Boxster 981 reliability concerns?
Boxster 981 reliability concerns?
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Discussion

J17KNX

Original Poster:

19 posts

178 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
I assume no Boxster 981 owners have had issues with reliability? The pic below is mine being recovered. Picked it up on Sunday afternoon from Porsche Glasgow, drove it 20 miles home. As I was turning into my drive the "low coolant warning" came on. I expected a quick fix however just received a call from Porsche who say they are on to "technical in Germany" to attempt to resolve the issue......

So far my first ever Porsche ownership isn't exactly how I had imagined it would be! :-/


Ed50

2,574 posts

211 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
Jamie,

Thats got to be shear bad luck and has no doubt p*ssed you right off ,I know how you feel my last Aston did
me the first week of ownership, when after drawing much admiration and attention on the Shell forecourt it decided not to restart.....great joy, the embarrassment!.

I'm sure it'll get sorted and you'll soon be out hooning those great roads around you,anyway its given the neighbors a chuckle and something to smile about.

I'll resume the wait for ours to be handed over now with a little trepidation shall we say but stick with it and enjoy.

Oh and by the way it still looks cool perched on the back of that truck......smile




MDian

2,893 posts

201 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
Probably just bad luck. Had a mate buy a brand new BMW M3 Alpine and got a few hundred metres down the road from the dealer only for it to completely grind to a halt only to find that no oil had been put in! Took them weeks to fit a new engine!!!

stevod

454 posts

170 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
Bad luck - hope it's back with you soon. If they've had to escalate it then it must be rare, so mayeb that's some reassurance.

Have to ask: your username isn't a private plate you've put on the vehicle, is it?!

J17KNX

Original Poster:

19 posts

178 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
No different plate on this Boxster.

Hope you are right and I get it back soon. The more time passes, the more serious I fear the issue is!

On the phone to the recovery service was a laugh. "how many miles has the car done?" - 25... "25 thousand?" No no, just 25 :-/

MDian

2,893 posts

201 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
I reckon it will just be a duff sensor and you'll get it back pretty damn quick with an apology.

Angle for some freebies, when I bought my CR, it had a rattle from above my right shoulder, a squeaky clutch pedal and more importantly, a faulty air-con unit (the part in the dash) and I negotiated free tyre and wheel cover for 3 years.

Mr Ping

262 posts

166 months

Tuesday 5th March 2013
quotequote all
If its any consolation an old work colleague bought an Audi A3 and when he drove it down the road a few days later what appeared to be steam started coming form the bonnet.

He pulled over to the side of the road and called Audi to describe the problem. They asked him to pop the bonnet and take a look so he turned back around....to find the car literally on fire.

He showed us the photos, he was pretty gutted!

J17KNX

Original Poster:

19 posts

178 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
Update.

The car was delivered back to my house last night with the promise that the doggy sensor had been replaced and all was well.

I had my tea and went out to go for a wee spin ... "low coolant warning" light came back on in the drive and the engine temperature was reading 125C while the car was cold. I am starting to get pretty frustrated with it. The car is back with Porsche and I have a Black Boxster S with Sports Exhaust which is nice but not my own.

My confidence has totally gone with the car.

Ed50

2,574 posts

211 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
Sorry thats really sad to hear,lets hope OPC resolve this for you quickly before your patience and confidence
goes completely.

Really disappointing to hear.

BertBert

21,273 posts

241 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
J17KNX said:
Update.
The car was delivered back to my house last night with the promise that the doggy sensor had been replaced and all was well.
Sorry to make light of your woes, but that sensor is to detect an entirely different type of activity biggrin

Bert

Hubert K

58 posts

184 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all

I am sorry to hear that. But there are two things very positive.


You have a "Low coolant warning" and the car is a Porsche. So they will get the problem sorted very quickly and without any costs for you.

Would be extremely glad I could say this from my Ginetta G60 ... waiting 7 month now for repair.

I cross my fingers Porsche get this sorted out soon for you.


MDian

2,893 posts

201 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
Experienced similar issues at the hands of Porsche where three times they said it was fixed, though clearly wasn't the second I drove it.

It is a horrible senerio, but look on the bright side, you have a similar 'hire' car that you can hone your skills on without any regard for how much abuse you give it wink

Klippie

3,608 posts

175 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
Thats a real shame your new car experience has been tarnished you would think this fault would have appeared or noticed at the PDI and test drive.

You'll be back on the road soon and a once a few miles are under the tyres you'll have forgotten all about it.

Ti22

290 posts

203 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
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I'd be tempeted to hand back the car..

red_slr

20,776 posts

219 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
125c.. thats not good...
The main thing its a new car and their warranty will sort any problems.
The only worry I would have is the fact that its been run at 125c... thats too hot IMHO.
I wonder if the thermostat is stuck closed? (does the 981 even have a traditional stat?!)

London GT3

1,071 posts

271 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
red_slr said:
125c.. thats not good...
The main thing its a new car and their warranty will sort any problems.
The only worry I would have is the fact that its been run at 125c... thats too hot IMHO.
I wonder if the thermostat is stuck closed? (does the 981 even have a traditional stat?!)
I might be wrong but I think the OP said it was reading 125 but was actually cold.

pete.g

1,531 posts

236 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
It's not as if coolant level or coolant temp sensors are complicated things.

They'll just have stuck a new sensor in and cleared the code, which is what 'technicians' are trained to do - it looks as though they might actually have to do some thinking instead, such as finding an open circuit.

Very disheartening in any car, let alone a Porsche.

Edited by pete.g on Wednesday 6th March 21:58

mollytherocker

14,465 posts

239 months

Wednesday 6th March 2013
quotequote all
It's a bh when you have spent so much but higher cost does not equal higher reliability. All cars are incredibly complicated now and it sounds like an electrical gremlin, that whilst is a pain in the arse, is a pretty minor issue. It's not like the engines let go.

Give them a chance to get it sorted and enjoy the loaner safe in the knowledge that you are saving wear and mileage on your car!

fubar69

125 posts

189 months

Monday 11th March 2013
quotequote all
red_slr said:
125c.. thats not good...
The main thing its a new car and their warranty will sort any problems.
The only worry I would have is the fact that its been run at 125c... thats too hot IMHO.
I wonder if the thermostat is stuck closed? (does the 981 even have a traditional stat?!)
Thermostat isn't totally traditional. Its got a little electric heater in it to help with opening. Its all part of Porsches Thermal energy management. Hope car gets sorted soon.

J17KNX

Original Poster:

19 posts

178 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
quotequote all
I have the car back and all seems to be OK.
The service manager couldn't tell me exactly what was wrong but sensors have been changed and a lot of testing and everything seems fine.

I also was given a meal for myself and the family on Porsche as an apology for the hassle.

Thanks for all the comments.