Servicing outside of OPC whilst in warranty

[Louis Balfour]

It is beyond me why anyone would service a Porsche outside of the Porsche network, if it has Porsche warranty on it.

I ran Porsches for donkeys' years and had many, many times the cost of servicing back in goodwill from Porsche. Porsche wants not to ps off its buyer and OPCs are more afraid of Porsche than their customers. It was rare that I paid for anything outside of warranty, servicing and MOTs.

[Youforreal.]

c3m said:

Youforreal. said:

So what your saying is you can start servicing with an Indy (with Porsche parts) after its three years old up it fifteen years old, you don’t have to go near Porsche at all and they will keep extending your warranty for whatever time period you choose without a single check or am I misunderstanding that?

I believe that's true (with the ceveat re: any claims for faults being traced back to the indy servicing would not be covered).

I've asked Porsche GB for a clarification in writing, so will post an update.

Thank you :-)

[honda_exige]

Louis Balfour said:

It is beyond me why anyone would service a Porsche outside of the Porsche network, if it has Porsche warranty on it.

I ran Porsches for donkeys' years and had many, many times the cost of servicing back in goodwill from Porsche. Porsche wants not to ps off its buyer and OPCs are more afraid of Porsche than their customers. It was rare that I paid for anything outside of warranty, servicing and MOTs.

I'll service with them but trackday consumables I'll get done with a specialist - I'll be damned if I'm waiting 6 weeks anytime I need pads or brake fluid.

[ChrisW.]

honda_exige said:

Louis Balfour said:

It is beyond me why anyone would service a Porsche outside of the Porsche network, if it has Porsche warranty on it.

I ran Porsches for donkeys' years and had many, many times the cost of servicing back in goodwill from Porsche. Porsche wants not to ps off its buyer and OPCs are more afraid of Porsche than their customers. It was rare that I paid for anything outside of warranty, servicing and MOTs.

I'll service with them but trackday consumables I'll get done with a specialist - I'll be damned if I'm waiting 6 weeks anytime I need pads or brake fluid.

I agree ... OPC wait times are a pain. My daughter needed her Ford Puma servicing ... booked yesterday for next Friday !!

[Armitage.Shanks]

So from the above I can take my car that has a last scheduled service to Porsche standards by an Indy and get the warranty which in this case will include the 111-point check given there is no warranty in place? Then carry on having it serviced by my Indy and just keep renewing the warranty without this time the need for a 111-point check?

This must be a change of tack and I suspect if I phone several OPC service managers I'll get different answers. A few years back when they got rid of the 111-point for warranty extensions it was me that corrected the service manager who was adament it was required.

[FrancisA]

Armitage.Shanks said:

So from the above I can take my car that has a last scheduled service to Porsche standards by an Indy and get the warranty which in this case will include the 111-point check given there is no warranty in place? Then carry on having it serviced by my Indy and just keep renewing the warranty without this time the need for a 111-point check?

This must be a change of tack and I suspect if I phone several OPC service managers I'll get different answers. A few years back when they got rid of the 111-point for warranty extensions it was me that corrected the service manager who was adament it was required.

Wow - I had no idea this would generate the responses it has done when I posted my email response from Porsche GB.

To be clear I will be using OPC for servicing, It simply is not worth the grief of having a warranty claim contested. Fortunately for me the next service due is June 2025 which will be 3 months prior to the warranty running out. Then I will decide to extend/trade in or just carry on with an indy. From what I can tell the 991.1 engine on the C2S is regarded as pretty reliable. I have only 10K on the clock so no real urgency for change. I clock about 5K a year.

BUT......I have a PDK service (12 yr) and a PDCC service (6 yr) due in May. For that I will go to a specialist (JAZ or JZM). I do believe those indies offer a better service compared to OPCs.

[c3m]

Here's the warranty matrix which states when 111-check is required.

[Redline88]

c3m said:

Here's the warranty matrix which states when 111-check is required.

So according to that you basically need the 111 point inspection unless it is an extension to an existing warranty?

[elan362]

Redline88 said:

So according to that you basically need the 111 point inspection unless it is an extension to an existing warranty?

Yes.

[Louis Balfour]

ChrisW. said:

honda_exige said:

Louis Balfour said:

It is beyond me why anyone would service a Porsche outside of the Porsche network, if it has Porsche warranty on it.

I ran Porsches for donkeys' years and had many, many times the cost of servicing back in goodwill from Porsche. Porsche wants not to ps off its buyer and OPCs are more afraid of Porsche than their customers. It was rare that I paid for anything outside of warranty, servicing and MOTs.

I'll service with them but trackday consumables I'll get done with a specialist - I'll be damned if I'm waiting 6 weeks anytime I need pads or brake fluid.

I agree ... OPC wait times are a pain. My daughter needed her Ford Puma servicing ... booked yesterday for next Friday !!

I wonder if OPCs have become a victim of Porsche's success in recent years. When I first started running new Porsches they were a fairly uncommon sight on the roads. Now Porsche badges are everywhere and there is still only one OPC in the city.

[981Boxess]

FrancisA said:

To be clear I will be using OPC for servicing, It simply is not worth the grief of having a warranty claim contested...............


BUT......I have a PDK service (12 yr) and a PDCC service (6 yr) due in May. For that I will go to a specialist (JAZ or JZM). I do believe those indies offer a better service compared to OPCs.

They are probably cheaper, but out of interest why would you consider an indie better than an OPC for the PDK service?

[ChrisW.]

elan362 said:

Redline88 said:

So according to that you basically need the 111 point inspection unless it is an extension to an existing warranty?

Yes.

And if one was buying privately a car with a Porsche extended warranty, the warranty should be valid for more than 90 days or a new 111 point check will be required when renewing it ....

[elan362]

ChrisW. said:

And if one was buying privately a car with a Porsche extended warranty, the warranty should be valid for more than 90 days or a new 111 point check will be required when renewing it ....

Yes.
If I were buying privately and there was less than 3 months Warranty on the car, I'd be looking for the seller to put additional warranty on the car. prior to sale. I'd be happy to add the cost onto the sale price.

It's murkier if you by from a trade seller that is not an POC.
The warranty terms say the Approved warranty is only transferable If sold privately or via an OPC and it cannot be transferred in a sale from the trade. (The existing owner can get a refund on the unused warranty cost)

If you buy from a non OPC trader, then you would require a 111 point check (and have the latest service carried out by a OPC) in order to bring the car back into the Approved Porsche warranty

[FrancisA]

981Boxess said:

They are probably cheaper, but out of interest why would you consider an indie better than an OPC for the PDK service?

I am referring to renowned Porsche Indies. They are going to have more knowledgeable staff as their reputation rests on their work. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos from Harry's Garage and 911 Virgins where they have taken work to JAZ for their cars. My experience of running a Mercedes was always an indie down in Fulham I used for 14 years. He knew those cars inside out. It normally is that way with the Indies.

[Youforreal.]

FrancisA said:

981Boxess said:

They are probably cheaper, but out of interest why would you consider an indie better than an OPC for the PDK service?

I am referring to renowned Porsche Indies. They are going to have more knowledgeable staff as their reputation rests on their work. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos from Harry's Garage and 911 Virgins where they have taken work to JAZ for their cars. My experience of running a Mercedes was always an indie down in Fulham I used for 14 years. He knew those cars inside out. It normally is that way with the Indies.

I’ve always found this point of view strange, so more or less Porsche don’t really know what they are doing and an Indy will have more experience/carry out work to a higher standard?

In my experience, it all hinges on which master tech or scooby doo get their hands on your car, there are both in Indy and opc’s workshops.

[981Boxess]

FrancisA said:

981Boxess said:

They are probably cheaper, but out of interest why would you consider an indie better than an OPC for the PDK service?

I am referring to renowned Porsche Indies. They are going to have more knowledgeable staff as their reputation rests on their work. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos from Harry's Garage and 911 Virgins where they have taken work to JAZ for their cars. My experience of running a Mercedes was always an indie down in Fulham I used for 14 years. He knew those cars inside out. It normally is that way with the Indies.

If you are running an older car that might(?) well be the case, but if it is current/recent model the OPCs will be getting updates from the factory as technical data filters through, indies will only know what they have experienced in that one garage, with a much smaller throughput of cars.

[honda_exige]

Had a reply from the OPC they've accepted I do actually still have a warranty but are now claiming that I won't be able to renew the warranty when it expires.

The document she attached seems to be some kind of internal checklist, don't think it's from PCGB.

Losing the will to live dealing with OPCs.

Edited by honda_exige on Monday 12th February 15:26

[c3m]

c3m said:

I believe that's true (with the ceveat re: any claims for faults being traced back to the indy servicing would not be covered).

I've asked Porsche GB for a clarification in writing, so will post an update.

Well, Porsche GB are now refusing to answer my question regarding extension of warranty if a car has been serviced by an indy. OPC sends you to Porsche GB, Porsche GB sends you to OPC.

"For all Warranty information, please reach out to your local Porsche Centre. You can find your Centre using the below link: https://www.porsche.com/uk/dealersearch/"

[c3m]

honda_exige said:

The document she attached seems to be some kind of internal checklist, don't think it's from PCGB.

This is very interesting - I never signed such a document and it's clear that it's meant to be signed by customers as a signature is required at the bottom.

It also seems to refer to "Handover", so presumably it's about setting up a warranty for the first time after buying a car, not extending.

As has been said, it only makes sense to keep warranty if servicing at an OPC, while technically it seems it's not required from publicly available documents, the associated hassle would not be worth it.

[981Boxess]

c3m said:

Well, Porsche GB are now refusing to answer my question regarding extension of warranty if a car has been serviced by an indy.

Looking at the attachment above would it not suggest that unless the seller can tick 'YES' in all seven boxes in section one the Porsche Approved Warranty would not be recommended?

That being the case '1e' requires that you commit to Porsche Centre or an authorised service or repair centre, would any indie be an authorised repairer - I doubt it. Isn't that your answer?

Porsche cannot insist you get them to service your car but they can dictate what hoops you need to jump through to have the warranty and be able to claim on it.