My 2019 718 Cayman GTS PDK

[Motorhead]

I couldn't agree more with your comments Ray.

Last October while visiting a friend in Reine, Northern Germany, we were out riding the excellent local cycle paths, he on his e-bike and me on his old conventional bike. I was amazed how many of the locals - of all ages - were riding e-bikes, and we visited an enormous cycle dealership on the outskirts of

the town in which about 95% of the bikes for sale were e-bikes, and it even had a cycle track inside the building so you could try before buying..! I had a go on his e-bike for a while and was surprised how easy it was to reach unnervingly high speeds with assisted pedal power, despite the rather upright stance.

E-bikes still seem to be a comparative rarity in the UK at the moment, but like BEVs I'm sure that we'll be seeing more of them in future.

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

Thank you all for your comments on the e-bike topic. This forum thread is nothing if not varied in subject content which is one reason why it keeps on going I suppose.

Back on the 718 GTS topic, now that 6k miles are approaching I have in mind to organise my customary interim engine oil and filter change. I have always done this around the first 6k miles mark with all my new Caymans. I have the choice of using three OPC's, Aberdeen, Perth, and Chester, all of which I am currently in the process of obtaining a quote for this routine service. I shall post the results of the quotes received on this thread for your interest in due course.

The first Knockhill track day with my new 718 CGTS is now only 4 weeks away. I am very much looking forward to see how the GTS compares with my previous 718 CS which was extremely well suited to this challenging and technical track. On the road the comparative performance between the two models is only incrementally improved with the GTS. Those who followed my previous 718 CS thread will recall that the spec was pretty close the GTS with the exception of the small increase in power and torque. When unleashed on the track, I am anticipating the comparative performance difference to be significantly more apparent. We shall see.

Brian

 

[ralphmusic]

But Brian, can you beat Walter???

 

[Brian_Innes]

Ralph,

If I'm feeling good on the day, and the track conditions are dry, I'll certainly have a go.

I'm not for a moment comparing myself with the great Walter Röhrl, the only thing we have in common is a lifetime of motorsport competition and being born in the same year.

I think a visual comparison of Walter's lap in the 982 GT4 at Knockhill with my own in the latest evolution of the 718 CGTS PDK, should at the very least be an interesting one. My in-car GoPro will be active on the day.

Brian

 

[Steve Brookes]

Brian, I time the last lap in this video of your previous 718S to be 1.01:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dMTgyRiI-o

If I recall correctly, that was on the Pirelli tyres, so given good conditions I'm expecting your GTS on the Michelin PS4 tyres to be sub 1 minute []

 

[Brian_Innes]

Steve,

All things being good, and if I can get a clear lap, I would also be hoping for a sub one minute lap at Knockhill with the GTS.

Yes, the Knockhill lap with the 718 CS on the video was on Pirelli P-Zero N1 tyres.

I'll have the GoPro running, and I shall be grateful for your assistance again with the YouTube posting.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

Regarding my earlier post on seeking OPC quotes for an interim oil and filter change on my 718 CGTS PDK, I received the following quotations;

OPC Chester - £350.00

OPC Aberdeen - £396.99

OPC Perth - £396.99 (When I asked if they would price match Chester, they verbally agreed on the phone to match £350.00).

The price of an interim oil change has shot up particularly with the 718 model and its more labour intensive oil service. Also the price of Mobil 1 0W- 40 engine oil has increased with the falling pound exchange rate. On my 987 CR I used to pay £220.00 for an interim oil and filter change. That is more than 3 years ago.

I've yet to decide whether or not to do this interim oil service at 5500 miles or leave it until a later date. My car has not required an oil top-up since I took delivery in January 2019. The electronic oil measurement continually reads "oil level correct" at the maximum mark. No oil quality warnings have been registered either.

Brian

 

[ralphmusic]

Brian,

I always supply the oil, getting it from Opie Oils who are very competitive even before the Club discount. Check out their service oil bundles for your car.

Ralph

 

[kitchens]

Just bought 10ltr Mobil 1-40 from Costco inc vat £60 and a genuine Porsche filter from the OPC £21 .A local specialist garage will do the work 1/2 hr work £36 .. OPC refused to just do just an oil and filter service even using there parts and stamp the book and will not entertain you using your own oil for a regular scheduled 2 and 4 year fixed price menu.To be fair I have never paid full menu price ever always negotiated a deal with service manager.

 

[AndrewCS]

I bought my used, OPC supplied car/s with an `arrive and drive` philosophy in mind ... given the highly respected reputation of the manufacturer and the benefit of a Porsche warranty for as long as I am likely to own it. Whilst I am only into my third year of Porsche ownership (mileages for the three years have been 9k - 9k - 6k) I am yet to see the point in deviating from the manufacturer`s recommendations and hence wasting my money on interim / additional items.

The six year service is due in November and given an interest in the performance of the original air filters`I hope to capture a record of their and their housings condition.

As ever, each to their own ... good to read other`s views.

 

[Brian_Innes]

Thank you all for your interesting comments on the oil service topic.

Brian, the oil change service takes longer on a 718 due to a palaver with draining pipes having to be attached to avoid oil spillage on the flat-4 turbo. OPC Chester quoted 2 hours for the oil and filter change. This a considerably longer operation than on 987 or 981 Caymans.

Brian

 

[kitchens]

Had no idea off the difference in an oil change on the different models. I am not tekie ( could not put a nut in a monkeys mouth)[] but read with interest all the views posted .Would Aberdeen not allow you to supply your own oil in this case as it is only an interim service and the book would not necessary need stamped and use them for the 1st official one in 1 year or so time.

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

Based upon Porsche's own Service Pricing structure, a 2-year/20,000 mile service for the 982/718 is £625 compared with £615 for the 981, so not significantly different. This now includes the brake fluid change (£120).

Even £350 for just an oil and filter change sounds very expensive, but I suppose the Centres are charging up to £150/hr for labour and maybe £120 for oil and filter. The cost soon mounts up but it looks as though they're probably charging for 1.5hrs labour.

Jeff

 

[Ray]

Jeff/Brian,

VAT at 20% does not help any servicing costs. You pay on the product and again on the fitment.

Ray

 

[Brian_Innes]

Brian,

Based upon Porsche's own Service Pricing structure, a 2-year/20,000 mile service for the 982/718 is £625 compared with £615 for the 981, so not significantly different. This now includes the brake fluid change (£120).

Even £350 for just an oil and filter change sounds very expensive, but I suppose the Centres are charging up to £150/hr for labour and maybe £120 for oil and filter. The cost soon mounts up but it looks as though they're probably charging for 1.5hrs labour.

Jeff

Jeff,

Aberdeen OPC also quoted me £775.00 for the 2year/20,000 miles service which includes the oil and filter change and also the brake fluid change.

My current thinking is to forgo the interim oil service and wait until the 2 year service. It seems the better option.

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

I really don't know how some of the Centres arrive at these inflated prices - just trying it on I suspect in the expectation that they can get away with it from customers who don't question the quoted price. £150 more than the recommended price sounds excessive to me, but your somewhat remote location in the Highlands means that they have you over the proverbial barrel when it comes to pricing.

I have three Centres available to me from my North Beds location, all at similar distances, only one of which appears to follow Porsche's Pricing Structure. I've got a 10-year service coming up in October and although I don't usually bother, this time I'm going to get quotes from all three to gauge the price-spread.

When I got a quote to replace the rear brake pads from one of the three Centres (PRG) I was quoted £465 in April last year and then a whopping £650 when I enquired again in September from a different Service Advisor - figure that out..!

If I were you I'd be inclined to stick with the recommended 2-year service if you're only likely to cover 10,000 - 12,000 miles. I'm aware that US owners always seem to give the impression that they're changing engine oil every couple of thousand miles or so, but I'm not convinced that it's necessary with modern oils, filtration and manufacturing methods and tolerances. The only caveat is that you could argue that an early oil and filter change post running-in will purge the lubrication system of any particles present after the manufacturing process.

Jeff

 

[Ray]

Jeff,

My father always said to me, "It's not buying it son, it's running them that costs the money". He wasn't wrong. Expensive cars equall expensive service bills. There are cheaper options but they do not carry the Porsche seal of approval. However, the work will be as good in many cases.

Ray

 

[Brian_Innes]

Jeff,

I agree with you comments on servicing prices. I shall shop around OPC's when it comes to the 2 year service time. As you correctly point out, living in the far north of Scotland restricts the alternatives available for OPC servicing, and the mileages involved getting there and back often entail considerable fuel costs. I intend to keep communications open with OPC Chester as they have been very fair with me. I always drop by Chester when at Oulton Park, one of my favourite circuits.

I am currently inclined to follow the 2 year service schedule on this occasion as it certainly seems to offer better value than the oil and filter change on its own. My historic reasoning for having interim oil and filter changes after the initial running-in period was to clean out any microscopic particles trapped in the filter, or suspended in the sump oil, during the running-in period. As I have said before I am not an engineer, but having personally rebuilt several engines and gearboxes in my time, I know the how important clean oil is. My car is driven on the track occasionally where extended periods of full throttle, high revs, and high g-forces are commonplace. As am amateur engineer, I need to have confidence that the life blood of the engine, the oil, is up to the job. I'm sure Mobil 1 0W-40 is durable for 2 years active service. The question remaining is, are the post running-in particles likely to impair cooling and lubrication on track days? It's a question I am still pondering over.

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

Like you I come from an era when it was normal to change the oil and filter after the initial running-in period; 1,000 miles as I recall? Although oils, filtration and manufacturing processes have moved on significantly in the intervening years, I still have that nagging thought that an early oil and filter change isn't a bad idea in order to purge the lubrication system of residual particles resulting from manufacture especially since I'm not aware that all the engines are bench tested after assembly, although a small number may be for QC purposes.

Whether or not it's worth forking out the not insignificant sum you've been quoted is a moot point, but at least it would provide peace of mind. If you can source the oil and filter then there's no reason that the work couldn't be entrusted to a local garage of your choice for less than half the cost.

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

Jeff,

Having visited the engine production line at the Porsche factory last September, and asked the question, I can verify that only an occasional random F4 engine is selected for a "hot run" on the factory test rig. Unlike all the GT Porsche engines, where every engine is hot run before fitting into the car.

I will consider your suggestion along with that posted by Ralph earlier, for purchasing the Mobil oil and filter separately and supplying it when booking the oil service.

I would struggle to source a local garage competent enough to do the oil and filter change on my 718 GTS. Especially as my car is still under warranty. The complication with fixing a flexible drain pipe to the filter housing to avoid oil spillage onto the F4 cylinder block is a big worry. OPC's have the correct procedure and equipment written down for them. An unpracticed independent garage may struggle with this, even though on paper it is a normally routine operation.

I'll contact OPC Perth and fly by the idea of me suppling the oil and see what they say. If they can do it for under £300 I may go for it.

Brian