Re: OFFICIAL: New 911 GT3 (991)
nberry:
I assume you believe I do not know what I am talking about?
So after the appropriate break in period I take my new 991GT3 to a local track for a fun day. As I am doing my first lap and revving the car to 8500 rpm's, due to a software malfunction the DFI fails and the car breaks down. It is towed from the track to my dealer. Will Porsche cover the repair? What do you think US courts would say?
My prediction would be Porsche would cover the repairs without hesitation. It is all about reasonableness and dealer relationships. Again, don't get too hung up on warranty language. The language is there for Porsche to have an out should there be evidence of abuse while tracking. Without the disclaimer, Porsche is essentially insuring against the mechanical breakdown of the car under circumstances beyond the limits of the car. That would be stupid on their part.
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Not at all. My first remark was generic. I used your post because it was short and addressed the issues quite well. If all posts were qualitatively on par with yours, it would be great!
Most of us on this forum, I believe, are experienced, mature drivers, with some kind of passion and the financial means to back it up. However, one must not be blinded by this passion to the point of erecting Porsche (or any other make for that matter) to deity, a trend I have perceived from time to time on the forum.
The warranty question is related to this point above in so far as we ought to keep our consumer instincts alert. The greater the passion, the easier it is for us to be taken for a ride and made to swallow risks and costs which ought not to be borne by the customer.
This said, I find that US buyers are faring better than their (continental) European equivalents. US prices are lower than in Europe. UK prices are also more favorable than on the continent, not to mention warranty conditions (3 years vs 2 years). Some US customers also know how to fight: the lawsuit against the first 930 turbo which made Porsche to pull the car out of the US market (unheard of in Europe), suits regarding Carrera GTs and certainly many others which are not publicized.
Going back to your example, I do not know how the case would fare before US courts. In the US, local state laws have to be taken into consideration, so there are many variables. What we can note is that customers are better off in the US that in Europe thanks to more favorable rules of evidence and to discovery (mediocre at best in continental Europe). In addition, there is always the specter of a class action in the US. … although regarding GT3s the class would be quite small! Downside of the elite!
This forum is probably not the right place to build an advocacy group regarding customer warranty claims. Yet, is it not appropriate to share information and experience about warranty issues and how they were handled? This is why I suggested a specific topic on the forum to address these points, if it does not already exist.
I know for a fact that, in Europe at least, the manufacturer fights warranty claims and the customer must persevere to hope to achieve something. I have always bought my Porsches new, but each of them has had its problems (electrical, body, interior), some minor, others more substantial. Not all of them were taken care of or completely taken care of by the manufacturer.
When I did my review of the Owners’ manual yesterday to draft my post, I was surprised that, on a subject as important as the warranty disclaimer, it was at times poorly written, not specific enough and ambiguous.
Therefore, on the impact of track use on the warranty, who know what the outcome would be? Technically, the documentation is such that Porsche has a way out. However, for commercial considerations, will they fight? I do not know. I would be very surprised if they resisted mending a breakdown of some part even if it can be related to track use, if this track use was not racing, if track use was respectful of the car as any reasonable person ought to be in the first place, and if the car subject to due (i.e., more frequent than in case of road use only) maintenance. I do not think they would win the fight in such circumstances as track use of the car is so prominently put forward in their communication.
In the end, it boils down to trust in the brand and distribution. Porsche is successful certainly in great part because people (like me) trust it to deliver excellent products and stand behind them.
A side note regarding the breaking-in period, since you mention the break in in your post. It is interesting to note that the US manuals contain recommendations on the breaking-in, but not the European manuals. It is related to the above?