service history

[dwalton]

Hi there - after 5 911 s over the last 15 years I have just bought my first 944 - a 1991 S2 cab

The car has what I would guess is a pretty unusual service history in that all the services & ancilliary work has been carried out by a single OPC ( West London) since new, a total of 16 stamps & every single detailed receipt

I m not sure how to look after the car from now on - I reckon my choices are:

1 - Continue using West London OPC for everything to maintain the impeccable history

2 - Use the OPC for the basic service each year - to get the stamp & a good indie ( northway s are local) for everything else

3 - Give up on the opc on the basis of cost plus I wonder how often they see a 944 nowadays & just use Northway s for everything

Knowing very little about 944s( at the moment!) I d really appreciate some views / advice

Thanks Dave

 

[DavidL]

Dave, General opinion seems to be that most OPC techs have never seen a 944 except in a museum! Undoubtedly their training will be good but I doubt they will know the little "tricks" the people who fix these things regularly do know - the sort of thing they might know for a 996 or boxster for instance. You will pay for the priviledge - dubious though it might be. OPC rates must be what £100 per hour? Don't know I have never been. If the stamps are important to you - personally if I were buying your car a stamp from Ray would be more favourable I think - then yes menu service (if there is such a thing for a 944 at an OPC) and any fixes at Northways. I suppose there is a chance they may not agree with the OPC in which case you could end up paying twice. IMHO if Northways are close I think its a no brainer really. Regards David

 

[Hilux]

most OPC techs have never seen a 944 except in a museum! Undoubtedly their training will be good but I doubt they will know the little "tricks" the people who fix these things regularly do know - the sort of thing they might know for a 996 or boxster for instance.

Correct. An indy will (in most instances) be more of an expert on the cars and will fix if possible rather than replace. They will also know the 944 failings, look out for them and advise accordingly. A young technician will not as he is working to a timescale on relatively unfamiliar cars with old outdated systems. Remember always that an OPC (as per Mercedes/Audi/Ford et al) is a franchise with trained technicians who are not necessarily mechanics (you must have seen the individual certs on the walls in waiting rooms proclaiming they are fully trained and authorised to do an oil change!!) These types work to menus and timescales and you are charged accordingly. You are also paying for the shiney showroom and the (hopefully) long legged and exceedingly large chested receptionist who hands you the bill and offers you a quiet room to recover in once you`ve been picked up off the floor. I`m not saying they are bad but I personally would ask on this forum for indy`s who are known and trusted. By all means get a service (oil change etc) done so as to keep the book stamped but get other work if needed done by specialists in 944`s.[]

 

[Neil Haughey]

Depending on where you live Jon Mitchell and Hartech seem to have about the best reputation and are at each end of the country. Personally I would be more impressed by a car with a service history from those guys over any OPC. There are a few other indies with very good reputations amongst the front engined community but those 2 above seem to be top of the tree. Hourly rates are not everything, Jon's rates are fairly high yet they put down a very fair amount of labour time so IMHE always seem to work out as very cost effective.

 

[MarkK]

Leicester OPC are great with older cars and even run an advert showing their interest in them in the club mag,the tech that works on the older cars runs a 964 as his daily smoke around, and has had two transaxle cars himself in the past.They are as kind as they can be on parts prices and the workshop is something else...spotless.. They are real enthusiasts at Leicester,not all OPCs are evil hobgoblins that only know how to do RMS on a 997.I have seen my 944s in there,964s including a rare motorsport variant,impact bumper 911s,even saw a 928.