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MR_Y
Well-known member
Update at 68,000km.
Oil leak repair from August last year did not hold and leak returned (more oil damp than a leak, no drips/drops). Porsche dealer is claiming on the warranty of the parts that they had fitted (since it was the gasket that failed). Parts and labour are covered.
((The Oil Leak explained (by Gemini):
The Cause
O-Rings: The synthetic rubber O-rings (AL06F/AK13B) on the oil pressure control solenoid dried out and flattened over time from years of engine heat cycles.
Loss of Seal: The brittle rubber lost its elasticity, allowing high-pressure engine oil to slowly weep past the seal and create a greasy smudge on the engine block.
The Fix
Clear Access: The mechanic drains the engine coolant and unbolts the overlapping, hard metal cooling pipes that physically block the area.
Replace Seals: The old solenoid O-rings are swapped out for fresh, pliable factory rubber units to stop the weep.
Replace Gaskets: New coolant profile gaskets (AQ12B/AO13B) are installed on the pipes to prevent future coolant leaks.
Refill Fluids: The cooling system is vacuum-filled with fresh antifreeze, and the engine oil reservoir is topped off.
The oil control solenoid sits high up on the side of the engine block, well above the oil pan where the bulk of your engine oil rests while the car is parked.
You might wonder why they drain all the coolant but not the oil. This happens because the hard coolant pipes run directly through the workspace and must be completely detached from the water pump housing. You cannot simply "unplug" a pressurized cooling pipe without gravity draining the entire system.))
The front brake pads and discs are up for replacement. The front pads lasted 33,000km (last fitted at 35,000km on clock). The rear pads (current pads fitted at 58,000km, having previously been replaced also at 35,000km on clock, so previously lasted 23,000km) are still good.
I don't know when the brake discs were last replaced. I bought the car at 32,000km and have not touched discs since then.
All in, the cost of front brake pads, front discs and labour at Porsche dealer came out slightly less than that of Cafe 9 (reputable Porsche specialist), that I decided to stick with the dealership. I have not owned an M car, but based on anecdotal reports (at least from Google) the cost is in the ballpark of dealer price for M4 brakes.
Tyres are still good - last fitted at 39,000km. Seems to be 4mm all round with even wear pattern. I am questioning the need for the R699pm Porsche tyre insurance, but will keep it in place for now given the hit or miss nature of JHB roads.
Overall, the car is performing well. I am not tired of driving it daily to work and on weekends.
Cars and coffee at Hazelwood
Not a garage queen - parking in the park
Good buyer's guide on the 991.1 from FCP Euro
Oil leak repair from August last year did not hold and leak returned (more oil damp than a leak, no drips/drops). Porsche dealer is claiming on the warranty of the parts that they had fitted (since it was the gasket that failed). Parts and labour are covered.
((The Oil Leak explained (by Gemini):
The Cause
O-Rings: The synthetic rubber O-rings (AL06F/AK13B) on the oil pressure control solenoid dried out and flattened over time from years of engine heat cycles.
Loss of Seal: The brittle rubber lost its elasticity, allowing high-pressure engine oil to slowly weep past the seal and create a greasy smudge on the engine block.
The Fix
Clear Access: The mechanic drains the engine coolant and unbolts the overlapping, hard metal cooling pipes that physically block the area.
Replace Seals: The old solenoid O-rings are swapped out for fresh, pliable factory rubber units to stop the weep.
Replace Gaskets: New coolant profile gaskets (AQ12B/AO13B) are installed on the pipes to prevent future coolant leaks.
Refill Fluids: The cooling system is vacuum-filled with fresh antifreeze, and the engine oil reservoir is topped off.
The oil control solenoid sits high up on the side of the engine block, well above the oil pan where the bulk of your engine oil rests while the car is parked.
You might wonder why they drain all the coolant but not the oil. This happens because the hard coolant pipes run directly through the workspace and must be completely detached from the water pump housing. You cannot simply "unplug" a pressurized cooling pipe without gravity draining the entire system.))
The front brake pads and discs are up for replacement. The front pads lasted 33,000km (last fitted at 35,000km on clock). The rear pads (current pads fitted at 58,000km, having previously been replaced also at 35,000km on clock, so previously lasted 23,000km) are still good.
I don't know when the brake discs were last replaced. I bought the car at 32,000km and have not touched discs since then.
All in, the cost of front brake pads, front discs and labour at Porsche dealer came out slightly less than that of Cafe 9 (reputable Porsche specialist), that I decided to stick with the dealership. I have not owned an M car, but based on anecdotal reports (at least from Google) the cost is in the ballpark of dealer price for M4 brakes.
Tyres are still good - last fitted at 39,000km. Seems to be 4mm all round with even wear pattern. I am questioning the need for the R699pm Porsche tyre insurance, but will keep it in place for now given the hit or miss nature of JHB roads.
Overall, the car is performing well. I am not tired of driving it daily to work and on weekends.
Cars and coffee at Hazelwood
Not a garage queen - parking in the park
Good buyer's guide on the 991.1 from FCP Euro
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MR_Y
Well-known member
Update
So the oil leak mentioned earlier was repaired last month.
A new oil leak popped up now from a worn seal on the below part. This is not unexpected after 13+ years.
View from underneath the car of oil pan. Not pissing oil, but the streaks are visible.
Comparison on parts pricing from other sources vs Porsche came out very similar.
Labour charge from Porsche was quoted as under R900 (I assume this was due to loyalty discount), so I went ahead and placed the order with them. Part to arrive in 2 weeks time. Two year warranty on the part also includes cost of labour to fit a replacement part if the part fails.
While the car is drivable for my daily use, I was advised to avoid long distance driving. I had to cancel an inter-provincial road trip because of this issue
I am keen to take this car down to KZN and allow its NA motor to take full advantage of that oxygen rich air. However, I will wait until the major roadworks are complete (not holding my breath).
The last time I took a Porsche sports car (not SUV) down to KZN was my 981 Boxster (first Porsche purchase) back in Feb 2020 - I think a month before lockdown. Back then, the N3 route was mostly good enough for sportscar travelling.
Anyway, she still does the daily commute grunt work and weekend work well, up here in GP. But keen to experience that NA 3.8 flat six at sea level.
Out and about:
Interior still holding up well:
Michelin pilot sport 4s still good after a hard 30,000km (mostly shitty quality roads) of daily driving and weekend use. Will definitely buy again. Regarding wheel alignment, I check this every 10000km and it is amazing that hardly any adjustment of settings is needed - the car's suspension copes well with our poor roads, if driven carefully to avoid potholes.
After her monthly car wash:
She has little dings and scuffs from the daily use role, but I am not phased by this. These are character lines/wrinkles that come with age and is a small price to pay for the daily enjoyment experienced.
So the oil leak mentioned earlier was repaired last month.
A new oil leak popped up now from a worn seal on the below part. This is not unexpected after 13+ years.
View from underneath the car of oil pan. Not pissing oil, but the streaks are visible.
Comparison on parts pricing from other sources vs Porsche came out very similar.
Labour charge from Porsche was quoted as under R900 (I assume this was due to loyalty discount), so I went ahead and placed the order with them. Part to arrive in 2 weeks time. Two year warranty on the part also includes cost of labour to fit a replacement part if the part fails.
While the car is drivable for my daily use, I was advised to avoid long distance driving. I had to cancel an inter-provincial road trip because of this issue
I am keen to take this car down to KZN and allow its NA motor to take full advantage of that oxygen rich air. However, I will wait until the major roadworks are complete (not holding my breath).
The last time I took a Porsche sports car (not SUV) down to KZN was my 981 Boxster (first Porsche purchase) back in Feb 2020 - I think a month before lockdown. Back then, the N3 route was mostly good enough for sportscar travelling.
Anyway, she still does the daily commute grunt work and weekend work well, up here in GP. But keen to experience that NA 3.8 flat six at sea level.
Out and about:
Interior still holding up well:
Michelin pilot sport 4s still good after a hard 30,000km (mostly shitty quality roads) of daily driving and weekend use. Will definitely buy again. Regarding wheel alignment, I check this every 10000km and it is amazing that hardly any adjustment of settings is needed - the car's suspension copes well with our poor roads, if driven carefully to avoid potholes.
After her monthly car wash:
She has little dings and scuffs from the daily use role, but I am not phased by this. These are character lines/wrinkles that come with age and is a small price to pay for the daily enjoyment experienced.
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