2 year service - brake bleed question

So my car's 2 year anniversary is in 8 days and i'm brining my car in for the 2 year service. I was at the dealer previously and they quoted me 799 for the 2 year service which I think is a brake bleed, oil change, cabin filter and air filter. I've replaced the cabin and air filter myself and the oil change i'll let them do so I can get my porsche stamp but how about the brake bleed? Its supposed to be 2 years but I've only got 8Kmiles on the car (i'm the first owner) and I don't track the car so is a brake bleeed this early really necessary? If I decline, will it void my warranty? Ryan

I'm scheduled to have my done this Friday at the dealer. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, so it's effectiveness (or lack of) is not mileage dependent. If you don't do any track work, 2-yrs is a good time for a flush. For track junkies, you'll need to do it more frequently. Any water in the fluid will affect your braking if the brakes heat up (water --> steam --> compressible!). Plus water will not be helpful to the internal metal components of your caliper and brake lines. If you've done the other stuff yourself, it should be a simple leap to bleed the brakes. Since my car is still under warranty and I didn't want to hunt for the clutch bleed valve, and I want to build a relationship with my service center, etc., I'm going to the dealer for the bleed.

Thanks for the input Pete, how much was your bleed estimate? I guess i'll have mine done this weekend as well

$199 and it's 10% off with a PCA membership... Ouch!

I would agree with all 3 points but have hard time parting with those $ for something I enjoy doing and can't bring myself pay dealer prices for easy work.

As Pete says brake fluid like other fluids degrades over time, but engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid all deteriote in different ways for different reasons. Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it has a tendency to absorb water, and so over time will become "water logged" so to speak and thus reduce the boiling point, and should it boil will cause issues with your brakes and clutch. With hard driving the higher temperatures the fluid runs at means it is more susceptible to absorbing water from the atmosphere, which amongst other factors is why it should be changed more often.

Flushing the brake fluid is a rather simple job on our cars, and can be done from much less than the $200 quoted above, even if you need to purchase tools for your first time. I would strongly recommend a Motiv power bleeder. I also picked up some clear tubing from Home Depot that slips right over the bleed valve for draining the fluid into a bottle. This was the first service I performed on my car after purchase (was 4 yrs old with 18k miles). I have not tried oil or air filter changes yet, but if you've done those, you can flush brakes. It was a fun bonding moment with my car.

CDOC carries a nice plastic bottle with line and hanger made for this. It was like $15-20. I found it worth buying and easier to use than some of the things I put together.

The Motiv and catch bottle make the job very easy. Highly recommended. Tools + fluid < $100

Don't forget to bleed the clutch fluid they share the same reservoir, same system.

Note the OP was quoted for a brake "bleed" not a "flush". There is a difference. My impression is that you can totally skip the 2 year (or 1 year depending on MY) service and it has no effect at all on your warranty. Of course you also won't get the stamp but how much is that really worth? Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who did all of the above myself (oil, filters and brakes) and THEN took it in for the 2 YR/20K service. I declined the wipers, tires and wash/vac and I got out for less than $300, got my stamp and learned alot about how my car works.

Flush completed today at the dealership. A vacuum unit was used and I watched them like a hawk. It wasn't necessary, the guys are pros. Still ambivalent about the cost but I tell myself once the warranty period is over, I'll be doing all of this on my own. It was worth the trip just to drool over a new GT-3 RS still in the wrapper!

Pete - does your car have PASM? The reason I'm asking is when I went to the Pelican Parts site to look at their blake breed article, they state that if you have PASM then you need a special tool (that only the dealer has, supposedly) to cycle that system to accomplish the bleed. Did you see or hear anything about that - assuming you have PASM that is?

799. sounds high. I got the same service for 600. Shop around if there are other Porsche dealers in your area.

Yes I have PASM but that is part of the suspension (shocks) and don't share any fluid with the braking system. What they are probably talking about is the ABS control module. You need the Porsche PSWIS (I know I've spelled it wrong) to cycle the valves in the pump to get every little bit of brake fluid out. I don't believe the fluid in the unit amounts to much. Plenty of folks here bleed their own brakes without having any issues. The dealer will also flush the clutch master cylinder (if you have a manual) as part of their procedure.

Duh on my part! It was PSM and not PASM - should've thought of that. Anyways, thanks for the clarification. So, in your opinion, if I was to change the type of fluid from stock, I could get away without the cycling and ignore that bit of fluid? Assuming the original fluid and the new stuff are compatible, of course. I just got some SS lines from Champion, as well as some GiroDiscs so I need to break (no pun intended!) into the system anyways. Thanks for the info so far.:cheers:

Aha, PSM works with ABS to brake individual wheels to keep you heading straight so I guess that sort of makes sense. I'm far from an expert and I hope others with more knowledge chime in, but I think you don't need to worry about the fluid left in the ABS pump.