Taycans affected by WME3 will NOT be retrofitted with an electronic steering column adjustment

[whitex]

I was bemused when I saw that capability.
I have never been so fat I couldn’t get into or out of my car without the steering wheel moving. ?

Funny. I was just getting to into my wife's Tesla today to repark it, and it being a Tesla running Tesla software for some reason the Exit Profile did not activate (welcome to latest Tesla software). My daughter was the last one to drive it, and she is significantly smaller than I am. I really could not get into the seat until I moved the seat back manually.

I guess if you don't have other drivers driving your car, or you are the smallest sized of all the drivers, you have not many problems with no memory seats/steering/mirrors, unless of course you like to drive with the steering wheel close to your knees.

Sponsored

 

[f1eng]

Funny. I was just getting to into my wife's Tesla today to repark it, and it being a Tesla running Tesla software for some reason the Exit Profile did not activate (welcome to latest Tesla software). My daughter was the last one to drive it, and she is significantly smaller than I am. I really could not get into the seat until I moved the seat back manually.

I guess if you don't have other drivers driving your car, or you are the smallest sized of all the drivers, you have not many problems with no memory seats/steering/mirrors, unless of course you like to drive with the steering wheel close to your knees.

Perhaps you missed that it was the comfort entry being needed to move the steering wheel out of the way while you get in and out that I was amazed by?
A moveable steering column is handy but I set mine and have never used it again.
My wife is 10” shorter than me, so I can’t get in to the car without moving the seat after she drives it. She has her own car so we very rarely drive each other’s, so the need to move the seat happens 5 to 10 times a year. The need to move the steering has never happened.
Mind you it hasn’t caused me to have a tantrum for the last 40 years either.

 

[whitex]

Perhaps you missed that it was the comfort entry being needed to move the steering wheel out of the way while you get in and out that I was amazed by?
A moveable steering column is handy but I set mine and have never used it again.
My wife is 10” shorter than me, so I can’t get in to the car without moving the seat after she drives it. She has her own car so we very rarely drive each other’s, so the need to move the seat happens 5 to 10 times a year. The need to move the steering has never happened.
Mind you it hasn’t caused me to have a tantrum for the last 40 years either.

Sure, you could still enjoy your Taycan if the windows rolled down manually, the doors only locked and unlocked using a physical key, trunk had no powered open/close, the seats were all manual and unheated, etc. etc. People still loved their Porsches in the past lacking all those features, nobody was throwing a tantrum over having to manually control temperature knob and levers which controlled the vents, or about having to manually pull the choke to start/warm the engine up.

However, if someone decided to order a specific car, made an agreement and placed a non-refundable deposit on that car, it should be delivered with all features as per the agreement, not almost all features. If the buyer was to come up with almost all all the money, the buyer would lose the deposit and not get their car, right? Perhaps if Porsche is delivering almost all, but not all of the car, they should pay the buyer same amount as the deposit for walking away? It seems fair, same penalty for not being able to satisfy all terms of the agreement, no?

 

[Deleted member 6348]

My 2022 Taycan 4S, which I took delivery of just a few weeks ago, has the power adjustable steering column. The Porsche announcement appears to only apply to retrofits on cars that were shipped with manual columns. Compensation is reasonable and similar to what other automakers have done.

For example, BMW shipped cars without touchscreens for a while due to supply chain issues. Buyers were offered a $500 credit to take delivery without a touchscreen. Frankly, that one is much more serious and it would have been a hard pass for me.

Here's a current running list of features not available across many different brands...
https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/running-list-of-cars-with-spec-changes-due-to-chip-shortage

 

[W1NGE]

Sure, you could still enjoy your Taycan if the windows rolled down manually, the doors only locked and unlocked using a physical key, trunk had no powered open/close, the seats were all manual and unheated, etc. etc. People still loved their Porsches in the past lacking all those features, nobody was throwing a tantrum over having to manually control temperature knob and levers which controlled the vents, or about having to manually pull the choke to start/warm the engine up.

However, if someone decided to order a specific car, made an agreement and placed a non-refundable deposit on that car, it should be delivered with all features as per the agreement, not almost all features. If the buyer was to come up with almost all all the money, the buyer would lose the deposit and not get their car, right? Perhaps if Porsche is delivering almost all, but not all of the car, they should pay the buyer same amount as the deposit for walking away? It seems fair, same penalty for not being able to satisfy all terms of the agreement, no?

Doesn't the small print always state that the manufacturer (Porsche in this case) have the right to change features / specifications without notice (it's a thing in UK for sure)?

 

[Eric]

Can you return the car as it was not delivered as specified? I’d be pissed because how do they expect you to adjust steering position? Dealer visit every time??

No you can adjust this manually the lever is below the steering column

 

[jheard]

To be honest the only thing it actually affects is the easy entry and exit bit where the steering column moves in or out. I have an electric steering column and never used it to change anything, set it up on collection and I would never need to move it again. I get the specced it and not received it bit though

 

[jheard]

Perhaps we are over-analyzing this. I think it is a bean-counter/profit-driven issue, nothing else. The electric steering column adjustment still appears on the configurator and thousands of new Taycans have been delivered with electric steering column adjustment subsequent to the WME3 campaign. Sure there is a chip shortage but Porsche would prefer to use chips that are available to produce/sell new cars (and inexpensively install the chips/columns at the factory) rather than retrofit old cars in the field that have already been sold/delivered. And the cost to perform the retrofit? It would have to be substantial: old manual columns all thrown away, new columns supplied, massive amounts of time/labor expended at dealerships as the entire dash has to be removed to retrofit the new column, lots more time at the dealerships when squeaks and rattles are experienced as a result of the dash rebuild, the cost of loaner cars supplied by dealers while work is performed, and, perhaps even more problematic is the logjam in the service departments this would create given the shortage of skilled/trained Taycan techs. And who knows, maybe more than a few cars would get lemon-lawed after unforeseen problems arise from the retrofits. It appears to be a big, expensive mess. But the mess is not something "beyond Porsche's control." That statement is 100% teutonic bullshit. Porsche could have easily said that due to chip shortages around the globe, you can have your Taycan but only with a manual column, period, amen, end of story, and consumers could decide for themselves what they wanted to do. Instead, they said "Pay us now for full comfort access, and we will retrofit your car when we get more chips, blah blah blah." Somebody in Germany needs to grow a set of balls and decide to do the right thing for Porsche customers; otherwise the oh-so-fun US plaintiffs' bar will gladly step in to provide Porsche with some expensive options.

Not true at my OPC, I can order a new Taycan but they said it won't come with electronic steering adjustment due to chip shortages so they have been up front about it.

 

[Windpower]

When my wife set up her settings (the 1, 2, 3 buttons on the door) she changed the seat and mirror positions. She didn't change the steering wheel. So you might want to take the money.

 

[whitex]

Doesn't the small print always state that the manufacturer (Porsche in this case) have the right to change features / specifications without notice (it's a thing in UK for sure)?

Small print is state dependent, and since dealer have powerful lobbies, they fought to secure a lot of legal rights for themselves. I ran into this a few years back when I negotiated a deal on a car in transit, they took my deposit, write up a purchase agreement, and I was just waiting to take delivery. Couple of days later they call me to tell me that "sales manager made a mistake, we cannot sell that car that low". Since I refused, they just refunded my deposit and the transaction was over. I spoke with an attorney and found out in my state (Washington) the dealers can back out of the deal at any time until they hand over the keys, while the customer is technically on the hook for the entire price of the vehicle (not just deposit) if they back out. The attorney told me it's unlikely the dealer would ever sue for the entire price of the car, usually they just keep the deposit, but legally they can. I guess at least they cannot change specs and still force you to buy it. So in the UK you can order a Taycan Turbo S, get a base RWD Taycan delivered with a claim of "modified spec Turbo S" and nothing you can do about it?

 

[raharris]

Small print is state dependent, and since dealer have powerful lobbies, they fought to secure a lot of legal rights for themselves. I ran into this a few years back when I negotiated a deal on a car in transit, they took my deposit, write up a purchase agreement, and I was just waiting to take delivery. Couple of days later they call me to tell me that "sales manager made a mistake, we cannot sell that car that low". Since I refused, they just refunded my deposit and the transaction was over. I spoke with an attorney and found out in my state (Washington) the dealers can back out of the deal at any time until they hand over the keys, while the customer is technically on the hook for the entire price of the vehicle (not just deposit) if they back out. The attorney told me it's unlikely the dealer would ever sue for the entire price of the car, usually they just keep the deposit, but legally they can. I guess at least they cannot change specs and still force you to buy it. So in the UK you can order a Taycan Turbo S, get a base RWD Taycan delivered with a claim of "modified spec Turbo S" and nothing you can do about it?

Pretty sure they would get nailed under the trade description act for such a thing - and that act is heavily enforced and not one most retailers etc want to mess with I’ve had some nice wins just by mentioned the name of the act

 

[W1NGE]

Small print is state dependent, and since dealer have powerful lobbies, they fought to secure a lot of legal rights for themselves. I ran into this a few years back when I negotiated a deal on a car in transit, they took my deposit, write up a purchase agreement, and I was just waiting to take delivery. Couple of days later they call me to tell me that "sales manager made a mistake, we cannot sell that car that low". Since I refused, they just refunded my deposit and the transaction was over. I spoke with an attorney and found out in my state (Washington) the dealers can back out of the deal at any time until they hand over the keys, while the customer is technically on the hook for the entire price of the vehicle (not just deposit) if they back out. The attorney told me it's unlikely the dealer would ever sue for the entire price of the car, usually they just keep the deposit, but legally they can. I guess at least they cannot change specs and still force you to buy it. So in the UK you can order a Taycan Turbo S, get a base RWD Taycan delivered with a claim of "modified spec Turbo S" and nothing you can do about it?

No you can't. A different model / variant isn't the same as selling you the same model / variant but with a spec change - let's compare apples with apples and not pears.

Note also that specs can be enhanced ie we get more as standard than when first ordered - we don't complain about that or pay more, do we?

At the end of the day you can refuse to accept the car if the specification is different to what you originally ordered made much easier if the dealer hasn't informed you prior to delivery.

The steering column issue is a little tricky given it can still be adjusted albeit manually. The promise of a retrofit now apparently reneged on for some customers has been sweetened slightly by an offer of compensation.

 

[whitex]

No you can't. A different model / variant isn't the same as selling you the same model / variant but with a spec change - let's compare apples with apples and not pears.

A Turbo S with a front motor missing, smaller battery, steel brakes, no power charge port, no rear-wheel steering. Wouldn't that just be a Turbo S with with missing features? Still drives, still charges, still brakes, still steers, so all basic functionality is there.

Note also that specs can be enhanced ie we get more as standard than when first ordered - we don't complain about that or pay more, do we?

That might depend on what is "upgraded". For example, I would not like my Taycan to be upgraded to ceramic brakes (expensive maintenance, require warmup on cold days for full function), or powered charge port (blocks the air scarf), or some exotic PTS color (if I'm spending that much money, I want it in a color I ordered, even if the upgraded color is more expensive), or add esthetic accents which are not to my taste, even if those came for free.

At the end of the day you can refuse to accept the car if the specification is different to what you originally ordered made much easier if the dealer hasn't informed you prior to delivery.

Ok, so same as in the USA. They can change specs, but customer does not have to accept delivery if the specs don't match.

The steering column issue is a little tricky given it can still be adjusted albeit manually.

Well, that is not a great argument. If the spoiler could be manually extended/retracted instead of electronically, would that still be "tricky" because the functionality is still there? If power steering was missing, would that still be considered "steering feature still delivered, just manual"? If your car came with manual transmission instead of automatic, is that "tricky" because a transmission was in fact delivered and you can still shift gears manually?

In this case Porsche specifically calls out electrically controlled steering column with memory as a paid feature, so I think you could not argue in court that it was delivered, just manual.

The promise of a retrofit now apparently reneged on for some customers has been sweetened slightly by an offer of compensation.

The value of compensation is the key point here. Perhaps have the dealer quote what it would cost to buy an OEM electronically controlled steering column and retrofit it such that it doesn't void the Porsche warranty. That would be the value of this feature retrofit which is missing. Some people could choose to still retrofit, others would prefer to take the money instead, therefore helping the parts shortage while keeping everyone happy. Porsche could even offer less money than full retrofit cost if they think enough people would still take it - nothing wrong with such a tactic as long as all customers retain the choice - get the retrofit or receive whatever compensation is offered.

If the problem is this has become prohibitively expensive to Porsche, that is on them, not the customers. If the Lithium batteries go up in price, would you accept Porsche refusing to fix batteries under warranty because they can no longer affordably buy parts for them? In this case they essentially delivered a car with a broken feature, which they promised to fix. If they are allowed to renege on this, what's to stop them from refusing to fix electronically controlled windows, locks, or even the battery, because their suppliers raised prices or the design changed and they cannot get old parts anymore? When a car manufacturer sells a car, they are supposed to plan ahead for parts supply into the future, at least while the car is under warranty, unless they plan to just replace the entire car instead of fixing it under warranty.

I totally get they are in a situation beyond their control, but that happens in life and business. There are always risks. If a customer buys a car, but then gets sick, or divorced, or loses their job and therefore the ability to pay for the car, they would just repo the car, auction it, and stick the customer the the balance bill (balance owed minus the auction price plus repo/auction costs). Why should customers treat them special?

 

[W1NGE]

But in the real world most of what you've picked apart is simply not realistic or would ever happen - apples and bananas now!

All this discussion over a trivial adjustment feature which may / may not be missing that most mortals have never even heard off let alone experienced.

I would take the compensation if I were impacted by this missing feature but if it related say to matrix lights I would not take delivery as these are something which I use 99% of the time.

Happy to sit and observe should someone feel strongly enough to take action against Porsche and see where they end up.

 

[GoDucksYellO]

FYI this is a picture of the letter I received when I took delivery and thus my disappointment that they are now refusing to swap it out….

Sponsored