My Porsche Carrera 997 is suffering from serious corrosion to the brakes - is there any recourse?
I've just had a call from the Official Porsche Centre which is servicing my 2006 997 Carrera S. They tell me that the nipples on the brake calipers are corroded to the extent that they cannot remove them to change the brake fluid. They suggest that this has been caused by whatever was used to clean the wheels, but I've only used soap and water and the wheel nut corrosion was present when I bought the car. Worst case, they will need to replace nipples and calipers, at £500 per wheel.
The car was bought from an OPC a year ago and is one year into the two year warranty, but the servicing OPC (not the same one I bought it from) is telling me that this is not covered under warranty. So, my dilemma is whether I might have any recourse to the OPC who sold me the car in the first place?
The car was bought from an OPC a year ago and is one year into the two year warranty, but the servicing OPC (not the same one I bought it from) is telling me that this is not covered under warranty. So, my dilemma is whether I might have any recourse to the OPC who sold me the car in the first place?
Asked on 18 August 2012 by SM. via email
Answered by
Honest John
Your only remedy (if you have one) is against the dealer who originally sold you the car, under the ruling in Clegg v Olle Anderson 2003. See: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/
Your problem is that the wheel and caliper corrosion could have occurred during the year since you bought the car, from winter road salt, and from the car possibly not being used regularly enough. It is very common for alloy wheels to 'fuse' the iron alloy of the hubs after as little as two or three years. If this happens the best way to get the wheels off is to slightly slacken the bolts and use the weight of the car (and some muscle) to snap them off the hubs. Then jack the car up, take the wheels off, and smear some Copperease grease between the wheels and the hubs to prevent it happening again.
Your problem is that the wheel and caliper corrosion could have occurred during the year since you bought the car, from winter road salt, and from the car possibly not being used regularly enough. It is very common for alloy wheels to 'fuse' the iron alloy of the hubs after as little as two or three years. If this happens the best way to get the wheels off is to slightly slacken the bolts and use the weight of the car (and some muscle) to snap them off the hubs. Then jack the car up, take the wheels off, and smear some Copperease grease between the wheels and the hubs to prevent it happening again.
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