I've only owned my 2014 981 base since August. It was a private purchase, very clean and has a comprehensive service history. I'm VERY pleased with it (previous ride was an '04 996 C4 cabriolet) and all I've really needed to do apart from put fuel in and drive it (so far) is keep it clean.
I decided to dig into the 'dealer service history' and started to read the invoices for work carried out over the years. The car is currently sitting at 70k. It would appear that 'by the book' servicing has been carried out at the prescribed intervals with the relevant ticks and stamps in the service book, but to me, this still leaves some things to chance. Things that the 'OPC' or 'Indie' might overlook. So I decided to have a poke around and see what's what.
First of all, I couldn't find any reference to air filters in the invoices that came with the car. I found that aftermarket filters had been fitted at some time in the past, but they weren't what I would call 'clean' and someone had used GP grease on the sealing rings which made them unnecessarily difficult to remove. Replaced. Result? Car starts better, sounds better and sooty tailpipes a thing of the past. Easy job to do.
Next, there seems to be lots of different advice regarding changing the PDK fluids. This is my first experience of a PDK and I love it - really smooth and responsive. I was sure that the fluids had never have been changed, and with some people advocating 'change at 60k' and others '12 years or 120k' I just decided to get stuck in and do it. Result? Super-smooth transmission. (It's a doddle and no, you don't need PIWIS or any special tools).
Then there are horror stories about blocked roof drains and soggy carpets. So why isn't this a service item? Who knows, so I thought I'd make it one. And I'm glad I did.
The previous owner garaged the car and so do I. As I said, the car is very clean - obviously hasn't been left languishing under a hedge anywhere - so you'd think all would be well. Wrong. All four drains full of sludge. Yuk. Another straightforward job that can be done easily without lifting the car or removing wheels - just over 30 minutes per side.
I've yet to check the serpentine belt, but while poking around underneath, I couldn't help but notice that the oil filter housing was pretty scruffy - yet according to the supplied bills, 'oil and filter' were changed by a 'specialist' just over 6k ago .... so I'm suspicious. I'd never replace a filter cover without cleaning it so that will get sorted as soon as I get some decent oil (I'm going to stick with Mobil1) and a new filter next week.
Why am I posting this? Because Porsche are great cars, but at the end or the day, they're just cars, and unless it gets complicated, they're pretty straightforward to work on. I realise that not everyone wants to get intimate with their pride and joy, but there's a lot of preventative (and regular) maintenance that can be carried out on older cars, with basic tools and at little cost. Some of us even enjoy it....
I decided to dig into the 'dealer service history' and started to read the invoices for work carried out over the years. The car is currently sitting at 70k. It would appear that 'by the book' servicing has been carried out at the prescribed intervals with the relevant ticks and stamps in the service book, but to me, this still leaves some things to chance. Things that the 'OPC' or 'Indie' might overlook. So I decided to have a poke around and see what's what.
First of all, I couldn't find any reference to air filters in the invoices that came with the car. I found that aftermarket filters had been fitted at some time in the past, but they weren't what I would call 'clean' and someone had used GP grease on the sealing rings which made them unnecessarily difficult to remove. Replaced. Result? Car starts better, sounds better and sooty tailpipes a thing of the past. Easy job to do.
Next, there seems to be lots of different advice regarding changing the PDK fluids. This is my first experience of a PDK and I love it - really smooth and responsive. I was sure that the fluids had never have been changed, and with some people advocating 'change at 60k' and others '12 years or 120k' I just decided to get stuck in and do it. Result? Super-smooth transmission. (It's a doddle and no, you don't need PIWIS or any special tools).
Then there are horror stories about blocked roof drains and soggy carpets. So why isn't this a service item? Who knows, so I thought I'd make it one. And I'm glad I did.
The previous owner garaged the car and so do I. As I said, the car is very clean - obviously hasn't been left languishing under a hedge anywhere - so you'd think all would be well. Wrong. All four drains full of sludge. Yuk. Another straightforward job that can be done easily without lifting the car or removing wheels - just over 30 minutes per side.
I've yet to check the serpentine belt, but while poking around underneath, I couldn't help but notice that the oil filter housing was pretty scruffy - yet according to the supplied bills, 'oil and filter' were changed by a 'specialist' just over 6k ago .... so I'm suspicious. I'd never replace a filter cover without cleaning it so that will get sorted as soon as I get some decent oil (I'm going to stick with Mobil1) and a new filter next week.
Why am I posting this? Because Porsche are great cars, but at the end or the day, they're just cars, and unless it gets complicated, they're pretty straightforward to work on. I realise that not everyone wants to get intimate with their pride and joy, but there's a lot of preventative (and regular) maintenance that can be carried out on older cars, with basic tools and at little cost. Some of us even enjoy it....
