QUestion on 911 servie and air-con

[gordonawood]

I am about to have the first service (2 years) done on my 2010 997 Carrera S, this is my first Porsche so I dont really know the score. Porsche service are saying that the air-con needs servicing at 2 years at a cost of £199. This seems a bit excessive both in terms of cost and need for an air-con service at this stage. I dont mind paying for it if it is required but I wonder if I am being "upsold".
Does anyone have any experience of this?
thanks

(Originally posted on general forum because I am a newbie - DOH!)

[MadMark911]

Porsche are expensive for the Aircon Service (essentially a re-gas and visual check for leaks), but it might help with the warranty if the Aircon compressor were to give up (for example).

Any half decent indie will do it - probably for less than half that ... but you can always negotiate with the OPC!

Personally, I have a re-gas done every year to ensure the system works perfectly and is well lubricated (there is oil in with the refrigerant).

[Magic919]

If it's not in the book I'd skip it. There's no way I'd be recharging the aircon on a car of that age.

[sidicks]

Magic919 said:

If it's not in the book I'd skip it. There's no way I'd be recharging the aircon on a car of that age.

My car is over 6 years old and still under Porsche Warranty - I'm yet to be told it needs an air-con service by my OPC....

[DSM2]

sidicks said:

My car is over 6 years old and still under Porsche Warranty - I'm yet to be told it needs an air-con service by my OPC....

Me too, coming up to 5 years, a/c works perfectly, never been told it needs "servicing".

A few years ago it seemed every other post was a complaint about OPCs trying to replace bakes unnecessarily. Is a/c the new hard sell?

[Nano2nd]

i had mine done by porsche(£160ish as i recall) a couple of years ago (though aircon was 4years YBH), thought i'd been ripped off too...

then:

my aircon was not getting cold, thought it needed re-gassing, turns out one of the pipes above the engine was shot and leaking the gas out... bad news its an engine and box out job, 6+ hours just to change a bloody pipe - all covered by warranty thats another £1000 bill i didn't have to pay lol i don't fancy the well sir you didn't have the aircon serviced by us conversation...

[cd1957]

Hi if the A/C is cold and no "growling" noise when the compressor has engaged then there is no issues with the system.

Chris

[MadMark911]

Nano2nd said:

I don't fancy the well sir you didn't have the aircon serviced by us conversation...

+1

[anonymous-user]

Air con service on a 2 year old car? WTF?

Sounds like a classic OPC scam to sucker nervous owners, worried about their warranty. First thing I would ask, is it in the official Porsche service schedule? If not then ask why they think it needs a service?

[m999psw]

I know this is an old thread but my Cayman S is due its first service and they have quoted £200 for the aircon service. I have searched and had a look in my service manual but can't see whether it is a must do or not on a 2 year old car. The service and brake fluid seem OK but £200 for a service that I had done on my wifes Boxter for £50 elsewhere seems excessive unless it affects the warranty.

Has anybody had it done or declined at the first service?

Paul

[sidicks]

I still don't believe this is required (unless your Air Con is not sufficiently cold).

My car has never had an air con re-gas (not that I've paid for anyway!) in 7 1/2 years and is stlli chucking out very cold air!

Ask your OPC directly where it says this is part of the requirement to maintain the Porsche warranty....

Edited by sidicks on Thursday 25th July 08:29

[m33ufo]

I declined the AC service. It's not on the service schedule and my AC showed no sign of any defect.

And yes, that was at 24 months service on my old Spyder.

[m999psw]

Thanks for the replies, I did speak to another OPC today who said they checked the aircon temperature and only offered a service if not working as expected, which is what I would have expected.

Paul

[m33ufo]

I agree, that's what they should do - but why would the original OPC offer it while booking you (or me) in for service and not while servicing the car? Money spinner!

Edited by m33ufo on Thursday 25th July 20:39

[mollytherocker]

This does not reflect at all good on the OPC.

It's not the sort of tactics you would expect from a brand with such a reputation.

I know a guy who left a job at an OPC for this very reason. He's never given me any details, maybe I need to get some drinks down him!!

[m33ufo]

It's a recent introduction. My service earlier this year was the only time where the service adviser pushed the air con service and not just once!

[Rockster]

uktrailmonster said:

Air con service on a 2 year old car? WTF?

Sounds like a classic OPC scam to sucker nervous owners, worried about their warranty. First thing I would ask, is it in the official Porsche service schedule? If not then ask why they think it needs a service?

How about no A/C service on an 11 year old car? I've had my 02 Boxster in for more services than I can count and I've never had a dealer suggest the car needed an A/C service. 270K miles on that A/C and its initial charge, too.

Now it just so happens the A/C feels a bit down -- not much and it might be my imagination but my other car blows colder under the same conditions -- and this next service I'm going to ask for an A/C service. I do not want the A/C to run out of refrigerant as this can ruin the pump. Besides I use that A/C almost every day here in the summer months, say from Feb. to Dec. (Yeah, winters are rather mild here...)