Switching Extended Warranty Companies (Service Issues after Purchasing 996)

Recently acquired a 2002 Lapis Blue Metallic 996 C2 Cabriolet 6spd (grey top) with 61.5k miles on the odometer. I purchased the car without PPI (Rookie Mistake #1) because it was in great condition with the interior and exterior and I got it for a nice price... but I later found out it required a fair amount of work once I had the 60k done at a trusted indy shop in SoCal that many members have recommended. Once they undressed her and did the multi-point inspection, it became clear that there was some extra work required that normally should be covered by the extended warranty (I have the top tier bumper to bumper coverage from Cornerstone, 3 years, 30k miles at $4200, purchased at the dealer at time of purchase of car). The only issue is these mechanical issues were claimed only 9 days after purchasing the vehicle (Rookie Mistake #2). The dealer I bought the car from claims none of these issues were apparent when he sold the car and has the documentation from service/inspection records to prove it. I asked him to provide those documents and he refuses. I asked him at time of sale to provide any maintenance records and he told me none existed and he had nothing in hand (Rookie Mistake #3). It will be a back and forth battle between the shop and myself with the extended warranty company to prove that these weren't pre-existing conditions. We are currently waiting for someone from the warranty company to inspect the car prior to deciding what they will do. My question is this: has anyone been denied coverage for a claim and cancelled their extended warranty coverage after the fact and switched to a different company? I've reached out to both Mike and Troy hoping to find a better deal with a more reputable company. It was a mistake to jump in with both feet without performing the PPI. Here is a list of things they found while my car was at the shop (that could be covered by the extended warranty and was submitted as a claim): Coolant Expansion Tank (cracking) $1327.32 Oil leak: Bank 1 & 2 Valve Cover $2701.68 Engine Oil Pan (leaking) $579.24 Rear driver side shock (sweating fluid) $3813.76 Front driver side shock (leaking) $2431.88 Engine mount (collapsed) $838.86 Rear driver side brake caliper (sticking) $1306.81 Ignition coils (cracked) $495.84 Here are additional services I had performed that isn't covered by the warranty (I know many of you can do these yourselves, I don't have the space, tools nor technical expertise to handle these on my own): Drive belt $317.26 Transmission Service $415.00 Brake Fluid Flush $225.00 BG Fuel Induction Service $325.00 That is over $13k of work that will now be added on top of the sales price of the car. Do the prices seem out of reason? Talking to a good friend, he said that is just the cost of admission to play in the sports car game. If I am denied my claim, I am thinking of cancelling/refunding the extended warranty I have and using that money towards the repair and finding a better extended warranty deal and company with Mike or Troy. Would that be the next best move? EDIT : I should add the reason why I want to switch is because I might be able to find a like-coverage warranty for 1/2 the cost from the PCA/P-club groups. Then I could use that money saved from the cancelled warranty towards the services. EDIT 2 : Just heard from Mike and Troy. They won't be able to help with the warranty because a. they work on cars 2008+ and b. they work on cars within 4 year factory warranty. Looks like my next options are to switch shops, eat the cost of repairs, and keep warranty.

Most of those issues are relatively minor and most could be considered regular wear and tear. The prices quoted are way out of line, If you're inclined to do some work yourself you could save a lot of money. $6000 for two shocks is crazy. You could do the drive belt in ten minutes for about $30 and the motor mounts in a half hour with no special tools other than a floor jack. The coolant tank for your car is under $200. It's a pain in the butt to do but worth it to save $1200. The motor mounds are under $200 and not difficult to replace. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, find a more reasonable indy to do the work. A lot of these service contracts are worthless.

For the price of the 2 shocks u could have the coilovers and all the suspension arms replaced at a decent indy. A full set of olin street and track coilovers are around $2400. Mm price and oil pan cover cost is also way out if line. As far as the extended warentee goes, good luck. I too have found unless u own a minivan and like junk yard parts they r not worth the paper that they r written on.

Respectfully, your friend is wrong, those prices are insane and would make me immediately question the integrity of the shop. It looks to me like they flagged every possible thing they could think of and just tallied up a laundry list of possible issues. It's an old car, it's not going to be in factory fresh condition, but is there actual evidence all the stuff they flagged is an urgent problem? Is oil leaking (drips on your garage floor) or is it just moist around the seams? How do they know the rear caliper is sticking, is there actual evidence the brakes are dragging? The coils may have some cracks (it's an old car) but is there any sign of a misfire? Is there actually coolant dripping or dried coolant under the car? If so are you sure it's not just a leaking cap? If you aren't a car guy yourself, get a knowledgeable friend or the neighborhood gearhead to come by and sanity check this stuff. Don't make rookie mistake #4 by assuming all this work actually needs to be done (and paying ridiculously inflated prices to boot) just on the say so of some shop. Even if it does all need to be done (unlikely) virtually none of it is urgent and can be done DIY over the course of a few months for probably much less than 20% the prices they are quoting. You can buy a jack, jack stand, wrenches, and a socket set for several hundred bucks so lack of tools is easy to fix and not a good excuse to pay a shop $13k. Good luck with this but please do step back and think this through before giving anyone any more money. I doubt you'll have much luck with the extended warranty unless something actually breaks after you've owned it a while. Extended warranties aren't intended to fix imperfections that came with the car, particularly with a shop bucket list like this. Edit: BTW, forgot to say congratulations on the car, it's a beautiful color and these cars really are a joy to own. Hopefully this stuff get cleared up without to much cost so you can fully enjoy it.

OP, I'm sort of in shock with your post. Can't believe any company would warranty a 20 year old car and the price you paid is crazy! And the prices from that shop are crazy too. Your new car isn't an exotic and you should question when anyone wants you to pay more than what seems reasonable. Yes, Porsche parts are a little more expensive than the average car but it's not a Buggati. PV997 and the others have given you good advice. I would try to get your warranty money back (they'll figure out how to get out of claims anyway), and find a trustworthy local mechanic. If you do get the warranty money back, you could probably address everything the car "really" needs and end up with money in your pocket.

that is the biggest bull**** quote i've seen in a while. Please name the shop who quoted that crap.

Thanks all for your advice. I'm going to wait it out until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. The shop has 48 hours from yesterday (when the claims were made) to schedule an inspection of the vehicle. It will likely be on Tuesday because of the holiday. After that. I hope and PRAY (best case scenario) the warranty covers some of the work. If they do not, I'm going to pull my car out and find another reputable shop closer to me. There are a lot of them in the Orange County area. I'll likely have an answer as to what my next move will be in the next few days. Just an update: the owner of the dealership I purchased the car from got defensive with my texts to him and straight up offered to take the car back with full refund. The problem is I have already invested $2k+ in service in the car and I will end up returning a better car to him than what I bought in the first place. Might be a tactic to defend himself just in case I go after him after the fact (he could say "Well, I offered to buy the car back...")

Those prices! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! I would say, $2k hit and walk away - lesson learned. When 996 bites it bikes $25k hard

I'd walk away and eat up the 2k. Cheap enough. What about sales tax at registration?

I disagree.... if u like the car the items that need fixed r in the 2-3k range at a decent indy. Just shop around a little, get it fixed and enjoy.

$320 to change the serpentine belt?!?!?! That shop must think you have sucker written on your forehead. If I read all this correctly, you asking if anyone tried to commit a fraud be switching insurance companies or am I missing something?

Forgetting about the insurance: None of the things on the list are things a dealer will fix before a sale. The only way they fix these kinds of things is if you get an inspection and tell them no deal until these things are fixed. Their response is quite typical when put under the gun, "I'll take the car back". I'm with De Jeeper on this. If you like the car, shop the list around to find a much better prices. These are all things that need to be done to these cars in time and none are currently engine threatening. If the car is not making you smile when you look at it, get your money back and go find the one that does.

I�d like to chime in and echo what you�ve already read several times. The prices you�ve been quoted for all of those items on the list are outrageous and even well beyond �stealership� pricing. Are they throwing in a week�s worth of hookers and cocaine? If so, then the pricing seems fair. I own a �99 C2 and have done a few of your list items myself but even if you aren�t inclined to attempt any of the work on your own, you can still find reasonable pricing for parts and labor among dozens of qualified techs and shops. Good luck and never believe what you�re told about 911 parts and labor pricing until you check multiple sources. Remember that many people will assume that you have cash to burn because you drive a 911. The truth is far more reasonable and I�m sure the community here will jump in and help you navigate away from idiots.

I had a couple similar jobs quoted from an Indy here in San Diego in the last few months. The coolant tank was ~$1,300 (3.5 hours labor) but that includes the more expensive $650 tank for the 1999 model. Your tank should be closer to $300. Brake fluid flush was $287.

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Seriously, don't commit to anything or spend more money until you've done a lot of research. Step back and slow down, don't make the situation worse by making rushed decisions. I will be shocked if the warranty agrees to cover anything, but even if they do it would probably only be partial. That puts you in the position of having to make an immediate decision about ponying up the rest. You mentioned praying they will cover it (and prayer is good) but there's an old saying that the good Lord helps those who help themselves. You need to take control of this situation. If not already you should looking up part costs and shopping around. Sunset Porsche and Circle Porsche have good wholesale OEM pricing on the websites. Check out Pelican Parts and FCP Euro for aftermarket. A Porsche OEM coolant tank is only $130 from Sunset Porsche, and OEM motor mounts are $200 each. If you are willing to go with aftermarket you can get them in the $125 range. Billstein B4 OE replacement shocks are only ~$300 each from Pelican or FCP Euro. You have lots of choices here and nothing needs to be done right away unless you have a catastrophic leak (which I seriously doubt). You mentioned not having the capability to do it yourself but none of us had that capability at one point. You get that capability by actually doing it and learning. There's a Rennlist DIY for just about every possible repair, all the info needed is as simple as googling. You can get a 3-ton low profile jack for only $100 from Harbor Freight (thank you communist Chinese sweatshops). If you don't have a garage ask a buddy if he'll help you and use his. The work can be done on several Saturdays spaced over months, it doesn't have to done all at once. Even if you do decide to have someone else do the work it will be very helpful to know the actual part costs and the scope of the labor so you can judge if it's reasonable. There is no excuse for you not to take charge of this, all the information you need can be googled. Sorry if this comes off as nagging but you've already mentioned three mistakes and there is no excuse to make any more. The only decision you need to make right away is whether or not to return the car. Everything else can wait until you have done your homework.

Hi folks - a quick update: I got a call from the shop. The warranty claim came back denied. When I called the shop to see what they have done on the car (thinking they have done the 60k, plus the flush work), they told me they haven't done a thing. Nothing was done. My car was at the shop for 3 days and nothing was done. The guy on the phone said they were waiting on the warranty folks to get an answer before they did anything. This was after I asked them to go ahead and just perform the 60k and the flushes and all the other things that the warranty wouldn't have covered anyways. So, after it all, I won't be able to get my car back until noon on Tuesday because they are closed on the weekends and the holiday Monday. The techs come in at 0800a and it'll take time to put the car back together. I have decided to keep the car because the dealer says he wants to see the car and take it to his own mechanic. I'm tired of the run around and I really just want my car back home at this point. I'm getting a little frustrated by it all. The car does make me smile when I look at it and when I drive it. I just wish I could give her the TLC she deserves. I am looking around and finding more reputable shops as we speak. The next question I have is whether or not to keep the $4200 warranty (bumper to bumper, top tier, 3 year, 30k miles). Has anyone had a successful claim after being denied previously? Best, Joe

PV997 gave excellent advice above. I have no direct experience, but from what I've read online those warranty policies are virtually worthless. None of the issues you highlighted are showstoppers. Take your time and address each issue separately. There is little or no common labor to any of those items. Many of them are easy DIYs that will cost very little. Some will require professional assistance, but not at those prices. Take a deep breath and relax.

Save your money and learn how to work on your car!

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Get out of the warranty asap, it�s worth less than the ink it�s printed with. That money will address most/all your issues if you farm it out. Have the shop return your car without doing any of the work and have the people on here recommend you good shop to bring it to. Even if you don�t wanna/can do most of the work yourself (I don�t, parking on the street, no space), a good shop will cost a percentage of what you were quoted. Good luck! For reference, ask Tony Callas in LA for a rough estimate for the same work (they�re on the more expensive side). It�ll come in at less than half your quote.

The quote on the shocks alone was well, just shocking. What does it tell you if you can get coil overs installed for that price.

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What does it tell you if you can get your IMS, RMS, AOS, Clutch and Flywheel done for that price? I dunno where they are getting those prices from.

I�ll join in with the chorus telling you to get out of the �extended warranty�. On a car that old, they will not actually cover anything, and when/if they do, they�ll only authorize used parts and a below-market labor rate. That said, there are some semantics to resolve. A coolant reservoir that is �crackIng� is not necessarily leaking. A shock absorber that is �sweating� has not actually failed. I�ve worked in car dealership service departments for the last 23 years and dealt with many a service contract, their goal is to NOT pay for anything. If it�s not administered through the vehicle manufacturer, they have zero interest nor incentive to keep you satisfied. Talk with someone you trust to put together a priority order for what the car actually needs, brace yourself for SoCal labor rates, and make your plan from there.

Find some new car buddies who have a garage and some tools. Bring some beer and hang out, learn to do some work on your own. While I work in the trades and have a garage (mostly filled with work stuff), this is a new challenge for me too. I've been doing repairs as needed, things that keep it from running and basic maintenance stuff first. I'll tackle other things in order of urgency and as funds are available. I'm sure I could use new shocks and springs, but there probably a bunch of rubber bushings that need replacement first. Maybe I need new motor mounts, not sure. I'll get to it over time. Still trying to get used to a car that is vastly different than anything I've ever owned. Does put a grin on my face to drive it. Fun to take the family out for for dinner or dessert. It doesn't need to be perfect right now, or maybe ever as long as you enjoy it.

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Those prices are absolutely insane. I don't know what book is on the shocks, but it's an hour a corner on a gravel driveway in real life, and the struts themselves are about $250 each. The engine mounts are about a half hour of labor on your back on gravel, and while I don't remember the parts cost it was less than $200.

Thanks all for your continued feedback and advice. The good thing about a 3 day weekend is another day to spend with my family. The bad thing is the car is in the shop another day. I'll be picking up the car on Tuesday. I'm currently re-configuring my garage to move my power rack and gym equipment to the other side of my 3 car garage. I'm going to take your guys' advice and set up a shop in the garage to learn how to fix this car myself. Seems like most of you guys on here do. I figure the shop "exaggerated" a lot of the prices and issues to try and score a quick one on the warranty company. In any case I am excited to be back with my car within the next couple of days.

This is actually one of the easier cars to work on that I've had. Get some good jack stands (I had Rodcrafts shipped from Germany, it wasn't crazy expensive but it is a fair bit more than the Chinese kind you can get locally) and a set of lift bars ( http://liftbars.com/indexlp.htm ). That is the one pain in the butt aspect of working on these, getting them in the air. Have some 2x12s cut to drive up onto is a help as well. If you like nice tools, you can get Stahlwille, Hazet, and Gedore shipped from Germany very cheaply for the quality (but of course there are much cheaper lesser tools around). The struts are easy, the only annoyance is you need some specialty tools (same as a VW). If you are going to fix the oil pan leak yourself, might as well put a Tarrett Racing oil pan baffle in there while you're there. Shop around on parts. For genuine parts I use getporscheparts.com and germanautopartssource.com (depending if I also need parts for my BMW or my Benz at the same time) because they are close, so the shipping is very favorable, but there are plenty of competitive dealers doing the same thing online. If it doesn't need to be genuine there are lots of sites.

I was on the fence even still regarding the extended warranty. I finally decided to e-mail the dealer who sold it to me to cancel it. Reason being: I read in the contract that any modifications on the car may void future claims or the warranty outright. I think that means if I want to put an exhaust or headers or even maybe lower it.. anything that might affect the durability of the car, they can void my claim and or contract outright. So goodbye extended warranty! The money likely will go towards fixing what is most important on that big list.

Honestly the list isn't that bad. Get the coolant tank, belt, brake caliper, and motor mounts done (somewhere else, shouldn't be that expensive, under 2k for sure) Watch your driveway for the oil leaks, it's probably just a very slow weep, you can deal with at your leisure. You're in LA, so it never rains and is never very humid, which means you can do the ignition coils at your leisure too. The struts you can deal with at your leisure too, assuming you aren't planning on driving 3 digit speeds. Then get some tools, jack stands, and a jack, and you can definitely do the struts yourself, maybe the leaks, with no prior mechanical experience.

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You must not have had many cars

A lot of this you could save money buying the tools and doing it yourself. While some things may be beyond a new DIYer, the belt, motor mounts, sump plate aren’t. Certainly there is someone in your area who would help out for a six pack. I help people out all the time for free, or a six pack. There are lots of DIY threads. Or pick up 101 Projects For Your 911(996) and you’ll find most of the stuff illustrated. You can also find most/more of the book at: https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/996_tech.htm Another Indy will likely beat those prices, especially the shocks! Thats an advanced DIY, but not THAT advanced. Like someone above said, 1hr per corner is about right. So, I’ve been told that our local Indys charge $130/hour. Parts for all 4 shocks would run close to $1500. ...so I’d guess $2200 + a $180 alignment. Round it up and you shouldn’t expect to pay over $2600 for ALL 4 shocks installed in the Houston area. The numbers you quoted are certainly for 2 front and 2 rear, since you’re supposed to replace them in pairs. Hey, drive to Texas and I can install brand new coilovers, and motor mounts on your car for less than $6200! (less than half!) We could have it done in half a day. You bring the beer.

You're the man, Tex. One day if and when I make it through Texas I'll pay you a visit with a 6 pack of your choice. Likewise if you make it out to LA!8.3.0

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Probably about a dozen different models that I've worked on (weren't all mine), mostly German but some Toyota she some GM as well.

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^^^^^^ THIS!!!!^^^^

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I was in LA this time last year for work. I don't know when I might get back out there though.

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I've taught several people how to work on their own cars.(while I assist/supervise) This includes teens, early 20s females & males, 40 year old men and their teenage sons, 50+ year old women. All of them can now do some repairs. Usually they're lacking in tools, and borrow from me. One of the best DIY mechanics I've taught is a 24 year old female. She has no fear to tackle anything. She used to bring her car over and borrow my tools.(She has the code to my garage and is allowed to come and borrow anytime) Now she has her own tools. Her husband can't fix anything...yet She is the car person in their relationship. But she is teaching him now. I built a couple of race cars in an apartment complex parking lot in the 80s. You don't need a shop, a garage, or even any cover. You can buy a set of wrenches, a socket set, jack and jack stand accomplish most repairs. It is MUCH easier to do these days than "back in the day." I had to find and read manuals and figure stuff out the hard way. Today you have on-line DIY guides and YouTube videos to help. The hard part is deciding you're going to do it.

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Ditto, ditto, ditto.

So what you guys are saying is I should not buy the warranty Chris Berman and Ice T are pitching?