Warranty extension and 111 check problem

[jonathanw]

My 991 which was bought and serviced from an OPC not a million miles from Barnet, Herts, since it was new. I purchased it when it was 6 moths old and have had it since and it will be 5 years old at the end of this month. It had 14356 miles on the clock in Set 2015 and today has 18681 miles. I have used this dealership for nearly 30 years buying new and second hand 911s and always had the car serviced there. It went in for its MOT the other day and I wanted to extend the previous 2 year warranty by a further 2 years. I had a letter from Porsche GB stating that "there may be no charge for the 111". What a joke. I was told that I would need a 111 check and on a preliminary free inspection was informed that the car would fail. Why? Because I have a hard-wired dashcam fitted! I was informed that to pass the 111 check the hard-wired unit would have to be removed and that would cost £250 on top of the 111 check. I discussed this with the service person stating that I had the hard-wired unit fitted more than 2 years ago and certainly before the last 111 check and it had then passed. After much too and froing the service guy had spoken to the service manager and he had agreed to reduce the fee for removal of the hard-wire unit to £100 plus vat.
I had a warranty issue which had not been corrected when I had the car serviced last year and when I renewed the current warranty 2 years ago. Namely the low tone horn was not working and they had failed to fix it on 2 occasions. They have now fixed it.
I had been thinking about this yesterday and decided to contact a company called "motoreasy" which is recommended by Honest John of the Daily Telegraph. I got a quote for 3 years at £1811 and no restriction on who and where the car is repaired if required. The maximum payout is related to the value of the car and the policy can be transferred to a new owner or the balance returned on cancellation.
I discussed this this morning with my service guy at the OPC and stated that I was willing to pay for the 111 check if a blind eye could be made of the hard-wired camera and I would take out the Porsche 2 year warranty and stated that the 6 year service next year would be at their facility. I think that a cigarette lighter connection is if anything more dangerous than a hard-wired connection and in any case Porsche don't make (yet) a dashcam which I suspect would be allowed. Having had fraudulent claims etc I have dashcams on all my cars and where appropriate on the back windows as well. I did not want to pay for the hard-wire to be taken out and then reinstalled after the 111 check. Needless to say the answer back from the service manager was they would pass the 111 check with the hard-wire in situ.
I had my MOT done by the OPC and they did fix the horn. However I now have a warranty with motoreasy for 37 months ( extra month for paying up front) and have saved probably £500 . So much for doing the best for loyal customers. I am probably going to get my 6 year service at an independent.
I do not think this would have happened when the dealer principal was a very amiable Irish man! Being a member of PCGB made no difference today.
One wonders about brand loyalty when this happens but I do love my car. If and when I am in the market for a new Porsche I will consider looking elsewhere!!

 

[pwebb]

It's always disappointing when a long term owner and brand supporter is treated so dismissively. We all know that dealers have plenty of discretion so this attitude is surprising. And the outcome not surprising. Hope you find a decent Indie, Jonathan.

 

[Dylan1]

That is such a shame
I doubt Perry would have let that happen

 

[Lancerlot]

Get yourself into a new one, Jonathan and save all the agro - you know it makes sense! [][]

 

[991JAW]

Sad to say this is now normal across all car manufactures , you are dealing with a franchised garage who could be Porsche one day or Ford the next.If you really seek any kind of loyalty then may consider a good local indie who can service your car without any issues to the warranty.Buy a new car and up until the moment you sign the check they are your best friend .......

 

[Lancerlot]

The 111 point inspection is normally FOC provided it coincides with a service as there are parallel technical examinations.

It's worth mentioning (once again) the extended warranty does not originate from Porsche Cars GB. It is basically a third party insurance administered by Porsche Centres.

I am assuming the PC must complete a return or submit a certificate of conformity to the insurance company each time the policy is due for renewal and, although some service managers may be prepared to overlook non-Porsche fitted accessories, you can't really blame an individual for sticking to the rules and not being prepared to submit a false statement to the insurer when maybe their reputation - even their job - could be at stake.
Regards,

Clive

 

[kennyrobinson]

Totally agree. my 991 has just turned 3yrs old (from new) not going to renew warranty with OPC but go to a private company

 

[Lancerlot]

Totally agree. my 991 has just turned 3yrs old (from new) not going to renew warranty with OPC but go to a private company

Like all insurances, you only really find out how good it is once you've submitted your claim.
Regards,

Clive

 

[jonathanw]

I still struggle to understand the 111 check that will fail a hard-wired item such as a dash cam when a similar device that is powered by a cigarette lighter is allowed. The only risk that I can see is that of a poor installation causing a fire. This would be covered in any case by the drivers insurance. Unlike the non N rated tyres which might affect the handling the dashcam would carry the same risk whether hard-wired or not. There is no logic apart from a way to extract cash from the customer.
In the letter I received from Porsche HQ about 2 months before my old warranty ran out it stated that I could look for insurance elsewhere. I did and is this not a home goal for the OPC!!

 

[Lancerlot]

[FONT=calibri"]I'm not sure why there is confusion. It seems fairly straight forward, really.
[FONT=calibri"]The Porsche Approved Warranty is an insurance product providing cover comparable with the Porsche New Car Guarantee. It is underwritten by Allianze VA in Munich and within its terms and conditions, the policyholder agrees to use only genuine Porsche parts and not make any unapproved modifications. The T&C’s from other underwriters may seem less restrictive when inviting the business, but could be more stringent when it comes to accepting a claim further down the line.

[FONT=calibri"]As regards the dash cam, is it not possible to introduce an in-line plug & socket or fuse holder into the dash cam feed cable that can be obscured when the camera is removed during the 111 point inspection? [8|]
[FONT=calibri"]Regards ,

Clive

 

[jonathanw]

I wrote to Porsche Customer Service and this is what I received.
"Dear Dr Warren

Thank you for your letter addressed to David Metcalf which has been redirected to myself to respond on his behalf.

I am sorry to read that you are dissatisfied with the level of service from Porsche Centre Hatfield. I hope that the below explanation confirms Porsche's position.

It is at the discretion of the Porsche Centre should they wish to waiver the cost of the 111 Point Check. Should a Centre feel there is a validity to not charge for this service, the Centre is entitled to do so.

Before a vehicle has a 111 Point Check and a Porsche Approved Warranty can be applied, all vehicles must be inspected and have no modifications. Should a vehicle have modifications, these must be removed and the vehicle would need to be put back to it's standard specification as per Porsche AG's regulations.

If it is identified that a modification has been made and this is not amended, a Porsche Centre are unable to proceed with a 111 Point Check or Porsche Approved Warranty. This cannot be overlooked under any circumstances. Porsche Centre Hatfield have attempted to appease the situation by reducing the cost of removing your dash cam.

I am sorry that a Porsche Centre have previously neglected this rule, however, I can assure you that the service provided now is correct.

Should Porsche Cars Great Britain Limited be made aware that some Centre's are being more permissive than others, this will be addressed with management and actioned accordingly.

I am sorry that my response may be met with disappointment, however, I trust the above clarifies Porsche's position which will remain unchanged.

Kind regards

Lee Brown
Porsche Customer Assistance Centre
On behalf of Porsche Cars Great Britain Ltd
Bath Road, Calcot, Reading, RG31 7SE

Phone: 03457 911 911
Email: customer.assistance@porsche.co.uk "
I still don't get why a hard-wired dashcam installed before the previous warranty check could cause any trouble. At worst it could start a fire and in that event my regular car insurance would cover that. The wired unit is safer than a "cigarette socket" connection and Porsche do not make a dashcam! What would the situation be if the dashcam was removed for the 111 check and then I reinstalled it afterwards. The warranty does not state as far as I am aware that one cannot modify the car after the warranty is set up. There is no logic to this to my simple mind.
There is no checking on the quality of fuel delivered to the engine!

Hey ho. Porsche warranties' loss and it is very likely that my next Porsche will not come from Hertfordshire.

 

[AB2012]

So...last time I extended a warranty on my 997 the 111 point check was done FOC by the dealer. Have just had the first warranty extension on my 991 through a different dealer as part of a major service and had to pay for the 111 point check separately. When I pointed out that my last check had been done FOC elsewhere, I was told that I might have had a loyalty discount if I had 5 cars like some other customers (apparently). Speechless. []

 

[Lancerlot]

The work required to complete the 111 point check is similar to that carried out within the routine service. This is the reason many PC will include it FOC. It may be worth querying the charge with your Service Manager.
Regards,

Clive