Dealerships servicing cars...
Discussion
Hi,
I've seen this same situation a few times recently, when the ad description of a used Porsche or a BMW M car says:
"Full manufacturer service history, and only the last service is done by ourselves" [ourselves being a 3rd party dealership]
Why are they doing this to nice cars? Why ruin service history and artificially reduce the car price/sellability? Or is there something dodgy going on.
I've seen this same situation a few times recently, when the ad description of a used Porsche or a BMW M car says:
"Full manufacturer service history, and only the last service is done by ourselves" [ourselves being a 3rd party dealership]
Why are they doing this to nice cars? Why ruin service history and artificially reduce the car price/sellability? Or is there something dodgy going on.
Edited by stewieyan on Saturday 19th February 21:19
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Exactly. Everyone knows that a performance car with full manufacturer service history has higher value / higher sellability over a car without one. So why to take a car and then self service it so that it looses the value - I don't understand. Unless there's a lot of work to do on the car and they use cheap/second hand parts during the service.There's probably a fine line in value diminution with cars of a certain age. I am not a prolific Porsche buyer, but most of the dealers I have dealt with have a good relationship with a nearby OPC, so I would assume those that merit an OPC service go that way, and those that are marginal, i.e. they're probably going indy with the next owner, get the indy service.
The very first thing I’d do if I bought a Porsche from a non-specialist/OPC would be to get it serviced properly. Dealership services prior to putting up for sale amount to just checking nothing’s falling off. You might get an oil change (with shonky cheap oil) but I’d want it looked at properly.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Agreed - Full OPC Service History gives any future owner a warm feeling.However OPC servicing costs are outrageous. In 2017 a four year service on a 991 generation GT3 was circa £1600. its now a whopping £3000.
If your car is a keeper and you have limited revenue to maintain your GT then a indie service makes sense ( given that the garage you use is recommended / reputable etc )
I'd suspect the trader's idea of a "service" amounts to nothing more than changed engine oil, so £1,000 (or more) extra profit when the car is sold.
If the buyer thinks "full OPC history" will make their car more valuable then all they need to do is stick it straight into OPC for a service.
If the buyer thinks "full OPC history" will make their car more valuable then all they need to do is stick it straight into OPC for a service.
randlemarcus said:
There's probably a fine line in value diminution with cars of a certain age. I am not a prolific Porsche buyer, but most of the dealers I have dealt with have a good relationship with a nearby OPC, so I would assume those that merit an OPC service go that way, and those that are marginal, i.e. they're probably going indy with the next owner, get the indy service.
This.Ads would be better off simply noting "full service history" rather than trying to tell a story.
As for actual quality of service, across multiple brands IME it entirely depends on the people in your chosen shop. Find a decent indie and there is zero justification for any uplift in cost from a main dealer. But equally main dealers have been known to price match.
As for parts, again I've known situations where "genuine original parts" are worse than uprated replacements.
I suspect people who really love the cars will know all of the above.
stewieyan said:
Hi,
I've seen this same situation a few times recently, when the ad description of a used Porsche or a BMW M car says:
"Full manufacturer service history, and only the last service is done by ourselves" [ourselves being a 3rd party dealership]
Why are they doing this to nice cars? Why ruin service history and artificially reduce the car price/sellability? Or is there something dodgy going on.
It usually means twice serviced in 5 years. The second a 'fresh service with cambelt if needed by ourselves'. I've seen this same situation a few times recently, when the ad description of a used Porsche or a BMW M car says:
"Full manufacturer service history, and only the last service is done by ourselves" [ourselves being a 3rd party dealership]
Why are they doing this to nice cars? Why ruin service history and artificially reduce the car price/sellability? Or is there something dodgy going on.
Edited by stewieyan on Saturday 19th February 21:19
In otherwords part service history.
For flat-capped yorkshirefolk - RPM Knaresbrough, Revolution, Strasse in Leeds are all less than half the price of an OPC for servicing. I’ve used one of them, friends have used the others, and all are very helpful and I’d wager far more knowledgeable than the technician doing your OPC service.
You don’t get a shiny Porsche for the day, but when I’m saving 600 quid, that’s ok. To anyone with any knowledge of Porsches, respected indies carry equal provenance in the service book to an OPC.
If I was looking at older cars than my 981, I’d have even more confidence that my car was in better hands.
You don’t get a shiny Porsche for the day, but when I’m saving 600 quid, that’s ok. To anyone with any knowledge of Porsches, respected indies carry equal provenance in the service book to an OPC.
If I was looking at older cars than my 981, I’d have even more confidence that my car was in better hands.
sixor8 said:
In 2013, I bought a 986 Boxster S that had received its last 2 services at Kwik fit, I kid you not..... Yes it was cheap, and had to be sold cheap too. What were they thinking? 
That’s a bit ‘diverse’! Reminds me of my dad - always has a nice cruiser for a car (S Class, 7 series, Jags etc) bought a year or two old. Once the dealer warranty expired, he took his to the nearest mechanic on the basis that any clown can do an oil/filter change.. The guy who he dealt with was polite, which is what swayed him!Luckily for Porsche owners, the respected indy network is well known.
sixor8 said:
In 2013, I bought a 986 Boxster S that had received its last 2 services at Kwik fit, I kid you not..... Yes it was cheap, and had to be sold cheap too. What were they thinking?
Did it have any issues? How much cheaper did you buy it for, and how much cheaper did you sell it for? What are the service items that were covered?Royal Jelly said:
sixor8 said:
In 2013, I bought a 986 Boxster S that had received its last 2 services at Kwik fit, I kid you not..... Yes it was cheap, and had to be sold cheap too. What were they thinking?
That’s a bit ‘diverse’! Reminds me of my dad - always has a nice cruiser for a car (S Class, 7 series, Jags etc) bought a year or two old. Once the dealer warranty expired, he took his to the nearest mechanic on the basis that any clown can do an oil/filter change.. The guy who he dealt with was polite, which is what swayed him!Luckily for Porsche owners, the respected indy network is well known.
Wasn't expecting the third degree, I just added a comment about a Porsche I had that hadn't seen an OPC for years!
I bought an 84k mile silver 2003 facelift Boxster S in 2013 for £6800. The brakes and tyres were all shot and there were black spots in the paintwork on the bonnet, some sort of contamination. At the time, they were £9k ish with lower mileages and good history, probably where early 987s are now. As mentioned before, the previous 2 services had been at Kwik fit. The OPC in Solihull had replaced the ignition coils earlier that year though. I went there to ask about any other history, they weren't very helpful, bunch of snobs in a crystal palace IMHO. I had a service done at Pro-9 in Redditch instead....
I kept it 12 months. Replaced the brakes with Delphi and Mintex parts, fitted 'budget' tyres, yes I know
but at the time I was using it occasionally to go to work in all weathers. 3 out of 4 of the rear driveshaft gaiters split and one had started to go again only 9 months later. A know issue I believe. Emergency fuel flap release was broken but I managed to glue to together.
Most annoying fault was the boot release solenoid failing and work stuff being locked in the boot. Breakdown company didn't consider it a 'breakdown' and wouldn't help. Had to remove rear bumper at home to access the release cable. The next Boxster I bought I made sure it was a pre-facelift 986 with proper boot & bonnet release handles / cables. The rear exhaust trim rattled after failing of the spot weld, and had to have a new rear trailing arm due to squeaking bush. Still on the original clutch I think because it has started getting very stiff when I sold it, RMS had a very slight leak too.
I only did 2k miles in it and sold it for £6500 in in Nov 2014. The air con never worked.
Went back to a TVR, cheaper to run, even with repairs!
I bought an 84k mile silver 2003 facelift Boxster S in 2013 for £6800. The brakes and tyres were all shot and there were black spots in the paintwork on the bonnet, some sort of contamination. At the time, they were £9k ish with lower mileages and good history, probably where early 987s are now. As mentioned before, the previous 2 services had been at Kwik fit. The OPC in Solihull had replaced the ignition coils earlier that year though. I went there to ask about any other history, they weren't very helpful, bunch of snobs in a crystal palace IMHO. I had a service done at Pro-9 in Redditch instead....
I kept it 12 months. Replaced the brakes with Delphi and Mintex parts, fitted 'budget' tyres, yes I know
but at the time I was using it occasionally to go to work in all weathers. 3 out of 4 of the rear driveshaft gaiters split and one had started to go again only 9 months later. A know issue I believe. Emergency fuel flap release was broken but I managed to glue to together.Most annoying fault was the boot release solenoid failing and work stuff being locked in the boot.
Breakdown company didn't consider it a 'breakdown' and wouldn't help. Had to remove rear bumper at home to access the release cable. The next Boxster I bought I made sure it was a pre-facelift 986 with proper boot & bonnet release handles / cables. The rear exhaust trim rattled after failing of the spot weld, and had to have a new rear trailing arm due to squeaking bush. Still on the original clutch I think because it has started getting very stiff when I sold it, RMS had a very slight leak too.I only did 2k miles in it and sold it for £6500 in in Nov 2014. The air con never worked.
Went back to a TVR, cheaper to run, even with repairs!
pete.g said:
Your dad is right.
He is, in what he said. When I take my car for a service, however, I’m not expecting them to just change the oil & filter. If that’s all that was required, I’d just do it myself.
To be honest, his policy worked out for him - due to the cars being young I suppose. The service history did impact the resale value, though. He just doesn’t care enough to change
My last, and I mean LAST OPC service involved a 2hr round trip to collect it but they had closed without notice, scratches on my bonnet when they delivered it (with bird s
t running down the wing), a senior technician who didn't know how to measure the oil level, nor what the oil temp should be, and also bad mouthed me on dash cam for going over his head to PGB.
Overall, my opinion of the two OPCs I've used is they don't give a damn.
RPM Technik, on the other hand, do.
t running down the wing), a senior technician who didn't know how to measure the oil level, nor what the oil temp should be, and also bad mouthed me on dash cam for going over his head to PGB.Overall, my opinion of the two OPCs I've used is they don't give a damn.
RPM Technik, on the other hand, do.
My experience of OPC servicing is on the whole poor.
Generally there is one guy that knows what he’s doing, the rest are only any good at measuring brake and tyre wear.
As for sell on value once a car is 5-7 years old I can’t see anyone paying a handsome premium just because it has an extra couple of OPC stamps in the book. Maybe on Low mileage collectibles gt3 etc, but not on the run of the mill stuff.
Generally there is one guy that knows what he’s doing, the rest are only any good at measuring brake and tyre wear.
As for sell on value once a car is 5-7 years old I can’t see anyone paying a handsome premium just because it has an extra couple of OPC stamps in the book. Maybe on Low mileage collectibles gt3 etc, but not on the run of the mill stuff.
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