Tyresome!

happylarry · Mar 30, 2009

I picked up a puncture yesterday - in the garage! Nail through the rear offside. Managed to fix it with the Porsche provided bottle of goo.

As I pass an OPC on the way to work, I thought I'd get them to sort. The car is on Bridgestones at present, with about 5k worth of wear left, but I'd prefer Michelin Pilot Sports.

At the OPC - "No we can't replace the rears with Pilots, you'll have to have a full set, if that's what you want to do!". OK, so can you give me a price for one replacement Bridgestone please. "No problem, we'll call you later today." Four hours later, no reply, so I called them. Yes they could get me a Bridgestone, but not before Wednesday - for only £320 + VAT = £386. I declined.

One call to my local tyre shop, who looks after all my trackday tyre needs, netted a price (same tyre) of £286 inc VAT! They could get the tyre in today!

So, how come an OPC wants a 22% premium and takes 48 hours to sort? Well, I know the answer, but I'm still very unimpressed

davidwilson11 · Mar 30, 2009

HappyLarry,

after reading the post and a visit to the local OPC this morning I am also wondering what Porsche are playing at.

Allow me to further explain!!!

My 996 C4S is in for a new rack, steering pump and rod ends, a fairly sizable job in my opinion. they gave me a car to use whilst i was without mine, very nice indeed.

I took the car back this morning and met with a very nasty customer facing woman who wanted to charge me for petrol on the courtesy car. Now i am not kidding when i say this i got the car with it just above the fuel level, light was on and got maybe 25miles ion the tank. This woman was actually very cheeky to myself and demanded that I had to pay for the fuel, to be fair i didnt mind paying as it was only about 10 quid she was looking for. As a matter of time and running late for work i put my switch card down and said take the money its not worth the argument. I dont want to argue over something so silly, still she wanted to argue about it. I replied no less than 15 times i dont want to argue over this just take the money.

In terms of cutomer service for a car that cost 35k and is getting repairs of x amount i would think the OPC would not even waste my time with petrol. I also would like to say that the petrol was noted by me and it was not where this person claimed it was. How would i know if a salesman had it before me or a mechanic had used it.

Still not what i am looking for in terms of customer service, the manager let the charge slip but the woman obviously couldnt let the argument go. waste of my time and hers if i am honest.

tscaptain · Mar 30, 2009

Good to hear the goo actually works - I have always wondered..... Not at all surprised by OPC mark up - and neither are you! Must say I like the Bridgestones. Which track tyres do you run out of interest and, dare I ask, how much?

snarf · Mar 30, 2009

ORIGINAL: tscaptain
Good to hear the goo actually works

I have no personal experience of this but in the past I have been advised not to use the goo because it is said to be a devil of a job to remove from the rim, there was also some concern expressed over affect on TPMS.

happylarry: I'd be interested to know if these fears have any basis in fact?

Geoff_Fields · Mar 30, 2009

The premium added from £286 to £386 is nearer 35% !!![

]
My local OPC always provides loaners with a full tank of fuel, which is how it is expected to be returned. Seems a fairer way to me.[

]
As for the foam, many have not been so successful and been left stranded.
My choice for trackday rubber is Pirelli Corsa.[8D]

happylarry · Mar 30, 2009

Which track tyres do you run out of interest and, dare I ask, how much?

I run Toyo 888s on track - they offer better 'feel' IMHO than Cups, i.e more progressive and, I suspect, looking at the tread patterns on both, may be more 'secure' in the wet. Pricewise, I think I paid just over £1k for a full set - 305/30/19 and 235/35/19. I now run them on a spare set of rims, which sod's law, were at the fitters waiting for delivery of a new set! Otherwise, i'd have just done a simple replacement over the weekend!

happylarry · Mar 30, 2009

The premium added from £286 to £386 is nearer 35% !!![]

No, I'm obviously dyslexic, £320 + VAT = £368, not £386!!

tscaptain · Mar 30, 2009

Thanks Larry, I've got a spare set too and they came with part worn Michelin PS2's. Probably one day left in them so I was going to replace with R888's - quoted £1100 for set (my rears are 295's). How many days do you reckon to get out of the Toyo's? Could you possibly PM who you use?
Cheers Alan

Rodney Naghar · Mar 30, 2009

ORIGINAL: tscaptain

Thanks Larry, I've got a spare set too and they came with part worn Michelin PS2's. Probably one day left in them so I was going to replace with R888's - quoted £1100 for set (my rears are 295's). How many days do you reckon to get out of the Toyo's? Could you possibly PM who you use?
Cheers Alan

Blimey, I just paid £656 for a full set of Toyos 295/30/18 and 235/40/18 from Camskill.

tscaptain · Mar 30, 2009

Hard to believe the extra inch in diameter costs £400! Will give them a call!

happylarry · Mar 31, 2009

Blimey, I just paid £656 for a full set of Toyos 295/30/18 and 235/40/18 from Camskill.

...but I guess that was supply only? I use Adams and Page in Wycombe who supply, fit and balance - so I guess, probably, given the difference in sizes will work out around the same sort of price

tscaptain · Mar 31, 2009

Just been quoted £906 by Camskill for R888's. Will check out how much to have them fitted/balanced locally.

tscaptain · Mar 31, 2009

ORIGINAL: tscaptain
Will check out how much to have them fitted/balanced locally.

£50, so just under a grand total seems to be about the best deal there is for the R888's.

grover · Apr 1, 2009

Hatfield dealer good I thought, £1k for a new set of Michelins for a 997 turbo, very competitive

garyw · Apr 1, 2009

ORIGINAL: grover

Hatfield dealer good I thought, £1k for a new set of Michelins for a 997 turbo, very competitive

That is good...!! I paid £700 for a set of rear Bridgestones from the OPC [

]
They were the only people in the UK to have them at the time, so I had little options open to me..

garyw

okellyt · Apr 1, 2009

ORIGINAL: garyw

ORIGINAL: grover

Hatfield dealer good I thought, £1k for a new set of Michelins for a 997 turbo, very competitive

Click to expand...

That is good...!! I paid £700 for a set of rear Bridgestones from the OPC []
They were the only people in the UK to have them at the time, so I had little options open to me..

garyw

Gart

That was daylight Rubbery

tscaptain · Apr 1, 2009

Just ordered a pair of Bridgestone rears (295's), N1's, (thought I'd get them while they're available) for £528. Dont' think they had N rated Bridgestone 305's though. Same site had N1 Pirelli 305's for £269

garyw · Apr 1, 2009

I think I may be heading towards another set shortly [

] so will start to shop about for costs.
I don't mind paying a bit extra to have them fitted correctly.. sadly how correctly doesn't show up until you need to know [

] I had a bit of a wheel imbalance on the German Autobahn last year.. not until 160mph though [&:]

Tom, I agree it was rubbery of the highest order [

]

garyw

garyw · Apr 14, 2009

Well, having shopped about it looks like its about £300 for a rear and £285 for a front with Bridgestones... (all in and fitted)

Michelin's are about £40 a set more expensive... but are they any better?
I've heard the Bridgestone wear a bit better and thus give about 1K miles extra(so not alot)
I've found them to be a great all rounder and did really well in recent tyre surveys by the magazines..

garyw