Reply With QuoteYeah, I think this is the way to go.Originally Posted by adrianw
I resolved an issue for a friend with Lexus a few weeks ago, he was getting nowhere with the dealer, and Lexus customer service was useless, I found out who the boss was got his contact details and emailed him, the issue was sorted out two days later, and my friend got a letter of apology.
Go to the top of Porsche GB
marcus.eckermann@porsche.co.uk
Last edited by adrianw; 22nd April 2021 at 16:01.
Yeah, I think this is the way to go.
well researched. I entirely agree, even if it gets to his PA
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I've been cursing that system myself recently. A friend bought a 924 off ebay as a project and the injection isnt working properly so I've been helping out, I used to play with it back in the day as my Capri 2.8i had the same system.
Rebuilding these is a specialist job, Hoovie on the YouTube channel Hoovies Garage had lots of issues with his Bentley's k-Jetronic. There is a suggestion that the sealing o rings internally are not ethanol proof and its these leaking that causes a lot of issues that were usually associated with the metering valve, its a simple system really, but with UK fuels going over to e10 ie 10% ethanol rather than E5 - 5% a rebuild now might well be a wise move down the road
Either way best of luck with it , its always hard when a company treats your pride and joy just like any other car
I know you didn't want to do it Adi, but a social media outpouring must be looking more and more favourable as this sh1t show continues!
I have a GT3, Cayenne, Cayman and a Macan. I had the same sort of issue with the same place - PM me and I am happy to share the story / outcomes.
I can also share where I now go and whom I trust.
Last edited by brucey; 22nd April 2021 at 16:29.
Wow. I know things aren't normal but it strikes me the issues here are not covid related, purely poor knowledge and service.
You make the assumption these premium brands are a cut above in service, whether it be motors or watches but the truth is they're not.
Sent from my CLT-L09 using TZ-UK mobile app
Just as I was writing an email to the Porsche MD, I got a phone call from the senior case manager there. This has turned into a pretty big deal. I've been promised that they will see me right and that both PCL and Porsche GB will prepare some kind of "packages" for me. They have also confirmed that the new dates I've been given by the PCL principal are set in stone.
I've been patient and polite while my property and my time have been disrespected, but I have also kept record of everything including all of the names of people who haven't done their job. More they messed me about stronger my case got, I just don't get how they didn't see that. There was a time I felt bad to name specific people and put a blot on their records, but now I will spare no one.
Perhaps someone has found this thread.
Too right. Nuke ‘em.
It's been a while since I visited this thread. What a mess. I sympathize with you!
No matter what outcome, you need to start looking for real specialist you can trust. Picture this: the cars return and you take one for a spin. I can guarantee that your senses (and more) are focussed on how the car runs, steers, drives. That's always the way with classic cars. But now, with this experience, you don't want to return to PCL for whatever job on your car. Before you know it, your car is -again- ±6 months gone. Make sure that driving the cars will not be spoiled by your PCL experience! Start looking for a specialist where you can drop off the keys without worrying.
Menno
Yep, can’t wait to see the fallout.
Keep your chin up Adi we live in hope that this is sorted soon for you
What a mess, what should have been a positive experience and one where they got to show what a good job they could do, turned out to be the opposite. The poor communication and lack of understanding of how much the car is valued by you is dire.
I don’t let anyone work on my 993 (except Centre gravity for suspension work I couldn’t do myself)
I hope you are back in the road soon, a few good sunny drives will help massively, the cars will love a good run out as well.
Finally a positive update!
Collected the 997 today, and inspected the 930. I was met by the dealership principal who said not to bother talking to anyone else, that he's my point of contact from now on, and so far he's been actually quite great at answering emails and phonecalls and following through with deadlines, etc.. The work done on the car, both warranty and otherwise (I requested a few parts to be replaced which weren't covered), as well as MOT were all free of charge. They have offered another free MOT next year as well as a Porsche experience package at Silverstone for my wife and me, which is nice as it's something I wanted to do.
They have sorted the dent on the 930 as well as the scratch on the dashboard, so now, aside from the wheels, the car is better than it was. As soon as the principal got involved things started to move at the kind of pace you would expect. The interesting thing he said today was that there is no excuse for what has happened, but that the service advisor had the same kind of power and autonomy to make it happen and it didn't need to go as far as it did. There were quite a few things he pointed out as unacceptable, which made me feel a lot less crazy as the other people I've dealt with until now have made it seem like this was just the way things were done. Anyhow, the deadline for the 930 is still the 7th May, and the agreement is that if they can't fix the starting issue by then I will take the car back.
The Senior Case Manager at Porsche GB has also been on top of it and called me when she said she would and has been very reassuring. I've been very straight with her and she has taken a lot of notes about many things which have gone wrong.
So yes, much more positive and it feels like we're almost there now. Overall it has been a terrible experience and it will be a really bad look for PCL if they return the car to me with the same fault it went to them for, but at least now I am dealing with people who seem to understand that, and are trying to make a bad situation as positive as possible.
Sounds like a great result. I feel like I've been fobbed off with with a couple of minor issues on 2 cars recently through a Porsche AD. I'm biding my time and keeping records at the moment
Proper outcome in the end!.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Sounds very positive Adi. Looking forward to your 7th May update and photos.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Excellent to read after a shocking day at work, over the moon for you!
Good news!
Thank you guys, I really appreciate it. I know we are all mostly strangers here, but the comments in this thread have been overwhelmingly kind and reassuring and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to post.
I definitely feel that pressure to churn the cars through the system makes the people in lower positions put priorities in the wrong places. As I have come to learn, people who actually have no technical knowledge are placed in forward facing positions and really struggle to keep up while trying to convince the customer they are on top of it. My situation might be a bit extreme, but it completely exposed the failures in that "we know best" attitude.
Has any of your recent experience changed your opinion of the brand, and of your cars?
Adi I’m absolutely over the moon that this is now moving in the right direction for you and most important that you’re feeling happier about it drive it and enjoy it sir
I've thought about this quite a bit. No, it has made me aware of the deficiencies of this particular dealership/people, but I can't judge the brand or the cars made in Germany by the poor experience I had in Leeds.
Driving the car back home today was amazing and all frustration was replaced by just happiness to have it back.
Very sensible perspective.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Do you get any sense of the dealership moving forward with their customer service interactions and procedures, Adi? It's one thing stating where they went wrong (sincerely, by the way you've reported it) though it really needs to go beyond that.
Very happy for you now that you can see light at the end of the tunnel and that the first drive lifted your mood. If you had the same weather as we had down South then that certainly would have helped!
Great news on car 1, something tells me you will get car 2 back with the wheels right but with the existing problem but fingers crossed for you.
Nice of the Yorkshire rain to turn up just when you've got it back!
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
I think the principal and Porsche GB are definitely concerned about how this was handled and seem to know what should've been done better. A lot of the problems and especially delays were caused by people not wanting to rock the boat or step on toes as well as a lack of internal communication, which seems endemic within the business and might be hard to correct. I might be wrong, but I got a sense that the internal politics were largely to blame and only the overall boss could break the deadlock.
Go to the top, only way to get things done.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As someone who can only dream of owning either of your cars, I have followed this thread with interest. I would never have dreamt that such problems could happen when dealing with such a respected manufacturer - a bit of an eye opener for me! Anyway, it sounds a great result so far and fingers crossed that May 7th sees the second part of the saga fully resolved.
It was a dream for me for a very long time, and I, possibly naively, also thought that things would run smoothly. But, people are people, and sometimes they are bad at what they do...
And thank you!
As many have predicted, PCL have accepted that they can't tackle the starting issue. I expected this to be the outcome from the moment they sent it to someone else, but I wanted to give them a chance while they are sorting the cosmetic damage. The deadline is next Friday and finally today the principal admitted they wouldn't be able to do it. To be fair, I was so angry about the whole experience I wanted them to admit defeat before I took the car back purely so it can't be said I didn't give them enough time.
Everything else is done. The anodised wheels have been repaired, they just need the white centres painted next week before the deadline. I am very excited to have it back.
I'm glad you are getting your car back but it blows my mind the route you have gone through and at the end of the day they car is still faulty ... if Porche can’t fix Porches then owning one seems a bit of a lottery ...
No wonder good independents can make a living ...
Last edited by Montello; 30th April 2021 at 19:17.
Porsche GB are in a bit of disbelief that PCL couldn't do it. It's quite embarrassing to them, but they also didn't have a solution to offer.
Luckily, the fault is so minor it doesn't affect the enjoyment of the car at all. But that fact alone makes this saga more frustrating.
If I was running PCL I’d have shipped in an expert to save my own embarrassment. Admitting your company doesn’t have the skills to service your own cars is shocking.
Been awol for a few days so glad to see the light At the end of your is getting so much brighter and a solution may be reached soon.
I often sat at my desk in the showroom(parts dept) listening with disbelief to the words come from the service advisers(?) to customers, unfortunately not a Porsche dealer.
It is finally back home!
I am very happy and I think Porsche have seen me right in the end. Once the Porsche Leeds principal took over things started happening very quickly and every deadline he gave me was met. He always called when he said he would and accepted the failings and mistakes of the business and the people involved. He took it very seriously and offered no excuses, just got things done.
As I mentioned, he has already offered me and my wife a Porsche Experience day at Silverstone, and the work done on the 997 was free of charge. Both he and Porsche GB have told me they would do a gesture of good will to try to restore my faith in the brand, but I didn't expect for there to be no charge at all on anything done on the 930. But that is what happened. Ignoring the work they had to do to rectify the damage, I requested £1600 worth of new parts to be fitted (new windscreen, new sound insulation, rear view mirror and fuel accumulator), plus fixing and replacing perished wiring, fitting new speakers, etc. All of the parts, all of the labour, all of it was free of charge for the hassle caused. I can only hazard a guess at the actual bill it would've been, but with all of the damage they had to fix, including the parts for the 997, I can see it being quite a sum. I really didn't expect it.
The main negative is that the hot starting issue is still there, same as before (it always starts, but it needs a lot of cranking when it's hot). I will drive it until the winter and then probably revisit the issue then.
The main positive was the hour long drive after I picked it up. The sun was shining and the car felt amazing. Everyone was letting me in at junctions, giving me thumbs up and smiling. It is my favourite thing in the world and to be back behind the wheel felt like winning the lottery.
Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this thread and especially thank you to all of you who left kind comments and sent me lovely messages. I am really grateful.
What a stunning car. It should meet my Capri someday!
Really pleased for you, and a good resolution in the end!
Love to see a picture of your Capri.
Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
Good news Adi, but why does that car remind me of 'Free Willy'....
I think we can all accept that crap happens from time to time, that's not to excuse it however we all have customer service tales of woe - in this case, a pretty extreme example!
It's hard to imagine what more they could have done to recompense you Adi and going a step or two beyond the customer's expectation is the right and proper way to conclude the issue, I'm very happy for you.
You've already said as such however I bet that drive was as sweet as!
Been following this thread with interest and am super pleased it’s been resolved to your satisfaction and beyond, drive safe
Must be a relief to have it back, looks fantastic
Thank you all. I didn't really know how it was all going to go until we pulled up onto the forecourt, the car was parked in front of the building looking cleaner than it has ever looked, with the new windscreen and fixed wheels, which made me forget everything else. I know that the inability to fix the starting issue has been an embarrassment, so in combination with everything else, especially the time taken, the principal seem to think that waiving any bills was the only right thing to do. Maybe I am cheaply bought, but he really did win me over!
Any time! Manchester isn't far.
One of the previous owners named it Moby, so I've embraced the name.Good news Adi, but why does that car remind me of 'Free Willy'....
I am over the moon for you Adi, my absolute dream car Ive still got the toy model of it from when I was a kid :drool: most importantly you’re happy and reunited with it drive it in good health sir .
What a car! Beautiful.
Finally good to see all resolved and main thing is you’re happy with the outcome which is what I would have expected tbh. You really are a patient man.
Good to hear it all turned out right in the end.
The million dollar question though, would you take either car back to them again?
That is very, very nice,I imagine there a Porsche owners forum you could ask for advice on the starting issue and and a recommendation for someone to fix it?It is finally back home!
Posting Permissions
