Kaisen bashing: do you know me?

[TerryBPP]

Prove me wrong.

[kaisen]

Some questions about 996s

"Anyway, the 996's have lots of engine and transaxle issues. Spending $30,000 for the car (great deal!), then $10,000 for the motor, then crossing your fingers on the transaxle doesn't sound like a great deal anymore."

This is as close as I could find.

Not going to debate semantics with you, but I think 'widespread' could mean different things to different people. It is a legitimate issue. It is not just one isolated event, or just a couple. There are MANY. Widespread? Depends on your perspective.

E

[kaisen]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
So...not a single pic of one of the many cars you have owned?....

Didn't you see the Audi pictured on page 3 of this thread? That would be 'one single pic'.

E

[TerryBPP]

Humor me with a pic of that 2002tii w/ webers.

[kaisen]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
100 is "many," but would be less than 1% of all 996's built.

So what do you mean by "many?" 100? 200? 1% of 996s? 2%? And what are you basing that guess on?

Porsche NA has not (and does not) release that data. So ANYONE would be guessing.

I lapped a 2004 996 around the infield in Milwaukee in Sept of 2004. That car had under 10K miles and had a second gear issue and a slipping clutch. I drove a 2005 997 the same day that was fine. A friend of mine here in MN had Carousel replace a transmission under warranty because it locked up completely. He also had the RMS failure / engine replacement and has since sold the car. That would be my first and second hand experience, but other internet posts and articles would suffice as non-biased third-party 'proof' to back those suppositions.

The original thread was a solicitation for advice on 996's. Whether it affected 100 or 500 (out of 8000/year here in NA) would still raise a concern for most people who would consider purchasing a 996. The trans (and engine) concerns are not small expenses - they are several thousands of dollars.

Consider the internet posts on the subject the tip of the iceberg.

How many open spots in the revolver before you'd play Russian roullete?

E

[kaisen]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
Humor me with a pic of that 2002tii w/ webers.

I will see if I can find a picture of that car, but it wouldn't be digital so I'll have to scan it some time. It was the second car I ever owned, back in 1986 (almost 20 years ago). I bought it in Princeton, NJ from a professor there. He had owned it since 1975 or 76. When the FI had significant failures, he was advised to convert it to Webers, and he did. He used the car as a car, strapping canoes to it and using it every day. It was ugly flat tan, with black vinyl. It had plenty of rust in the usual places, but the rear shock towers were solid. The car was fun to toss around the river roads around Bucks County where I worked construction for my uncle for the summer. I wasn't old enough to have my license, but didn't care. I drove the snot out of the little car all summer. When summer was over I intended to ship the car back home, but it never happened. My uncle ended up selling the car for me for what I paid for it (About $3000 if I recall).

E

[kaisen]

Here is my (former) 2000 Chev Camaro SS Convert 6 speed

See tons of information on it at:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/591281

I sold it about a year ago to a collector from Winnipeg, Canada. Several people on www.chirpthird.com (camaro ss owners association) know the car, including Hawkeye and PoSSum. Never saw a raindrop or dusty road. Saw its first snowflake the day it rolled from my garage into the new owner's trailer. Sad day. Sold it more or less to make room for my C6.

My only cardomain endeavor, as many people were interested in production numbers and available options, and how the cars looked when new. Mostly I don't think people care all that much.

Only car I photographed a bunch.
















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[kaisen]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
Prove me wrong.

My 1976 Mercedes Benz 6.9 (116.036.12.001349):

I bought this car the summer of 1990. It was owned by an executive of John Deere in Osh Kosh, WI. He was being transferred to Florida and didn't want to take the car down as he was afraid of emissions (euro car- no cats). I negotiated with him over the phone and traded him my 1986 Audi 5000CS (with about 37K miles) even up.

The car was somewhat rusty, but not bad. It looked great from 10ft. The exhaust system was rusty. The car was in 100% european trim, including no door beams, euro lights and lenses, euro bumpers, etc. The suspension was working but tired. The interior was very nice, and had heated front and rear seats! Also had a Webasto gas-fired heater under the hood with a timer between the front seats. The car rode on factory 15" alloy wheels which signified a service-use car (limo, bulletproof, hearse, etc.). Very few were made. In researching the car it turns out it was originally owned by the Swedish diplomatic corp. The car was originally Gray, but had been painted Black to do its 'civil' service.

I drove the car as it was for a couple months, as I had other cars to drive. I removed the exhaust system and had Timevalve fabricate a euro exhaust from type 304 stainless. Without exhaust the car loped like a big block Chev. I took it to Rock Falls Raceway (WI) and turned a 14.6 at 101mph at the dragstrip. Lots of people were shocked to see such a large car break 100mph. The previous owner told me I had to run 100+ octane fuel, so my local Union 76 had Unocal 104 octane racing fuel (at $4/gal) and that's what I used. I later figured out that 93 octane was okay if I didn't hammer on it.

I started the restoration process in 1992. I disassembled the car and stripped it to bare metal with aircraft stripper. Al Repinski (sp?) of Eau Claire, WI (known for painting Harleys and motorcycle helmets) welded in the required new panels and painted the car in Glasurit single stage black. Doors, fenders, glass, interior, sunroof, rubber, and trim were all removed for a 'concours' job. The body and paint weren't done until 1995. Winter 1995/1996 I reassembled the car with new trim. Fitted new suspension struts and accumulators, and refitted the new Timevalve exhaust system. The car turned out very nice.

I drove the car VERY little in the next few years. Every year I brought the car out of storage for a show or cruise there was something else leaking. Everything cost significant money, and took considerable time. I ended up putting only ~1500 miles on the car from 1996 to 2000.

A collector named Henry Bonis from Miami, FL arranged to purchase the car. He wanted to fly up for the Final Four in March of 2001 and drive it back to Miami! Nuts, I thought. He had a local independent Rolls Royce specialist go through the car. He made it back to FL without incident.

As far as I know, he still owns the car. He is still listed on the M100 registry for the 6.9's at www.m-100.cc.

I have (non-digital) pictures of the car somewhere, and I will update this post when I find and scan them.

E

[tabascobobcat]

Here is yet another link to 996 problems :

http://www.theautobahn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16936

Just to get caught up, my favorite ride ever owned was a black 1990 Audi Coupe Quattro and Sam Adams Light gives me the gas.

[kaisen]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
Prove me wrong.

My 1999 BMW 750iL

Okay, I swore I'd never own another BMW, but the e38 7 series were (and still are) awfully cheap. I was searching for the right 740i. The '99-01 7's had several nice upgrades so I focused on those. I wanted heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. They came standard on 750's. I also wanted Black. I'm a sucker for Black.

So this Black '99 750iL popped up. Just turned 100K miles, which was ridiculously high, but sinfully cheap. $100K car for under $20K, every service done, newer Michelins, great cosmetics, no oil leaks. Even the displays worked... well they did, but ended up failing like they all do. I never used the navigation because I didn't have a CD for my region. I planned on upgrading to the 16:9 Nav unit and the DVD guts, but never got to it. Other than electronics and control arms, the car was very dependable. Renewed my faith in BMW, somewhat. Probably not enough to buy another.

The car had LOTS of torque, but wasn't particularly fast and felt oddly cumbersome. The insurance rates were what made me sell the car. When I moved from WI to MN, my premiums were MORE than my Corvette! I guess all that V12 stuff up front was expensive to repair. I sold it to a friend of my uncle's in Houston, Texas for what I paid for it.






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[yellowline]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Still unconvincing to establish that 996's suffer from "widespread" transmission failures.

Again, unless you want to specifically define what you mean by "widespread." Are you guessing more than 1%? And what specifically are you basing your guess on? A few internet stories?

But when your aunt's or neighbor's domestic has something wrong with it, you'd be here ranting "95% of domestic cars are *****!" And you know you would.

And when multiple complaints come up on a 996 trans, it's "oh, 1% isn't a big deal." The double standard is incredible sometimes.

This is an import forum. I drive an import car. I'm not expecting to win domestic converts over, but why not look at the entire field with an open mind before making a decision? That means not buying a magazine and hearing what self-professed experts say about a car. It means doing objective research, driving each car, etc. Do that and buy an import car in the end, and then I'd have nothing bad to say.

Ad hominem attacks against a person or company are always the weak way to make a point.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Victor
For the record, I haven't owned a Porsche (or God forbid, BMW) for well over six months - and publicise this on the bottom of every post.

Only one person here has vilified me for this - possible because he has a VERY small schlong.

So agree with you totally on the "we are ALL motoring enthusiasts" bit of your post.

Victor, and just for the record, believe that I am the one who asked why you were here if after you sold your 911.

Regarding my tool, well, its not very long but thick man, very thick!

Joe A

[Victor]

Ha! Still a valid question though Joe.

Truth is, I have been here for so long I got no other place to go. Seen a WRX forum? Not good, not good at all.

[Joeaksa]

Victor,

Well Sir, on that point you and I agree! This forum is excellent and wish there were others like it for all models of cars.

Joe A

[onewhippedpuppy]

I would like to see data, x number of trannys out of x number are bad, or maybe a percentage. That would establish if there are widespread issues. My only point of contention is that Bruce Anderson had a recent article about the 996 and it's flaws, and the transmission issue was only briefly mentioned. There was quite a bit about the RMS issue, but I think everbody will agree that it's a weak point of the 996. Normally BA tells it pretty straight, and I think there would be more press about it if it truly was "widespread", as somebody may or may not have claimed.

I don't think anybody here would claim that Porsche or any import car is perfect, though our 4Runner has been pretty damn close. I think the argument is that with a domestic not only do you have the normal problems (Ford trucks/ SUVs bursting into flames anybody?), but also lower standards of build quality and an inferior driving experience. I'm not talking ALL domestics, DC especially has made strides in making some of it's products interesting and improving their quality, and they have been doing much better than Ford and GM.

[TerryBPP]

Looks good to me. I stand corrected.

[Jims5543]

Impressive car list. Your knowledge of a variety of cars has always impressed me.

IMO Corvettes still suck, and I think that is the only place where you and I disagree.

I kick myself every day for trading in my 2001 2.7T A-6 for an '05 A-6 3.2 litre. Once my lease ends I am going to search out an low milage 2.7 again.

[kaisen]

Originally posted by onewhippedpuppy
I would like to see data, x number of trannys out of x number are bad, or maybe a percentage. That would establish if there are widespread issues.

I'd like to see that data too. Good luck with that. Neither Getrag nor Porsche are very likely to release any data. Silent recalls occur all the time. Kudos to Porsche for quickly and discreetly taking care of customer's cars. If only GM, Ford, and DCX could learn that lesson.

Again, for the record: I never said 'widespread'

E