I'm not sure if this needs to be in Cayman complaints or this forum, but I need help. I've written several complaints here about my local dealer, and I feel they keep getting worse. I've even written to my regional PCNA tech and he simply forwarded them what I said and nothing has gotten better.

My car is in the shop for the sixth time now for air conditioning repair, it just doesn't blow cold... Now the service advisor, tells me I need a new evaporator, but he thinks it might be because I added a subwoofer... So he's going to take apart the radio to see if that somehow is making the A\C not work... ok... the a\c problems started way before I added the subwoofer.

The check engine light, he confirms it is a CAT failure during warm-up, but he says his tech says it's because I've changed to the AWE catback, and eliminated the second set of cats. I've told him I know many people who have had this issue and it's always the 400 cel cats, the O2 sensors are nowhere near the second set of cats and this can't throw the code. He says he will tell his tech this, but the 400 cel cats will flow better so I really shouldn't bother and it's not currently throwing the code, though he see's it in the ECU records.

So I ask him about the rattles and other issues I was having with the car, he said he hasn't focused on anything yet but the a\c problem; he has no idea when my car will be back (it's been there since the middle of last week), supposedly it's embarrassing that they havn't been able to fix it so far and this is the last time he can have it come in for this type of service.

Sorry for the rant... but I don't really know what options I have left except go another hour away for a dealer. All Pro Porsche of Ocala is screwing me and I feel like they are blatantly lying to me over the phone.

- Suneet

You probably already know this - in the owner's manual, there's a procedure outlined for escalating customer service problems past the regional rep. stage. I believe it's a call to PCNA - maybe that's in order, and it does sound like you're going to need to switch dealers, despite the long trip.

Also Suneet, I think you should be very careful about putting some one's name out onto the Web in such a pejorative fashion for everyone to read... you may feel that way, but as they say, there's three sides to every story: yours, his, and the truth.

brad

Trust your gut. If you feel they're screwing you then why go there? Go somewhere else.

__________________

Mike
2006 Midnight Blue Cayman S

Thanks Brad, I took his name out... I talked to him and we've arranged for me to be there when they do repairs to the air conditioner and try to assess if its my wire splice into the headunit that is causing the evaporator not to work... if it even is the evaporator. If taking my subwoofer out is going to make my a\c magically work or my check engine light not go off during warm up, I'd get rid of it in a heartbeat, I didn't cut a single wire knowing I would be removing it at some point. He also told me his tech is now "pondering the idea" that the catback isn't causing the failure code.

It's tough enough to go there for me, they're an hour away and will flatbed my car when I have an issue. In order for me to go to Jax or Orlando, I'd have to wait for a break from school and work, which never happens at once. Otherwise, I'd be somewhere else in a heartbeat...

- Suneet

This is the trouble with having others do work to your car while still expecting the dealer to do warranty work. Had the dealer installed the AWE and recommended (at least) the audio shop, then they would likely be more accommodating. Good luck with it.

Thats an excellent point. Suneet who installed the exhaust?

I specifically went to the dealer to have the exhaust installed and talked at length with the Service Manager about this. He clearly told me that any catback was NO issue with warranty work and they had done many in different cars (although their first AWE install).

Its sad when the customer knows more about the car than the dealer but I found I think I knew more about the Cayman than my salesman

Now a subwoofer install "might" mess something up with the stereo but I dont see how it effects the A/C

I had to take my CS in a couple of times after the AC quit blowing cold. Apprarently there was a leak in the system and the first time they thought that perhaps the AC had been undercharged at the factory.

The second time they put in a blue-light-readable dye into the freon to find out where the leaks were. They ended up replacing the evap and some hoses. Everything under warranty and took less than a day.

suneet, you might read this before visiting the dealer also: A/C cold air fading to warmer

A local install shop installed the catback. I don't think it's the fact that another shop installed it, it's that the tech thinks the exhaust is somehow triggering the oxygen sensors that the AWE unit doesn't even come close to. I saw the installation of my exhaust, and they followed articles from this website; it was installed meticulously.

The issue here is that All Pro is such a small dealership with only one Porsche tech and he's never had to replace a cat before in a Cayman, never had a\c problems on any car except for mine, etc. They hadn't even heard of people using secondary cat-bypass pipes on Cayenne's, and that's even more common than those of us who use catbacks on the Cayman.

To date, KaiserSozay had the car in at least three times for a\c repair, they've replaced the compressor, they've used the blue-light dye stuff, charged and recharged the coolant; but I guess this is the first time they are changing the evaporator. This is their second try while I own the car; but they've known it wasn't working since November, their tech's just been too busy with other cars.

Unfortunately you have to go with the dealer wants to do with the investigation of your problems. If I were a service advisor and you came in with a non working AC and wiring changes in the dash by some other shop, and an engine light and a modded exhaust system, I'd no doubt ask the same questions.

The car is designed to have its own sub (Bose) and 2 cats. They do not have a "paradigm" for mods. They have the Porsche "by the book" system.

I would say to find another dealer, or put your stock exhaust back on, take out the sub, and get them to fix it. You can quote "Magnuson-Moss" all you want but in the end you have to have a cooperative dealer.

Typical dealer finger pointing. The Caymans have been known for A/C leaks and these guys have the nerve to blame it on a subwoofer. Nothing is impossible, but this is very improbable.

I spent many years installing electronics into cars professionally. I can tell you dozens of stories of dealerships blaming me/us for issues we didn't cause. When they see any aftermarket product, the finger comes out and the blaming begins.

Back in the early 90's, when car alarms were must have additions to every car, I concocted a cool ad to get people into my shop. I advertised 'Auto Theft Deterrents starting at $49 installed'. Now, like any leader ad, this was an attempt to get people to call or visit so I could sell them on why they needed a full system for $399. The $49 I mentioned got you an LED on the dash that blinked when the key was turned off (2 wires) and a set of stickers for the windows. You know, "Protected by Xxxxman Security System". Believe it or not, I sold plenty of the $49 packages.

Well, one day I got a call from a customer that told me that his car died. He took it to the dealer and they said that the security system blew out the ECU, and on, and on. I had to visit the dealership to tell them there was no security system. Just an LED and stickers. Boy did they look like dopes.

I could tell you dozens of these stories. We called them damage claims. And 90% of the time they were BS. But right or wrong, this is the risk you take when you modify your car in any way. Sure, the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act provided protection, but nothing protects you from the hassle that the dealership will sling your way.

Suneet,

Don't let them see the HID kit you installed...... Oh man...... Those aftermarket HID kits are known to loosen flywheel bolts.....