Main dealer service or not?

[Sportbilly]

Dear knowledgeable fellow 911 owners...

I have now owned my 2000 911 C2 for a year and a half and the time has come again to spend some money on it and I’m in a dilemma......

Its a nice Porsche(if I do say so my self!) and that was the reason I bought it:

Low owners - 3
Low Miles - 44k
Zenith blue - rare colour
Full carbon Interior trim - rare and expensive option
18" unmarked wheels
Upgrade stereo and amp
Sunroof and Aircon
Park sensors
+ Full Porsche main dealer service history.

Now I need(I think) a full set of brakes(discs and pads) + 48k service.

The service at main dealer (Nottingham Porsche centre) is going to be £750 inc fuel filter and belts before they do their usual and tell you it needs loads of other things doing...which it doesn’t!

I had a long chat with some very nice people at my new local(ish) Porsche specialist in Nottingham called Zetrum. The chaps there are all ex Porsche and BMW guys with all the kit the main dealer uses but a fraction of the price.

They have quoted me £620+VAT for a full set of brakes fitted. Good quality but non gen parts. £740 for gen Porsche parts. They can also give the car a full 48k service for £480.

What do I do? I’m a Porsche owner who had money to buy the car, but not really the money to spend on it at the mo.... Or do I just tell my self "you’ve got the car so treat it well and get done what needs to be done?

Gen Porsche parts (I wouldn't get the brakes done at main dealer at their price's) on the brakes or just as good parts for cheaper money.

I also want to sell the car as good as I bought it - no major faults and maintained regardless of cost. The main dealer service history meant a lot to me 2 years ago when I bought it, but the Zentrum boys tell me that a future buyer will be just as happy with a Porsche specialist stamp as a main dealer stamp.

What does you expert’s recon? I’m in a bit of a pickle.....

Gen or pattern brakes at Zentrum??? Main dealer stamp or Zentrum stamp for service??

Please help.

Edited by Sportbilly on Sunday 10th June 13:02

[Paracetamol]

get main service at the main stealers and the car will be worth that bit more when you come to sell (though be warned that Zenith is seen as a "specilaist" colour round these parts).

Get genuine brakes at Zentrum and any other bits that the servicing brings up...

Edited by Paracetamol on Friday 8th June 16:44

[CUE99T]

Paracetamol said:

Get genuine brakes at Zentrum and any other bits that the servicing brings up...main service at the stealers and the car will be worth that bit more when you come to sell (though be warned that Zenith is seen as a "specilaist" colour round these parts)

my thoughts exactly.

[hutchingsp]

On a 7 year old car I'm not sure many people would expect a FMDSH.

How long are you planning on keeping the car?

If it's more than the next couple of years I would be tempted to go the Zentrum/Independant route, if you're likely to be chopping/selling it soon go with the main dealer.

If you do go to the OPC for the service be very clear and specific that you want nothing more than the service work doing.

[Vr6-er]

Go Specialist, its a 7 year old car. Main Dealers are just expensive.

[David W.]

Don't some main dealers do special (ie lower labour) rates for older Pork now?
DW

[Silver993tt]

David W. said:

Don't some main dealers do special (ie lower labour) rates for older Pork now?
DW

which means they leave them in the car park without touching them until you come to collect it. Still alot of money for things they say but won't actually do.

[jonny996]

is bolton to far away, hartech would be a good shout. A knowledgable buyer will not see his stamp in the book as a bad point, infact I would rather have it than OPc

[Sportbilly]

Thanks guys

I had an hour over at Zentrum yesterday having the car looked at. Really nice honest guys. I also met a fellow PH'er I know who was just having his car serviced there!! Always a good sign!

It seems the brakes just need rear pads (doubt the main dealer would have been that honest!) at £104 inc vat non gen or £125 gen Porsche prices are fitted and including VAT. There was also a water leak they looked at for me and straight away they diagnosed it as a leaking expansion tank at £270 fitted inc VAT.

I’m definitely going to have this work done there and would love them to do the service (especially for that price!) but I may go a main dealer just for the stamp. I may sell it in the near future.

I suppose another option would be to get the belts and fuel filter done at Zentrum. I bet it would be a lot cheaper and at least I can tell the dealer it’s been done so just the basic 48k service at £530 inc.

Does anyone know if you can get a deal from a main dealer? Lets say I told them I was considering going elsewhere and could they do me a better price? Nottingham Porsche centre is owned by Pendragon.

I would recommend these Zentrum guys to anyone in the area. They have a great reputation, charge you trade for parts and have a very reasonable £49 labour rate in stead of main dealer £109 PH.

www.zentrum.co.uk

Cheers all

[flattotheboards]

go specialist and save yourself alot of money and usually they are alot more honest than opcs.

[ukwill]

yep, get a specialist to do non-service work. Although I would definately make sure you get OEM parts fitted. You will invalidate any warranty you may have if you don't. Whats more, I wouldn't want pattern parts on my car. ymmv.

[ACEparts_com]

What's so special about a dealer stamp? Just to prove you've had some incompetent 'couldn't care less' guy working on your car.
At the end of the day it's a car not the space shuttle and nobody will really care who's changed the oil on it as that's all they'll do for the stamp.

If you're happy to let a specialist of changing a safety critical part like your brakes let them do the rest of it too and save yourself a packet.

If I purchased a brand new porker I wouldn't take it to an OPC for servicing.

[Rich-UK]

I would prefer that a car I was looking for had a full reputable indy stamp as they proably did all the work and to a higher standard then an OPC.

[sleep envy]

Rich-UK said:

I would prefer that a car I was looking for had a full reputable indy stamp as they proably did all the work and to a higher standard then an OPC.

yep, with all original parts

[thegoose]

I wouldn't even get too hung up on genuine parts - sometimes apart from the price it's just the box that's different.

[sleep envy]

sure same manufacturer but their own box and not with Pork all over it - no problems

althoigh I will avoid patern parts - had problems with them on a previous car and learnt a reasonably expensive lesson

buy cheap, buy twice

Edited by sleep envy on Sunday 10th June 18:11

[ukwill]

ACEparts_com said:

What's so special about a dealer stamp? Just to prove you've had some incompetent 'couldn't care less' guy working on your car.
At the end of the day it's a car not the space shuttle and nobody will really care who's changed the oil on it as that's all they'll do for the stamp.

If you're happy to let a specialist of changing a safety critical part like your brakes let them do the rest of it too and save yourself a packet.

If I purchased a brand new porker I wouldn't take it to an OPC for servicing.

Personally I agree. However, you will reduce your market at sales time should you stop getting OPC stamps. I don't make the rules...

[sleep envy]

ukwill said:

ACEparts_com said:

What's so special about a dealer stamp? Just to prove you've had some incompetent 'couldn't care less' guy working on your car.
At the end of the day it's a car not the space shuttle and nobody will really care who's changed the oil on it as that's all they'll do for the stamp.

If you're happy to let a specialist of changing a safety critical part like your brakes let them do the rest of it too and save yourself a packet.

If I purchased a brand new porker I wouldn't take it to an OPC for servicing.

Personally I agree. However, you will reduce your market at sales time should you stop getting OPC stamps. I don't make the rules...

true enough but seeing as AP, you and I have the same opinion there is still a market for it

[Pickled Piper]

Doesn't appear woth the haslle does it? If the boys at Zentrum are doing a good job why bother taking it to an OPC as well? I struggle to find the time to take my cars to one place let alone two.

pp

[ukwill]

sleep envy said:

ukwill said:

ACEparts_com said:

What's so special about a dealer stamp? Just to prove you've had some incompetent 'couldn't care less' guy working on your car.
At the end of the day it's a car not the space shuttle and nobody will really care who's changed the oil on it as that's all they'll do for the stamp.

If you're happy to let a specialist of changing a safety critical part like your brakes let them do the rest of it too and save yourself a packet.

If I purchased a brand new porker I wouldn't take it to an OPC for servicing.

Personally I agree. However, you will reduce your market at sales time should you stop getting OPC stamps. I don't make the rules...

true enough but seeing as AP, you and I have the same opinion there is still a market for it

This is true. But I would imagine most of the people on this site are enthusiasts. If you don't mind cutting your market down to enthusiasts then forget the stamp. Whilst I don't agree with the "OPC thang", I will conform regarding the stamp because I want to sell my car to the largest market I can.


Actually I don't. I never want to sell it. Ever.