Difference between German & UK OPCs
Discussion
Service at UK OPC:
Sit down at the desk, confirm the registration number and relay any problems you think you have with the car. Guaranteed question asked is 'How do you like the car?', yawn yawn.You ask about a car for the day and you are told with a smile, you should have requested that several weeks ago when you booked the service, and no it wouldn't have been a Porsche. You then hand the keys over and bye bye until collection time.
Service at German OPC:
Sit down at the desk, confirm the registration number and relay any problems you think you have with the car. The assigned technician (not mechanic) in clean Porsche light grey overall/Jacket then takes the car onto a special hydraulic hoist just outside the service area and checks the car for about 15mins with you present. He visually checks the tyres, any oil leaks, checks windscreen wipers/washers, headlamp washers, horn and all lights. All this while you are there and if anything is bad he will tell you.
Come back into the showroom/service area and says do you need replacement a car today? If yes, it's 66 Euros (£44) BUT you always get a 996 or occasionally a Cayenne. No notice necessary.
Conclusion:
German OPC, total professionalism and love of their product.
UK OPC, we're here to make a quick buck based on someone elses good brand image and you're lucky to be here.
I've had my cars serviced a number of times at a particular German OPC and it's always been a real pleasure, er, well, maybe not the bill
but anyway, why can't the UK OPCs just make a professional effort and really show they believe in their product instead of giving false smiles, lip service and crap service?
Sit down at the desk, confirm the registration number and relay any problems you think you have with the car. Guaranteed question asked is 'How do you like the car?', yawn yawn.You ask about a car for the day and you are told with a smile, you should have requested that several weeks ago when you booked the service, and no it wouldn't have been a Porsche. You then hand the keys over and bye bye until collection time.
Service at German OPC:
Sit down at the desk, confirm the registration number and relay any problems you think you have with the car. The assigned technician (not mechanic) in clean Porsche light grey overall/Jacket then takes the car onto a special hydraulic hoist just outside the service area and checks the car for about 15mins with you present. He visually checks the tyres, any oil leaks, checks windscreen wipers/washers, headlamp washers, horn and all lights. All this while you are there and if anything is bad he will tell you.
Come back into the showroom/service area and says do you need replacement a car today? If yes, it's 66 Euros (£44) BUT you always get a 996 or occasionally a Cayenne. No notice necessary.
Conclusion:
German OPC, total professionalism and love of their product.
UK OPC, we're here to make a quick buck based on someone elses good brand image and you're lucky to be here.
I've had my cars serviced a number of times at a particular German OPC and it's always been a real pleasure, er, well, maybe not the bill
but anyway, why can't the UK OPCs just make a professional effort and really show they believe in their product instead of giving false smiles, lip service and crap service? The service you have experienced at a German OPC doesn't surprise me.
Do you know which German OPC it is that is nearest to Calais? It could be an excuse for a bit of a drive. I heard that Porsche themselves (used to?) have a service centre (Werk 1?) - that would have to be the best option.
Do you know which German OPC it is that is nearest to Calais? It could be an excuse for a bit of a drive. I heard that Porsche themselves (used to?) have a service centre (Werk 1?) - that would have to be the best option.
I use the one in Düsseldorf where I work on and off. It's 3.5 hours drive from Calais. You could make a nice weekend out of it, you know, a bit of France and a bit of Germany, lots of nice hotels & good food. Once a year and no probs.
Nürburgring is 1hr 20mins drive from the office hehehe
Nürburgring is 1hr 20mins drive from the office hehehe
Totally agree. My nearest is AFN in Chiswick and frankly they are pompous, slothful, profiteering and ignorant of the marque. Compare this with Porsche Zentrum in Wuppertal (One of the largest in DE) is totally professional and view customers as what they are – their bread and butter. You deal with the technical people not some intermediary and leave feeling you have experienced "Value" - so rare these days. I will always buy my Porsches from the this place. They are happy to spec RHD from new once you are known as a private buyer and not some guy after a quick profit.
I could not agree more to your observations regarding UK OPC's. My 996 has been in a couple of times and everytime the experience has been very disappointing. It has taken longer to fix the problem, the car has not been ready at the promised time, no loan car available and the same problems re-occur. I am so frustrated by service level that I have decided to call it a day and sell the Porsche and go for a DB9 instead. Life is too short. Bye-Bye childhood dream.
Werk 1 seems to still be open - see http://www2.uk.porsche.com/english/gbr/company/services/customercenter/default.htm
You'll get red carpet treatment with slight puzzlement as to why UK OPC's aren't up to scratch. I took my '87 Carrera Cab there after buying it in the UK. It had a recent patch of missing services and I felt that getting the Factory Stamp in the book would put my mind at rest and add value.
Exchange rates helped the comprehensive bill
You'll get red carpet treatment with slight puzzlement as to why UK OPC's aren't up to scratch. I took my '87 Carrera Cab there after buying it in the UK. It had a recent patch of missing services and I felt that getting the Factory Stamp in the book would put my mind at rest and add value.
Exchange rates helped the comprehensive bill
I bought my GT2 from the Porsche Centre in Aachen, can't speak highly enough of them. Guy I dealt with Thomas Cyliax spoke perfect English, made sure I had a good drive of the car (which meant 150mph on the Autobahn) and made sure the deal was completely painless. Totally different to the pompous muppets in the UK.
I think that any of us who drive a current model Porsche have been treted to this sixgun and stetsan version of customer service at uk OPCs. This is the most interesting thread I have reed on pistonheads. How does having a german OPC service stamp affect the uk warranty (The only reason I go into an OPC)How do there costs compare?
Does anyone on here use a French OPC??If so are they any good?
Does anyone on here use a French OPC??If so are they any good?
The warranty is EU wide and ANY OPC within the EU qualifies as certified for the service book/warranty.
If I need to use an OPC for a service I'll just take a trip across the channel, it's easy. They also tend to speak much better English than the rather uneducated type you meet at a UK OPC.
If I need to use an OPC for a service I'll just take a trip across the channel, it's easy. They also tend to speak much better English than the rather uneducated type you meet at a UK OPC.
I think I'll have to speak up in defence of my local OPC (Exeter). I bought privately but have had several dealings with my OPC incl the wiring loom recall. They have been very open, honest, reliable and curteous to me.
I often drift in on a weekend in scruffy clothes and it makes no difference in how they treat me.
And the young lady on the front desk... phwoar...
I often drift in on a weekend in scruffy clothes and it makes no difference in how they treat me.
And the young lady on the front desk... phwoar...
I often drift in on a weekend in scruffy clothes and it makes no difference in how they treat me.
And the young lady on the front desk... phwoar...[/quote]
I think that is the point they have eye candy there to stop you talking with the guys that do the work usualy very well but the people filling out the job card usualy dont have a clue I had a bad problem on my last 996 with the window seals wistling at over 150 and she said o well that is no real problems then!!!
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff