36k Service cost - ouch!!

[Dapster]

Just got my 2.7 back from OPC East London (Lancasters Bow of old) - 36k service plus new front pads, brake fluid replacement, replaced heatshield on the exhaust (£100) and a new o/s window regulator (£200) and that was about it - total £1217!!!!!!!!!!!! Off course that includes the £110 for 10l of oil but even ignoring the extra bits, nigh on a grand seems alot to me.

And to think, I was disuaded against a used 993 as the salesman said that they cost a lot to run....

 

[evoke]

Blimey! Sounds a bit steep to me [:-]

Is the heatshield a 'wear and tear' item? If not, should it not be covered by warranty (assuming your car has a warranty).

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Just got my 2.7 back from OPC East London (Lancasters Bow of old) - 36k service plus new front pads, brake fluid replacement, replaced heatshield on the exhaust (£100) and a new o/s window regulator (£200) and that was about it - total £1217!!!!!!!!!!!! Off course that includes the £110 for 10l of oil but even ignoring the extra bits, nigh on a grand seems alot to me.

[]I think you should have got the pads, fluids,regulator and heat shield done at a Porsche Specialist and could have halved your bill. Just stuck to service and supplied own oils at about £50.00 from Costco .... [8D]job done money made

 

[JCB..]

You only need 9 litres of oil and bought from a garage or Halfords would have halved the oil charge.

You can buy pads for around £50 a pair and fit them yourself.

Subtracting the £100 and £200 items mentioned still leaves £900 which to me would indicate that they saw you coming!

I'd go back and ask them to recalulate if I were you.

JCB..

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Just got my 2.7 back from OPC East London

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Can you scan your invoice and post it up here so we can all see how this 36K Service costa lotta £££££££££'s [8|]

 

[Dapster]

Daro - invoice and I will meet again this weekend so I'll scan and post here or type in the data. The specialist route seems like the way to go in future.....
JCB - there was 9lt of oil on one line of the invoice, and 1lt on another line. Both charged at £10.20/lt
Rumba - heatshield is not a wear and tear. The end corner had broken off and made the shield make a Godawful rattling noise but wasn't doing any damage to the car

Out of interest, what is the menu cost of the 36k service - all items done with NO extras? If it is the same as the 12k then I'm assuming around £300. Add the bi-annual brake fluid change and it can't be more than £450 tops can it?

Added to the sheer misery of the OPC shafting this much money from me was the fact that they didn't ring me to say it was ready (I had to call twice during the afternoon), forgot to get the sales dept to value the car for a trade in as I had instructed them to do in the morning and when cleaning the car, just wiped the inside of the rear screen rather than treat it with any cleaner thereby creating a lovely smeary mess.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Daro - invoice and I will meet again this weekend so I'll scan and post here or type in the data. The specialist route seems like the way to go in future.....
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My 03 "S" came from OPC East London and I had already decided that I probably won't be using them for servicing unless they were more cost effective than the next OPC. I wasn't crazy about the set up and the way there test pilots were thrashing off the line in OUR cars ... Rob

 

[evoke]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Daro - invoice and I will meet again this weekend so I'll scan and post here or type in the data. The specialist route seems like the way to go in future.....
JCB - there was 9lt of oil on one line of the invoice, and 1lt on another line. Both charged at £10.20/lt
Rumba - heatshield is not a wear and tear. The end corner had broken off and made the shield make a Godawful rattling noise but wasn't doing any damage to the car

Out of interest, what is the menu cost of the 36k service - all items done with NO extras? If it is the same as the 12k then I'm assuming around £300. Add the bi-annual brake fluid change and it can't be more than £450 tops can it?

Added to the sheer misery of the OPC shafting this much money from me was the fact that they didn't ring me to say it was ready (I had to call twice during the afternoon), forgot to get the sales dept to value the car for a trade in as I had instructed them to do in the morning and when cleaning the car, just wiped the inside of the rear screen rather than treat it with any cleaner thereby creating a lovely smeary mess.

Dapster, the following is off my own Boxster Web site:

I've been quoted the following rates for a new MY03 Boxster 2.7 including VAT:

12K service: £280.13
24K service: £501.95
36K service: £376.79
48K service: £568.14

Air bag check and brake fluid are extra at £39.95 and £86.95 respectively including VAT.

The prices for the 911 and GT3 are not far off these prices!

Is this a bit excessive?

The original link is here:

Boxster Service Costs

 

[Dapster]

Ok, I've got up off the floor, wiped the coffee off my screen, collected all the pieces of mug from around the room and removed the keys from the backside of the effigy of the service manager here on my desk.....

This weekend I'll post all the invoice details for your amusement and get onto the OPC armed with this. Thanks everyone - esp you Rumba for the menu costs (obviously OPC right?)

 

[Guest]

if people are prepared to pay porsche service costs its theyre own fault my husband services our boxster and suggests the dealers are charging way to much he says our renault espace t.d.i. is much more difficult to service especially when it comes to timing belt replacement D.I.Y!!!

 

[Guest]

I think pricing and service quality can vary between OPCs quite considerably. I currently live in Chiswick (2 mins from AFN) and used to live in Cardiff where I had a good relationship with Merlin Cambria. Service quality at both was very good (I had a 3.2 Carrera for 4 years and used OPCs for pretty much all the work) but Merlin seemed to have more time and we built up a good relationship.

Bought my Boxster in Feb 03 and had the 36k service last month (car is 3 years old, done 26k miles). AFN quoted #390 for the service and Merlin #270!! #120 difference for increased overheads (and the fact that AFN have a big customer base and as much work as they can manage.

Merlin did a great job with the service - renewed some clips on exhaust, fixed a squeaky airbag cover, cleaned the car really well (washed, vac'd, cleansed plastic rear screen - spotless), service book stamped, fixed minor things without being asked etc etc. Service was perfect. Total bill#300 = Bargain.

I will always go to them for servicing as the prices are good, they are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Everything OPCs should be.

 

[evoke]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Ok, I've got up off the floor, wiped the coffee off my screen, collected all the pieces of mug from around the room and removed the keys from the backside of the effigy of the service manager here on my desk.....

This weekend I'll post all the invoice details for your amusement and get onto the OPC armed with this. Thanks everyone - esp you Rumba for the menu costs (obviously OPC right?)

Dapster, these are official OPC figures from earlier this year. They should give you a good idea but may be a few quid out of date. If you add 20-50 per service then you will probably have current figures.

Remember to get your 10% discount on parts if you are a PCGB member! That'll save you all of 15-30 quid!

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: julie

if people are prepared to pay porsche service costs its theyre own fault

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Julie whilst you are stating the obvious on one hand an OPC Stamp in the service book does have a value come resale time. In order to keep things cost effective I personally use the OPC for the service but where things like pads or brake fluid changes are not essential to be OPC done I go to a Specialist.

Also supplying ones own oil reduces the costs and making sure no extra work is done by an OPC keeps costs down too. Tyres,batteries,air con top ups,brake fluid changes,pads,discs,exhausts all best left elsewhere not to mention any electrical probs []

 

[jleo]

Wow! Sounds a bit steep but having had my boxster to OPC East london more than once it does not suprise! Think the extra charge for 1 l oil is for the one they leave in the boot to top up the 9 in the engine? Had clutch and flywheel changed at 18k by them at cost of over a grand whilst engine seal was replaced as goodwill claim. Having to chase them to find out if car was ready sounds familiar - did it more than once! They even managed to dent the boot lid in 2 places whilst carrying out the repair - maybe with the hood folded the wrong way who knows! Had to return the car to them to get the dents out, no courtesy car or apology! Sorry to winge but I think customers deserve better!

Having a fixing kit for a second-hand hard-top fitted by Parr in Godstone tomorrow, attitude so far has been excellent. They'll be doing first MOT and servicing from now on and I'll live without the OPC stamp in the book!

JC

 

[Elliot Davies]

my husband services our boxster

Only problem doing that though is this 'could' lead to reduced selling prices as there will be no stamps in the book, I for one wouldnt buy a non stamped Porsche car.
An independant is a better idea, look at their prices in the porsche post and 911&PW for a guide.
Look at this price NORTHWAYS, very reasonable IMO and the book gets the all important stamp.

 

[raviramyead]

How can they charge more for the 36K service and 48K service than they do fro the 12K and 24K respictively - they are doing exactly the same thing?

I've been quoted the following rates for a new MY03 Boxster 2.7 including VAT:

12K service: £280.13
24K service: £501.95
36K service: £376.79
48K service: £568.14

Air bag check and brake fluid are extra at £39.95 and £86.95 respectively including VAT.

The prices for the 911 and GT3 are not far off these prices!

Is this a bit excessive?

The original link is here:

 

[evoke]

I think they change a few more things in the 36K and 48K services. Hence the extra cost.

 

[Guest]

I just had my clutch and flywheel changed, The oil seal needed replacing at a cost of about £12 - They really did you afavour with the Goodwill Gesture. Apparantly all the work is allready done in replacing the clutch and flywheel!

 

[evoke]

Cary, I know what you mean about the OPC Goodwill Gesture. I recently witnessed a customer buying a set of number plates from a London OPC. He asked for the lettering to be altered but the OPC refused (quite rightly). After getting his 'road legal' set of standard plates he was charged over 35 quid! He could have gone to Halfords and got better quality plates done for under 15 quid.

To rub salt in the wound, the OPC then came up with the classic Goodwill Gesture: he threw in some double sided tape for free (for the rear plate)!!!

This almost calls for a new thread entitled 'OPC Goodwill Gestures'.

Taz

 

[Rodney Naghar]

I had a 48k service done in the summer at OPC Staples Corner (formerly HR Owen) they picked up the car, dropped it back the next day, clean as a whistle and charged me £510, I think I got a discount because it is older than 5yrs. he service was excellent, and they called me twice afterwards to make sure the service quality was ok.