Why didn't I have the car inspected?

Oh dear, driving into London in my 2 month since buying it C4S and, that's funny, the revs are increasing but the road speed isn't And what's that nasty burning smell? And that clutch is really heavy! Dong! (sound of pennies dropping). The clutch is shot. £1000 from an OPC. Did I have the car inspected? No. I should have done. I got the (non OPC) dealer to respray the front end and replace the windscreen and a couple of other dings, car looks fab but I thought, I've bought Porsche's before, FPSH, new tyres, this looks OK mechanically! Moral of this story, get the car inspected. Lesson for me: one more reason to get an extended warranty in case there's something else waiting in the wings to spoil my day.

Would the clutch of been covered under extended warranty ? Wear and tear comes to mind, think of it at least you saved the £750 of warranty and put it into a new clutch[ ] garyw

If the car is under 2years old the warrenty is still valid, dispite changeing hands.... Clutchs cost about £800 if you shop arround OPc's

I asked at the OPC about clutches specifically when I was looking for TT (since I considered getting a year old one). The clutch is not covered under their used car warranty, nor under the factory warranty. They also said they could not tell how much life was left in it, so it was an uncertainty you just had to live with. They inspection would not help you to know. The life expectancy varies greatly depending on how the car is driven.

Mark, Hardlines especially on such a new car. Out of interest what mileage has your C4S done? Andy

Thanks for your comments. The car has done 25k miles, a little under 2 years old, warranty expires next month. I don't think the clutch is covered under the factory or extended warranty, especially after this mileage. With the 4WD and (in my case) the uprated engine, the clutch provides the only slippage in the system and bears the brunt. Interestingly, we also have a Subaru Imprezza WRX and the one component which isn't covered under the warranty (apart from obvious wear items like brakes) is the driven clutch plate. Same 4WD, lower power engine (225 v 345 bhp) but same issue. That £1000 is at OPC Reading, including VAT. It's going in tomorrow, for 2 - 3 days. I came back to Porsche after dumping my MB SL600 (hence the user ID) which had developed an unhealthy desire to spend time in the workshop. Hope the 911 does not do the same. Realise now that I based my buying decision on my previous experience of Porsches, possibly by mistake, time will tell.

Mark, 25K miles for a clutch is not normal, I would expect at least 40K.... Whilst it is not covered by the warranty, Porsche should be looking at a goodwill claim for some of the cost... Somebody I know who had his replaced at 44K, got a £100 voucher.. Its better than nothing. Charlie

And don't forget that there is the Sale of Goods Act to fall back on: The item must be sold fit for its intended purpose. I had a clutch go 24 hours after my purchase and I had paid for a full inspection and although the dealer was trying to claim that the clutch was not covered, the threat of the Act soon changed their mind (not an OPC I might add).

Dealer called to say the clutch is worn, needs a new "clutch pack" at £915. No signs of oil, sounds like it's just been abused. I've asked to have the old one back to take a look at it but I don't think I have a claim against anyone. As they say, S..t happens.

Clutch now replaced, much lighter and progressive pedal action. The original double sided clutch plate was down to the rivets and less than 6mm thick in total...

Close up view...

Don't want to be a doom & gloom merchant, but if the clutch is shot at 25k miles then its been driven pretty hard, which would make me wonder how the car in general has been treated up to now...not very well by the sounds of things ?

Yes you're right, I'm slightly concerned what the previous owner (Neil Pemberton - Stand up and take a bow!) did to it. I'll definitely be taking out an extended warranty...

Of course it could be just that the car has been driven badly only with respect to incorrect clutch engagement ie. 'riding', excessive slipping etc. In other words, it mightn't necessarily follow that the engine has also been abused. I've read that 996 clutches are somewhat fragile and can wear out fairly quickly, something which always springs to mind as I am reversing into my garage. If I don't quite get the run at the ramp quite right, have to 'slip' the cluth slightly to guide the car in which always produces a slight burning smell. Just trying to put blueSL's mind to rest

Thank you! The rest of the car is fine though I did negotiate some paintwork, a new windscreen and some minor wheel refurb as part of the deal. Since then, I've replaced the plastic boot lining panels which mark ridiculously easily. So I'm hoping that will be it, though I am going to take out an extended warranty for peace of mind.

The OPC inspection is only any use if you are going yo follow-through with the warranty, otherwise with a bit of care your own inspection can be just as good. As an example with my own car they missed a coolant leak, electrical fault and gearbox issues - all covered under warranty though, so not a problem. As for clutch - I've heard a few go earlier than that, one which was driven in london traffic a lot and went at 18K and another which was used on track a few times at 20K - neither really indidcates the car was abused - the engine should be very capable of taking both these kinds of use.

Yes - I have that worry. Just as the C4S wheelarches are approaching the sharp bit of metal that forms part of the door structure, the wheels are meeting the bump between the drive and the garage. Do I slow down for the door to make sure the arches are clear, and have to pull the car over the bump on the clutch? Or do I roll confidently forward without hurting the clutch and hope there is no grinding noise from the wheel arch? Does anyone know for certain if the wheel arches are narrower than the wing mirrors?