashed it is more likely to have an RMS failure? I think you're not being fair to the many people who have had RMS failures and are seeking redress from Porsche, by blanketing them all as 'thrash it to within an inch of its life' drivers.

 

[carrera4boy]

Hi mate,

I know the RMS issue is a design fault, pretty much proven and admitted by Porsche, and CAN happen to any car that has been driven, pretty much a lottery said the mechanic last week.

Its just that something always seems to go wrong after i've been racing and i just put 2 + 2 together.

Don't lose sleep over my comments please, its IMHO.
Si[]

 

[mwadams]

After 11 Porsches I think I know how to drive them !!

6 of them have been 911's and the most unreliable has been the 2 996's, so whether I was lucky with the others or not....... that fact is that have been unreliable and not just with RMS issues.

Both 993's were driven hard and never missed a beat.

Mark

 

[carrera4boy]

point taken...

where's that humble pie[] must be lunchtime

 

[Guest]

My first was 912 Targa......only the rain let in. Apart from that it was a great car.
My second a 964......had some problems with the wiring loom and heater but that's all.
My 996 has had 7 RMS', 1 Gearbox and a Clutch.......Without any doubt it has been the most unreliable car I have ever owned.
But I still think it's the most beautiful car and the best driving experience.
Would I buy another Porsche? I doubt it. It's not so much the car or its reliability. It's the blatently poor and disgusting service and/or support you get from Porsche GB and Porsche AG when everything goes wrong with your Porsche. They are a rip-off bunch of ......well I better cut off here or I will get banned..........Suffice to say, they know that their customers are suffering but are happy to just brush you off with an attitude of "well we are making gazillions of dollars and we know we have a design fault in our cars, but we don;t care". If they would just pore some of that profit back out to their loyal customers.......EVERYONE would be happy.

 

[Guest]

Pardon my ignorance, but does the tiptronic 996 not suffer from the RMS problem?
Have been planning a purchase for some time and had virtually settled on a 1998/9 996 tiptronic, mainly for political reasons-probably a more efficient heater, quieter, ie more acceptable to my passenger.
Not though at the cost of frequent inconvenience and expense.

Paul
Previous Porsches
944 auto
944 S2

 

[Rodney Naghar]

It's not as common, but the tiptronic does suffer from the problem...it's also more costly to replace.

 

[mwadams]

My C4 996 Tip cost close to £1K to rectify

Mark