Dial 911

[equ]

Can coolant even get that hot? Sorry to hear. Every new design can come with teething issues. Somehow the 9A1 engines 2009 to 2016 ended up being pretty good from the get go, but there have been other things.

E.g. there are at least 3 (likely many more) 991.1 Carreras with 7MT gearboxes on which the reverse lights and reverse mirror dip stopped working. Sounds like a simple fix? Some sensor or some software? Oh no, there is a mechanical part in the gearbox that hits a sensor plugged to its outside. All of the 3 needed entire new gearboxes. One was CPO, the other called PCNA from the US and got covered after some back and forth ($16-17k!!!) and one in Canada with only 30k miles was SOL (PCNA did not cover). His indie came up with a workaround electrical fix. The cars worked fine otherwise, but can you imagine replacing a transmission for not having your reverse lights come on or mirror dip? In fact, those without mirror dipping option may never notice this fault.

It does suck to have it early on. My super duper KTM has not treated me well. As soon as I bought it, the integrated rear shock/spring went (at 4 years and 7k miles). Just out of warranty, it got covered $1200 part but I overpaid $500 labor for the dealer going to bat. Then this spring, the fuel sensor went bad, it could no longer read how much fuel it had. I was able to buy the part and put it in myself.... But yeah, given the less than <1000 miles I have on it and two faults so far, I'm not thrilled. Not a way to start a relationship. It's a 1290 Super Adventure.

In the long run, most e46 issues were resolved and they ended up being good long-term cars. I'm sure the same will happen for yours - or you can sell it to me at a discount.

[FC]

Originally Posted by Josh (PA)

Well so much for bullet proof Porsche reliability.

Sorry Josh. That sucks.

I've been pretty lucky buying late or end of production-run cars. V70R, 330i ZHP, E91, LR4, and M3. I've had very few issues with those cars - knock-on-wood. I hope it continues with the M3.

Then again the 997TT was a first-year car and was excellent.

The MCS (also 1st year) had the chain tensioner thing that plagued those cars for years and I was lucky enough to get the repair covered out of warranty (low miles helped). I don't recall JST having any serious issues before I bought it. I did have a leaking thermostat housing that was a PITA to get to due to the engine bay packaging.

[wdc330i]

Looks like the water pump may also be an issue with the ex's 718s. She had a recent incident where the fan didn't kick on after a drive:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...ating-problem/

[JST]

Originally Posted by FC

Sorry Josh. That sucks.

I've been pretty lucky buying late or end of production-run cars. V70R, 330i ZHP, E91, LR4, and M3. I've had very few issues with those cars - knock-on-wood. I hope it continues with the M3.

Then again the 997TT was a first-year car and was excellent.

The MCS (also 1st year) had the chain tensioner thing that plagued those cars for years and I was lucky enough to get the repair covered out of warranty (low miles helped). I don't recall JST having any serious issues before I bought it. I did have a leaking thermostat housing that was a PITA to get to due to the engine bay packaging.

I'm struggling to recall, but I think the MCS had an engine mount replaced under warranty, and a fender liner also under warranty. I don't *think* there was anything else. I have a vague memory of a coolant expansion tank, but can't remember if that actually happened to that car or if it's something that just plagued R53s.

Sorry about the 911, Josh. That blows. Hopefully there's an updated part that fixes the issue once and for all.

[Josh (PA)]

Originally Posted by equ

Can coolant even get that hot? Sorry to hear. Every new design can come with teething issues. Somehow the 9A1 engines 2009 to 2016 ended up being pretty good from the get go, but there have been other things.

Seems it can, the coolant gauge doesn't turn the 'oh shit' light on until 250 and the digital read out was showing 248 on the way back to the grocery store lot with no warning light

E.g. there are at least 3 (likely many more) 991.1 Carreras with 7MT gearboxes on which the reverse lights and reverse mirror dip stopped working. Sounds like a simple fix? Some sensor or some software? Oh no, there is a mechanical part in the gearbox that hits a sensor plugged to its outside. All of the 3 needed entire new gearboxes. One was CPO, the other called PCNA from the US and got covered after some back and forth ($16-17k!!!) and one in Canada with only 30k miles was SOL (PCNA did not cover). His indie came up with a workaround electrical fix. The cars worked fine otherwise, but can you imagine replacing a transmission for not having your reverse lights come on or mirror dip? In fact, those without mirror dipping option may never notice this fault.

I've read those threads about reverse lights. The fact that new transmissions were needed is so ridiculous.

It does suck to have it early on. My super duper KTM has not treated me well. As soon as I bought it, the integrated rear shock/spring went (at 4 years and 7k miles). Just out of warranty, it got covered $1200 part but I overpaid $500 labor for the dealer going to bat. Then this spring, the fuel sensor went bad, it could no longer read how much fuel it had. I was able to buy the part and put it in myself.... But yeah, given the less than <1000 miles I have on it and two faults so far, I'm not thrilled. Not a way to start a relationship. It's a 1290 Super Adventure.

In the long run, most e46 issues were resolved and they ended up being good long-term cars. I'm sure the same will happen for yours - or you can sell it to me at a discount.

My wife drove up to where I was to pick me up and we were talking about this (generally). I'm really happy I bought one with a year of warranty left. It gives us time to either A) get the bugs worked out and get it reliable, b) give us enough data to make a good decision on the Fidelity Warranty cost/benefit, c) find out this sucks and sell it before the warranty is over.

Overall, I'm not that upset. I do expect it will be something stupid that the dealer screwed up on the water pump fix and I'll be happy going forward. Plus I'm highly experienced in German cars leaving me on the side of the road for coolant issues. I've lived through 2x e39s and 4x e36s with shit plastic expansion tanks, 2x e46s with shit aux fans, an n54 that cooked two water pumps and my 135 has done 2 waterpumps (but neither left me sitting). Top notch German Engineering... good times.

[JST]

Originally Posted by Josh (PA)

Plus I'm highly experienced in German cars leaving me on the side of the road for coolant issues. I've lived through 2x e39s and 4x e36s with shit plastic expansion tanks, 2x e46s with shit aux fans, an n54 that cooked two water pumps and my 135 has done 2 waterpumps (but neither left me sitting). Top notch German Engineering... good times.

LOL, yes, I think the only car that ever left me stranded was my relatively new N54-powered wagon...that shit the bed on a water pump.

It's bizarre to me that the Germans are so bad at water pumps.

[Alan]

Argghh ... sorry to hear of this Josh ... Hopefully an easy fix plus I would think the dealerships have plenty of time on their hands to get your car fixed in a reasonably quick time.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by JST

LOL, yes, I think the only car that ever left me stranded was my relatively new N54-powered wagon...that shit the bed on a water pump.

It's bizarre to me that the Germans are so bad at water pumps.

Yep. Happened to us in our X5 (E70)--on the Beltway!

[FC]

Weird. The only times I've been stranded:

- MB 190E had alternator die at ~13 years and 150k miles. ~2002
- E46 ZHP ran rough and had it towed for the coil pack recall. ~2004
- WJ JGC hd the starter motor die and would not start at ~9 years and 130k miles. ~2010

Knocking on wood.

[Josh (PA)]

Originally Posted by FC

Weird. The only times I've been stranded:

- MB 190E had alternator die at ~13 years and 150k miles. ~2002
- E46 ZHP ran rough and had it towed for the coil pack recall. ~2004
- WJ JGC hd the starter motor die and would not start. ~2010

Knocking on wood.

Yep, I wasn't counting the times my car wouldn't work while at home. My experiences were all away from home on the side of the road.