Bulbs need replacing - "Free" 111 point check

[tobesetc]

I've just taken advantage of a free "pre-winter 111 point check" at PC West London. Very efficient, etc but they've highlighted a couple of things and I suspect they are very easy to do myself - can anyone confirm, please? (The car is still there at present so not had a chance to actually look). Not even certain I need bother with any of these at present. They've not actually said anything is un-road worthy/illegal, so I'm assuming it's all legal.

1) "Rear Indicator Bulbs showing white (not orange) as the colour tint has burnt off" - about £65 plus VAT. Surely very easy? I'm guessing just pop a cover in the boot and change the bulb?

2) Rear number plate bulbs very dim. £65 plus VAT to replace. Again - surely dead simple?

3) Wiper Blades smearing - £65 + VAT to replace. Any harder than any other car?

Thanks for any help.

 

[oilman]

I can't advise much about the bulbs, other than to me that seems pretty steep for fitting a few bulbs. I'd bring it home, have a go and if you are stuck then think about taking it back to them. We've got some really good wipers, Trico Neoforms.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-645-trico-windscreen-wipers.aspx

Our local Citroen garage is charging £25-30 per blade, so kind of in line with the Porsche prices, although on a totally different class of car. From us they are around £20 a set. Pretty much everyone here has the Neoforms on their cars and on their friends and family's cars. We're going to use them on our fuel delivery trucks as well. We ran several offers on them with different forums and there is a full money back guarantee with them, but out of hundreds of sets we had one back. They have to be pretty good if we just had one set back

 

[spyderman]

I've had the "indicator bulbs insufficiently yellow" advisory on MoTs before - its basically because the yellow paint on the bulb has dried out and flaked off. Just needs new bulbs - and surely they must be "owner replaceable"?!

 

[colinbythesea]

Bulbs are easily replaced. If you were stopped in your car driving in a lot of european countries with a blown bulb by the police you would be expected to replace it on the spot with a spare you carry in the car. Instructions are in the car manual. Bulbs cost less than a couple of quid, except main headlight bulbs, if you know a good motor factors you might get them for pennies. A motor factor is a good place to go for wipers as well. Our local Factor charges about half the cost at the local Halfords and will fit them if you ask. My last set cost £15.

 

[akwaugh]

I must have too much time on my hands...

2 orange indicator bulbs - approx. £2.50 - local garage - never done these but surely can't be too difficult?
2 - number plate bulbs - approx. £2.00 - local garage - fitting - no more than about 10 minutes, but then you do have to bend down to see the wee screws that hold the lenses on.
ebay - 2 porsche wiper blades - up to £22.50 - pure guesswork - 5 minutes each?

Just put the rest of the money you were going to pay the OPC behind my local bar! (Details on request)

Andy

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Have you got the owners manual that comes with the car?
If so it's SO EASY to change these bulbs! Just follow the pictures. Seriously.

Total cost - a couple of quid for the bulbs, + whatever the cost of the wipers of your choice.

 

[phlize]

Just had first service & OPC put new wipers on for £22.04 plus VAT - not too unreasonable. Although I did get a couple of rubbers(not for the Boxster), 30" each, from Partco a little while back for £1.50. But they can be a fiddle to fit.
Agree with Mark on the rear lights. They all come out in a single unit that unclips & looks like it has actually been designed for easy maintenance!! Top marks to Porsche engineers on that one.

 

[marlin]

ORIGINAL: phlize

Just had first service & OPC put new wipers on for £22.04 plus VAT - not too unreasonable. Although I did get a couple of rubbers(not for the Boxster), 30" each, from Partco a little while back for £1.50. But they can be a fiddle to fit.
Agree with Mark on the rear lights. They all come out in a single unit that unclips & looks like it has actually been designed for easy maintenance!! Top marks to Porsche engineers on that one.

What Porsche do you have I was quoted £60 for wipers I thought that was pricey but then again I am a old fart remembering how stuff used to cost 40 years ago []

ps: don't you have to stick to Porsche wipers because of warranty issues

 

[Nick_USA]

All the aforementioned parts are easily replaced by the owner.

 

[kitchens]

Got new wiper blades from a motor factor for under £25 good quality but would not fit them...had some one come in and asked the parts man could he fit wipers and he said certainly bent back the wiper arm to remove the old one ...next thing the arm sprung forward and cracked the screen ....cost them dearly so no more favors any more .And as for bulbs a few quid and most garages will fit for a few ££ if like me handless[]

 

[phlize]

Marlin - Boxster 987. I was in for the first service & extending the warranty by 2 years, plus 111point check(£180) also had to have the brake fluid done(£153) and de-odorized the aircon(£30). There was no labour charge added for the wipers I was told - which I thought was fair. I recall seeing a service price schedule on the Porsche site - just looked & it's being 'updated' and I think it said £25 for wipers - could be wrong - I'm an old fart too & false memory syndrome is not uncommon!!

 

[garyw]

As others, I purchased a set of wiper blades from the OPC for £21.00 and they fitted them for me.... [&:]
I did have to check that there was 2 wiper blades in the box []

garyw

 

[tobesetc]

Thanks for everyone who responded - seems that it is a very easy job for all three issues. Maybe I mis-quoted the wiper-blade price? Never mind.

 

[danofesher]

I think the wiper blade will be the complete thing, i.e. arms as well - I paid about £50 from a Porsche parts dept.

I suspect the number plate lights are sold by Porche for about £10 each, much the same price as from VW (they're the same AFAIK). That price is for the complete item, i.e. the plastic bit plus the bulb - there will be two of them.

Like everyone else, I'm sure the book will tell you how to replace indicator bulbs.

 

[bluearmy87]

ORIGINAL: tobesetc

I've just taken advantage of a free "pre-winter 111 point check" at PC West London. Very efficient, etc but they've highlighted a couple of things and I suspect they are very easy to do myself - can anyone confirm, please? (The car is still there at present so not had a chance to actually look). Not even certain I need bother with any of these at present. They've not actually said anything is un-road worthy/illegal, so I'm assuming it's all legal.

1) "Rear Indicator Bulbs showing white (not orange) as the colour tint has burnt off" - about £65 plus VAT. Surely very easy? I'm guessing just pop a cover in the boot and change the bulb?

2) Rear number plate bulbs very dim. £65 plus VAT to replace. Again - surely dead simple?

3) Wiper Blades smearing - £65 + VAT to replace. Any harder than any other car?

Thanks for any help.

1) "Rear Indicator Bulbs showing white (not orange) as the colour tint has burnt off" - about £65 plus VAT. Surely very easy? I'm guessing just pop a cover in the boot and change the bulb?

2) Rear number plate bulbs very dim. £65 plus VAT to replace. Again - surely dead simple?

3) Wiper Blades smearing - £65 + VAT to replace. Any harder than any other car?

Did the guy who quoted these hyper-inflated prices have a mask on and a stripey jumper because these prices seem like daylight robbery for what even I would call very simple and cheap tasks.

These 'free' checks nearly always carry a sting in the tail as it is often said there is no such thing as a 'free lunch'

Hopefully by now you will have done these jobs yourself and saved a lump of cash which you can put to better use like a weekend away in your car!