RedBarediver Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 Very disappointed. I have now tried my local Porsche dealer twice for little bits for my car. Once for a new starter switch - the guy tried arguing with me that my car cannot take just the switch. I need to buy the whole steering lock assembly according to him. I explained that mine is a 1997/8 model 986 and that I have already swopped the part out once before so I know it can be done. Nope, not according to him. The only way to do it is to replace the whole steering lock assembly. I put this down to one guy being slightly thick or having a bad day. So, I try again. I am looking for the bits so I can put a hardtop on the car I explain. The left and right spinlocks and the accompanying bolts. I wanted to compare their prices with Design 911 - I have already ordered from D911 but they are waiting for the Left hand spinlock to come back into stock. I figure that if these guys have it, I'll get the Left spinlock and ask D911 to send the rest, and just refund the cost of one spinlock. The guy I end up speaking to has clearly no clue what I'm on about. I try to help by giving him the part number from D911 (didn't really think that would help as it's probably not the same - it's not). He helpfully took my email address and says that he will send me a parts diagram so I can identify the bits I need and then just call back with the part number. Good idea but of course - no email from him and it's been a few hours. Is it just my bad luck speaking with two guys in their parts department that either a) have no clue, or b) can't be bothered? At least with Design 911 I can order the right parts and if they have it in stock I'll have it within a few days. The local Porsche dealer may be only a 10 minute drive away but they may as well be on the moon for all the good that does me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 (edited) I always quote the part number I want and the OPC just checks for updated numbers and then just orders it. Never had a problem. OPC are always cheaper for OEM parts than D911 and D911 are frustrating for not displaying final cost and whether the part is in stock or not. Download the parts diagrams from Porsche, (I quite like looking at them too). https://www.porsche.com/uk/accessoriesandservice/classic/genuineparts/originalpartscatalogue/ Edited June 9, 2022 by BBB link added 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 Just now, BBB said: I always quote the part number I want and the OPC just checks for updated numbers and then just orders it. Never had a problem. OPC are always cheaper for OEM parts than D911 and D911 are frustrating for not displaying final cost and whether the part is in stock or not. Download the parts diagrams from Porsche, (I quite like looking them too). I have the parts diagrams - just don't have it on the work laptop and I didn't have time to download the whole thing again. Silly me thought that the parts guys will have an idea of what I am looking for. I'll do that in future because I don't feel like going through the whole inane conversation with them every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianJ Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 Not sure which bits you are looking for, is it these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182640576075?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nYQiueamT--&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=z8wJs5YZSJu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 30 minutes ago, RedBarediver said: I have the parts diagrams - just don't have it on the work laptop and I didn't have time to download the whole thing again. Silly me thought that the parts guys will have an idea of what I am looking for. I'll do that in future because I don't feel like going through the whole inane conversation with them every time. Not really, most of them won't have been working for the OPC when the 986 was in production. However as with everything the good one are valuable, the not so good are worse than useless. Silverstone Porsch I have found to be very good. Send a request in by email, they check of supreceeded numbers or send a diagram for any queries. Then again I'm comfortable with a car parts catalogue having worked with VAG, Nissan, Jaguar in the past and run a parts store too. TBH I have the 986 parts cat on my PC, work laptop and my phone.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 1 hour ago, ½cwt said: Not really, most of them won't have been working for the OPC when the 986 was in production. The guy today sounded like he was still in school last year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken986 Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 I have a feeling that Porsche do not sell the ignition switch separately, it comes as part of the complete assembly through them. My local centre has always been very helpful tbh . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iborguk Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 I tend to be armed with the part number I want for any marque I deal with and ask them to verify I’ve got it right. Seems to shortcut the convo more times than not although recently I tried to order some some wheel bolts for another car and I might as well have been speaking Martian… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 13 hours ago, iborguk said: I tend to be armed with the part number I want for any marque I deal with and ask them to verify I’ve got it right. Seems to shortcut the convo more times than not although recently I tried to order some some wheel bolts for another car and I might as well have been speaking Martian… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 13 hours ago, Ken986 said: I have a feeling that Porsche do not sell the ignition switch separately, it comes as part of the complete assembly through them. My local centre has always been very helpful tbh . I think you're right. It was just disappointing to speak with someone so clueless. If the guy had said that he knows the switch can be separated etc but they don't sell only the switch that would have been fine. Instead he tried lecturing me about something he clearly knows very little and tried charging me over £200 for the privilege. No thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsmile Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 1 hour ago, RedBarediver said: I think you're right. It was just disappointing to speak with someone so clueless. If the guy had said that he knows the switch can be separated etc but they don't sell only the switch that would have been fine. Instead he tried lecturing me about something he clearly knows very little and tried charging me over £200 for the privilege. No thanks. Thank the Lord for BoXa and all the expertise and experience, as sure does help avoid being led up the garden path in such situations - good luck with sorting out the part 👍 Touch wood, my experience here with the local OPC has been impeccable, but I do find them somewhat pricier than the UK OPC's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T911UK Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 (edited) Porsche havent sold just the switch for years, its a complete unit at 10x the price of the switch If D9 have the hard top part on order, its a factory backorder from Porsche so you are stuffed Im afraid With hindsight, you should have gone to D9 for the switch and OPC for the hardtop kit! Edited June 10, 2022 by T911UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 15 minutes ago, T911UK said: With hindsight, you should have gone to D9 for the switch and OPC for the hardtop kit! I did. D911 sent me the switch (which I have yet to fit - been busy with work) and whilst they have the right hand side they are waiting for the left hand spinlock so I guess I'll just have to be patient. On a brighter note, I received the new condensers from Autodoc this week so I look forward to fitting them on Sunday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxer boy Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 Mines about 3 miles away so I just pop in . Pretty lady makes a coffee and sits me down at a desk.Parts guy arrives armed with lap top . Quickly interprets my bable -d -gook description and gets the correct screen up . A few finger points from me and we are there .Out pops a card machine . Msg left on answerphone a few days later when it’s in . Thus far with my 987.2 hobby car . O rings for the front condensers ( I used aftermarket) AC pipes that run by the drivers cill . A screw fixation for the tool kit inside the frunk . Nice chappie ,tells me he was a tech for 15 yrs from school but ended up with a skin allergy to the PPE etc .Went to work as coach driver . Lockdown killed that career.New dealership opened same family run multi marque business re employed him as the parts guy .This OPC has a strong customer service culture. Very strong indeed.Front of house is everything, the customer contact etc etc . They know we have a choice, plenty of equivalent stuff out there to compete .So the differentiator is mostly the customer experience. Like the rest of OPC they can’t get stock and new just go straight out . I recently bought a used approved Macan from them it’s under a 3 yr warranty so no DIY yet from me . The experience was excellent. Consequently there are a increasing number of Porsches running around E York’s (Hull ) area . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 May be I'm cynical but I can't help thinking that if you have bought a vehicle and have it serviced there you get a bit more recognition at an OPC as you are a genuine customer, or at least by going in regularly even to get a small value purchase of parts helps prove you are genuine. I guess they get a number of tyre kickers or time wasters. That said parts is down to having someone who knows and is prepared to investigate, also if you show them the same from your side you'll get on fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted June 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 6 minutes ago, ½cwt said: May be I'm cynical but I can't help thinking that if you have bought a vehicle and have it serviced there you get a bit more recognition at an OPC as you are a genuine customer, or at least by going in regularly even to get a small value purchase of parts helps prove you are genuine. I guess they get a number of tyre kickers or time wasters. That said parts is down to having someone who knows and is prepared to investigate, also if you show them the same from your side you'll get on fine. Fair enough. I haven't taken it to them for service or repairs. The crash repairs through a Porsche approved repairer (not OPC) would have been just slightly South of £10k. I had it done for just over £5k by a very good local guy who has done work for me in the past. The car is a Cat S so it's never going to sell for super money but I enjoy it and I like getting my hands greasy so it's a bit of a project. I farmed out the important stuff like brakes to a guy who's worked on my Alfa (and my wife's) for the last 6 years because I trust him and I don't want to find out I cocked it up at the wrong moment... Once (and IF) I decide to bite the bullet and get a more recent car (maybe a 997) with lower mileage I may want to take it to them. We'll see. For the moment I'm happy tinkering on the thing myself. In fact I find it very therapeutic. I normally go cave diving to relax but since the start of the pandemic I've not been able to go. That and the fact that we just bought a new house scuppered my plans for last year and this year. Maybe next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonogt6 Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 Tbh I don't just think it's Porsche dealers who can be poor. I had terrible experiences with a few parts depts over the years. Some of them are complete cretins. As the old saying goes...you pay peanuts you employ monkeys. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey P Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 On 6/9/2022 at 3:24 PM, RedBarediver said: At least with Design 911 I can order the right parts and if they have it in stock I'll have it within a few days. The local Porsche dealer may be only a 10 minute drive away but they may as well be on the moon for all the good that does me. If they are only 10 mins away, why don't you just go there and point at the bits you need...? Surely that must be easier than phone calls and emails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 40 minutes ago, jonogt6 said: Tbh I don't just think it's Porsche dealers who can be poor. I had terrible experiences with a few parts depts over the years. Some of them are complete cretins. As the old saying goes...you pay peanuts you employ monkeys. For sure. It took me a bit of time to 'retrain' the local VW parts department after a very good parts adviser (female) left. I now turn up with reg, VIN and the list of parts I believe I need. They usually only have to correct for up issues. This site certainly helps for other marque ad well as Porsche if you haven't already downloaded the Porsche catalogues: LLLParts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 Had a Toyota parts manager tell me my MR2 roadster couldn’t possibly have a hard top fitted as the hard top models “have a different chassis sir.” offered to bet my car against his non hard top car in the the showroom that A, my car had a hard top as they could go on any roadster and B, I’d put my hard top on his car if he lent me some tools. Unfortunately he wised up before accepting the bet, squirmed a lot though. 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXY Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 3 hours ago, Davey P said: If they are only 10 mins away, why don't you just go there and point at the bits you need...? Surely that must be easier than phone calls and emails? What have you been told about coming on here in your tin-top Boxster and talking sense 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 11 minutes ago, EXY said: What have you been told about coming on here in your tin-top Boxster and talking sense Don’t know why we allow it tbh. 😜 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXY Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 8 minutes ago, Scubaregs said: Don’t know why we allow it tbh. 😜 Anyone who doesn't have a Boxster should fek off,,,,,,Errrrr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaregs Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 1 minute ago, EXY said: Anyone who doesn't have a Boxster should fek off,,,,,,Errrrr Any convertible is acceptable rather than a tin top surely? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted June 10, 2022 Report Share Posted June 10, 2022 45 minutes ago, EXY said: Anyone who doesn't have a Boxster should fek off,,,,,,Errrrr Bye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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