Odd issue occurred on test drive, any advice/thoughts?
Discussion
I test drove a 996 Carrera 2 today, which overall was a very very nice car, drove very well and was in brilliant condition.
However, something odd happened on the test drive which has made me slightly reticent on the car. I am going to give a specialist a buzz tomorrow and see what they think, but thought PH would have much experience and knowledge with which to impart!
When changing gear from 5th to 6th (at least twice, once when changing down I think as well), the whole dash lit up as if the car had stalled but you didn't notice any change in engine note etc and once in the next gear and throttle engaged, the car carried on without an issue.
Now, the dealer said this could be down to either my driving style, the K&N filter or an air leak somewhere, but what made it even odder, is that while looking through the service history, it seemed that a specialist (located in Colchester) in 2010 had had the car in for the very same problem but had not been able to identify it or reproduce it.
The car didn't do it at all when I changed gear quickly though, as my GTO prefers a slower gear change, which makes it smoother (and the gearbox is a bit notchy sometimes), so that is how I started driving the Porsche, until I got used to it a bit and changed gear faster.
I spoke to a Porsche enthusiast friend about it, and he has never heard of the problem and has been told that the cars prefer quick gear changes.
Do I bother getting an inspection done, and potentially waste a few hundred quid when the signs are possibly telling me to walk away, or accept that it might have just been my driving style and will be fine?
Any thoughts?
However, something odd happened on the test drive which has made me slightly reticent on the car. I am going to give a specialist a buzz tomorrow and see what they think, but thought PH would have much experience and knowledge with which to impart!
When changing gear from 5th to 6th (at least twice, once when changing down I think as well), the whole dash lit up as if the car had stalled but you didn't notice any change in engine note etc and once in the next gear and throttle engaged, the car carried on without an issue.
Now, the dealer said this could be down to either my driving style, the K&N filter or an air leak somewhere, but what made it even odder, is that while looking through the service history, it seemed that a specialist (located in Colchester) in 2010 had had the car in for the very same problem but had not been able to identify it or reproduce it.
The car didn't do it at all when I changed gear quickly though, as my GTO prefers a slower gear change, which makes it smoother (and the gearbox is a bit notchy sometimes), so that is how I started driving the Porsche, until I got used to it a bit and changed gear faster.
I spoke to a Porsche enthusiast friend about it, and he has never heard of the problem and has been told that the cars prefer quick gear changes.
Do I bother getting an inspection done, and potentially waste a few hundred quid when the signs are possibly telling me to walk away, or accept that it might have just been my driving style and will be fine?
Any thoughts?
Crikey, everyone's rather quick to damn what could actually be a really nice car! Trial by PH, gotta love it 
Clearly, the car shouldn't do that, but I'd suggest that it's something that could be rectified, and once done will provide no further worry.
Imagine if someone had made a similar post but saying that every time they accelerated hard in 1st or 2nd the ABS and PSM lights came on and didn't go off until the car was stopped and re-started. Those that didn't know any better would be shouting "Leave it alone!! Walk away!!" from the rooftops, whereas in reality most of us know that, unlikely as it would sound from the symptoms, it's highly likely that it just needs a new MAF - £150 later and the car's all good.
I don't know what's up in this case, so I'd possibly write a similar post asking for help. What I'd be after though is anyone's actual experience of the same issue, not a knee-jerk reaction "you don't know what it is, I don't know what it is, better suggest walking away".
Can anyone with experience of something similar actually help the OP?
Clearly, the car shouldn't do that, but I'd suggest that it's something that could be rectified, and once done will provide no further worry.
Imagine if someone had made a similar post but saying that every time they accelerated hard in 1st or 2nd the ABS and PSM lights came on and didn't go off until the car was stopped and re-started. Those that didn't know any better would be shouting "Leave it alone!! Walk away!!" from the rooftops, whereas in reality most of us know that, unlikely as it would sound from the symptoms, it's highly likely that it just needs a new MAF - £150 later and the car's all good.
I don't know what's up in this case, so I'd possibly write a similar post asking for help. What I'd be after though is anyone's actual experience of the same issue, not a knee-jerk reaction "you don't know what it is, I don't know what it is, better suggest walking away".
Can anyone with experience of something similar actually help the OP?
My 996 C4 started doing this just before the alternator went. May just be a new alternator which i think cost me about 250. wasnt quite the same as the lights stayed on for a while and I have a tiptronic so wasnt linked to gear change but as for all the lights lighting up - exactly the same.
Edited by muzski on Monday 7th May 21:06
thegoose said:
Crikey, everyone's rather quick to damn what could actually be a really nice car! Trial by PH, gotta love it
Clearly, the car shouldn't do that, but I'd suggest that it's something that could be rectified, and once done will provide no further worry.
Imagine if someone had made a similar post but saying that every time they accelerated hard in 1st or 2nd the ABS and PSM lights came on and didn't go off until the car was stopped and re-started. Those that didn't know any better would be shouting "Leave it alone!! Walk away!!" from the rooftops, whereas in reality most of us know that, unlikely as it would sound from the symptoms, it's highly likely that it just needs a new MAF - £150 later and the car's all good.
I don't know what's up in this case, so I'd possibly write a similar post asking for help. What I'd be after though is anyone's actual experience of the same issue, not a knee-jerk reaction "you don't know what it is, I don't know what it is, better suggest walking away".
Can anyone with experience of something similar actually help the OP?
Thank you Clearly, the car shouldn't do that, but I'd suggest that it's something that could be rectified, and once done will provide no further worry.
Imagine if someone had made a similar post but saying that every time they accelerated hard in 1st or 2nd the ABS and PSM lights came on and didn't go off until the car was stopped and re-started. Those that didn't know any better would be shouting "Leave it alone!! Walk away!!" from the rooftops, whereas in reality most of us know that, unlikely as it would sound from the symptoms, it's highly likely that it just needs a new MAF - £150 later and the car's all good.
I don't know what's up in this case, so I'd possibly write a similar post asking for help. What I'd be after though is anyone's actual experience of the same issue, not a knee-jerk reaction "you don't know what it is, I don't know what it is, better suggest walking away".
Can anyone with experience of something similar actually help the OP?
While I certainly can't fault those for saying walk away (as I have thought the same myself, a car should not do that), it seemed like such an odd problem that I was sure somebody else would have experienced it.I have had a google about, but not really come up with anything. It isn't the easiest of problems to search for either!
To be honest, unless I could find out the actual issue before I bought it, I can't say that I would as without knowing cause/cost to fix etc, it could end up very costly.
The alternator could be a route to check, although since it appears this may have been happening since 2010, I would have expected it to go by now. The car hasn't been used a great deal since then though, so that could have been extending the life of it.
It's an intermittent electrical fault - One of the hardest to diagnose and rectify. These types of faults can take weeks of manhours to sort out. If Google find the answer then I take it all back
If it was an easy fix it would have already been rectified. If you really love the car and simply must have it, then ask the seller to rectify it to your satisfaction. Otherwise walk.
pp
If it was an easy fix it would have already been rectified. If you really love the car and simply must have it, then ask the seller to rectify it to your satisfaction. Otherwise walk.
pp
rhkumar said:
Could you get the seller to put it through a 111 point check from an OPC?
This, why walk away from what might be an otherwise perfect car for the OP?Dealer is coming out with the usual dealer crap but insist an OPC fixes the problem and does a 111 check as dealer not confidence-inspiring
Sounds very similar to what happens to my 964 since having a light weight flywheel (LWF) fitted. When it's cold and changing down it will cut out when I dip the clutch and all lights will come on until I let out the clutch again (effectively bump starting it). This is because the standard DME is not programmed for a LWF and can't 'catch' the revs because they drop below the idle too quickly. It doesn't happen once the car is warm or if I keep the revs up (i.e. when changing up or if I use H&T to change down when it's cold).
While mine is a known fault that is caused when a LWF is added and could be fixed by tuning/chipping the DME, I wouldn't expect it to happen on a standard 996 which makes me suspect that the DME could be damaged. Especially if it's got wet due to a leak in the past?
While mine is a known fault that is caused when a LWF is added and could be fixed by tuning/chipping the DME, I wouldn't expect it to happen on a standard 996 which makes me suspect that the DME could be damaged. Especially if it's got wet due to a leak in the past?
melv said:
Does sound as though it's momentarily cutting out....crankshaft sensor glitch?
No, it didn't. Other than the dash lighting up, nothing seemed different at all. At least not that I noticed!The dealer had indicated he would be happy to take it to Porsche for the 111 point check, so I shall email and ask him if he would be prepared to take it there for them to fix this issue and for the check.
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