Picked up my 996TT yesterday...HORROR STORY

I'm not going to divulge at the moment which garage I bought the car from at the moment, i'm giving them time to fix the car.... OK, Friday morning. 3am, leave Glasgow heading to London to pick up my 03 plate 996TT (pretty excited) uneventful drive in my M3 taking approx 6 1/2 hours. Arrive at garage and go up and look at the TT for the first time. Looks nice. The garage then says to me they plan to deduct nearly £600 off the trade in value of my car due to rear tyres being too worn... NOT amused!!!! Next, I realise the 911 doesn't have the sports seats that I had believed were in it....WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually fully pissed off by this I signed the paperwork and left in the 911 (looking back I should have just got in the M3 and left) We leave the garage at 11am. As soon as I get on the motorway and up to speed (70mph) I feel the car has a slight shake too it. Venture up to 100mph and the shaking begins to get pretty violent, hoping it's just wheel balancing we carry on, looks like a 70mph trip. 50 miles up the road I stop at services for petrol. Click click, engine won't start! Hugely busy service station and nobody want to lend us jump leads or help jump the car. Eventually someone from the garage helps us in an old Almera, no good, battery in the Almera not powerful enough. Call the AA, an hour later diagnosed with a duff battery I pay £100 for a new one and we're on our way. My mate is now driving because i'm in a serious strop. We make it a further 200 miles......... Realise the battery voltage is now pretty low, WORRIED. Next thing the PSM light, ABS light and battery light all fire up. Battery is on it's way out!!!!! Pull into a services and call the AA. They send an independant out, ***** moron that turns up in a flat bed, and NO tools!!! Says he has a spare battery. Us thinking, well it's got to be the alternator but we're only 100 miles from home, a new battery will get us there. We put the new battery in and head off. Fully 100% RAGING by now 20 miles further and this supposed "new" battery is starting to dip below 12v badly already. We make it to Dumfries where we have pals. Call the AA AGAIN. "Don't bother sending someone to fix it, send me a tow truck" It's 10:30PM by the time the tow truck has us on board. The tow truck won't fit up my street so we drop it off at my mates house. Now well after midnight we unload it and the alarm wails for about 10 minutes, sorry neighbours. He gives me a lift home and i'm in bed by 1am. Now the car has to be towed to a garage and fixed which I doubt will be complete until Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest, so I now have no car. Does this seem like something that willl be happening regularly??? I'm already so disappointed in the car I just want my M3 back.

That is truly a horror story, understand your rage and a real shame your 911 experience has got off to a very bad start. Is the car warrantied? What have the garage said? Didn't you get a PPI done? Did you test drive the car before agreeing sale? Have you got details of/spoken to previous owner? I'd have been inclined to return to dealer ASAP when first concerned, I know this doesnt help now.

Yeh the car is warrantied. I won't be taking the car out of the garage it's going into until all my concerns are resolved. The garage has apologised and said they would cover the work to fix it. The car came from a very reputable garage that deals in a lot of Porsches, my friend bought one from there too, so I had no real concerns regarding the car. As the garage was in London and I was Scotland no real test was taken. I took it a spin when I got there and it seemed fine, although I didn't have it on the motorway when I took it out. I know what you mean about returning it, but when the original problem occured the AA deemed it to just be a dodgy battery and I was happy with that. As when a new battery was fitted the car was up and running, no warning lights or anything.

Well I'm pleased to hea rthe garage have apologised and I can't really judge from an armchair but hopefully everything gets sorted fine. If its either of the dealers in the Mill Hill or Hendon area I'm not surprised, based on your point about trade in value, my money is on the latter garage. All you need to do is google or search on PH for a fair few opinions.

The more posts like this I read, convinces me that no matter who you buying from (and that INCLUDES OPC) you need an independent report. It may seem unnecessary but it can save a lot of heartache in the long run - and don't blame the car, blame the dealer In this case you have got off lightly! http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=45190&highlight=gt3

TBH, things like the battery can be pretty hard to check if its been standing in the showroom? If its just the battery then no worries. As per the p/ex did you tell the dealer the tyres were shot? Thats always the problem with doing any deals over the phone/internet, you need to be 100% truthful about the state of both cars. Not picking sides, but if you were p/ex'ing with me and told me you car was 100% perfect i would expect at least 3mm's on all tyres, otherwise i would do the same TBH...

Tyres/disc/pads are often overlooked/ignored on 911 sales and can cost a small fortune to rectify after buying. Let's hope it's an easy fix and your faith/enjoyment level is re-ignited ASAP. :thumb:

I am so sorry to hear about what should have been a day of smiles, fun, excitement and so on and so forth being a day in hell!! Not sure on the legal side but!! Surely if the car was described and advertised with Sports seats it should have them?? I think this is a case for legal intervention. Again knocking off £600 for new tyres on the M3.... They bent you over a table there! I put new front tyres on the 911 prior to selling. Michelin sports at £300! £600 for M3 tyres?? ehhhh??? Now onto the problems and associated costs. I think .... (not sure) you have to give them the opportunity to "make good". So it needs to go back to them. I would personally be on the phone to the managing director of the garage first thing on monday. Relate your experiance. List of problems. Costs to you. Your expectations. Mine would be. They arrange for pickup of car. They agree the rental of a "reasonable" car for you in the meantime. They fit the seats that were supposed to be in it! They bring the car up to a "standard" you expected and agreed upon on purchase. _------------------------------------------------ Well, unfortunately I think you have a bit of a battle in front of you! Sorry .. very sorry! I really hope monday sees you able to have a positive converstion initially with them. Also a speedy and positive outcome. It would really be nice to hear of a garage say "oh no Mr xxx. I am really sorry to ghear this. Give me a short while to make enquiries and come back to you and we will sort this out". I sincerely hope this is the outcome! Fingers crossed and good luck!

Sorry to hear about the collection of what should be the best car you'll ever own.. A 911 TT is such a better vehicle than the M3, once the problems have been sorted you will not look back, get the wheels balanced a NEW battery (another one) and a NEW alternator. I would be asking the dealer what they are going to do for you ? IE- Free service (the cost of) or something like that, and explain how you have not exposed the name of the dealership on Porsche forums, but will be. Giving them chance to sort out any problems getting your vote, or whats happened and how ********* Dealer did nothing. Put this day down as a bad day..You'll look back in a few weeks and think 'What M3 !

Decision has been made. I'm taking it back and getting my M3 back. I appreciate that this might have been a fairly minor problem but it has definately upset me. Not sure if i'll look for another one. The garage are actually being very fair now. Taking the car back no problem and the finance will be cleared with no extra charges.

OMG, thats a nightmare and completely reaffirms my lifelong policy of only dealing with local garages and waiting for the right car locally. Once fixed though I'm sure you'll love the 911 and hopefully you'll have a reliable car in the future.

Hi MinTTo Sorry to read your horror story. I kind relate to your decision of taking the car back as I would probably do the same. It would leave a nasty sour taste in my mouth and the first drive home after buying a car normally stays in your memory forever. Just make sure you buy another 911. Goodluck Regards EliteDetailer :thumb:

I understand to a degree that you hadnt seen the car due to geography But how could you think it had sports seast when it didnt? Surely you'd at least seen decent photos of the car? And regarding whether to keep it or not Get your M3 back and buy another Turbo that youve had PPI'd and driven before handing over the readies

All in all I think you have made the right decision! Take a deep breath and wait a while!! Distance and dealrs are an odd thing!! Mark Pearce of http://www.stirlings.co.uk/ a regular poster on here lives in St. Ives and delivers "PERFECT" cars tpo people who haven't seen them prior to his turning up on the doorstep. This works fine as he is a very genuine guy! I do think you will love a Porsche once you get the right one! Put this down to experiance. It could have happened with any make. ..... sadly!!!

I'm sorry, but I can't believe you bought a 996 Turbo without seeing it, or having it inspected, and agreed a p/x over the phone, whether from a reputable dealer or not. And if it wasn't the specification you wanted, I really can't understand why you would sign the papers and drive away without even a test drive. Just my 2p's worth - flame me if you like. Oh, and it sounds like the alternator has had it, and the wheels are out of balance.