60 second job costs £150 at OPC
Discussion
Hi All,
Just a small gripe which I wonder what some others on here would think about? Recently got my 993 C4 serviced at my local OPC and at the time I needed an electric window switch replacing. Fortunately for me they were out of stock for the part!!! Why? Well they quoted £150 to do the job, which got me thinking, how hard can it be??? I bought a new switch - official Porsche part for £40 from an independent specialist, looked onlline and was surprised to see that to replace it you didn't need to take the door apart but simply pull out the old and plug in the new. Took less than a minute....
Now, undoubtedly I should have done more research before asking the OPC to do the job BUT do the forum think the OPC has duty to either charge a lot less or actually tell me, anyone could do this job in no time at all... I feel a little cheated to be honest........
J
Just a small gripe which I wonder what some others on here would think about? Recently got my 993 C4 serviced at my local OPC and at the time I needed an electric window switch replacing. Fortunately for me they were out of stock for the part!!! Why? Well they quoted £150 to do the job, which got me thinking, how hard can it be??? I bought a new switch - official Porsche part for £40 from an independent specialist, looked onlline and was surprised to see that to replace it you didn't need to take the door apart but simply pull out the old and plug in the new. Took less than a minute....
Now, undoubtedly I should have done more research before asking the OPC to do the job BUT do the forum think the OPC has duty to either charge a lot less or actually tell me, anyone could do this job in no time at all... I feel a little cheated to be honest........
J
The last time I replaced one of these switches(January 2011) the official Porsche price for the switch was circa £32, (and if you ask you will get a discount), so the part cost me just over £34 including vat.
And as I'd replaced one before, so knew exactly what I was doing, this time it took me less than 20 seconds to replace it in the OPC car park....
Most OPCs wouldnt charge a full hour for a small job like this, but remember official Porsche policy will be to charge whatever the menu price is for each job (unless you question it)....Let the buyer beware!
And as I'd replaced one before, so knew exactly what I was doing, this time it took me less than 20 seconds to replace it in the OPC car park....
Most OPCs wouldnt charge a full hour for a small job like this, but remember official Porsche policy will be to charge whatever the menu price is for each job (unless you question it)....Let the buyer beware!
Variation of the above.
Brand new suspended heater at work stopped working after a power cut. Rang the Company, who supplied it, explained we had had a power cut and now the heater doesn't work. They stated that if it wasn't a fault covered under the warranty then I would have to pay....... Fair enough.
The guy who turned up was passing my door on his way back to base, so wasn't called out as such....... He looked over the heater, pressed a button I did not know existed on the back of the machine and said. 'There you go mate, in future just press that if it happens again, its a reset button.'
It took I would say, 20 seconds.
A week later got a bill for £400.00.
Finally settled on £100.00. Replaced two more heaters last year ........... used someone else.
Brand new suspended heater at work stopped working after a power cut. Rang the Company, who supplied it, explained we had had a power cut and now the heater doesn't work. They stated that if it wasn't a fault covered under the warranty then I would have to pay....... Fair enough.
The guy who turned up was passing my door on his way back to base, so wasn't called out as such....... He looked over the heater, pressed a button I did not know existed on the back of the machine and said. 'There you go mate, in future just press that if it happens again, its a reset button.'
It took I would say, 20 seconds.
A week later got a bill for £400.00.
Finally settled on £100.00. Replaced two more heaters last year ........... used someone else.
jrgwilson said:
Hi All,
Just a small gripe which I wonder what some others on here would think about? Recently got my 993 C4 serviced at my local OPC and at the time I needed an electric window switch replacing. Fortunately for me they were out of stock for the part!!! Why? Well they quoted £150 to do the job, which got me thinking, how hard can it be??? I bought a new switch - official Porsche part for £40 from an independent specialist, looked onlline and was surprised to see that to replace it you didn't need to take the door apart but simply pull out the old and plug in the new. Took less than a minute....
Now, undoubtedly I should have done more research before asking the OPC to do the job BUT do the forum think the OPC has duty to either charge a lot less or actually tell me, anyone could do this job in no time at all... I feel a little cheated to be honest........
J
I would have told them to remove said part and stick it where the sun don't shine. I have to ask why the fook did you pay them ???Just a small gripe which I wonder what some others on here would think about? Recently got my 993 C4 serviced at my local OPC and at the time I needed an electric window switch replacing. Fortunately for me they were out of stock for the part!!! Why? Well they quoted £150 to do the job, which got me thinking, how hard can it be??? I bought a new switch - official Porsche part for £40 from an independent specialist, looked onlline and was surprised to see that to replace it you didn't need to take the door apart but simply pull out the old and plug in the new. Took less than a minute....
Now, undoubtedly I should have done more research before asking the OPC to do the job BUT do the forum think the OPC has duty to either charge a lot less or actually tell me, anyone could do this job in no time at all... I feel a little cheated to be honest........
J
Had to replace one, twice, first time 50 quid and I blew a gasket, 2nd time inde just did it for cost of part, like they do for most wee bits.
Took a tenner to fit a new rear wiper arm last week which made the total 145 quid. Porsche parts are outrageous, couldn't get OPC to fit em too!
Took a tenner to fit a new rear wiper arm last week which made the total 145 quid. Porsche parts are outrageous, couldn't get OPC to fit em too!
To give some balance, I am sure the OPC does the same as we do, which is to take monthly running costs, work out a ROI, and then charge an appropriate rate/markup on labour and parts.
I wonder what proportion of sales/resales contribute in an OPC compared to servicing return? Someone must know
Our overheads are in the 5 figures per month, so it takes quite a lot of labour hours to breakeven. God knows how much an OPC needs to do in sales/resales and servicing etc.
But I think you have to draw a line with minor things if they take a couple of minutes - sometimes profit comes from those things you don't charge for.
I wonder what proportion of sales/resales contribute in an OPC compared to servicing return? Someone must know
Our overheads are in the 5 figures per month, so it takes quite a lot of labour hours to breakeven. God knows how much an OPC needs to do in sales/resales and servicing etc.
But I think you have to draw a line with minor things if they take a couple of minutes - sometimes profit comes from those things you don't charge for.
Unfortunately some of us have to learn by our mistakes and get ripped off once, then never go back. Trouble is there are too many rich boys happy to pay over the top prices and that's why OPC and certain Indys continue to get away with it. £89 to stop a rear wiper squeaking? £1400 to replace the plastic fittings on a 993 Targa roof? £650 to replace a split CV boot? Plus VAT. Plus admin charges. Plus...Have I got Stupid Rich Banker stamped on my forehead?
When I get a bill from my garage, Precision Porsche in East Sussex, (£50 per hour) I see little jobs on the invoice that have been done with FOC next to them. Free of charge. They look after their customers. In return, I tell everyone I know what a brilliant garage they are and they get lots of work. Very smart.
When I get a bill from my garage, Precision Porsche in East Sussex, (£50 per hour) I see little jobs on the invoice that have been done with FOC next to them. Free of charge. They look after their customers. In return, I tell everyone I know what a brilliant garage they are and they get lots of work. Very smart.
Edited by 993kimbo on Sunday 29th January 18:06
996ttalot said:
To give some balance, I am sure the OPC does the same as we do, which is to take monthly running costs, work out a ROI, and then charge an appropriate rate/markup on labour and parts.
I wonder what proportion of sales/resales contribute in an OPC compared to servicing return? Someone must know
Our overheads are in the 5 figures per month, so it takes quite a lot of labour hours to breakeven. God knows how much an OPC needs to do in sales/resales and servicing etc.
But I think you have to draw a line with minor things if they take a couple of minutes - sometimes profit comes from those things you don't charge for.
The overheads are epic...3% overall net margin before tax on turnover is doing fantastically well these daysI wonder what proportion of sales/resales contribute in an OPC compared to servicing return? Someone must know
Our overheads are in the 5 figures per month, so it takes quite a lot of labour hours to breakeven. God knows how much an OPC needs to do in sales/resales and servicing etc.
But I think you have to draw a line with minor things if they take a couple of minutes - sometimes profit comes from those things you don't charge for.
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