Major Service

[Jason986S]

Other than easy genuine parts access, training and diagnostics equipment. Is £150 an hour really justifiable as a price per hour? I personally think its extortionate, but then I'm in my mid 20's and don't quite earn that per hour ? And would rather pay a friend cash for his personal skill/trade. Which in real terms I'm still paying him probbaly triple what his boss/salary is paying him. 

[Araf]

7 minutes ago, Greenman said:

Humm,  I'm not convinced.

i don't think OPCs have to try as hard, as most will use an OPC as a matter of course (certainly in the first few years of cars life. ). On the other hand indi's really have to do a good job to maintain their reputation, lose their reputation and they are out of business.

however I'm sure some OPCs are excellent and some indi's may not be.

Exactly where I was 10 years ago.  Prepare to do the same U tun in 10 years time.  

[Greenman]

3 minutes ago, Araf said:

Exactly where I was 10 years ago.  Prepare to do the same U tun in 10 years time.  

Quite possibly.  As the owner of a quite new 981 I will be using OPC in the short term in any case.  Maybe it depends how good your local indi is?   What gets me is not only the labour rate but the markup on some part items as well.  So the price you pay for 8 litres of Mobil1 is 3 times what I can buy it for myself at Costco. I can do an oil change myself for £60-70 or pay the magic OPC mechanics 4 times that. Of course I need my book stamping up so I am forced to pay those prices for the standard service schedules, but for extra oil changes (I change mine yearly) I'll do those myself thx.

[Daniel Joseph]

55 minutes ago, Araf said:

Exactly where I was 10 years ago.  Prepare to do the same U tun in 10 years time.  

Interesting subject and opinions.  I live 70 miles away from the nearest OPC (Colchester) but have an independent Porsche specialist, Autowerke, 25 miles away in Norwich.  Autowerke looked after my 987 very well for the six years I owned it and I would happily recommend them.  As it is still under warranty, I had my 981 serviced at OPC Colchester in October and, as a low mileage user, it won't need another service until October 2018*, precisely at the point when my Porsche warranty expires.  I will then have an important decision to make:  If I want to take out an extended warranty, I will need to pay for an inspection, service and the warranty at my OPC.  Alternatively, I can instead take the car to Autowerke and carry on without a warranty.  The car has just under 6k miles at the moment and I will probably do 3 to 4k miles over the next couple of years, so up to 12 to 14k by the time the service is due.

*I realise that many would recommend an annual oil change, notwithstanding the 20k miles or two year recommended service intervals, on the basis that the oil degrades over time.  I understand this, but after just 3k miles, does it still make sense?

Interested to hear others' thoughts on this...?

[CMA]

I guess it's all down to personal risk and skill level. Some people can do oil changes or plug changes themselves and save a few quid. Some have newer cars and want the full stamp in the book for future resale value, irrespective of skills. Some just like to drive and dont know the technicalities of how to change oi or plugs. Dealer prices will always be high but we know this badge brings the higher prices.

Personally I don't mind (too much) paying £615 for a 4 year service. But I start to have palpitations about paying £230 to supply and fit 6 plugs. £95 for brake fluid is sort of acceptable as if they get it wrong the costs could be immense. £900 to do front disks and pads to me is high too but again there is a risk factor they have to cover themselves with. But having spent the last 10+ years in the kit car world where no one would really touch the car as it wasn't a normal car then you had to learn to do it yourself, once you worked out where the bits of your car came from. So disks, pads, oil changes, plug swaps, carb setups all become well honed skills, even full on 16v engine rebuilds when you get a cambelt change wrong has to be learnt, as there are no dealers or indys to help you out. 

From past experiences with Dealers and Independents, the dealers do seem to do more on the service. For my Audi they lubricate the rubber seals which keeps the squeeks and rattles at bay, indys never did. 

At the end of the day the insurances, liability, fancy workshops, specialist tools, fancy showrooms, loan cars don't pay for themselves so something has to. If you go to a reputable indy do you get a brand new 718 or Cayenne to play in for the day? Doubt it. I had tatty Mini when I visited an Indy but was happy to accept that as the price was far far less than £140+vat per hour

[Greenman]

55 minutes ago, Daniel Joseph said:

 

*I realise that many would recommend an annual oil change, notwithstanding the 20k miles or two year recommended service intervals, on the basis that the oil degrades over time.  I understand this, but after just 3k miles, does it still make sense?

Interested to hear others' thoughts on this...?

With this low a mileage I wouldn't personally, similarly would I change my plugs with 12k mileage? I wouldn't.  My own mileage is double or more  so IMO an annual change is warranted (though not essential). Of course if you were in North America you would find everyone doing at least annual changes even with lower mileage  than this, but then they can get theirs done for $50 on any corner.

[mneil]

I am more than happy to drive from the Midlands to Revolution Porsche at Brighouse for Russ and Gav to maintain my 981. Brake fluid change, pads and disc change and most recently it's first major service. They use OPC parts and even send you a video showing any advisory work to be done, all at a reasonable cost.

[martyn]

On 30/12/2016 at 3:14 PM, CMA said:

Yup, just coming up to my 4 year service and asked Sheffield OPC for their prices and what extra was needed at 4 years, their reply was:

So that's a total of £990 and I guess that + vat too so £1188

 

But I can get a set of plus from design911.co.uk for about £51 and fit them myself. Brake fluid is £30 and can do that myself too. Just need to find a cheap source for the tyre gunk and I'm a happy'ish bunny

 

Take a look here for what the servicing includes: http://www.porsche.com/uk/accessoriesandservice/porscheservice/serviceandorgininalparts/servicepricing/

Doesn't the OPC menu pricing include VAT? As VAT isn't mentioned in the pricing schedule I assume therefore that it's inc VAT.....

[topradio]

There is absolutely no doubt that routine maintenance of virtually new cars is a major cash cow for the dealers. They change the oil, plugs and filters and take a look around the car in the hope of finding something to charge you extra for. And for this work, which will take them about half a day including coffee breaks, they charge the best part of a grand. And you can bet that if you take up their offer of all the extras (roof re-proofing, woofle dust sprinkling etc) I bet you could add quite a bit more to that bill.

For me, the only reason to use an OPC for maintenance would be to maintain the warranty or to get the requisite stamp in the book (essential if you are going to trade the car in in a couple of years but almost irrelevant if you intend to keep it for a long time).

I did use an OPC for the first service on my 981 (still under warranty) but I will be seriously considering a trip up to Revolution in 18 months time for its second service. 

[martyn]

18 minutes ago, topradio said:

There is absolutely no doubt that routine maintenance of virtually new cars is a major cash cow for the dealers. They change the oil, plugs and filters and take a look around the car in the hope of finding something to charge you extra for. And for this work, which will take them about half a day including coffee breaks, they charge the best part of a grand. And you can bet that if you take up their offer of all the extras (roof re-proofing, woofle dust sprinkling etc) I bet you could add quite a bit more to that bill.

For me, the only reason to use an OPC for maintenance would be to maintain the warranty or to get the requisite stamp in the book (essential if you are going to trade the car in in a couple of years but almost irrelevant if you intend to keep it for a long time).

I did use an OPC for the first service on my 981 (still under warranty) but I will be seriously considering a trip up to Revolution in 18 months time for its second service. 

Agreed, Rob the sales exec at Colchester who I think dealt with you also, said that any saving by going down the Indy route at service time will be negatively reflected at trade in. I don't know whether I'm keeping it or not so it will have its major done at Colchester in October, plus there's also the warranty angle to be considered. But should I decide to keep it and when it's out of warranty it will be going to Autostrasse at Coggeshall.

[Nobbie]

14 hours ago, Daniel Joseph said:

*I realise that many would recommend an annual oil change, notwithstanding the 20k miles or two year recommended service intervals, on the basis that the oil degrades over time.  I understand this, but after just 3k miles, does it still make sense?

Interested to hear others' thoughts on this...?

It depends on how those 3k miles are done. If it's done over say 30 weekend jaunts to a country pub, then almost certainly not as the oil will have got up to temp on those runs and any moisture will be evaporated away. If that was done on a 3 mile each way daily commute, then I would certainly get it changed as the oil will be pretty ropey as it will rarely get up to temperature and will be full of the byproducts of poor combustion as the car warms up over all those cycles. I think if you look up the definition of adverse driving conditions in the service book, it probably mentions the sort of driving that requires more frequent changes. I think many people assume adverse driving conditions are just about driving in very hot/cold countries, but I think it's also got a lot to do with average journey length.

My car doesn't do short journeys, it's a weekend toy and always gets fully warmed up, I was tempted to change the oil yearly, as many do, but having thought about it a little more, it's not worth the effort. There was a very interesting blog post referenced on here about motor oil, very long winded, but did contain quite a few nuggets of info about oil.

[CMA]

1 hour ago, martyn said:

Doesn't the OPC menu pricing include VAT? As VAT isn't mentioned in the pricing schedule I assume therefore that it's inc VAT.....

When I emailed the service dept they replied with:

"All the above costs include parts, labour and Vat is applicable."

This was directly in reference to the extras, plugs, brake fluid, etc. So maybe the Service cost is including vat.

[topradio]

5 minutes ago, CMA said:

When I emailed the service dept they replied with:

"All the above costs include parts, labour and Vat is applicable."

This was directly in reference to the extras, plugs, brake fluid, etc. So maybe the Service cost is including vat.

Well that's a clear as mud then. If they had used the word 'as' rather than 'is' then I would have read that it's included but the way that reads is that the tax is extra.

[martyn]

I don't suppose it will be long before someone posts here who has just had a service done, who, armed with the receipt can say for sure one way or other. It seems to me that the online quoted menu pricing is inc VAT but outside the scope of this the extras etc are quoted ex VAT.

[mrbikerdood]

Silverstone Porsche centre -prices for my 981 3.4s

Boxster / Cayman (Type 981) Fixed price servicing Your Boxster or Cayman is in the best hands at your Porsche Centre. Here is a breakdown of what is included and the pricing structure of servicing work. Minor service includes: • Fault code analysis • Replacement of pollen filter • Replacement of oil filter and engine oil using Mobil 1 oil • Provision of one litre Mobil 1 top-up pack • Inspection of: vehicle underside and engine compartment, coolant hoses, coolant (level and antifreeze check), radiator, air intake, brake system, brake hoses and lines, drive shafts, tyres, locks and latches, electrical equipment, horn, windscreen wiper washing system, power steering and fluid level check and lighting system (including headlights and indicators) • Final test drive to check all major safety, comfort and mechanical systems for effective operation followed by final post-drive fluid level check Major service includes: All items in minor service as detailed plus: • Replacement of air cleaner element • Check condition, and adjust if required: fuel system, parking brake, clutch, steering gear, tie rod ends, axle joints, running gear, exhaust system, suspension, seat belts, throttle actuation and Polyrib belt All of the above items are included in the fixed pricing structure

.* Boxster / Cayman Type 981 (2011-2015) Minor Service Major Service Brake Fluid Change Boxster £485.00 £615.00 £95.00 Boxster S £485.00 £615.00 £95.00 Boxster GTS £485.00 £615.00 £95.00 Cayman £485.00 £615.00 £95.00 Cayman S £485.00 £615.00 £95.00 Cayman GTS £485.00 £615.00 £95.00

 

 

Dovehouse in Rushton - prices for my 981 3.4s

Porsche Boxster (981) 3.4 S

	Service	Price (ex VAT)	Price (inc VAT)
	Minor/20000 mile Service	£235	£282
	Major/40000 mile Service	£290	£348
	Brake Fluid Change	£70	£84
	Replace Air Filters (60,000miles or 6 years)	£100	£120
	Wheel Alignment	£111	£133
		Total	£0.00

 

I know where mines getting serviced,Dove house - plus when they looked after my 2.7 then my 3.2s it was well looked after and always had a valet,only used Silverstone once for a minor service to which my paint work to the under side got damaged,i asked about if any metal bits in the oil to which they said there was but not to worry - ims failed several wks later,Sat i went in and asked for any info on service plans/prices for my 981 to which the reply was -" you'll have to go online to get the prices,as we dont have any thing to give you"!

Indi all the time,im not bothered about using a Porsche center as i personally feel they are just ripping you off,as you can see from the service costs above,Dovehouse is nearly half the price for some items

[topradio]

Si, when you actually take the car in to the OPC they will also recommend some other stuff that's not on the menu such as air-con service, cleaning out debris from the holes in the brake discs etc. 

Don't get me wrong, its a lovely environment to spend your money in and lots of free coffee which all has a value. However you do have to be on your guard not to find yourself spending £hundreds more than you were expecting when you booked it in.

[Daniel Joseph]

53 minutes ago, Nobbie said:

It depends on how those 3k miles are done.

My car doesn't do short journeys, it's a weekend toy and always gets fully warmed up.

Good point @Nobbie and a very important consideration.  Like you,  I only use the Boxster for pleasure and, on the rare occasions I use it for a short trip, I will extend the drive until both the oil and water are fully up to temperature. (Any excuse!)  Unless we are away, I do this at least weekly.  I even have the right-hand dial set to display both water and oil temperature remind me.  As I live minutes away from open and quiet rural roads, this is no hardship.  

Some people mistakenly think that starting a little used car up regularly and running the engine at idle while stationary for a few minutes is a good idea.  As I understand it, this is very bad practice and merely causes condensation and corrosion within the engine. 

1 hour ago, martyn said:

Rob the sales exec at Colchester who I think dealt with you also, said that any saving by going down the Indy route at service time will be negatively reflected at trade in.

Probably, if you are trading in the car after a few years at an OPC against a new(er) one, which is what interests them, so they would say that.  However, if you are planning to keep a low mileage car for an extended period of time, the difference is likely to be negligible, as long as the car has a FSH and invoices for work done at a Porsche specialist.  This was the case with my 987 and I also hope to keep my 981 for (at least) a decade (by which time I might be too decrepit to get into it!)

15 minutes ago, topradio said:

Si, when you actually take the car in to the OPC they will also recommend some other stuff that's not on the menu such as air-con service, cleaning out debris from the holes in the brake discs etc. 

When my 981 was serviced in October, I was surprised to have to pay an extra  £200 for wheel alignment/tracking on a car I had bought five months previously as Porsche Approved Used.  I questioned this and was told that I must have hit a pothole.  I didn't, of course, but couldn't prove so.  I didn't dispute that the work was needed,  but believe the problem predated my purchase of the car and was missed by the (different) OPC that sold me the car.

[topradio]

When we sold the SLK last year it was 8 years old and the first 3 services were done by Merc the remaining annual maintenance had been carried out by a recognised Mercedes specialist. The trader who bought the car wasn't bothered that we hadn't used the main dealer and just wanted to see that it had a full service history. He told me that earlier that day he had walked away from a newer SLK at the same money because its history was full of holes. 

[Araf]

38 minutes ago, topradio said:

However you do have to be on your guard not to find yourself spending £hundreds more than you were expecting when you booked it in.

Very true.  

10 minutes ago, Daniel Joseph said:

When my 981 was serviced in October, I was surprised to have to pay an extra  £200 for wheel alignment/tracking on a car I had bought five months previously as Porsche Approved Used.  I questioned this and was told that I must have hit a pothole.  I didn't, of course, but couldn't prove so.  I didn't dispute that the work was needed,  but believe the problem predated my purchase of the car and was missed by the (different) OPC that sold me the car.

It could have pre-dated your purchase, and if it had happened shortly before you bought it, it wouldn't be apparent until uneven wear started to show on the tyres.

[topradio]

9 minutes ago, Araf said:

Very true.  

It could have pre-dated your purchase, and if it had happened shortly before you bought it, it wouldn't be apparent until uneven wear started to show on the tyres.

What about the much lauded 111 point check? We are told that all cars have to go to Reading to be returned to like new condition - if you believe that.

[Daniel Joseph]

4 minutes ago, topradio said:

When we sold the SLK last year it was 8 years old and the first 3 services were done by Merc the remaining annual maintenance had been carried out by a recognised Mercedes specialist. The trader who bought the car wasn't bothered that we hadn't used the main dealer and just wanted to see that it had a full service history. He told me that earlier that day he had walked away from a newer SLK at the same money because its history was full of holes. 

That's always been my experience when trading in older cars, as long as it's a recognised marque specialist indy.  

I would run a mile from a Porsche serviced by a generalist garage (who would probably spend most of the allotted time working out how to get at the engine!)

2 minutes ago, Araf said:

It could have pre-dated your purchase, and if it had happened shortly before you bought it, it wouldn't be apparent until uneven wear started to show on the tyres.

But it should have shown up in the selling OPC's multi-point check on the Approved Used car?

[Daniel Joseph]

5 minutes ago, topradio said:

What about the much lauded 111 point check? We are told that all cars have to go to Reading to be returned to like new condition - if you believe that.

Great minds...?

[Araf]

I've just looked at the 111 point check list, and a geo check isn't part of it.  If everything was checked for tolerance rather than visual inspection then the check would take longer than 90 minutes and cost a considerable amount more.

[topradio]

Sounds like it's not worth the paper its written on then.

How much does it cost again?

[topradio]

And, as I understand it the work that's supposedly done before the car is put on sale is much more than the 111 point inspection.

• Approved Porsches meet exacting standards both aesthetically and mechanically
• The vehicle has been inspected in compliance with our 111-point checklist
• All work has been performed by Porsche technicians
• Only Genuine Porsche parts are fitted to the car
• All routine servicing and maintenance due within the next 3 months or 3,000 miles will have been carried out as a minimum
• A minimum of 12 months MOT*
• Fitment of N-rated Tyres to a minimum remaining tread depth of 3mm
• Assured electrical functionality and battery condition
• Body refinishing to exacting standards
• A full valet and final quality inspection
• Independent monitoring