Cost of Ownership - 996

All these threads that I have been reading lately, had me interested in what others have had to do to keep their vehicle in operational condition. Being a tad OCD, I keep a strict 'autobiography' of every vehicle I have ever owned. Generally when I sell, it is to the first person that come to look at it and this autobiography accompanies each vehicle so the new owners will know what has been done, and more importantly, when. I keep a running tally in a simplistic document, and a large three-ring binder with all the actual receipts. I assume most of you do the same. I thought I would share my 'autobiography' with you all and I certainly would be curious to see if it aligns with your own experiences. Granted, I have had a couple large failures that skewed my, but the laws of averages should play out with your personal experiences. Receipts to date, just a hair over $30,000 on top of the purchase price. without further ado.. here's mine: 1/26/15 • Mileage: 51,322 • Removed and Cleaned Condensers and Radiators 12/16/14 • Mileage: 51,319 • Transmission Service at Imola Motorsports • Replaced transmission with a Getrag G96/31 LSD • Replaced Front Drive Shaft with 997.2 OEM Shaft • Fresh Transmission Fluid Change Motul 300 75W90 LT 3.0 liters • Replace Front Differential Fluid Motul 300 75W90 1.5 liters • Function First (F1) Transmission Mount Insert, 80A Hardness • Wheels Road Force Balanced • RSS 7mm Hub Centric Wheel Spacer with Wheel Bolts (Front) • RSS 15mm Hub Centric Wheel Spacers with Wheel Bolts (Rear) • Full Body PDR work done by Jake Kelm at DentWerks in Plymouth, MN 11/08/14 • Mileage: 51,296 • Oil Change Mobil 1 0W40 - 9.25qts • Napa Gold Filter 1024 10/02/14 • Mileage: 50,192 • OEM Uplink Connectors – Front Suspension • Front Sway Bar Adjustment – Softest setting • Bosch Engine Compartment Temp Sensor 9/30/14 • Mileage: 49,818 • Bosch OEM Mass Air Flow Sensor 9/10/14 • Mileage: 49,033 • Interstate Mega-Tron Plus MTP-H6 85mo 640CCA Battery 8/20/14 • Mileage: 48,115 • Convertible Top Hydraulic Fluid Flush with Pentosin CHF 11S • Full Adjustment of Convertible Top Mechanism 7/14/14 • Mileage: 46,237 • Oil Change Mobil 1 0W40 – 9.25qts • Napa Gold Filter 1024 6/13/14 • Mileage: 45,822 • IMS Engine Failure –Engine Rebuild by Imola Motorsports, Plymouth MN • LN Engineering IMS Pined Shaft with Hybrid Ceramic Bearings • OEM Main Bearings • OEM Rod Bearings • OEM Water Pump • Oil Scavanger Pumps • OEM Spark Plug Tubes • OEM Ignition Coils (all six) • Drive Belt • LN Engineering 160 Degree Thermostat • LN Engineering Billet Timing Chain (IMS) Guide Rail • (2) OEM Timing Chain Guide Rails • Full Coolant Change • Oil Change Mobil 0W40- 9.25qts • Napa Gold Oil Filter - 1024 • OEM Full Gasket and Seal Kit • OEM Oil/Water Separator • OEM Crank Shaft Bolts • OEM Cylinder Heat Bolts • OEM Connecting Rod Bolts • OEM Flywheel Bolts • Resurfaced Flywheel • SPEC Stage 2 Clutch and Pressure Plate • LN Engineering Spin On Oil Filter Adapter • Evolution Motorsports (EVOMSit) Stage 2 ECU Tune • IPD Plenum Upgrade • Evolution Motorsports V-Flow Intake with Open Element Filter • Fabspeed MaxFlo Mufflers • H&R Sport Springs • H&R Adjustable Sway Bars (Front and Rear) • Alignment o Front • Camber: L -0.9, R -1.0 • Total Toe: .08 • Caster: L 7.7, R 7.8 o Rear • Camber: L-1.6, R -1.6 • Toe: L 0.16, R 0.16 • Trust Angle: 0.00 • Michelin Pilot Super Sport o Front: 225/45/18 o Rear: 285/35/18 03/03/14 • Mileage: 44,003 • OEM Blower Motor/Engine Fan 10/16/13 • OEM Porsche Techequipment Triguard Indoor Cover 9/10/13 • Mileage: 44,002 • OEM Drivers Side Window Regulator 8/14/13 • Mileage: 43,639 • Coolant Flush • Oil Change Mobil 1 0W40 – 9.25qts • OEM Oil Filter • Denso Spark Plug – Iridium • LN Engineering Magnetic Oil Plug 6/20/13 • Mileage: 41,291 • OEM Brake Booster and upgrade Kit • Brake Fluid Change – Motul RBF 600 5/23/13 • Mileage: 40,764 • OEM Brake Pedal Micro Switch 3/27/13 • Mileage: 38,573 • Summer Tires remounted at Arboretum 1/23/13 • Mileage: 38,569 • Bosch Wipers • Oil Change Mobil 1 0w40 -9.25qts • OEM Mann Oil Filter • OEM Brake Pad Sensors • OEM Cabin/Pollen Filter 1/16/13 • Mileage: 38,551 • OEM Emergency Brake Micro Switch 1/4/13 • Mileage: 38,508 • OEM Black German Cloth Convertible Top Installed by Dick & Rick’s Interiors, Bloomington MN 12/19/12 • Mileage: 38,310 • Brake Fluid Flush – Motul RBF600 12/11/12 • Mileage: 38,281 • Four Wheel Alignment by Jeff Forss, The Alignment Guy 11/29/12 • Mileage: 38,227 • Winter Tires Mounted at Arboretum • Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 o Front: 225/45/18XL -92H o Rear: 265/35/18XL -97H 11/28/12 • Mileage: 38,178 • Oil Change – 0w40 Mobil 1 – 9.25qts • OEM Mann Filter • Transmission Fluid Change Mobil 1 75W90 LT 11/08/12 • Mileage: 37,176 • Vehicle Registration and Purchase

I do that with all of my cars. I also have a large, 24" x 36" spread sheet,old flip chart, of all maintenance on my 11 different motorcycles back to my 1981 Suzuki GS1100EX, hanging on the wall in my cellar.

I got my car with 18000 miles on it and immediately shipped it to Jakes shop and had the IMS, AOS, THERMOSTAT, CHAIN TENSIONERS, PLUGS, WATER PUMP, SPIN ON FILTER, MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG all added or replaced. Between the purchase price and Jakes work and about two grand for shipping I had about 27000 in the car at that point. Since then another 1500 in paint to remove a couple of scratches and fix the front bumper that I managed to scrape on a curb. I am now close to 28000 into the car and its like new. The PO had just put new tires on it. We'll see what the next few years bring but I live in a mild climate where cars normally thrive and I'll probably over maintain the car. Its a GREAT car to drive.

Wow. I keep some receipts. But with 5 cars, 3 with over 100k, 1 with 250k, and 1 with 54k miles (the 911), I would have to quit working to keep records like yours. Nice job. I bet it makes it easier to sell.

Bravo RJHerrmann. That product detail will help a lot of people.

Basic rule of Porsche ownership: Never total the receipts. Never.

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Yeah, I am less interested in the costs, and more interested in the rewards.

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Surprisingly, it takes very little time. The 996 took the most effort as it has required the most service 'entries' in my word doc. My other two vehicles hardly have ever needed more than oil change, besides the normal service schedule for wear items. My winter beater has only seen 12K miles in the past 4 years, but prior to that, I did a massive laundry list up upkeep items on it that made me not too upset on the 996's laundry list of items. Timing belts, water pumps, tensioners, O2's, intake manifold, valve cover gaskets, control arms, etc etc etc... Audi's 4.2L can be a real pocket killer. I think having 15 years worth of Audi's and Mercedes (and one absolutely dismal Range Rover) made these repair lists palatable. Once you drink the Kool-Aid, you are in..

I've done the same thing for all of my cars for 15+ years now. I use a simple Excel spreadsheet and log the cost there are well. Minus the engine rebuild, my '01 C4 cab list looks similar to your list. The Porsche lists are the longest of all of my cars, with my BMWs second, and the lone Mercedes was the most maintenance/repair free. Of course the Hondas and the Acura are extremely trouble free and just regular maintenance is all that's been needed thus far. In fairness, the Porsches, BMW, and Mercedes were all older vehicles (probably 9-10 years old average) than the Honda/Acura which have been mostly new vehicles.

...and if you insist on totaling them, don't do it in front of your wife. On Valentine's day. R

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Yeah, I just can't make myself do that either. All my receipts get tossed in a pile on my workbench, and no matter how meticulous I am about keeping them, I still have a $15-20k car.

Perhaps comparing 996 costs vs. honda, toyota, etal. isn't relevant, because 996 is a performance car and generates (and withstands) higher stresses vs. honda etal. Higher stresses require higher maint seems logical.

I kept all dealers receipts and also have a mycarfax account to keep track and write all maintenance.

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Both my 2005 Honda Accord V6 6 speed Coupe and the 996 have been remarkably reliable. On the Honda I changed out the timing belt, water pump, plugs, serpentine belt as part of the preventive maintenance, plus one rear wheel bearing, as well as brake pads/rotors and tires. On the 996, I've done water pump, drive belt, plugs, brake pads, transmission fluid, engine oil, and tires. Although the bearing in one pulley will require replacing, I've bought the bearings for all 3 pulleys, and will replace the bearings when the weather gets warmer around here. What is clearly evident is the cost of parts, 996 parts are far more expensive than Accord parts. Plus there are twice as much engine oil volume required for the 996 than the Accord. Not that this should be a surprise to anybody.