Boxster 987.2 drive belt replacement

BoxsterLL11 · Jan 29, 2017

My boxster is due a service in the summer and as the last one should have been a major but was done buy an independent non-porsche specialist garage with no service documentation I suspect the service due is going to lean towards a major with all the 60,000mile/6 year requirements to be carried out (car has done 38k).
Was considering Porsche to do it but having priced this up, it looks as if it will be over £1000.
Have a good independent Porsche specialist nearby (two ex-Porsche technicians) have given me a price which is looking at £600 + VAT.
But having been a DIY mechanic for 40 years and although I had no intention of doing any servicing on the car when I bought it a year ago, looking at the prices quoted for doing some of the extra jobs above the standard service I just cannot bring myself to pay their rates.
e.g.
spark plug change £140 + VAT
drive belt change £62 + VAT
The other jobs like brake fluid change and PDK transmission fluid change, I am happy to pay for the indie to do these (£61+vat & £120+vat)

I have searched the web to see how difficult/easy these jobs are and surprised to find that they are NOT difficult at all (especially the drive belt, this is remarkable easy).
So have just bought a set of Bosch plugs with an online 30% discount for £33 from Euro Car Parts.
My labour is free so thats a £140 saving.

Now the belt from Design 911 states a "porsche brand" is £54 + VAT, an OEM brand as £25 + VAT
Euro Car Parts have a Dayco belt for £23

Have also found another web supplier with these
Gates £27
Continental £21
Dayco £16
Metzger Autoteile £19

Rather than pay Design 911's price plus delivery even with the clubs 5% discount (total £70 for a drive belt !!!), can anyone enlighten me as what constitutes a "porsche brand" and what is an "OEM brand"

Personally from experience, I would have said that the Gates & Continental brands are about the best on the market.
Just wondered what any other DIY'ers out there have used.

A year ago I replaced the timing belt on the FTO, this was a Dayco.

AndyW1973 · Jan 29, 2017

I recently (at 60k) changed my 986 spark plugs for new Beru plugs (same as originally fitted by Porsche) for less than £40 and also changed the belt for an genuine Porsche belt. Both jobs were very easy (especially the belt) and saved my a load of cash. Oil changes are also very straightforward - as it the air filter. I would think that you can change all of these items yourself for about the same (probably less) than the ex-vat prices you have been quoted for just the plugs and belt.

BoxsterLL11 · Jan 29, 2017

The air filter I have already done again with the help of youtube videos.
I fitted a BMC high air flow filter.
As the engine oil & filter change is part of the main service cost, although straightforward, I would probably let the independent specialist do it as I still prefer to get the book stamped and intervals reset.
Come to think of it, I do have a basic error code reader so where is the OBD socket?

And anybody have experience of these.
http://www.surefireonline.o.uk/category-s/1957.htm

AndrewCS · Jan 30, 2017

BoxsterLL11 said:
where is the OBD socket?

Below the glovebox on a Cayman ...

BoxsterLL11 · Jan 30, 2017

Have been informed by Design 911 that the OEM brand belt is a Contitech / Continental brand, which I was told is a brand that Porsche use themselves.
The Porsche Brand is a belt made by Porsche, hence twice the price of a Contitech belt but no difference is quality, apparently.
So as the Gates brand is well known for its quality worldwide and is slightly more expensive than the Continental, I assume that a Gates belt is as good as you are going to get.

Contraband · Jan 30, 2017

I had to replace my water pump, easy job, and obviously had to take the belt off. It was the continental brand type and my car has only been serviced by OPC's.
The belt must be one of the easiest jobs to do on the Cayman. With the panel off behind the rear seat it takes all of 2 minutes and it even tensions itself.

Archie

BoxsterLL11 · Jan 30, 2017

Thanks Archie, what you have said supports what Design 911 told me.

Duffy3074 · Feb 13, 2017

I do all of my own servicing on my 987.2, it's a very easy engine to work on once you have got your head around the access.

Only thing I've done that's scared me (so far!) was getting the original plugs out (carbon forms on the section of the plug inside the combustion chamber and makes them very tight coming out)

I'm doing things more frequently than the service schedule so DIY'ing makes it well worthwhile

2nd vote for Continental or Gates on the belt front!

BoxsterLL11 · Feb 13, 2017

On the subject of plug removal then, I have seen a few youtube videos suggesting the plugs should be removed with the engine warm but not hot and another saying it must be done cold to avoid damaging the head threads.
Any recommendations for one or the other.

Got a Continental belt for £23.
Already have Bosch plugs.
And am considering getting some uprated coil packs to fit while I am in doing the plugs.
was thinking about doing the oil change myself but I was intending to get a local indie to do the main service as the PDK transmission fluid is also due for replacement (car is 6 years old in the summer) and would prefer them to do that than me, although I have done this on my auto Mitsu FTO.

BoxsterLL11 · Feb 13, 2017

On the subject of plug removal then, I have seen a few youtube videos suggesting the plugs should be removed with the engine warm but not hot and another saying it must be done cold to avoid damaging the head threads.
Any recommendations for one or the other.

Got a Continental belt for £23.
Already have Bosch plugs.
And am considering getting some uprated coil packs to fit while I am in doing the plugs.
was thinking about doing the oil change myself but I was intending to get a local indie to do the main service as the PDK transmission fluid is also due for replacement (car is 6 years old in the summer) and would prefer them to do that than me, although I have done this on my auto Mitsu FTO.

And in case I do do the oil change, which grade of Mobil 1 oil is used?

ESP 0-30
ESP 5-30
FS 5-50
New Life 0-40
0-20
Extended Life 10-60
Peak Life 5-50

Just put the 987.2 details into the Mobil website and they recommended New Life 0W-40 which is soon to be renamed FS 0W-40

And another question about the PDK transmission fluid change.
Service book says every 120,000 miles or no later than 12 years.
Mine has done 37K and coming up to 6 years.
Yet the indie garage recommended the transmission fluid change at 6 years at £145.

My intention when I first bought the car was to pay for someone else to service it.
But I have worked on cars for 40 years (as a hobby !) and just can't bring myself to pay a ridiculous amount of money to do service that I can do myself just to get a stamp in the book.

And when you see the check list in the service manual of the "work" that is actually done, then apart from the oil change it is mainly checking this & that and to pay £250-£350 for a minor/major service when very little "work" is actually carried out, then my "value for money" justification kicks in.