Oil change now $285??

Just called to schedule an oil change for my 996. A year ago, the dealer charged $160, which was bad enough. But I was quoted $285 for an oil change today. That's just an oil change. He wanted to charge me $360 to also do an "inspection" with the oil change (check fluids, computer codes, etc.). Some lame excuse about the price of oil... Anyway, I'm approaching the end of warranty in one month, so I would like a dealer to look the car over, but after that I'll be going elsewhere for oil changes.

I've taken my car to my local guy for all my oil changes, it's not going to invalidate your warranty. The only exception was the 15k and 30k maintenance.

If you pay that much...that's just more reason the dealer will keep the price high.

Quoted $200 from dealer yesterday. New York prices stink. $11 at the movies the other night. Yes, guys, I know, do it myself. Next time when it's not so cold out.

what u talking about? today's 60F out there.

I'm driving home with the top down, life is good.

if the winter keeps this way, i wouldn't mind they double the property tax!

if they only charge a little more, I'd recommend the 15k service and have them inspect the car more carefully. hope you get a loaner at least

I'd do it myself and save the money...

Good point, but guess where my car is right now? That's right....getting an oil change. I brought it to them on Tuesday just before the heat wave.

That's exactly my point. If New York prices stink at $200 for an oil change, what does the make a $285 oil change here in "low cost of living" Indianapolis! Thanks for the responses. If anyone else has any recent dealer oil change prices, I'd like to hear them. I'll use them to razz my service advisor!

For the last several years my 996 has gone back to an authorized dealer in Missouri for annual service. The average cost $302.00.

can anyone beat $145 an hour for service here in seattle, wa? :>

riad, don't you work from home?

$60 as a DIY.

By not having the dealer do the 15k and 30k will not void your warranty.

I have done my 15K and 30K and 45K and all oil changes and still ahve a great relationship with my dealer. I did pay for the 60K (just bits and pieces) so I could have it totally checked over, TSBs, etc. You just need to make sure you keep documentation (reciepts, mileage, oil type, parts receipts, etc.)

ya, 150/hr dealer shop rates, SF bay area

damn ya guys beat us.. one my lawyers charges $125 an hour.. (of course my top end lawyer is $400, but he's damn good <g>) forget that whole college thing.. i'm telling my kids to study to become a porsche mechanic when they grow up

haha, how much do you think the tech is taking home out of the 150/hr? keep your kids in college.

Local dealer here charges $149.00/hr. Also charges 120% of the suggested price for all parts. Often several days wait for appointments. From now on I am going to an independent where it is $99.00/hr.

You should have used your "top end" lawyer to get your 45,000 dollars back (or whatever the crazy amount was) for your ridiculous misadventures with your engines that you seem to always talk (brag(?)) about.

El Torrente, His top end lawyer would have burned through $45,000 in a few weeks.

i'll give you the bragging rights if you want to trade for $45,000.. deal? :> after all i've been through, i damn well earned those bragging rights.. not letting em go for cheap

you might want to rethink that when it comes to certain high end parts.. if you do it independant, nothing is warrantied.. if it's something small, indy might be the way to go, but if it's a big item like a tranny, gearbox, engine, etc.. dealership is the only way to go...

I take it to my local Porsche mechanic, 0w40 Mobil 1 with a filter $80. There isn't any magic to changing the oil in a 911.

Our local dealer has been doing them for $59.95.

Are they using Mobil1 0W-40 and a genuine filter? If so, they are making ZERO on that and throwing in the labor for free!

All (excluding wear items) new Porsche parts are warrantied for two years regardless of who does the installation.

Jason I'm not so sure about that.

that's not what the three porsche dealers up here told me.. maybe in europe according to the law there that requires the warranty for two years, but not in the us as far as i am aware..

The parts I've bought from Sunset Porsche in Oregon have a two-year warranty.

I'm 100% positive on this, I've had to return defective parts big and small (maybe only 3 or 4) to dealerships all over the USA (I'm in western Massachusetts) . There was a policy change sometime around/during 2004 that now requires all defective parts to be shipped to Atlanta. Your dealer parts counter person can no longer make the determination if the part is defective. And last summer PCNA instituted a 15% restocking-fee for returning non-defective unused merchandise. I'm guessing maybe people were taking advantage of Porsche's liberal return policy and just swapping parts instead of diagnosing the problem?

What does local porsche mechanic mean? And are you saying that you bring the oil and filter with you and they just charge 80 to install? as I live in NYC, I am most interested.

Local Porsche mechanic means an independent shop who uses genuine Porsche parts. They give you savings on the parts mark-up and labor rates. My local dealer charges $360 for an annual maintenance or $150 for just an oil change. My local indy shop does the oil change for $90. I'm a lazy bastard, what with two toddlers and a baby on the way...

my 2000 C4 has 80k miles on it. It went to the dealer once for the 30k check, and I had them omit the oil change "because it was already done". I have always changed my own oil, filters, belts and plugs on this car (as well as my other cars).....$285 for an oil change is a friggin ripoff.....the matrials cost no more than $60 retail and the job takes an hour, including 45 minutes drain time where the mechanic is working on someone elses car. An oil change can be done in your driveway, by backing your tires up on a coupe of 2x6s......any dweeb can do it......keep your dignity as a man and stop letting these dealers hose your wallet.....

For anyone in DC area. Bring me the oil and filter, I'll change your oil in less than 1/2 an hour for half a c-note. Will even let you watch

Yes they are. Keep in mind they are buying in 55 gallon drums and get the porsche filters at cost with is less than 5 bucks a piece. So if they are making anything, it isn't but a few bucks. Part of it we think was to keep business from coming our way......

NYCEBO, My local guy specializes in Porsche, MB and BMW. He has all the oil and filters in stock. I live 50 miles north of NYC in Orange County, NY near Woobury Commons

996 is the easiet DIY oil change of any car i've ever seen. Sams has the oil at 24 bucks a gallon

That's over $6.50 a liter (quart)!!!!! I buy mine for $4.75-$4.99 a liter (quart) at the various local auto parts places.

I will not pay more than the cost of the oil, filter and 1 hour of labor. $60-Oil $15- Filter $1.30-alum crush seal washer $85-1 man hour labor, which everyone know can be completed in 30 mins. $161.30 - Total That is the most I would pay if I ever let service facility do it. I have always done my own oil change. Assured that tightening torques are correct and I get to check around the bottom of the engine. TLC!

i was wondering where are some local porsche mechanics here in the bay area?? preferrably in the pennisula or the SF city. thanks all

sweet fancy moses, i wish i could charge that, but i wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

I just love to spend moneu on my P....tires, oil changes, filters, belts...outrageous hourly mechanic charges..doesn't matter what.....just to spend money on my P! WHY?? because my P never complains....my wife on the other hand you can buy her a 5K piece of jewelry and will still complain! So I am going to the dealer with my purring P and pick it up and it purrrs even nicer..and yes 285 is a f...ing ripp off....150 per hour for a mechanic (who makes max $35 p/hr) is rediculous!

Only take it to te dealer while under warranty, you might need their goodwill in the future. That's life in the big city boys.

There is a 2 year warranty when you buy the part. My dealer has this printed on the back of the invoices. Parts replaced under warranty are held by the dealer for 90 days in case Atlanta wants to see the parts. After 90 days they are "supposed" to be destroyed. I think this is how some of those parts find their way on ebay. Certain parts, however, have to be sent back to be sent back to Atlanta and are not held for 90 days. A control unit is an example of what must be sent back. So I have been told....

Roger That!

Just a follow-up, as the one who started this thread. When I checked back with my dealer, he said I had been misquoted; the oil change is ONLY $225! Anyway, still pretty outrageous, but I realized that much of that was for the oil, which they were charging like $13 a quart! The service advisor said I could bring my own, so I bought it at Autozone for about $4.80. My main reason for having the dealer do the oil change was that my car's warranty expires in a few weeks, and I wanted to get the once over. I almost wasn't surprised when they found a RMS leak. (Do they always find one of these when things are slow in the service department?). Anyway, they fixed it in a day, and once my warranty has expired, I'll probably change my own oil.