GTS Disaster - Advice welcomed.

[alxgb]

Hi all.
Just wanted to provide an update.
So I went and spent half a day at the dealership a couple of weeks back where we went through all the options, had lunch and even had a tour of the workshop and met the engineer who would repair the car. The workshop was something else, felt more like a lab than a workshop.
Anyway, it was quite sad seeing the car 6 foot in the air without it’s front wheels. There was a massive box to the side of the car with a brand new engine inside. Anyway, the engineer was a seriously impressive young man, certainly not your typical mechanic and he explained the whole process of changing the engine and why it was more straightforward than one might think. If I understood correctly, they even get to practice it virtually before doing the real thing – a bit like a hospital I guess. But I may have that bit wrong - as someone who struggles to open the bonnet it was all a bit lost on me.


So we explored the following options:

1. Return and replace. But the key problem for me is that no one knows if/when they will build another GTS following the factory re-opening. There was nothing on the system showing as available and if, as everyone believes, there is to be a tinkering with the Macan prior to the re-opening then there’s a risk there will be no GTS for at least a year after the re-opening. So, I was given the opportunity of being one of the first in line to order once the order books are re-opened. But again, no one knows what will be on offer; and if they do a relaunch then given the numbers of early adopters out there Porsche will no doubt raise prices and give very few extras since this will be time they can rake it in. And even if they continue with the existing range, the lead time for a GTS could be long enough to make it a 2019 delivery. So, basically I can order a car, but I don’t what it will be and when I’ll get it and, critically, after having the experience of the GTS what if I’m disappointed?

2. Repair, retain and replace when the new model comes out/factory reopens: We discussed me taking my car back and then exchanging it when a new model is ready, whenever that might be. But again, that leaves the risk with me since my car will devalue by an unknown amount in the meantime, pick up a few scratches or, heaven forbid, a dent!. So I don’t like that idea.

3. Return the car, order a new one and then just wait. But despite Porsche GB indicating they would organise a car for me for the period of time it takes to get a new one, a couple of days later they had not made this offer formally and the dealership disappointingly backtracked from that option. So I would basically be left car-less since the dealership said that they wouldn’t give me a loan car for that length of time.

So, after all of this I came to the following conclusion:

1. I loved my car for the 11 days I had it. I love the colour, the noise, my personal plate, basically everything (except the aged console management system)
2. I can have my own car back in a couple of weeks or wait for an unknown car at an unknown time (but probably not before November/December at the earliest)
3. They’ve offered a few incentives for me to keep the car which are gratefully received and worth a few quid, as well as covering any re-detailing charges
4. Only Porsche will be aware of the engine replacement. It will not need to be disclosed to anyone else and I’m pretty sure they said that they would not consider it necessary to disclose it on resale. So the risk of having a car no one wants is diminished.

So after thinking about very little else for the following few days I have concluded that I want my car back and I’m expecting it towards the end of the month. In the meantime I’ve pretty much forgotten what it was like so it will be like getting a new car again.

You sound happy with the decision and waiting an indeterminate time for an indeterminate option feels inconclusive. Hopefully the incentives were worthwhile and it sounds like they were.

Are you going to still retain an early slot in the order books for the next one? That has some value and I've had free motoring based on early cars that I've only kept for a year or so. The new console will be in line with the new Cayenne/Panamera which might be more to your taste. I'd keep my hat in the ring, even if at the time it's revealed you don't want it, you still retain the option if you choose.

Regarding disclosing the information about the vehicle, your user name and this thread might not help your cause relating to your last point.

Let's have some pictures when the glorious moment arrives and you get her back.

I think I’m just going to live with it for a while and see how I get on. If I had had the car for a year or so then I’d definitely be thinking about grabbing that early slot but given that I’d only had it a week or so I just don’t feel ready to move on just yet. I’m hoping that they delay any relaunch for a while so I have more time to figure everything out.

Re disclosing on here, I guess I had to weigh up seeking of views with disclosing the history. In retrospect the username was a bad one but I’m glad I sought out views of others.


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Just have the moderator change your user name. I hope the comments have helped, it's a gut wrenching thing but if you're happy with the outcome and went in informed, that's all you can hope for.

BTW, have they offered peace of mind with an extended warranty or anything like that?

I spend my life ordering cars years in advance with Porsche and am never disappointed. I'd recommend exercising the option and getting the slot. You won't lose money and even if you sold it to an independent, you'll make money on an early car as the strength of the current model will help drive demand and there are plenty of buyers willing to pay a premium to offset a wait.

[MCDK]

I'm glad you got it sorted Paul1970 and you are happy with the decision, but forgive me for speaking frankly it's not what I would have done and disagree with the responses on here that it won't make a difference to the resale. I can't believe that they can hide the fact that it has had a replacement engine and that it won't affect resale.

Please take my comments in the spirit they've been provided - I'm just trying to look at how you can protect your significant investment.

Have to say I'm with Arif on this and with great respect to your decision I know I would not have done the same. There is too much uncertainty in what it does to your resale for me. My point about the engine number is well worth investigating yourself and don't take the dealers word for anything on this. My suspicion would be that you get a new reg cert but even if it says something like duplicate or reprint it will raise suspicions.

I can understand your dealer saying they have no build slots for a GTS but for Porsche GB to not be able to allocate you a slot sounds totally wrong. Only recently someone on here reported a dealer having 2 or 3 early build slots for GTS available so sounds like Porsche aren't being totally straight or even fair with you. Even if your dealer maintains that position of not being able to supply a new one I would arrange to reject the car, get a refund and order from another dealer with a slot available.

Hassle for sure but well worth the effort to get a result that leaves you in a certain position of having a brand new car with absolutely nothing potentially detrimental in the future.

[Guy]

My suspicion would be that you get a new reg cert but even if it says something like duplicate or reprint it will raise suspicions.

I very much doubt that a new registration certificate will give away details of the engine change. There's nothing on my V5 that states that the car has even been formerly registered in both Germany and Romania! When viewed it is as if it has been UK registered from new.

[MikeM]

PW in my opinion you have made the right decisions, why on earth some forum members consider that a full engine replacement on a warrantied vehicle will affect the resale value is beyond me. The V5 amendment is just to identify the correct serial no, nothing else changes.

[MCDK]

Well i guess for me I’m thinking if I was buying a used Macan at say 3 years old and there were two sitting beside each other , same spec, same miles, same price but one had an engine swap and the other was on the original engine I’m pretty sure which I would buy. Not sure I would be on my own with that view either.

[jk88]

Well i guess for me I’m thinking if I was buying a used Macan at say 3 years old and there were two sitting beside each other , same spec, same miles, same price but one had an engine swap and the other was on the original engine I’m pretty sure which I would buy. Not sure I would be on my own with that view either.

The one with the newer engine

[MCDK]

Same miles though

[MacanArif]

Well i guess for me I’m thinking if I was buying a used Macan at say 3 years old and there were two sitting beside each other , same spec, same miles, same price but one had an engine swap and the other was on the original engine I’m pretty sure which I would buy. Not sure I would be on my own with that view either.

The one with the newer engine

No chance, but each to their own I guess.

I really hope we can have a follow up to this thread in say 3 years time or whenever Paul1970 decides to change his car.

[Paul]

Presumably all those who shy away from a brand new, factory supplied engine fitted under warranty by a Porsche dealership would also shy away from a car with replacement discs and pads, new shock absorbers, new exhaust system, battery, alternator, tyres....and so on and so forth.
I accept that a major unit replacement is more emotive than “smaller” components but a new engine has got to be a better result than the dealership trying to repair the original unit.
I would sooner buy, for example, a one private owner car with a new engine than a PEC car for example (or even a demo / courtesy car)

[MCDK]

Ummmm a private sale expensive car like a Macan with a replacement engine and possibly no warranty depending on age. If you think that would sell I think you may be living in a land called cloud cuckoo

The only way to sell would be back through a dealer and preferably this supplying dealer.