Natalie Stratos London, UK
The last time I contributed to Total 911 my Targa was being investigated for the dramatic smoke coming from the engine. Frazer at FD Mechanics has been my saviour yet again. He has taken time to investigate the issues to find a way that I can get the car back on the road and also not break the bank. The other garage wanted to take the whole engine out but at a cost of £10£15k, which was totally unmanageable.
Frazer checked the oil level when the car was running and warm and it was way too high. He drained the oil and removed the spark plugs to clean out the cylinders and plugs. While my car was in the workshop they found she had a bad engine oil leak. Further investigation was required and the outcome was that there was an oil leak from the rear of the block consisting of three components: 1. The oil thermostat housing sealing ring leaking. 2. Oil breather housing gasket leaking. 3. Oil pressure switch leaking (minor) from connection post.
Access was difficult and he recommended that he needed to remove the engine to obtain access to do repairs, however due to the age of the vehicle and the risk of damaging associated parts and fixings he decided to remove inlet manifold and associated parts from top of engine to gain access instead. He replaced the brittle seals, gaskets and cleaned the area thoroughly. He renewed the breather pipes and vacuum hoses which broke due to age and refitted removed parts. Poor earthing was found on the offside rear light cluster causing indicators and brake lights to work simultaneously. This has been rectified along with a long list of other soon-to-be-addressed issues.
Through all the various stages Frazer and his wife Sanna constantly kept in touch with me to explain where they were at with the diagnosis and cost. This is so refreshing as so many garages get on with works without any consultation then present you with a huge bill. I love their respect and care for the customer.
Frazer also let me take his beauty out for a run, to get fish and chips, hence the fantastic photo opportunity. It is a 2002 996 Turbo in Cobalt blue. I went for a spin down the A3 and she was a dream to handle both in the fast lane and in traffic. The car has the right combination of sport and comfort that suits me. He is a Porsche lover so shares my enthusiasm for getting the Targa back on the road. Not having my car up and running has led me to drive a variety of newer Porsches, which I have to say has whet my appetite for getting one. Again I would never sell my 1982 Targa but she is in need of constant attention and without her in my life I feel lost. I miss driving her so much it is unbearable. She is part of my identity. So maybe I need to have a newer one to run around in whilst I get my Targa refurbished and rebuilt slowly but as an investment for the future.
So if all goes to plan I will have her back in a week or so. I am eternally grateful to the team at FD Mechanics. My Targa lives to see another day driving around London.