Servicing

[Ray]

Hi Guys,
I am sure my post will not be the first or the last when it comes to servicing costs versus service intervals.
Just had a nudge from my Porsche dealership regarding bringing my 2013 Cayman S 3.4 PDK (981) in for a service. The vehicle has done just over 22,500 miles, service interval and cost quoted is for a Fixed Price 8 years 80k Service. Cost is £925, does this seem correct given the limited mileage of the vehicle?
Love to hear your thoughts. Keep safe.

 

[Allblack]

Don't know if the cost is correct or not but I can say when I recently had my 718 serviced I phoned around OPC's and found a £50.00 difference from dealer group to dealer group(ie Sytner to Stratstone).

The higher priced OPC matched the price of the lower one.

 

[Motorhead]

Ray,

The Porsche dealerships will only quote on time on a limited mileage car like yours, so it will be the 80k mile service, but you’d probably get an Indie to do just what’s necessary.

There’s always a lot of chatter on here and also elsewhere about service costs, fixed-price or otherwise, and quotes appear to vary between dealerships, sometimes wildly, so you may want to shop around for a price spread if you have the luxury of having a few dealerships in your area. Other than that you could opt to use an Indie whose prices will probably be lower resulting from their lower labour rate.

Jeff

 

[Ray]

Ray,

The Porsche dealerships will only quote on time on a limited mileage car like yours, so it will be the 80k mile service, but you’d probably get an Indie to do just what’s necessary.

There’s always a lot of chatter on here and also elsewhere about service costs, fixed-price or otherwise, and quotes appear to vary between dealerships, sometimes wildly, so you may want to shop around for a price spread if you have the luxury of having a few dealerships in your area. Other than that you could opt to use an Indie whose prices will probably be lower resulting from their lower labour rate.

Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for that. As it happens that is exactly what I have done. I have looked at my last service and compared it to what has been quoted to do this time and then compared both dealership and Indie. The difference is frightening. I like to keep faith with people who give good service be that plumbing, electrical, builders etc. For some reason with cars it has always been a different matter due to costs and how some try to squeeze the last penny out of you. I have never felt comfortable when I have left a dealership.

 

[AndrewCS]

The attached is a few years old now ... for reference

Mileage doesn`t really matter, items with less use are often as likely to deteriorate as those that are well used ... there is also, type of use to consider

E.G. spark plugs are due at this time ... would you leave them any longer given their overly expose location, hence risking possible future issues with plug threads and coil pack bolts seizing ?

Given the lower Indie costs ... are they using genuine Porsche parts ?

 

[Motorhead]

Andrew,

I’d agree with your comments re plugs and natural degradation of parts, rubber in particular. I think that reputable Indies will use original Porsche parts if you ask and also offer good quality OEM parts based upon previous experience, which is something the dealers will never have an opportunity to do. Indies probably have more to lose reputation-wise than the official dealers.

Jeff

 

[Ray]

Ray,

The Porsche dealerships will only quote on time on a limited mileage car like yours, so it will be the 80k mile service, but you’d probably get an Indie to do just what’s necessary.

There’s always a lot of chatter on here and also elsewhere about service costs, fixed-price or otherwise, and quotes appear to vary between dealerships, sometimes wildly, so you may want to shop around for a price spread if you have the luxury of having a few dealerships in your area. Other than that you could opt to use an Indie whose prices will probably be lower resulting from their lower labour rate.

Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for that. As it happens that is exactly what I have done. I have looked at my last service and compared it to what has been quoted to do this time and then compared both dealership and Indie. The difference is frightening. I like to keep faith with people who give good service be that plumbing, electrical, builders etc. For some reason with cars it has always been a different matter due to costs and how some try to squeeze the last penny out of you. I have never felt comfortable when I have left a dealership.

Andrew,

I shall have the major service plus the plugs done at this service. Maybe the hourly rate is less at an Indie compared to the dealers with the overheads they have. The vehicle is never in the winter months. Late Autumn to start of spring the vehicle is in storage. This is why the mileage is low.

 

[AndrewCS]

Aye, many an Indie are half the OPC`s ~ £150 hourly rate ... not sure if OPC`s still operate that (previously attached) Fixed Price Menu these days ?

When I last compared a `well advertised` Indie to the OPC Fixed Price Menu they were the same, as the Indie sourced their parts from Porsche Reading ... as part of an Approved Affiliation process. No doubt other Indie`s can source alternative, cheaper parts

The largest difference I saw was for a potential brake change, same sourced parts as OPC but in total half the cost thanks to labour rate. I`ll certainly be challenging the OPC on this if I ever wear the GT4`s kit out

 

[Twinfan]

Personally I'd use an OPC for servicing to keep the stamps in the book, which are beneficial for resale, and if you're running the extended warranty. If you're keeping the car factory standard or plan to sell it in the near future a couple of hundred quid extra every couple of years isn't enough of a saving for me to lose full Porsche service history. YMMV of course.

I'm planning on using my OPC for servicing and an indie for anything else e.g. interim oil changes, modifications and upgrades, non-warranty repairs etc.

 

[Motorhead]

On the subject of fixed-price servicing, I noticed something in the February PP. On page 96 there’s an official Porsche advert entitled : Total transparency. Clear service pricing from Porsche. It refers to “Our new service pricing packages …” and points the reader to finding out more at your nearest participating Porsche Centre. The packages include scheduled maintenance such as a brake fluid change, filters, plugs and drive-belts, which is to be welcomed.

It’s a pity that participating Centres aren’t listed. In my experience those in the Porsche Retail Group are significantly more expensive than most other Centres, which must be due to their very high labour rates since part prices and job times will be set by Porsche.

Jeff

 

[JMR]

I was quoted £750 + £89 for a brake fluid change for a MINOR service for my 2007 Boxster from two OPC's (in January)

Last time I had a minor service it was £399 plus BFC and my major last time was £499 plus extras, such as drive belt, spark plugs, brake fluid etc.

My car has Full OPC History, but I've made my mind up to move away from OPC servicing this year and will be placing my car in the trusted hands of Cavendish Porscha at Nottingham

Same minor service including brake fluid a touch over £300.

I just don't see how the price has nearly doubled in 4 years. Wish my salary had

Also likely this will be the last year of owning this particular car and I don't think it will reduce its value by £400 in all honesty

 

[Ray]

My local Porsche independent quoted £315 Major service, brake fluid change £65, spark plug change £105 all prices exclude VAT. It is my intention to have the major service and the spark plug change. Brake fluid was done at my last service and the car has done very little milage since then due to winter and Covid.

 

[AndrewCS]

Late 2019 is when I last used the previous Fixed Price Menu process, attached is the dealer list for that.

My local OPC was not on the list but when challenged immediately price matched.

Back then the attached information was on the Porsche UK site but not now, along with a few other items that should be more transparent ... contact with some dealers is `another matter`.

 

[mr pg]

My 2013 981 CS is due it's 8 year servive in Mar so got quotes from 3 OPC's. They ranged from over £1420 (Hatfield being my nearest) to £925 (Silverstone) for the same thing! Guess which one I chose.

 

[paulo16]

hi guys, feel I could give some input on this as I just had 2 cars serviced one boxster which I just sold and 1 iv recently bought...

so the 981 boxster I got done at a local Porsche specialist with a price of £250 for an interim, my new 981 cayman gts I used dick Lovett porsche and was £580 for the same service, now I run a small garage myself but got both cars done to keep the Porsche stamps and looks good when coming to sell, the specialist I used I was disappointed It came back with small deposits of oil on the drive and I put it on the ramp and they didn't even bother to clean off the oil filter housing it was very damp with oil, very dissapointed I regretted it the moment I dropped the car off seemed very unprofessional too, the main dealer was alot more but service was great-my advice to anyone is use them to keep with service history, they gave me a new leather case with spare oil in the trunk I had a health check sheet and porsche invoice and book stamped and screen wash bottle too, I know its paying alot more but hopefully you get that back when coming to sell, obv the older the car then yes maybe go specialist but 981 and above id use the dealerships, plus took me ages to sell my boxster maybe cause covid/lockdown but I some people asked what specialist I used and seemed put off by it, everyones different I guess but id use dealerships even if you break it down and have a service then rebook for things like belts or brake fluid/plugs or whatever due if helps with money etc.

hope it helps cheers Paul

 

[Kaiser981]

I have an 8 year Major Service coming up this year on the 981 S. So far the OPC quote is approximately £800 to complete this. I will be getting a price from my Indy. As stated above it is the hourly rate that hits in at the OPC on all quotes, £155.00 an hour soon adds up to a fair amount of pennies. Part prices from my OPC are great, especially with the 10% off via PCGB.

 

[JMR]

Just booked mine in for a few weeks time at Cavendish Porsche in Nottm.

Everything I asked them, they gave me an answer and advice for.

They'll be doing me an 'airbag service' too which the OPC noted was due last service.

This is done f.o.c and included in the service price, and is very simple.

All parts are genuine/oem as required and Porsche approved fluids.

I'm putting aside just over £300, so the extra £450 that the OPC's wanted has been put in my parts and maintenance fund []

 

[Max Somper]

Having had the costly OPC major 4 year service on the 981 Cayman 2 years ago I anticipated that the 6 year service would be fairly reasonable. Porsche OPC called me proactively today and after several attempts to ask what the price was, hard sell is an understatement, they quoted £1,066. So I read the service book on what is carried out, its a heavy cost for what is involved, I feel. Like the other readers I’ll shop around but the message here is it really takes the fun out of owning a Porsche when you know an OPC stamp keeps the value up, but the dealer takes all the value out of it.

 

[Motorhead]

Yes, ordinarily you’d expect the 6-year service to be cheaper than the 4-year Max but Porsche dealers’ service pricing seems to have rocketed in the past 2-years. Covid tax maybe … making up for lost revenue and lower throughput?

As you say, worth shopping around.

Keep us posted.

Jeff

 

[Ray]

Having had the costly OPC major 4 year service on the 981 Cayman 2 years ago I anticipated that the 6 year service would be fairly reasonable. Porsche OPC called me proactively today and after several attempts to ask what the price was, hard sell is an understatement, they quoted £1,066. So I read the service book on what is carried out, its a heavy cost for what is involved, I feel. Like the other readers I’ll shop around but the message here is it really takes the fun out of owning a Porsche when you know an OPC stamp keeps the value up, but the dealer takes all the value out of it.

I concur. My last major service was carried out by a Porsche independent as I got sick of paying for huge overheads in the shape and form of flashy showrooms.