Boxster First Service

[Guest]

Hi All,

I am just about to have my 2006 boxster put through its first minor 2 year service at the OPC in Bolton. Whilst booking the car in they also suggest that they perform a brake fluid change at an additional cost of £120.

Is this necessary as the car has just recently clocked 12k miles?

Also please let me know if there is any further info about having the car serviced by porsche as some topics say that they may also suggest work that does not always need carrying i.e brakes..

Many Thanks

Matt

 

[paulbox]

Like you I have also recently booked the first service for my 2006 Boxster and was also advised that the brake fluid would need changing. As I plan to take the extended warrentee I feel obliged to follow the Porsche service schedules and have agreed to this work. In their defense, since the introduction of the 2 year/20k service intervals, the OPC now has to cover all works that will get the car to 4 years old.

On the day I will be waiting for the call reads and discs although looking at mine I am happy to do another 2 years on the ones I have.

The one area where I plan to save some cash is by suppling my own Mobil1 0w40 oil. My OPC has quoted £127 inc vat for my 2.7 and this can be purchased easily from Halfords (2x 5L) for £92. If you can get to Costco I have read it can be even cheaper. Does anyone know of a cheaper (easiliy accessible source)?

Paul

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Brake fluid should be changed every 2 years as it is hygroscopic (it absorbs water).
After 2 years it's ready to change.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Mobil 1 can be obtained from french supermarkets for about £20 per 5 litres - if you are on hols or going to Le Mans it's worth stocking up.

 

[ianfiat]

Let us know how much it costs you for this first service- mine is due in November.


I do love the idea of fixed price servicing- where everything is extra

The Porsche fixed price for the first minor service is £412. If I took my own oil would this mean that the service would be 412-127 or is the price of oil usually added on to the service price so it would be 412+127 if I didn't take my own oil ????

As a minimum I suppose I should expect 412 plus 121 for brake fluid ?

 

[thboxster]

Mine had it's first service last June and I thought this was a bit underhanded.

It's a fixed price 2 year service that doesn't include brake fluid yet you have to have the brake fluid changed every 2 years so they do it anyway. I suppose if they included it into the base service cost it would look uncompetative wouldn't it.

 

[Black80XSA]

Mine was about £380 including the brake fluid - got my PCGB discount and supplied my own Fuchs Porsche approved oil at 5W40.

 

[paulbox]

I was quoted £412 - £127 (oil) + brake fluid change by my OPC.

I forgot to mention that I am getting 10% discount with my PCGB membership.

Paul

 

[Alan Woods]

AC re-gas is also recommended at 2yrs. I did ask my OPC if not taking out the recommended brake fluid change or re-gas would affect the P warranty and they said.... not.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Alan Woods

AC re-gas is also recommended at 2yrs. I did ask my OPC if not taking out the recommended brake fluid change or re-gas would affect the P warranty and they said.... not.

Mine has not needed re-gassing yet and it's approaching 7 years... [&:]

 

[pboldmonts]

It may just be me but I do laugh every time I see the debate about "service costs" especially when it comes to saving a few pounds on oil etc. I don't like wasting money but having spent so much on a brilliant car why spend all you time looking for "bargains" when all you really should be doing is getting serviced as quickly as possible and driving it again for another 2 years of delightful motoring. As for picking up oil when in France! - I'd rather load mine up with good quality red! Oil - yuck!

 

[ianfiat]

I'm just trying to budget for it- still cheaper than the serviving for my Panda though- at least until I hit the 4 year service.

Do all OPC's give a 10%discount for PCGB members ? Mine will be going into Reading.

 

[JCB..]

ORIGINAL: ianfiat

I'm just trying to budget for it- still cheaper than the serviving for my Panda though- at least until I hit the 4 year service.

Do all OPC's give a 10%discount for PCGB members ? Mine will be going into Reading.

The 10% is on over the counter parts and is up to the discretion of the OPC.

I'll be very impressed if anyone gets 10% off the cost the 'oil and filter change' sorry I meant to say service.

The brake fluid change is not included in the service as it isn't a service item - it has it's own schedule in the service log book and, as Mark states, it's a two year change regardless of mileage.

 

[JCB..]

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett

ORIGINAL: Alan Woods

AC re-gas is also recommended at 2yrs. I did ask my OPC if not taking out the recommended brake fluid change or re-gas would affect the P warranty and they said.... not.

Mine has not needed re-gassing yet and it's approaching 7 years... [&:]

What's re-gassing? []

 

[Black80XSA]

Wilmslow gave me the discount on my first oil n filter change, i got a bit off the cost of brake fluid change too i'm sure. Supplied my own oil because i don't like Mobil1.

All told i saved about £50, which is better in my pocket than theirs !! All for the sake of a phone call to Opie oils to order the oil, delivered next day and asking for the discount.

I was offered an air con system clean for about £60 (got a cannister of the same stuff from Halfords for £12) or a system check n regas for about £150. Yeah right [&:]

 

[cFirth]

As JCB said bake fluid has its own record page in the service book. If you wish to claim a full OPC service history at sale time then you are going to have to bite the bullet. Though £120 is a bit steep, more than Nottingham charged me last month.
Stuff like brake pads/disks, wiper blades, bulbs, are not listed in the service book. In my opinion fair game for DIY or an independent.

 

[Robin M]

Depends on the OPC in my opinion. After two services where I took my own oil I was told the OPC (Glasgow) would no longer allow it and they had to supply the oil at Service as they could guarantee the quality and they could not with mine even though it was in sealed containers. As you can tell it still annoys me!

Costco is usually the cheapest place I can find for Mobil 1.

 

[kitchens]

Was told by Glasgow OPC that they will not warrant the car if you supply your own oil as they have no guarantee as to where it came from ...also when I bough my car in July 2007 from a BMW dealer they as part of the sale serviced the car using Porsche parts as the car had still 10 month Porsche warranty on it, told then car not due its first service till May 20008 but they insisted that is part of the sale ,they where going to use BMW oil ,but was told by Porsche that they could not use anything other than Mobil 1 and if another oil was used the warranty was invalid ,the garage went to the OPC and bought 10 ltrs ,I will be asking the same question again in May about suppling my own oil ,I know profit is not a dirty word but to overcharge for a product like oil is a joke as they must be getting a super deal from Mobil and the money is better of in our pockets

 

[Black80XSA]

All OPCS were apparently told to standardise and use Mobil 1 - no doubt for purchasing leverage.

About 24 months ago, i know of one OPC that used Shell Helix, and another that used Castrol Magnatec GTX - nothign wrong with them, they are Porsche approved !. I guess the adoption of standard service costs across the OPC network brought with it a rationalistion of practices to a common approach.

There should be nothing to stop you using your own oil - after all EU law says provided its serviced with approved parts and lubricants it can be serviced anywhere without voiding your warranty. Scare tactics from the OPCs by the sounds of it - hardly surprsing as the longer service intervals means they are down on service bookings, so they have to make the most of the ones they have !