1st Service - Minor - Dealer OR Specialist?

[imi]

Hi Guys & Girls

2 Years coming up - 1st Minor service is now due. Local dealer in West London want 480 (service) + 150 (Brake Fluid).

Questions

1) Should I take the car to a Porsche specialist? Will it impact my 3rd year warranty?
2) If Yes, any specialist that you all can recommend, preferably in London.

Regards

imi

 

[Motorhead]

Hi Imi,

Although there some very reputable London based Indies around who'll do an excellent job, on such a new car I'd be inclined to bite the bullet and get the service done by the dealer. You may even be able to get a discount if you push them.

Provided the service is carried out correctly and genuine Porsche parts are used, your warranty will not be invalidated if it's not carried out by an approved dealer.

Jeff

 

[tscaptain]

Dealer - as you asked the question[] £630 = £315 per year - doesn't seem too unreasonable compared to some other marques.

 

[rob.kellock]

Agree 100%.

Unless you intend to keep the car a very long time, you will reduce the pool of potential purchasers whilst the car is so young if you don't have a Porsche Centre stamp in the book when time comes to sell.

 

[ralphmusic]

I pay £500 a year for scheduled servicing of a small Mercedes and each year they find something to recommend be done in addition - which invariably I decline and is never actually required.

 

[MrDemon]

OPC 100% for 1st service and the 2nd in fact for the 1st 4 years of it's life keep it OPC if you want to sell it for top money.

you get OPC discount being a PCGB member.

you could get your brake fluid done else where I do it costs me £35. but ask for a deal at the OPC if you have every thing.

(I don't think OPC take wheels off and bleed both sides of the caliper, I DO when I do the brakes )

 

[imi]

Thanks for the advice - how much of a discount can one expect as a member?

Person I spoke to at the OPC wasnt very clued up - said that the service costs of 480 for service + 150 for brake fluid change were already discounted...... []

 

[Motorhead]

As a Club member you'll get 10% off parts (excluding the oil - although the dealer may let you supply your own Mobil 1), so not much in total. You may be able to push them for a bit more. If you're a a first-timer with no track record I think that you'd probably be very lucky to 10% off the bill, but 5% could be possible.

I think the prices quoted are Porsche official prices, not discounted.

Jeff

 

[tscaptain]

My dealer will match the price of Mobil 1 so I don't have to take my own! I still think the prices quoted are reasonable given it's over two years. My Freelander daily needs servicing every year and works out more expensive than the Porsche!

 

[paulbarlow]

Sorry to hijack this thread a little but there is some commonality in my question.

On my last service I was charged £117 plus vat for 9 litres of Mobil 1 Newlife 0-40W.

I can buy 10 litres of the same oil from Costco for £60!

My next service is scheduled for mid December and I'm wondering if it is common practice for OPCs to either match the price or allow you to provide your own oil?

I haven’t approached the Porsche Centre yet, but I will shortly.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[MrDemon]

they prob keep you own oil and still fill up with theirs

 

[Motorhead]

Annoyingly, it also appears to be common practice to leave an unopened litre bottle of Mobil 1 in the car after a service - and charge for it.

Jeff

 

[tscaptain]

My next service is scheduled for mid December and I'm wondering if it is common practice for OPCs to either match the price or allow you to provide your own oil?

Not all PCs are created equal. You will only know when you ask the question!

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

When out of warranty I would go minor main dealer major Porsche specialist .

Minor at main dealer is hardly much more than specialist.

Especially if you get your pcgb discount.

 

[kitchens]

Sorry to hijack this thread a little but there is some commonality in my question.

On my last service I was charged £117 plus vat for 9 litres of Mobil 1 Newlife 0-40W.

I can buy 10 litres of the same oil from Costco for £60!

My next service is scheduled for mid December and I'm wondering if it is common practice for OPCs to either match the price or allow you to provide your own oil?

Paul

Glasgow and Edinburgh point blankly refuse to use your own supplied oil ,as you say Costco is cheap .Both OPC's did at one point allow this and I supplied my own ,correct about giving you 1lt and charging £15 for it

As to the original post defiantly go OPC for at least 4 years .

I just got a 4 years done inc fluids /plugs etc and a 111point check and extended 2 warranty and saved a Looooot by going direct to the service manager. I can say it was well over any 10% quoted

I haven’t approached the Porsche Centre yet, but I will shortly.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Always supplied my own oil at OPC no problem

 

[imi]

Thanks team - taking it to the OPC in West London next week.

Providing the following

Motul DOT 3 & 4 Fully Synthetic Brake Fluid-3 x 500ml Mobil 1 0W-40 New Life Fully Synthetic Engine Oil-Service Pack: 8 litres

 

[imi]

Collected my car back from the OPC on Friday - car was in for the 1st Minor service + Warranty repairs.

At this moment in time - not happy with the service received. Will give them one chance to put all things right - else I will spill the beans on here and ask for additional help.

General Question - is it normal for the Oil Level to read 3 bar after a service (they kept the car for 9 days in total).

Appreciate any guidance on what the escalation options available are as members of the owners club / let alone Porsche customer.

imi

 

[Buddy]

I've usually had a service done on the Saturday morning, brake fluid possibly can be done at the same time, it shouldn't add much time onto the work so get there early if so.

What warranty repairs were you having done to be in for so long? Special delivery of parts from Stuttgart?

And I have often noticed that the oil level is a little low after a service, better than being overfilled.

 

[Motorhead]

Imi,

The correct oil level is 1 bar below max. Depending upon how long the technician left it to drain, he may have underestimated the amount of oil need to refill to this level. No excuse really since it should have been checked but as Kevan says, it's better than overfilling.

The centres usually give you a litre bottle of Mobil 1 (they've probably charged you for it!) so you can just top it up to the correct level.

If you're unhappy with any aspect of the service it's best to take it up with the service manager at the centre in the first instance. If you're still unhappy then contact the dealer principal.

Jeff