Porsche Parts Tax

I’m more than aware that servicing your car and buying official Porsche parts is going to mean you pay a bit more. I’m usually ok paying the Porsche tax knowing I’m keeping the car OEM whether it be suspension parts or service kits for my old Boxster.

However, I do have limits and £1,997.60 including VAT for an alternator (part only) is taking the proverbial. As a comparison £514 for a new Bosch part fitted at my local garage. Probably nudging £2.5k to get it fitted at a OPC. Who pays these prices?

On the flip side of this, I called up my local OPC parts dept, as I had broken a trim piece on my 911, told them what it was, explained could I order part for both sides as I will no doubt break that one as well, guy in parts dept said 'No problem sir, let me have your address and I will send them out for free, thanks for your customer loyalty', nearly dropped my phone in shock.

That's pocket change ^
A replacement Ferrari FF front gearbox (PTU) for the 4WD system works out at three and half times that. And better still, it'll have exactly the same issues/weaknesses as the one that failed ...

Yikes.. How do you break a diff?

R ... PM me ?

The gearbox is from a FWD Audi. Blew diff doing pre-start tyre warm at a hill climb. No bang just no drive. RPM is installing an uprated LSD from DEMAN in the US.

I gave up on Porsche when they quoted £1k to change the oil in my 996.

I would tend to buy parts from reputable manufacturers, ideally the original suppliers, seem to recall on the BMW's if you buy lemforder suspension parts you can often see where they've removed the BMW stamp so that they can sell through other sources.

RPM fitting it at the mo'. Ill report back in a couple of weeks after its done its first competition.

As ever with mods, the benefit will probably 'disappear' after the first few times if using it.

But if the times improve, well that will be nice.

You may find that all your alternator needs is a new voltage regulator - a £25 part… (here’s one example - you’d need to check which one you need).

I repaired my 986 alternator with something similar and it although it wasn’t an easy driveway fix, the £2k saving vs. what my local Swiss OPC would have charged for a replacement was similarly eye watering..