In risky business, says a very young Tom Cruise, full of admiration, one of the most famous lines “Porsche. There is no substitute.” It’s been forty years since Cruise drove the Porsche 928 in the movie. Since then, the beloved American actor has given us several films with his participation Porsche cars, but only a select handful have been able to provide Porsche with the same level of success as risky business
The thing is, the German automotive behemoth has come a long way since the days when Ferdinand Porsche created the brand. Past association with the Nazis, Ferdinand Porsche’s relationship with Hitler and dealings with Porsche’s Jewish co-founder tarnished the marque’s history. However, more recently, the automaker has managed to eclipse its past and create a new identity for the brand.
Many young gearheads don’t know the company’s past or its founder’s legacy, and associate the automaker only with cool sports cars and high-performance, street-legal vehicles. But apart from the embarrassing past, there are other things that Porsche owners keep quiet about.
10 Porsche reliability is below average
According to RepairPal, Porsche’s reliability is below average with a score of 2.0 out of 5.0. Additionally, RepairPal ranked Porsche 32nd out of 32 for all vehicle brands. Some Porsche models are more reliable than others. For example, iSeeCars gives the Porsche 718 Cayman a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10.0, and the Porsche Macan gets an even lower reliability score of 6.1 out of 10, but the Porsche 991 convertible scores a of 8.5 out of 10.0, while the Porsche 911 coupe gets a score of 8.4 out of 10.0.
9 The cost of ownership of Porsche is high
CarEdge estimates that Porsche models will cost, on average, about $22,075 in maintenance and repair costs during their first 10 years of use. That’s $10,031 above the industry average for luxury brands. Additionally, there is a 51.17 percent chance that a Porsche will require a major repair during this period. “That’s 16.08% worse compared to the other automakers in this segment we’ve looked at,” says CarEdge.
8 Porsche remains one of the most stolen car brands
In 2013, Forbes analyzed data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in Des Plaines, Illinois to see which vehicles have the highest theft rates. The NICB investigation is based solely on thefts from 2010, 2011 and 2012 model year vehicles that were reported between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2012.
“While domestic models make up the top three most frequently stolen performance cars, European entries make up half of the top 10 entries, with the Porsche Panamera and Audi A5/S5 being the EU-branded vehicles most popular with thieves,” Forbes said.
If you think a lot has changed in the last decade, think again because Porsche is still a valuable target for thieves. A Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV) analysis of car thefts in Germany in 2019, for example, shows that Porsche remains on the list of the most frequently stolen car brands in Germany.
7 The Porsche 911 and Panamera are the least likely to be recovered from thieves
The NICB research also highlighted that the Porsche 911 and Panamera were the vehicles least likely to be found, with 37.5 and 34.0 percent not being returned to their owners.
“To some extent, this is because high-end sports cars tend to be swiped and shipped overseas for resale, while more affordable models like the Camaro and Mustang are taken with more frequency to go for walks and therefore recover more easily,” says Forbes.
6 The smell of fuel in the cabin was a common problem
There are several social media posts, articles and complaints about the smell of fuel in the cabin of the C2 and C4. “I have adjusted all the lines and replaced the filler neck, cap and charcoal filter. The smell remains,” said one forum user on rennlist.com.
5 Porsche spare parts are expensive
This won’t surprise you, but parts and components for high-performance luxury cars don’t come cheap. In any given industry, premium brands charge more for replacements and repairs than regular brands. Naturally, Porsche is no exception.
“Porsche parts are expensive because customers are willing to pay so much. It’s a premium brand and owners are willing to pay premium prices to have their cars repaired,” says a 718 Forum user.
Before inflation hits us even more in 2022, the Luxury Vehicle FAQ noted that replacing an air filter in a Porsche 911 can cost up to $200, while replacing a brake rotor will set you back about $595 . Also, the price of a set of four tires for a Porsche Cayenne could reach $2,000. At the same time, RepairPal estimates show that replacing the fuel pump for a Porsche 911 costs between $1,637 and $1,767 in 2023, while replacing the dishwasher fluid tank is between $286 and $320.
4 The Porsche 911 has transmission problems
According to HotCars contributor Antonios Sanatov, the famous 911 has transmission problems.
“One of the biggest problems you can run into with owning a Porsche 911 is its cranky transmission, mainly in manual models. Common concerns include a heavy clutch pedal, caused by a leak in the accumulator pressure, along with shifting difficulties and inconsistent gear changes due to worn transmission cables,” says Sanatov.
3 The Porsche 911 has limited cargo and storage space
With 4.6 cubic feet of cargo space, we can’t do too much. Forget about traveling to a new destination with your spouse and carrying your bulky luggage with you. Obviously, you can add some personal items in the back if there are no passengers, but that won’t help you much. Let’s face it, even for a luxury sports car, this space is too limited.
2 Oil leaks are common
Owners have reported oil leaks for the Porsche Cayman, Porsche Macan and Porsche 911. On RepairPal, for example, 14 owners reported this problem for newer 911 models and 22 people for older models , while 7 owners reported the problem for the Cayman. Elsewhere, Get Jerry points out that the most common problem with the Porsche 718 Cayman is oil leaks.
“Most problems in the Porsche 718 Cayman are related to the engine oil and the systems that deal with it. The most common problem is perhaps the most serious: an oil leak from the rear main seal. This leaking seal it can destroy your car’s clutch if you drive a manual vehicle,” says Get Jerry. “The Cayman also suffers from oil leaks from other parts, including valve cover leaks and spark plug tube seal leaks.”
1 Avoid this Porsche model
The 2004 Porsche Cayenne has 9 recalls and 100 complaints filed with the NHTSA. The recalls were issued by the automaker and NHTSA due to problems with the fuel/propulsion system, buckle and harness, steering wheel, power train, seats, automatic transmission, electrical system, exterior lighting and seat belts.
Sources: Forbes, CarEdge, Get Jerry, Car Complaints, iSeeCars, YouTube, USNews, RepairPal, NHTSA, Luxury Vehicle Faqs, 718 Forum, Best Selling Cars, Tech Plus Automotive and rennlist.com
