Unacceptable Service and Appalling Experience with Porsche Cape Town

I am absolutely appalled by the service I have received from Porsche in Cape Town, and it has been a truly frustrating and costly experience. The issues began when both remotes for my Porsche Boxster keys stopped working, forcing me to use the blade part of the key. I was informed that, unlike other vehicles, Porsche does not allow for replacement keys through local locksmiths. Instead, I was told I had to order new keys directly from Porsche for an exorbitant price of R17,000, with a three-week waiting period for delivery from Germany. While the pricing was shocking, the real issues began after the keys arrived.

Looking back at my emails, I sent an initial request to Tarah Cupido on 19 November 2024, where I explicitly stated that I had just spoken to the service department about replacing BOTH keys to my car. However, when I picked up the keys, I was told that because my previous key fob was not working and wasn’t Porsche-issued, I could only receive one new key. At no point during the ordering process was I informed of this limitation. I made it clear to Liezel how important it was to have two working keys, but she promised to get back to me after discussing it with her manager. Unfortunately, she never did. To make matters worse, when I returned home, I discovered that my other two key blades no longer worked to open or start the car.

After managing with one key for several months, the car’s electrical issues started—such as the bonnet sporadically opening by itself and the window moving up slightly on its own. I was planning to mention these issues during a scheduled major service, but one morning I woke up to find the battery completely flat. The key wouldn't open the door, and my manual lock didn’t work either. This left me unable to open the bonnet to charge the battery. I had to call out a specialist locksmith at great expense. After a few hours, he managed to open the bonnet, but I was left shaken by how such basic issues were handled.

A week later, in a rush to leave my house, I stopped to grab something inside, and when I returned, the car had locked itself with my only key inside. I had no choice but to break the window to get into my own car.

When I took my car in for the major service, I once again spoke to Liezel and explained the ongoing issues caused by having just one key. She assured me that she would get back to me with a resolution. However, when I collected my car after the service, I asked Liezel what she had found out about getting a second key. A technician was brought in to explain that when they code a new key, the other keys will stop working to prevent theft—fair enough. But I pointed out that I was never told that only one key would be issued when my keys were replaced. Liezel and the technician conferred, and then they told me that I had only ordered one key. I tried to reason with them, stressing that I never specified that I only needed one key. I assumed that when ordering new keys, Porsche would always issue two, especially since my existing keys were being immobilized.

They refused to acknowledge any mistake on their part and insisted that it was my fault for placing the “incorrect order.” Deflated by this absurd response, I asked Liezel to place an order for a second key. She promised to draft the quote and send it to me—but a week later, I still haven’t heard from her.

This whole experience has been incredibly disappointing, and I am now seriously considering getting a different car. I’ve always loved the performance of Porsche, but after this disgraceful service, I’ve completely removed Porsche from my shortlist for my next car purchase. I can’t justify spending money on a brand that offers such appalling customer service and refuses to take responsibility for their mistakes. Porsche in Cape Town has shown a total lack of care for its customers, and I won’t be returning.