She's back! And....servicing costs

[pauljmcnulty]

Hi all,

As spotted by Peter Empson last year, VJ was away for Christmas at her second home - RPM in Aylesbury.

Having sailed through the MOT for the third year in a row, and only needing an oil change, it was looking great until the "we would advise" list came through.....[]

Having been less than charitable to a couple of guys moaning about service bills on Titanic recently, I decided to break the habit of a lifetime and agree to everything they thought was necessary. Suffice to say, the car won't be getting the bodywork sorted this year but the drive home was a revelation.

It has been noted before that my car rolls a little in bends. I'd always put it down to the difference, sometimes a couple of hundred, BHP I was chasing at the time, but the slightly wayward handling has always rather spoiled the drive! The only change was new ARB bushes, but the improvement is far in excess of what I expected.

More importantly, all four brake pipes were worn and the fluid was last changed at some point in the last century. Well, I know know that I don't have anti-lock brakes......I've always excused the brakes as being 20-plus years old and designed in another lifetime, but they are now as good as either of my 21st-century vehicles.

We're back, with a huge grin on our faces! []

 

[sawood12]

Good to hear that Paul. I think you can excuse these cars for things like corroded brake pipes given the cars age. Even Porsche havn't yet sussed out how to make cars last forever.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Even Porsche havn't yet sussed out how to make cars last forever.

LOL - you should hear the calls I get from members with "my 21-year-old 944 has worn out it's original rear tyres. Should I get the belts looked at at the same time? My brake fluid and anti-freeze is original, along with gearbox oil. The suspension feels slightly less than perfect after 250k miles, and the engine uses 0.5 lts oil every 10k miles which is excessive. Oh, and I resent paying £200 for a service......" [][][]

And you think I'm joking!

 

[appletonn]

Paul, must make a change from certain other registers where people are asking whether they should apply their new £8k per tub wax made from the sweat of Thai virgins ([]) with their palms or the soles of their feet.....

My car was fitted with all of its 'upgrades' at RPM by the PO - apparently they really know their 944s?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Paul, must make a change from certain other registers where people are asking whether they should apply their new £8k per tub wax made from the sweat of Thai virgins () with their palms or the soles of their feet.....

[][][]

Or, read the thread on depreciation in the Cayman forum! []

They certainly do know the cars, I don't know where you're based but I'd consider taking it back to them to look after.

 

[xenon]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

Good to hear that Paul. I think you can excuse these cars for things like corroded brake pipes given the cars age. Even Porsche havn't yet sussed out how to make cars last forever.

True, but I don't know why they don't make brake pipes from 316. Well, I do know, price I guess... [&:]

 

[Peter Empson]

Delighted to hear your car's really well sorted now Paul. It always amazes me how much better our cars feel after only minor changes.
Where's your car rusty? Is it the cills, I can't say I've ever noticed it on your car.

RPM look after a lot of 944's (many posters on here use them) and I would always recommend them for good service and reasonable pricing too, the fact they're on my doorstep is a massive additional benefit too [].

 

[Diver944]

RPM look after our S2 as well but so far they have only had to do basic servicing with no 'extras'.

Actually I quite like it when something is found to be broken or worn out that I hadn't detected and when it's changed it transforms the car.

What I hate is paying several 100's for the mundane things like belts, water pump, fuel lines etc and when you leave with a very light wallet you cannot detect any difference in the car []

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

What I hate is paying several 100's for the mundane things like belts, water pump, fuel lines etc and when you leave with a very light wallet you cannot detect any difference in the car []

Lol! I try everything possible to avoid that feeling by finding something else to modify to take my mind off it [] It's getting more and more difficult, but I still seem to manage []

 

[sawood12]

Yes, but I do derrive a certain amount of pleasure from the idea that i'm keeping the old girl ticking over as Porsche originally intended. I did read somewhere that over 75% of all Porsches ever built are still on the road. That in itself is a testiment to how well built these cars are.

 

[appletonn]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

Yes, but I do derrive a certain amount of pleasure from the idea that i'm keeping the old girl ticking over as Porsche originally intended. I did read somewhere that over 75% of all Porsches ever built are still on the road. That in itself is a testiment to how well built these cars are.

I also like to know that I can still use the car 'as Porsche intended' (ie to its original potential) because I am keeping it in as good a shape as possible!

 

[DavidL]

I'm going across to RPM next week to look at the single most expensive 944 coupe I've seen advertised! It seems Darren come recommended then?
I'm hoping it is going to be near perfect and then I can persuade myself it is a good idea.

 

[Peter Empson]

Darren knows his 944's, I think he mentioned this one to me the other day and from the description I don't think you'll find a better fettled car. []

 

[pauljmcnulty]

'm going across to RPM next week to look at the single most expensive 944 coupe I've seen advertised!

If it's the one I saw then it's not expensive, it's just had a good amount of improving work on a good base car, and the price reflects some of the work done. Certainly not the full cost, which makes it a bit of a bargain if that's the spec of car you want!

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: DavidL

I'm going across to RPM next week to look at the single most expensive 944 coupe I've seen advertised! It seems Darren come recommended then?
I'm hoping it is going to be near perfect and then I can persuade myself it is a good idea.

Definately recommended [] The description on their website certainly sounds like they have gone to town on it.

It looks like Darren is selling his own car then, I hope he is not leaving the fold []

 

[DavidL]

That all sounds very promising - I'll try and keep my cheque book in my pocket!

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I'll try and keep my cheque book in my pocket!

I remember saying that once, and next thing I knew I was a register secretary.....[8|]

Mention the forum - Darren did show me the car when I was there!

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

"I did read somewhere that over 75% of all Porsches ever built are still on the road."

I wonder if it will ever beat the % figure achieved by certain VSCC favourites ?
If you look at numbers of Bugatti Type 35's, Frazer Nash and Brescia Bugatti's etc. There are more now than the factories produced - according to some observers []

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: muddy

ORIGINAL: sawood12

"I did read somewhere that over 75% of all Porsches ever built are still on the road."

I wonder if it will ever beat the % figure achieved by certain VSCC favourites ?
If you look at numbers of Bugatti Type 35's, Frazer Nash and Brescia Bugatti's etc. There are more now than the factories produced - according to some observers []

Or Land Rovers []

I'd always put it down to the difference, sometimes a couple of hundred, BHP I was chasing at the time,

Who would that be then? []

Now that you can tell what the car is doing under you you might need to change your tyres.

Beaky is going to Autostrasse on Thursday for service, belts, hand brake and anything else I can think of in the mean time. I confidently predict it isn't going to cost as much as last year. []

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Beaky is going to Autostrasse on Thursday for service, belts, hand brake and anything else I can think of in the mean time. I confidently predict it isn't going to cost as much as last year.

Don't tempt fate.....[:-]