First off... I was '911_newbie" but have since had my forum name changed so that I don't keep confusing Ekona :O) Bonus points to anyone who can explain the username I now use...
Now on to the Turbo. 8 months into owning the car, the time has been spent fretting about cosmetic niggles (do I get a front-end re-spray?) and having heart-attacks on a semi-frequent basis when the oil pressure gauge decides to stop working for a few seconds.... And to be honest, other than these issues and the occasional 'smoke-at-startup" hilarity, the car has been rock-solid. The only issues of note that I have had were a small coolant loss (turned out to be drain-plugs leaking and needing to be replaced) and a weeping front diff seal (also sorted out for not that much)
Infact, my current grumble is as silly as a snapped door-card clip in the passenger side door, leading to some rattle from the door card. This seems to have been damaged when the car went in for paint – the doors were removed to get access to the rusted sills (thanks to the aluminium 911 Turbo kickplates!) whilst also getting the front end re-sprayed. Car is due a major service at somepoint early next year too (maybe even December this year if I bring it forward) so I'll get my Indy to sort that door-card clip out when she goes in for the work.
And that seems to be all that's been bothering me. Oh, and the skipping in-dash CD player. But I now have a donor CDC-3 unit to be fitted into the boot space so that should sort that out.
In 8 months the car has gone from 56,600 miles to 63,250 miles, driven in all weather (rain/sun) and handling superbly in all those varied conditions. In fact, in the wet the car feels staggeringly planted and so easy to get the power down safely, a far cry from the on-off nature of grip that my 350z had (such is the difference four-wheel-drive makes in bad conditions)
Cost-wise the car hasn't really cost me anything except a few second-hand replacement parts, a service (minor at an Indy) and the weeping front diff seals. Oh, and front coffin arms (cheap again, I think it was £250 for both fitted). The coffin arms weren't really needed, the clunk was only slight from the front end of the car, but I tend to be a bit ***** about making sure parts are working correctly. Oh, and the paint refresh.
Indeed, the only thing that has had more significant cost is the paint work; here I opted for a full front-end re-spray, re-alignment of the bonnet catch (bonnet was dipping below the front bumper lip) and also door sills being sorted for rust, re-sprayed and then left nekid (alu kick plates have been smashed with a hammer...very therapeutic... original owner shouldn't have specced them they'd done that much damage to the sills!) At first it didn't look at all bad, but upon pulling each plate off and lightly attacking the minor paint bubbling with a Dremel, the rust underneath reared it's ugly head.
So that just leaves a major service+sparks+coil packs at my local Indy (and also CDC-3 fitting and getting the oil pressure sender cleaned!)....and then (if I actually care) a re-furb on the alloys. Trouble is, I like driving the car too much to be without alloys for a week or so while they get sorted out... so maybe that can wait until crap weather in Feb next year. If i even bother, I never have with any other car.
The slush fund remains more-or-less un-touched, and will doubtless take it's first proper hit when one of the bonded hoses falls off... or my hydraulic rams decide to stop working!
I'm looking forward to another 8 months of hopefully trouble-free ownership. Well, major-trouble-free at least..... I can handle the rattle and skipping CD player for the time being.
Now all I need to do is NOT read some of the excellent DIY maintenance threads that owners have posted..... because if I do there is a very real danger I will end up buying new thicker InterCoolers and other shiny stuff to replace rusted stuff underneath the rear bumper :O)
Now on to the Turbo. 8 months into owning the car, the time has been spent fretting about cosmetic niggles (do I get a front-end re-spray?) and having heart-attacks on a semi-frequent basis when the oil pressure gauge decides to stop working for a few seconds.... And to be honest, other than these issues and the occasional 'smoke-at-startup" hilarity, the car has been rock-solid. The only issues of note that I have had were a small coolant loss (turned out to be drain-plugs leaking and needing to be replaced) and a weeping front diff seal (also sorted out for not that much)
Infact, my current grumble is as silly as a snapped door-card clip in the passenger side door, leading to some rattle from the door card. This seems to have been damaged when the car went in for paint – the doors were removed to get access to the rusted sills (thanks to the aluminium 911 Turbo kickplates!) whilst also getting the front end re-sprayed. Car is due a major service at somepoint early next year too (maybe even December this year if I bring it forward) so I'll get my Indy to sort that door-card clip out when she goes in for the work.
And that seems to be all that's been bothering me. Oh, and the skipping in-dash CD player. But I now have a donor CDC-3 unit to be fitted into the boot space so that should sort that out.
In 8 months the car has gone from 56,600 miles to 63,250 miles, driven in all weather (rain/sun) and handling superbly in all those varied conditions. In fact, in the wet the car feels staggeringly planted and so easy to get the power down safely, a far cry from the on-off nature of grip that my 350z had (such is the difference four-wheel-drive makes in bad conditions)
Cost-wise the car hasn't really cost me anything except a few second-hand replacement parts, a service (minor at an Indy) and the weeping front diff seals. Oh, and front coffin arms (cheap again, I think it was £250 for both fitted). The coffin arms weren't really needed, the clunk was only slight from the front end of the car, but I tend to be a bit ***** about making sure parts are working correctly. Oh, and the paint refresh.
Indeed, the only thing that has had more significant cost is the paint work; here I opted for a full front-end re-spray, re-alignment of the bonnet catch (bonnet was dipping below the front bumper lip) and also door sills being sorted for rust, re-sprayed and then left nekid (alu kick plates have been smashed with a hammer...very therapeutic... original owner shouldn't have specced them they'd done that much damage to the sills!) At first it didn't look at all bad, but upon pulling each plate off and lightly attacking the minor paint bubbling with a Dremel, the rust underneath reared it's ugly head.
So that just leaves a major service+sparks+coil packs at my local Indy (and also CDC-3 fitting and getting the oil pressure sender cleaned!)....and then (if I actually care) a re-furb on the alloys. Trouble is, I like driving the car too much to be without alloys for a week or so while they get sorted out... so maybe that can wait until crap weather in Feb next year. If i even bother, I never have with any other car.
The slush fund remains more-or-less un-touched, and will doubtless take it's first proper hit when one of the bonded hoses falls off... or my hydraulic rams decide to stop working!
I'm looking forward to another 8 months of hopefully trouble-free ownership. Well, major-trouble-free at least..... I can handle the rattle and skipping CD player for the time being.
Now all I need to do is NOT read some of the excellent DIY maintenance threads that owners have posted..... because if I do there is a very real danger I will end up buying new thicker InterCoolers and other shiny stuff to replace rusted stuff underneath the rear bumper :O)