Tale of woe but hope it helps someone in the future (long post)

This is my first post on this board as I have made the jump from 2.5 Boxster to Carrera 4 Coupe and man what a journey. As I write this it aint over yet. This is a cautionary tale that if anyone can take anything out of this then I will have helped someone. I decide to get a 996 quite a while back and surfed every web page I could for a car. In the mean time sold the the Boxster and waited for the right car to come along. I found a Black C4 in my price range and with all the required spec. viewed it, drove it and settled on it. Negotiated the price and went away happy. This was not an OPC and not an Indy porsche specialist but an ordinary used car dealer so I did what every one should do and had a tech report carried out by a company advertising in the club mag. The verbal report to me following the inspection was very encouraging with comments like "couldn't fault the car" and "seen older ones in a worse state for more money" I felt quite smug. I took delivery last Thursday (13th, an omen perhaps) and by 1300 on Friday 14th I was stood next to the car on the roadside awaiting recovery following a complete failure of the clutch. (37000 miles on the clock) I have the Sale of Goods Act to thank for my protection as the clutch is not covered by the warranty but this did not stop the dealer trying to worm his way out of repairing the car and it was only me standing my ground that he (all the while knowing he was liable) agreed to cover the cost of the repair. So Mid Sussex Porsche have the car to repair the clutch and I will get it back some time later this week. Popints from this to bear in mind 1. the clutch can go pretty quick as I had (and the guy inspecting the car) no real indication that there was a problem until a couple of hours before complete failure. 2. Don't let dealers try and convince you it is down to you to repair a consumable part if you suffer a fault within six months of the sale, its there problem and they know it. (see the sale of goods act) 3. Even if you have a full tech report, always expect the unexpected. 4. Don't assume that if you change your insurance details over the phone, the idiot at the other end has fully understood your requirments Here is the second part of the nightmare. I changed my insurance details over the phone and was quoted what I though a very very good rate. Took advantage of it and took it out. When the certificate arrived to my horror the details were for the Boxster and not the C4. So for what little time I have had driving the car I have been running around without insurance. To add insult to injury on the back is a record of an accident that I have never had!!!! To say this whole episode has tainted what for me was the forefillment of what was a boyhood dream of owning a 911, is an understatement, but I hope it helps other to be guarded (as I thought I had been) Name of the guilty will be supplied on request

I don't see the problem. Some days things go well, occasionally things go wrong. A clutch failure or an insurance company's error are just everyday occurrences. Yes it's all hassle, but not worth getting worked up about.

ArBee Thanks for the input - nice to hear that garages respond to the words "Sale of Goods Act" - IMO we should all use the phrase a lot more than we do. In repspect of the Insurance, again I think you would have had 'good bat' if things had gone awry. Hopefully the C4 will now go on to live up to all expectations and prove to be VFM.

Thanks Nigel, Yes the bat was uppermost in my mind as I did not need the problem at this particular time. They promise to listen to the tape of my call so let's see what they come back with. As for the car, I still feel I did well on the purchase as a clutch is a clutch and prone to fail at some time, but not after 24 hours! (I have always viewed myself as unlucky and this kind of confirms it, I feel sure that if I fell into a barrel of boobs I'd come out sucking my thumb!!!!) If I enjoy it half as much as the Boxster, I am in for a treat.

It wasn't Hagley Specialist Cars was it, that you got the car from?

No TJ, it wasn't. Have you experienced similar dealer resistance to their legal obligations by any chance?

Thanks ArBee for a great post. I am also looking to make the same move from a 2.5 to a c4/c2 cab tip. I know a lot of people use specialists for an inspection report, but given your example and many others,I'm not sure if I would. I got an RAC report when buying my Boxster. The report was 8 pages long, and was incredibly detailed, although they couldnt physically look at the engine. But they do guarantee that anything they missed, would be rectified by them. How detailed was your inspection report, and how long did they spend with the car? How does the car feel compared to the 2.5?

Any other day maybe, but the day after taking delivery of his long-awaited 911? I'd be pretty annoyed. OK it's unlucky, but I think most people would lose it a bit.

Rodney, I spent 300 quid on the report and it has not yet arrived, it is only a week since the report was done so I can't say at this stage how detailed is is. To be fair the Clutch problem would not have been evident unless there was slippage felt through the throttle and I feel sure if it had he would have said. I certainly never felt it when I test drove the car. I did not intend to infere that the report was poor, more to warn that a glowing report does not automatically mean a trouble free car. As for the time spent on the inspection I can't say as I was not present but the dealer said he spent a long time carrying it out and he took it for a 10 mile test drive (hence the comments above) The jump from my beloved Boxster to the C4, well I can say up untill the breakdown, totally impressed and pleased I had made th move. The two cars (as far as I can tell) are very different in handling, my C4 spec has far more than the Boxster (PCM PSM etc.) so feels like the investment has been justified. I still think I need more time to fully appreciate the car (4 hours on the M25 and M4 won't really tell anyone a great deal) But after all is said and done and the Clutch is rectified, I should have the car I always dreamed of. (fingers crossed)

I was more than a little miffed its true to say but what worried more than anything was how to tell the Mrs that this example of engineering excellence that I wanted to invest over 40 grand in had given up the ghost after 24 hours !!!!! (I am sure that theres plenty of you out there who, faced with my predicament, would have been just as scared)

When I purchased my C4 from a car dealer I had a Automotive Buyer Report from a company advertising in Porsche Post. Looking back, as one does, it was a total waste of money. The best method is to take it to an OPC or Specialist dealer. They are probably cheaper and since they are working on the cars everyday they stand a far better chance of identifying faults. There is no way you can check out a car without a proper road test first, then an underbody examination etc whilst up in the air from an experienced mechanic - any less and you are taking a risk. It wasn't until I had it serviced that I was reassured that all was ok. And yes its funny - how one muses "What will the wife say when she realises I 've spent all this money and its gone wrong!"

Please advise as to the name of the guilty party. You also seem to feel that an engineers inspection wasn't worthwhile. Does anyone know anything about a certain Portia dealer with premises at the bottom of the A1 in north London ? I plan to check one of their 996's out. SGLB

What is the name of the firm that inspected your car. I'd like to avoid 'em. I am also curious that you suggest taking a prospective purchase to an OPC for an inspection---do you really think that the vendor would let you take his car off his premises for any such inspection ? SGLB

Arbee Could you let me know where you purchased and also how much. I am currently in the same situation of trying to find a C4 Regards

Melun, The Car is a 2000 C4 in Black with ruffled grey leather and Sport design 18" wheels, it is UK spec with all the usual fittings including Sat/Nav. 2 Previous owners with Full OPCSH (Lancasters) with 37000 on the clock It paid £39.250 for it from a Dearlership called "One Lady Owner Ltd" from Kent found through the web pages of Autotrader. Since I posted my initial gripe I have since found out that Mid Sussex Porsche have to replace the Flywheel as well as the Clutch and apparently One Lady Owner Ltd are going to be paying for that also. (Further £850 quid). So it does obviously pay to know how you stand regarding the sale of goods. As for the inspection. I would have done exactly what Grant suggested regarding an OPC or an Indy specialist however, as pointed out by Steve, how do you get the vendor to agree to let you have the car when he could be selling it to someone who may not be as cautious? Happy Hunting!!!!

With both my 996 (non Porsche garage vendor) and my Boxster (private sale) I arranged for OPC inspections. They arranged to have/took the car delivered and picked up. If they hadn't agreed to this I would have walked away, and so should you.