Outrageous fraud on G50 clutch job - long.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

In my 993 search, a local saw my ad on our Potomac PCA website and emailed me Fri. night, telling me his '95 was going on the market. In a bizarre co-incidence, it turns out this guy is the PO of my '87 Carrera. I bought the car from a local shop that sold it on consigment for him. When I first called about the car 2 yrs. ago, they said the clutch had recently been replaced. Anyway, the PO asked me how the car has been and I told him it had had some issues, but that I enjoyed working my way through them and that I replaced the clutch about a year after I bought the car. He seemed dumbfounded and said there was no way I should have needed a new clutch, as he had just had it replaced before he put it up for sale. The shop that "replaced" the clutch is not the same as the one which sold me the car and both are very reputable in this area. Anyway, I told him that I still had the old clutch parts in my possession, the G50 fork update was not done, the disc I pulled out of there was the original rubber centered one and I was 99% sure that the engine had previously never been out of that car before I first pulled it. Several Pelicanheads did this job with me and all have seen how shot and chewed up that shaft was. While the disc had plenty of life left in it at 72k miles, it was rubber centered and did not at all look new.

So yesterday I met up with the PO to check out his 993 for sale. He wanted to see my (his old) car and we ended up taking them both out for a spin. I asked him again what all that clutch job had included, thinking maybe he just misunderstood bleeding the slave cylinder for a clutch job. He assured me he still had the receipt for $2700 that stated full clutch R&R!!!!! I brought the old fork and shaft with me and showed it to him, explained that those parts were original to the car and Porsche had long ago stopped making the release forks with needle bearings. I told him that either the job was not done AT ALL, or they replaced only the disc and did not do the release fork update, figuring he was selling the car and perhaps the next owner would bring the car back for another clutch job later. Either way, a huge fraud has been visited upon this guy and he got a little po'ed. He said he'd be following up with that shop. Had I even seen the records for this work prior to purchase, they would not have helped me out, as they were fraudulent. Is there any way at all I could be wrong here? Would anyone in their right mind ever leave the original G50 release fork and shaft in? Unreal!!!

speeder · 04-28-2003, 05:40 AM

That's pretty scary.

arrivederci · 04-28-2003, 05:56 AM

I'm not the least bit surprised...especially since it concerns a shop in the DC area. One shop in particular comes to my mind. And this shop has had a few mechanics split off and open their own shops. Crooks! Hopefully its not ASG, since they are the only shop that I really trust with my cars.

kstylianos · 04-28-2003, 06:00 AM

Richard,
Keep us posted as to what the final outcome is.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Fortunately, or not - not sure - I was not really defrauded, so I have no recourse. I didn't own the car when the fraud took place and it wasn't my money. Hell, I really enjoyed doing that clutch job and made some new friends in the process. But I feel sorry for the PO. He's not a DIY'er and just took the shop at their word. I'd really like to know what happens too.

Adam · Adam's Garage

So, what did the PO think of the way your 3.2 drives now? I imagine he'd be impressed. What was his 993 like?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

His 993 had a little more low-end power than my Carrera, but I honestly don't think it was that much more powerful. The PO is a very big dude, so his being in the car definitely sapped some horsies. He misses his '87 and wants to get another one after the new house and baby are under control. He doesn't drive his car the way they're meant to be driven, so his eyes started bulging when I hit 100mph in 3rd gear - did it in both cars.

arrivederci · 04-28-2003, 06:20 AM

I just want to clarify that I'm not implying that ASG did the shoddy work. In fact, I've had excellent work done by ASG and highly recommend them (although they are usually busy prepping club cars).

yelcab1 · 04-28-2003, 06:23 AM

This is why I always do my own work.

speeder · 04-28-2003, 06:30 AM

Amen. I trust myself not to rip me off. And one very valuable friend who helps at times.

724doorE · 04-28-2003, 06:44 AM

My motto is " I can do it better the first time learning than the guy who does it every day and does not care"

Now I know this does not fit every one or even most people. Its not meant to mean that every shop sucks. But it works for me and keeps me out of trouble.

I am thankful there are mostly great guys around such as John Walker who have great reputations. Good luck to all and keep up the great work

Jim Smolka · 04-28-2003, 06:59 AM

If anyone wish, I have a tech article on how to replace the clutch on a G-50 Carrera. It shoud have been posted by now, but Wayne has been very very busy.

Jdub · 04-28-2003, 07:12 AM

Plus you can spend the money you save on tools! I love tools! Tools and clever hands keep the Devil at bay!

John, postulating.

adamred · adamred's Garage

I'm a pretty trusting person (to a fault sometimes) but when it came to my clutch and oil leak fix a few weeks ago I "dropped" in on my mechanic a few times during the week (it helped that he's only 5 minutes from my office). Checked the status, poked around, shot the s**t.
I think him seeing me there, asking intelligent questions and poking around 1) tightened the car-nut/mechanic bond (my wife says I have a "Male crush" 2) Told him that even though he's doing the work I know a thing or two.....

My .02

tight as a bull's ass · tight as a bull's ass's Garage

I always drop in unexpected and ask questions

It's MY CAR and it's MY MONEY....I have a right to know what's going on.

at work, my boss shows up unexpectedly all the time, it's no different.

but:
" I can do it better the first time learning than the guy who does it every day and does not care"

this is so true

Jim Richards · 04-28-2003, 07:37 AM

Richard, without naming names, is it the same shop that did the clutch R&R on my 993?

911nut · 911nut's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Jdub
Plus you can spend the money you save on tools! I love tools! Tools and clever hands keep the Devil at bay!

John, postulating.

When I glanced at this, I thought it said "Tools and clever hands keep the Devil at ebay".

LOL

Jim Richards · 04-28-2003, 08:09 AM

Richard, more to our "side conversation", did the PO show you receipts from the shop the "did" the clutch r&r? The shop in question is, from my limited experience and it's rep in the area, a good one. Maybe it (taking it in for a new clutch) never really happened...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

He didn't show me the receipt, but he said he had it at home and he was visibly pissed about it. I totally believe him. He seemed to be a very straight-forward, honest and nice guy. He told me all sorts of minor flaws on his 993 that I did not pick up at all on visual inspection. He knew the names at the garage that "did" the clutch job - I know those guys too. So he was obviously familiar with the shop.

jrb964 · 04-28-2003, 08:39 AM

Doesn't it just p**s you off when you find a "reputiable" shop that does stuff like that. I also do as much of my own work as possible and if I get in trouble I have them bail me out. When my cars are in the shop I drop by the check on the status, tell old porsche stories, and generally be a good guy.

Another thing, isn't it a kick to drive someone elses car they way these cars should be driven when they drive them like the "..little old lady from Pasadena...". I've done it a couple of times and people are just amazed....such fun.

My opinion..