Why aren’t Porsche 911 GT3 owners in the UK being compensated?

Porsche in the UK is not offering compensation to UK owners of the 911 GT3 who’ve been unable to use their cars after engine problems.

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It does seem reasonable that if you buy a car you subsequently can’t use because of a design flaw, that the car maker pays you compensation for loss of use.

So when Porsche ordered owners of the 911 GT3 to stop using their cars after a fire risk was revealed thanks to a faulty connector, it seemed certain owners would be in for some payback from Porsche.

But despite offering US owners of the GT3 $2,000 a month for loss of use, up to $4,000 a month for those in the Middle East and €175 a day for German owners, UK owners of the GT3 aren’t getting a penny.

The Telegraph is reporting that this unfair situation has led to the formation of an owners group in the UK, led by property developer Sunil Mehra, to push Porsche UK in to taking action.

Mehra’s group is representing 30-35 UK owners of the GT3 and are demanding €175 a day from February 18 (when Porsche issued the ‘don’t drive’ instruction) to cover costs and €100 a day for those whose GT3 was locked in a production hiatus whilst the engine problem was resolved.

Porsche UK is apparently unwilling to comment on the issue, but it’s hard to see how they can continue to refuse to make payments to owners when they’ve set a precedent in other markets.

Upsetting your customers with the deepest pockets and loudest voices doesn’t seem the most brilliant PR move.