12 year service for 981 how much?

[SkinnyPete]

The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one.

If I'm not mistaken, all of the following is due:

Major service
Spark plugs
Brake fluid
Aux belt
PDK oil change

I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000.

My warranty also expires at the same time, so there’s another £865 on top.

Let’s call it £3k all in for a 12-year-old car with 115k on the clock.

I’ve always been an advocate of keeping the car in the OPC network and under warranty, but at that cost, maybe I should consider taking my chances and using an independent or just doing it myself.

I'm interested to hear what others are doing now these cars are getting on a bit.

[stanlow45]

You can renew warranty up to 15 years or 125,000 miles. If you’ve been paying it this far what’s a couple more years at the usual opc rates?

It may be cheaper to take out of the network, but at that age I’d have thought a major component failure is more likely hence the high opc servicing and warranty cost is even more likely to pay back?

[supersport]

I would be finding a good indie and saving the difference as a rainy day fund.

Keeping a 12 year old car in the dealer network just seems to be paying OPC tax for nothing.

[athomp04]

Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book.

[DRH986]

At that age and mileage I'd DIY. If you're competent and keep detailed records, in my experience it won't hurt saleability on an older car.

[ChrisW.]

I did this with a very low mileage Spyder ... I wanted to retain the OPC history and we agreed a price of around £1200 ... there are discounted rates for "classics" and 997 is already firmly in this category.

Why not ask your OPC ?

[Youforreal.]

athomp04 said:

Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book.

Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance?

[ChrisW.]

DRH986 said:

At that age and mileage I'd DIY. If you're competent and keep detailed records, in my experience it won't hurt saleability on an older car.

DIY a PDK oil change ? I understand that there is a process for this ... and PDK problems might be an expensive risk ... but ??

[paulguitar]

Youforreal. said:

athomp04 said:

Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book.

Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance?

I viewed a 981 recently where the owner had taken the car for service at an OPC. The usual crackhead bill was presented, over £800 for a minor service, plus brake fluid. A month later a rainstorm resulted in the dreaded water ingress under the passenger seat. They'd specifically listed having cleared the drain channels on the service bill but then charged the owner over £3,000 to dry out the car and replace the modules.

[Youforreal.]

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

athomp04 said:

Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book.

Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance?

I viewed a 981 recently where the owner had taken the car for service at an OPC. The usual crackhead bill was presented, over £800 for a minor service, plus brake fluid. A month later a rainstorm resulted in the dreaded water ingress under the passenger seat. They'd specifically listed having cleared the drain channels on the service bill but then charged the owner over £3,000 to dry out the car and replace the modules.

Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage?

Doesn’t really add up tbh.

[paulguitar]

Youforreal. said:

Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage?

Doesn’t really add up tbh.

Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it?

He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on.

The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300.

[FriedMarsBar]

SkinnyPete said:

The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one.

I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000.

Do you need to get it serviced at an OPC? I thought the only requirement was that it was serviced on schedule AND that Porsche parts were used and an Independent can do that.

You might save a chunk getting it serviced elsewhere and still get a warranty?

[TheOctaneAddict]

Just had the same done at my indy, albeit a manual car. Came to £984.

[stanlow45]

FriedMarsBar said:

SkinnyPete said:

The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one.

I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000.

Do you need to get it serviced at an OPC? I thought the only requirement was that it was serviced on schedule AND that Porsche parts were used and an Independent can do that.

You might save a chunk getting it serviced elsewhere and still get a warranty?

You are confusing block exemption rules which only apply to the initial manufacturer 3 year warranty with the extended (post 3 year) warranty that is an entirely separate insurance product, a condition of which I believe requires main dealer servicing.

[paulguitar]

Youforreal. said:

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage?

Doesn’t really add up tbh.

Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it?

He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on.

The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300.

It’s not only blocked drain pipes that can cause leaks into Porsche cabins from what I’ve read online, exp on a boxster.

Shouldn't they know that, and deal with it accordingly during the £800+ service?

[Youforreal.]

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage?

Doesn’t really add up tbh.

Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it?

He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on.

The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300.

So when you get your car who are you going to use?

[paulguitar]

Youforreal. said:

So when you get your car who are you going to use?

I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use.

I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC.

[paulguitar]

Youforreal. said:

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

So when you get your car who are you going to use?

I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use.

I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC.

So the 981’s you have considered, you won’t maintain the warranty if you buy one? Even the oldest has close on 5 years achievable on it, you won’t get that without a visit to your OPC at some point .

No, I think they are at an age where it just makes more sense for them to go to a specialist. I've seen enough behaviour from OPCs that I consider them untrustworthy.

I also think it won't work out financially to maintain a Porche warranty. The figures they quote for basic jobs are so far from making any kind of sense, and also they seem to have a habit of recommending work that is unnecessary. Another good example, on the very car we've been discussing. The OPC recommended changing all of the tyres at the last service. The lowest recorded tread depth was 4.7, with most of the other measurements being over 5mm. So right there would be an unnecessary four-figure bill.

[Youforreal.]

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

So when you get your car who are you going to use?

I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use.

I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC.

As long as your happy that’s all counts, I know of two Indy garages that made a right bks of a few cars, are they all bad? No, exactly the same as opc’s

[ChrisW.]

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

paulguitar said:

Youforreal. said:

So when you get your car who are you going to use?

I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use.

I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC.

So the 981’s you have considered, you won’t maintain the warranty if you buy one? Even the oldest has close on 5 years achievable on it, you won’t get that without a visit to your OPC at some point .

No, I think they are at an age where it just makes more sense for them to go to a specialist. I've seen enough behaviour from OPCs that I consider them untrustworthy.

I also think it won't work out financially to maintain a Porche warranty. The figures they quote for basic jobs are so far from making any kind of sense, and also they seem to have a habit of recommending work that is unnecessary. Another good example, on the very car we've been discussing. The OPC recommended changing all of the tyres at the last service. The lowest recorded tread depth was 4.7, with most of the other measurements being over 5mm. So right there would be an unnecessary four-figure bill.

How old were the tyres ??