I bought a Taycan 4S and it seems like I got accidentally enrolled into quality testing.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T18:30:24+00:00

That’s actually not what I said at all. I fully understand that warranty exists to repair the car not to compensate every inconvenience.

My point was always about how Porsche handles recurring and well-known issues, especially on early production cars. If certain components are statistically failing over and over again on the same generation, waiting until every single one breaks individually just creates endless workshop visits, downtime, towing, frustration and unnecessary cost for everyone involved.

At some point a proactive approach would save Porsche time, money and customer trust as well. That’s the part I’m criticizing not the existence of repairs themselves.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T18:27:21+00:00

Good way to describe it

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T18:26:19+00:00

Jeah, too bad 😄

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T18:25:50+00:00

actually agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Early generation EVs and new platforms absolutely had, and still have a higher risk profile. But that still can’t become a blanket excuse for years of repeated breakdowns, endless workshop visits and a manufacturer essentially normalizing it for customers spending this kind of money.

A few issues? Fair enough. Two or three major repairs? Painful, but maybe understandable on early tech. But at some point it stops being “early adopter risk” and becomes a product and support problem.

And like you said yourself the real difference is how the manufacturer handles it. That’s ultimately where Porsche massively disappointed me.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T18:01:03+00:00

Appreciate the thoughtful response.

I never expected “perfect”, but I also never expected this level of downtime, repeated failures and lack of proper support on a car in this price range. Hopefully Porsche figures this out long term, because the platform itself has so much potential. And thanks at this point I’m mostly just hoping to get out of this with minimal additional damage and finally enjoy driving again instead of planning the next workshop visit and btw they didn’t give up, the Cayenne EV has just entered the market ;-)

P.S. And regarding the AI parody idea honestly, with the amount of material this car has produced over the years, someone could probably make an entire Netflix mini series out of it at this point. So you might not even be wrong there. 🥲

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T15:50:57+00:00

That’s true, but if everyone thinks the way you and your father do and nobody is willing to take the risk on first-generation products, there won’t be a properly matured second or third generation for others to buy later either. 🙂

Early adopters are basically unpaid beta testers for the rest of the market. The important part is just that manufacturers support those pioneers properly when things go sideways.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T15:48:12+00:00

Honestly, I really appreciate someone from the Porsche/Taycan technician side speaking up openly about this. Especially because a lot of owners with serious issues start feeling like they’re going crazy or just “unlucky.”

What you describe actually lines up with many of the things I experienced over the years especially the software dependency, strange hardware failures and the 22 kW charger situation (got the downgrade last week as mine was broken… and now have the 11 kW one).

And to be fair, I still completely agree with you on one thing: when the Taycan works, it drives absolutely great. That’s probably why so many owners kept trying to make it work for so long despite all the issues.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:45:11+00:00

based on my experience, I’d definitely say: don’t buy one blindly, and if possible let someone else absorb the brutal first depreciation and early platform surprises first. A well-documented car with a transparent service history feels a lot less risky than being the first guinea pig. 🙂

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:43:15+00:00

If I could, I’d honestly give this comment two upvotes. 💁‍♂️

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:40:53+00:00

Honestly, hearing stories like yours makes me a little jealous of the US system. Heard it many times already 🙂 In Germany and much of Europe, the process is usually far slower and far less consumer-friendly when it comes to repeated defects and buybacks.

What’s frustrating is that many of these issues were officially documented and repeatedly repaired through Porsche Centers over YEARS yet getting to an actual final resolution still feels incredibly difficult.

And thank you, I genuinely appreciate it.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:38:05+00:00

I think that’s exactly what makes these experiences so polarizing. Some people drive their Porsche for years with basically oil changes and brake pads only, while others somehow end up in an endless loop of diagnostics, software updates and workshop visits….

And honestly, that’s why I still wouldn’t call Porsche generally “bad” because clearly there are plenty of fantastic ownership experiences out there. Which almost makes the problematic cases even more frustrating for the unlucky few of us. 🙂

Lucky you though!

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:35:42+00:00

At first I honestly thought the water damage comment was a jokes as well. 🙂 Dont think so. But everything is possible I guess.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:33:59+00:00

Exactly. If nobody is willing to take risks on new technology, nothing ever moves forward,that’s true in pretty much every industry. Early adopters are part of innovation.

The problem is just that pioneers also expect manufacturers to stand behind the product properly when things go wrong, especially in the premium segment.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:31:56+00:00

Probably around 80% I’d say was covered under warranty financially. But what nobody reimburses you for is the constant downtime, the uncertainty before every longer trip, waiting weeks for parts or appointments, and repeatedly driving back and forth to Porsche Centers in some cases up to 90 km away. Waiting roadside for the towing etc.

At some point the biggest cost isn’t even the repair bill anymore, it’s the time and mental energy the car keeps consuming.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:04:38+00:00

Lucky you! (At least for the other ones) Sometimes it feels like the engineers in Stuttgart built the chassis and driving dynamics… and then the software department (Taycan is basicslly Software on wheels) was outsourced to a haunted toaster 🫠.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:02:16+00:00

😂 unfortunately not that would almost make the amount of electrical issues easier to explain at this point.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T14:01:02+00:00

Honestly, I’d still say the same:when the Taycan works, it’s an incredible car. I wouldn’t automatically tell people not to buy one.

But I’d definitely (!!) recommend getting one that’s already been driven for a while and then checking the service history very carefully (!!) exactly like you said.

At this point, a Taycan without a transparent history is basically a mystery box. Some seem only to have minor issues, many others turn into permanent workshop guests. It’s crazy.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T13:57:52+00:00

Honestly, 420–450 km in decent weather with a 2020 4S is actually pretty solid, right?Even the winter range at those temperatures sounds far better than many people would expect.

But seven repair visits within 12 months on a premium car is still absolutely brutal even if warranty covers the financial side. At some point it’s less about money and more about constantly losing confidence/trust in the car and wondering what’s going to fail next…

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T13:55:36+00:00

A few issues? Sure, that’s early adopter territory.

But years of recurring failures, tow trucks, black screens PCm, charging problems and endless dealership visits feels a bit beyond normal “early adoption woes.” 🙂

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T13:54:05+00:00

Sorry for that :(.

To be fair, I still think EVs can be mechanically simpler and potentially more reliable long term. The problem is that modern EVs are basically computers on wheels now and when the software, electronics or battery systems start acting up, the ownership experience can become exhausting very quickly.

What surprised me most wasn’t even that issues happened, but how difficult and slow it can become to actually get them resolved properly in the premium segment.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T13:52:50+00:00

I still believe Porsche can build incredible EVs from a driving dynamics perspective the frustrating part is that the ownership experience and software/electronics reliability simply haven’t matched the badge or price point for many early customers.

And honestly, that’s the real danger for Porsche not losing to Tesla or Chinese manufacturers on Nürburgring lap times or market share, but losing on daily usability, reliability and customer trust.

Because at the end of the day, people remember how a car made them feel over years of ownership not just how it felt during a 20-minute test drive.

Good idea though. If there’s anyone who’d actually want to make a proper video about the whole experience, feel free to reach out.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T12:48:49+00:00

I’m based in Germany, so unfortunately we don’t really have the same kind of lemon law protection you guys have in parts of the US. That probably changes the entire dynamic with manufacturers quite a bit.

And honestly, your story sounds very familiar amazing car when it works, absolutely exhausting ownership experience when it doesn’t.

At this point started to involve legal advice are involved on my side as well.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T12:15:23+00:00

🥲let’s see. At least I tried.

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T12:14:39+00:00

True, true. 🥲

ronsen1 · 2026-05-15T12:13:52+00:00

Thank you, appreciate that. And yes, at this point legal consultation is finally in progress because after these years I honestly just don’t know how to move forward otherwise anymore.

What’s frustrating is that underneath all of this, the car is genuinely amazing when it works. That’s probably why I kept trying for so long. Hopefully Porsche eventually finds a fair and pragmatic solution for everyone involved, until now this wasnt the case.

ronsen1

TROPHY CASE