Taken to the cleaners..Help Please.
Discussion
Hi,
My girlfriend has just had her 3 year old (21,000 mile) Boxster S serviced at a Porsche Service Centre, and we were very shocked by the cost.
Apart from the usual service (oil change etc.) she was informed that all 4 brake disks were corroded and needed replacing (nearly £1000) and the rear main seal was weeping and should be replaced (nearly another £1000).
Although she was contacted during the service about the above, before they carried the work out, the issues were worded in such a way that she felt she had no choice but to give them the go ahead for the work to be done....i.e. brakes and gearbox oil seal are not exactly superficial components of a car!!!
I find this very disturbing given the age and mileage of the car which is otherwise in immaculate condition and has only ever been used on the road (no track days etc.).
Is this usual or has she been ripped off big time by the XXXXXX Porsche Service Centre? If she has been ripped off we would greatly appreciate any advice any of you could give us as to what action we should take to recover some of the costs.
Apart from this, we love the Boxster to bits.
Many thanks.
Rich
Edited to prevent naming and shaming. Let's not mention who they are until they have been proven to be in the wrong. Remember, you can always source brake parts etc. yourself and go aftermarket and that a pair of large ventilated disks could cost 500 GBP without that being unreasonable. Your girlfriend was also notified of the work and approved it. She could have challenged the cost and for the old disks to be returned to her so she could see how worn they are etc. Cheers, Domster
>> Edited by domster on Wednesday 8th March 14:29
My girlfriend has just had her 3 year old (21,000 mile) Boxster S serviced at a Porsche Service Centre, and we were very shocked by the cost.
Apart from the usual service (oil change etc.) she was informed that all 4 brake disks were corroded and needed replacing (nearly £1000) and the rear main seal was weeping and should be replaced (nearly another £1000).
Although she was contacted during the service about the above, before they carried the work out, the issues were worded in such a way that she felt she had no choice but to give them the go ahead for the work to be done....i.e. brakes and gearbox oil seal are not exactly superficial components of a car!!!
I find this very disturbing given the age and mileage of the car which is otherwise in immaculate condition and has only ever been used on the road (no track days etc.).
Is this usual or has she been ripped off big time by the XXXXXX Porsche Service Centre? If she has been ripped off we would greatly appreciate any advice any of you could give us as to what action we should take to recover some of the costs.
Apart from this, we love the Boxster to bits.
Many thanks.
Rich
Edited to prevent naming and shaming. Let's not mention who they are until they have been proven to be in the wrong. Remember, you can always source brake parts etc. yourself and go aftermarket and that a pair of large ventilated disks could cost 500 GBP without that being unreasonable. Your girlfriend was also notified of the work and approved it. She could have challenged the cost and for the old disks to be returned to her so she could see how worn they are etc. Cheers, Domster
>> Edited by domster on Wednesday 8th March 14:29
Just had to change the discs and pads all round on my three year old 21,000 mile Boxster S - and yes it was around that money (a bit cheaper as I used Northway Porsche - specialists).
Mine did need doing - although they had fifteen (at least) trackdays wear on them. Perhaps yours were corroded?
I suspect you are stuffed on the discs and pads.
Now: your car suffered RMS? £1K sounds like a lot to have put that right - but that *was* an OPC not a specialist. I take it you didn't renew the warranty - which covers RMS. You *might* get some goodwill from Porsche about that - but you'll need to go through Porsche Reading to get it - so don't barge in all guns blazing - try speaking to the service manager about how dissappointed you are your car suffered RMS and how much it cost to fix - and perhaps Porsche would consider a goodwill contribution to fixing it...
Mine did need doing - although they had fifteen (at least) trackdays wear on them. Perhaps yours were corroded?
I suspect you are stuffed on the discs and pads.
Now: your car suffered RMS? £1K sounds like a lot to have put that right - but that *was* an OPC not a specialist. I take it you didn't renew the warranty - which covers RMS. You *might* get some goodwill from Porsche about that - but you'll need to go through Porsche Reading to get it - so don't barge in all guns blazing - try speaking to the service manager about how dissappointed you are your car suffered RMS and how much it cost to fix - and perhaps Porsche would consider a goodwill contribution to fixing it...
With regard to RMS
I have heard that a letter to Porsche head office in Reading suggesting your serious displeasure
has some times made them grant a good will gesture, even when car is out of warranty.
As with discs, it is a common problem for Boxster discs to corrode, especially if the car has been
washed, then put away without drying the discs off 1st with a quick trip around the block.
But skimming should have been the 1st port of call here instead of new ones.
Hope this helps
G.
I just had the RMS done under warranty and the cost was around 750,-. But was there not another posting on this board that mentioned that they got the RMS done for free as a goodwill gesture despite the fact that the car was out of warranty. I suggest you check old posts and ask the person what they did to get it sorted.
Carrera2 said:True, but she's not a technician and it was on the advice of the OPC. Imagine if she ignored the advice, oh the get out clauses that gives
The RMS might be worth persuing as a good-will issue but again your GF authorised them to do it.
I would agree though, on a 21K mile car I would write a polite letter to Porsche asking if they would help with the costs.
It'd the disks issue that worries me slightly ... I had my 996 and my wife's BMW serviced (at two separate garages , both main dealers) recently. I was told BOTH cars needed disks all around. Got a second opinion at a local specialist who said there was nothing wrong with ANY of the disks.
Putting my conspiracy theory hat on , I wonder if this is an easy way to bump the bill up , all under the iron clad call of 'safety first' and ' we wouldn't want to be responsible if the worst happened' etc.
Is a little rust on the disk vents all that detrimental to my stopping distance? ... As the independent put it 'if I replace those disks , they'll look exactly as the ones on your car do , by weeks end'. (No BS , that's quote/unquote)
Putting my conspiracy theory hat on , I wonder if this is an easy way to bump the bill up , all under the iron clad call of 'safety first' and ' we wouldn't want to be responsible if the worst happened' etc.
Is a little rust on the disk vents all that detrimental to my stopping distance? ... As the independent put it 'if I replace those disks , they'll look exactly as the ones on your car do , by weeks end'. (No BS , that's quote/unquote)
ballcock said:
It'd the disks issue that worries me slightly ... I had my 996 and my wife's BMW serviced (at two separate garages , both main dealers) recently. I was told BOTH cars needed disks all around. Got a second opinion at a local specialist who said there was nothing wrong with ANY of the disks.
Putting my conspiracy theory hat on , I wonder if this is an easy way to bump the bill up , all under the iron clad call of 'safety first' and ' we wouldn't want to be responsible if the worst happened' etc.
Is a little rust on the disk vents all that detrimental to my stopping distance? ... As the independent put it 'if I replace those disks , they'll look exactly as the ones on your car do , by weeks end'. (No BS , that's quote/unquote)
Interesting. My OPC advised me to get the discs skimmed and a new set of pads all round. The ridges at the edges of the discs were like Mount bleedin' Everest! I like to save money - but I like reliable brakes better...
I'd have to agree on the 'conspiracy theory'. I find it quite strange that alot of people i know who have taken their car to an official dealer to get their car serviced, whether it be a Volvo, BMW or a Porsche, gets told their disks need replacing
Are disks really made that badly these days that they need replacing so often?...i doubt it. It sounds like a cost bump up to me, its a very easy way to add a lot of expense to a standard service, especially if they think the customer is a little gullible or non-mechanically minded.
Just my (and a few petrol-head friends) thoughts obviously.
Are disks really made that badly these days that they need replacing so often?...i doubt it. It sounds like a cost bump up to me, its a very easy way to add a lot of expense to a standard service, especially if they think the customer is a little gullible or non-mechanically minded. Just my (and a few petrol-head friends) thoughts obviously.
My dealer told me that all my break pads were worn needed changing at my very first service
on the Boxster S.
Thinking that the pad sensor's function is to warn you of that fact, and given that the light was not on, I ignored the dealer, and chose to do the job when and if the pad sensor flagged worn pads.
I sold the car 2 years later, with a good few track days, the pads are still the same, and have still life into them.
Why did the dealer told me they were worn at 15,000 miles is a mistery....Perhaps if I agreed he would have phoned me with the 'Your disks are corroded story ??
jonzo said:
I'd have to agree on the 'conspiracy theory'. I find it quite strange that alot of people i know who have taken their car to an official dealer to get their car serviced, whether it be a Volvo, BMW or a Porsche, gets told their disks need replacing
.
Ahh the quik Fit ploy
I think the real problem here is perhaps whether or not the disks were a bit rusty but serviceable or whether they did genuinely need replacing. I mean, replacing all four doesn't suggest wear as they wear at different rates. It says corrosion, as jinxy said, but is that a bit of surface rust or were they really pitted and crumbling? That is why it is so important to get the old disks back.
Some OPCs will have very high standards on safety items and won't allow skimming - fairy muff - but you wouldn't want disks with plenty of life in them chucked in the bin just because the workshop manager wants to up his revenue that month. If you had the old disks it would be easy to get a second opinion from an independent expert etc. (MOT centre or what have you).
Some OPCs will have very high standards on safety items and won't allow skimming - fairy muff - but you wouldn't want disks with plenty of life in them chucked in the bin just because the workshop manager wants to up his revenue that month. If you had the old disks it would be easy to get a second opinion from an independent expert etc. (MOT centre or what have you).
That's the prob... you can't often spot warping or heat glazing/distortion as it is quite subtle. Some things like cracking, thinness, crumbling vanes are obvious, but surface rust/pitting can be skimmed if there's enough thickness in the disk... that said, it probably isn't OPC policy to skim disks. It's a bit like retreading a performance tyre in their estimation, I'm sure, despite the fact that there should be no problem if done properly. It's also much easier for them to bang new bits on than send the old disks out for three or four days to a machine shop to be milled down then returned... they want to turn stuff over not have it waiting around the lot while you're enjoying the courtesy cayenne 
Good point , Domster man! .. made even better by the fact that my car just completed it's NCT (the equivalent of your MOT) yesterday. There was no mention of grotty discs , and , boy did he go through the car with a fine tooth comb .. I think he was enjoying not having to look up a Micra's arse!!
(Apologies to all significant other's 'town cars'!!)
(Apologies to all significant other's 'town cars'!!)
domster said:
That's the prob... you can't often spot warping or heat glazing/distortion as it is quite subtle. Some things like cracking, thinness, crumbling vanes are obvious, but surface rust/pitting can be skimmed if there's enough thickness in the disk... that said, it probably isn't OPC policy to skim disks. It's a bit like retreading a performance tyre in their estimation, I'm sure, despite the fact that there should be no problem if done properly. It's also much easier for them to bang new bits on than send the old disks out for three or four days to a machine shop to be milled down then returned... they want to turn stuff over not have it waiting around the lot while you're enjoying the courtesy cayenne
I've had my discs skimmed twice. You don't need to take them off the car. A specialised device does it in place (just remove wheels and calipers, 10min job)
It seems to me that the OPC is taking the pi55 with the brakes on that Boxster of jinxys'or the brakes are not desinged properly..How can a sports car designed to be driven hard wear out pads and discs in 20k miles? when it hasnt been driven hard/tracked.I have a colleague with a Cayenne with 15k miles that was told the same thing on its service by an OPC so the only conclusion is that Porsche brakes are not man enough for the job .i think the problems with the PCCB fitments may also add fuel to the fire that Porsche brakes are not all they should be!
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