997.1 turbo reliability - what is your experience?

[Elcarrera]

Hey guys!

I've been considering buying a 997.1 turbo manual instead of an NA car.

Haven't done any testdrive of this model because I'm afraid the 480hp will immediately obliterate any logical/rational reasoning from my part and I'd buy it immediately :lol:

So have been doing my fair share of research and have found contradicting info... on one hand people say engine is bulletproof and not much more expensive to maintain than an NA but on the other they say (American forums) it's a time bomb due to the issues related with cams slippage (happens independently of tunning or the way you drive the car) and coolant lines bursting (more related to race track use but also mentioned to happen in daily drivers only...) will always occur (not if but when!!!). Costs to fix these issues were in the 10k$ which is also eye watering...

What is your experience with these Mezger cars regarding reliability/costs?

 

[T8]

My car is 13.5 years old and has done 76k miles.

In my 5.5 year 28k mile tenure it has only cost me what I'd expect a similar age/mileage Carrera would have cost to run - other than slightly higher routine service costs.

Engine wise they're about as bullet proof as you can get but obviously, with time, turbos might need some refurbishment work.

My Tiptronic gearbox was replaced at 50k miles due to a misting oil leak but only as it was under warranty. 9e do a c£1.5k fix that I would have had done if I was paying. Apparently it is a known issue although it must be noted that the action of the box is not affected. I'm not aware of any similar issues with manual cars.

You're right about not doing a test drive until you've made your mind up, and have finances in place to proceed, as the performance is very persuasive.

 

[jonno_]

Bottom line here for me: The Mezger 3.6 is probably the most robust high performance engine of its generation.

There are some failure spots: coolant line issues, spun shells and the like, but these are *far* more common on modded cars. Here, the reliability comparison goes out the window as we can't tell how far they were pushed or the quality of the other mods.

They still have the usual weak-spots of the cooking models though - coolant pipes (to & from rads), condensers, window motors, water pumps etc.

Plus, turbo wear, actuators, intercooler perforation issues.
Oh, and add some additional fuel and speeding penalty costs

 

[apollokre1d]

Had mine 5 years with no issues :thumbs:
Get it inspected properly first though.

 

[easternjets]

I bought a Gen 1 tip a few years ago and I did have to spend a bit of money on it as it had been slightly neglected. Usual things are Turbo actuator rods, plugs and coil packs (these are neglected because they're a sod of a job to do!), also turbo units can become corroded but again this is an item that's fairly easily checked, rads and condensors can become corroded due to ingress of debris in the front openings and as you mention coolant pipes can crack and weep.

Overall they are bomb proof and not just the Gen 1, all Turbo's seem to be built far better than other models. The engines are a derivative of a race engine and are pretty amazing considering the power they put out.

If your buying one, check the history and make sure it's a full and up to date service book, especially the plugs as I mentioned. Get a PPI and look for leaks of coolant or A/C gas leaks. Check all the hoses, if the rear ones are gone then it's a big job as the engine has to be dropped! Check water pump as mine failed and it's an expensive fix. Also check the tandem pump as that's another weak spot.

If all the above has been done then you'll have a very reliable car, which as you say is not an expensive car to own or run, servicing is every 2 years and a major every 4 years.

One last thing if you do get a manual, check for over revs when the PPI is done, this is crucial as the manuals can be over rev'd but the auto's can't be.

Happy hunting, you've picked a pretty good time to buy one as prices seem to have dropped.

 

[Elcarrera]

Thanks guys! Amazing answers!

This is reassuring! I'm constantly thinking how addictive the acceleration of these cars must be (only have experience with NA 911s) and have no problem dealing with a slightly higher maintenance cost than an NA every 2 years (as a weekend car it will never hit the mileage required for the maintenance). Oil changes are also every 2 years or every year?

The costs and consequences of the failures mentioned in the other forums were freaking me out! 'makes you drop your entire coolant on your rear wheels in seconds" (immediate spin and crash :?: ) and 10k$ to fix the 'common" cam slippage...

Then all were talking about buying the cars with aftermarket solutions (pinning coolant lines and cams) or budget in their purchase (around 10k$ with installation!). Sounded like all cars were doomed from start without the aftermarket solutions...

Regarding the turbos and turbos' actuators, do you guys know how much an OPC charges to replace them? What is there life expectancy (miles and years)?

 

[apollokre1d]

Get a car that doesn't need all that replacing, i.e. get it inspected first... if you find a car you like and you need to do that sort of work, as T8 said, 9e can offer you a far more cost-effective option than an OPC.

 

[easternjets]

Actuators are electrically operated on the Gen 1, they work or don't and they're not a big job to replace. If the actuators fail it's more than likely the rods that have slipped off the ball joint. They are held on with a tiny little clip that rots and the socket pops off the actuator.
The rods are a few quid to buy.

Remember that when you go searching on the 'net' for info your always going to come across the horror stories of one or two owners but never the praise of the thousands who've owned these cars.
Other than minor fails I've not heard of anyone wrecking a Gen 1 or a Gen 2 engine.

 

[Elcarrera]

True, people on the internet tend to only speak when things go wrong! Guess googling 'car X engine problems" will always make you think that it is about to blow and there are no reliable cars out there :lol:

I would gladly take it to 9e but I don't live in England so it definitely will have to be OPC...

Would be great to have an idea of how much these more out of the ordinary/non NA items cost beforehand.

Btw what are your views on cars with PCCB? I know it is was a very expensive option when new and that the rotors cost a fortune to replace (4k?) but sre supposed to last for a very long time if pads are not to worn out. Do you guys know how much an OPC charges for PCCB pads?

 

[CrocadileBoy]

Had my 997.1 turbo tiptronic for three years and car has done 70k. The coolant lines required replacing, which wasn't cheap, but other than that the car has run faultlessly including a two week driving tour around Germany, Austria and Italy. One of the reasons we chose it, was its reliability and running costs compared to similar cars like a Gallardo or 360. It goes faster than most people could realistically drive the car,, but is capable of taking performance upgrades should you wish. In the real world there isn't much quicker and I've left Senna's and Aventadors for dust. It's as easy to drive in traffic or around town as a Smart car.
I decided to spend the extra getting a turbo over the C4S, ultimately because had a chose the C4S, I would always be wondering what it's like to drive the faster turbo. It's also depreciated very little, so even if the running costs are higher than a newer car, you don't lose much when it's sold.
I love mine to bits, and won't be parting with it anytime soon!