996 GT3 OPC warranty

[alfapork]

I purchased my 2005 GT3 from RPM back in August.

The car is a 30k mile car and aside from a couple of small things I am attending to shortly on the front suspension, it is in fine fettle. It was on the OPC warranty scheme until early this year.

This January it is coming up for 14 years old, and there is an opportunity to put it back on the OPC warranty scheme for a final year. It will need the 111 point check, but given it had similar at RPM and I am already attending to a couple of small items, I don't expect there will be much trouble passing this.

The OPC will do the check for free with a minor service (fixed price) which makes the cost palatable.

All in with the service, and a year's coverage, I am looking at £1500.

Worth it? Or will they just try and bleed me dry on rectification work on the 111 point?

[Kettmark]

Personally I would get the warranty as it's the last chance due to age of car. anything could fail at that age without warning especially with such low mileage on an ageing car.

[alfapork]

They've sent me the 111 point sheet.

It's not strictly due a service for another year (major), but I don't see the harm in an interim oil change before then. It's only about the cost of the oil extra above what the check on it's own will be.

Honestly, the only thing I can see it failing on is a slightly rusty exhaust box. And I bet that ain't covered anyway under warranty.

Edited by alfapork on Thursday 25th October 18:43

[anonymous-user]

The issue with warranty on a car this age is the wear and tear aspect.

I would ask the dealer about this and the realistic prospect of making successful claims, I think this is uncharted territory both for owners and Porsche themselves.

[alfapork]

Actually, does anyone know a supplier of front springs? Might as well do those whilst the dampers are off.

[VPD255M]

From my experiences, with older cars it's not worth the paper it's written on. The warranty gives great peace of mind right up until the point you need to claim and then everything is treated as "wear & tear".

[alfapork]

I guess coffin arms and other links are similar? I think they stopped the OEM selling them direct.

Thankfully we have a trade account direct with bilstein for the shocks.

[Digga]

Problem is anything that's not stock, standard. I had the conversation with my (very helpful) local OPC in Wolverhampton a few days ago, regarding my '07 GT3.

• PCM 2.1 removed and aftermarket DAV/Nav/Bluetooth Kenwood fitted? Nope
• Coolant hoses pinned? Nope

Didn't bother asking about the PCCB's being swapped for Alcon steels.

I'll still use OPC for 'general', routine dealer-stamp services though, as they're only 20 mins from home and do a decent enough job. For all the more complex bits and interim (i.e. as necessary, due to track day use) servicing and set-up, I will continue to take the car to Sports & Classic.

[alfapork]

The car is bone stock so I don't think this will be an issue.

Interesting that suspension links and bushes are not excluded - I had assumed they would be. Anyone have any experience claiming for these on the OPC warranty?

[evodarren]

Just renewed my warranty on my 997.1 GT3. They didn't want to do because the rear anti roll bar was set not to porches spec. Chris Centre Gravity set one side on the first hole and the other side on the centre hole. His 1.5 setting as he says. Had to pay then to set both to centre to allow the warranty to be renewed.

[rabbitstew]

evodarren said:

Just renewed my warranty on my 997.1 GT3. They didn't want to do because the rear anti roll bar was set not to porches spec. Chris Centre Gravity set one side on the first hole and the other side on the centre hole. His 1.5 setting as he says. Had to pay then to set both to centre to allow the warranty to be renewed.

ha! Chis set my GT2RS anti-roll bar up the same. I guess you can always set it back now warranty has been renewed.

[evodarren]

rabbitstew said:

ha! Chis set my GT2RS anti-roll bar up the same. I guess you can always set it back now warranty has been renewed.

I could do. To be honest been out a few times on the road and I cant feel any difference.

[short-shift]

evodarren said:

Just renewed my warranty on my 997.1 GT3. They didn't want to do because the rear anti roll bar was set not to porches spec.

I think you might have been 'had' there Darren. I can't remember what the books (owners manual, etc) for a 997 GT3 say but for 991 GT3s there's a section about 'Chassis Setup' which specifically explains that the chassis is intended to be adjustable for a number of settings, including anti-roll bar settings. So if it is a recommended and highighted feature of the car in the official documents, I doubt that an altered ARB setting should really be held-up as a reason to deny warranty extension.

More generally, isn't it annoying that the whole Porsche extended warranty thing is such a lottery - particularly in terms of what is picked up or not on the 111-point test (and used to deny warranty renewal unless monies change hands for additional service work) and also in relation to the number of exclusions (so often, the initial response is "wear and tear") which, in my experience, are often capable of succesful challenge if you have the energy and time. The whole process is riddled with inconsistency and commercial opportunity for the OPC network.

Rant over.

James

[Digga]

It's a bit galling when blow coolant hoses on track days are a known issue for 997 GT3s, that there's never been a factory solution and that any aftermarket attempt to ensure this happens will void warranty, given how serious the situation is when (not if) the fault ocurrs: https://carbuzz.com/news/watch-a-terrifying-14-car...

[short-shift]

Slippydiff said:

I think you may have missed the finer detail in Darren's post.

...Overly pedantic (and a great way for your local OPC to extort money from you for absolutely no reason whatsoever)

Edited by Slippydiff on Friday 26th October 18:20

No, Slippy, I think I got it all... And our views on it seem to be pretty much aligned too!

James

[alfapork]

What I don’t really understand about OPC anti-rollbargate is... why you would pay someone to reset it? Surely it’s about 3 minutes with a 17mm socket!?

[evodarren]

alfapork said:

What I don’t really understand about OPC anti-rollbargate is... why you would pay someone to reset it? Surely it’s about 3 minutes with a 17mm socket!?

Hi alfapork

It is a quick job, but when your car is 1/2 milwe away in the service centre up on their ramp have the warranty check i couldnt be asked.
They charged £30