Which OPC? Please recommend!

Hi All, After buying my 996 in July of this year, I've just encountered my first problem. The 'Check' light has come on, which related to an emmissions problem. (I'm guessing it might be the Mass Air Flow Meter/Sensor?) My question is, which OPC shall I take it to?...I have a Porsche Extended Warranty and I live in North London. When I bought the car from a chap in Bristol, I had the pre purchase inspection, subsequent work and service all done by OPC Bristol who are absolutely brilliant. I have heard not so good things about Hatfield OPC. There's always AFN Chiswick too. Those who have used OPC Hatfield since they've re-opened and those who use Chiswick....can you please give me your comments/recommendations? Thanks very much

There is also the Porsche service centre at Staples Corner... Not had any experience but they will book you in at short notice... Chiswick are always way too busy to give you any proper attention... Cambridge are great but it might be too far out for you...

I drove past the Staples Corner OPC (my local OPC centre) on Friday.....they are no longer there! Calls are being diverted to OPC Hatfield. Hasan, I've booked my car in at OPC Chiswick for an inspection this Wednesday (they needed one weeks notice FYI), I can give you feedback after that.

Hasan, If you are handy with a screw driver you could try cleaning the MAF yourself. Have a look at this thread on an american forum. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=414&hl=mass+airflow

I appreciate what you're saying ArBee, but I've got a Porsche Warranty and wouldn't even dream of going anywhere near the engine. If it was a 15 year old Ford Escort, then maybe!! [ ] If anyone has positive or negative comments on OPC Hatfield or AFN Chiswick, please post them.

Hasan, Not sure what sort of response you are looking for but the work will be done equally well at any OPC, it is just the customer service which differs. I think you are thinking too much into this, just get it done anywhere... just ring both of them and see who can take it in first or who can offer a courtesy car if that is what you want... All the best.

Hi THX, I appreciate what you're saying, but after spending nearly a year on this forum it seems that customer service at OPC's are extremely varied from excellent to indifferent. I'm just keen to develop a relationship with one that will look after me....

Got you! ...and I know what you mean as Chiswick is 5 minute drive from my house but I get my car serviced at Cambridge as Gary Sorrell (the aftersales manager) and the team know what customer service and the Porsche experience is all about... Whereas Chiswick are way too busy with the bulk of the customers that come through as they pretty much serve whole of outer London in the West... Though having said that I now have good relations with them too but it took two letters of complaint to the Dealer Principal and a couple of conversations with the customer services manager...

Hasan Why not come to OPC Cambridge [Harston] on Sunday 6th November [see the Boxster forum] and see for yourself what they are like. I have had excellent service from them; when my Boxster was damaged in an accident [not my fault] - they were more than helpful, collecting and delivering the car as well as servicing it. More recently I had some faint scratches on the paintwork and was given advice and a small amount of the compound made by 3M - all without charge and quite willingly. Have a look at http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=139394 . Hope you can join us; just confirm to Mark Bennett - ownership of a Boxster is not a pre-condition.

Hi Julian, That would have been great and I'd definately have come. Unfortunately, I'm flying to Madrid that morning for work, so I won't be here [&o] I know I'm not going to get a relationship like I have with JZ Machtech for instance, but when I dealt with Paul at OPC Bristol, I thought "damn, why can't these guys be closer to where I live! As a side thought, North London does need it's own OPC doesn't it?

I agree OPC Cambridge seam to be very good, they treat you like a person and not a number. They also seam to have a very honnest few as well, they give 10% off parts for being a club member and if you car is over 5 years old you get 25% of the labour I know this may not effect you at the moment as it is hopfully a warranty job. Gary Sorrel the aftersales manager there is a club member and owns a 996 so they have support and involment with the club it self. A little out of your way but i would think worth it. Phil

For what it's worth, I'm currently using the OPC in Tonbridge and they seem pretty good. The staff who have called have always been friendly and the servicing good as well. Some things took a little longer to fix than others, though I do believe that was "wait for the parts" related.

Hi Hasan You will note from everyones answers that they drive to where ever they have a relationship with an OPC. I take my 996's to OPC Bournemouth for example and can highly recommend them.If you want to use them you can mention my name! I don't know Hatfield and have had bad feed back on Chiswick from members. There is another OPC in East London. Smaller therefore you may built up a relationship there. However my advise is spend some petrol and go back to Bristol if you are happy with them. Take a day off and have a look round Bristol, and very nice it is too. Johannes

Hasan Johannes has a very good point. IMO it is a matter of forming some sort of relationship and trust with the OPC. It appears that some are good and others not so good. For my part, I would go to OPC Cambridge, if only because they also have a workshop which is approved by Porsche, and then, if you want, you can spend a happy day in Cambridge city tself. Keep asking; others will be more than happy to recommend an OPC. If you do try OPC Cambridge, just mention my name [Julian Young] and I am sure that they willl help as much as they can. Good luck, and keep us informed about your experiences.

Hasan, I've just returned from OPC Chiswick for an annual inspection. The place makes my former local OPC (Staples Corner) look like a dodgy backstreet abortion clinic! Anyway, the salesman tried to get me to have a minor service, until he agreed with me that it wasn't necessary and that an inspection was due at £109. The car was inspected and nothing needed doing, so was ready 5 hours later. The salesmen and reception staff were very courteous and professional, and the general level of service was very good. When I picked up the car however, it was clear they forgot to wash the bodywork (although they already had vacuumed the interior and cleaned the alloys) so I imagine they gave it a quick spray before they presented it to me, and so I picked up the car wet. Once the water dried in the sun, the bonnet could still be seen to be dirty. Later on I found 2 pen marks on the leather of my seat and on the drivers door. I rubbed those off with a wet cloth.

Thanks for your very interesting feedback Rodney. Somehow it doesn't really surprise me! I've booked it into OPC Hatfield next Monday so I'll give feedback from the day! Since they are now the flagship OPC in the UK since moving to their new premises, I'll try them out. If not, it'll have to be Cambridge after that [&o]

Can't argue with that. I still take mine to Bournemouth even though I now live in London

Rodney That is intresting that you paid for a £109 service, i have my car booked in for it's yearly service i have only done 4500miles since the last one they quoted me £320 inclding various discounts i get for the car being over 5 years old and me being a member of this club. It had a major service last year so surely i am being misinformed here. I do trust the guys at my local OPC they have been very good so far but if i can save £200 that would be nice. any comments would be nice to hear. Phil

Cars that do less than 9000 miles a year do not need a "Service" they just need an "Annual Check". The Annual Check is pretty much a service, but without changing the fluids.

I've always had very good experience with OPCs. Originally used Malaya Billingshurst - Excellent (much missed) Charles Follet, St Johns Wood - Good Rivervale, Hove - Good Lovetts (now Porsche Swindon) - Excellent ++ AFN Chiswick - Good Corkills, Isle of Man - Good Used Merlin Nottingham and Lancaster Colchester once each and both were very helpful. However, I stick with Swindon. And, if you buy from them they'll do collection and delivery over quite a distance. Of the independents, JZ Machtech are first class.

Phil, They will always try and talk you into doing a more expensive service. When I first bought my car I paid for a major service (48k) then 1yr and 4k later I tried to book my car for an annual inspection at my local OPC (Staples Corner), to which they replied 'Sorry sir, we don't do annual inspections'! This time round at Chiswick (4k later) they also wanted me to do a minor service (around £320) but I asked them under what circumstances they would recommend an annual inspection.....he finally agreed that I did not really need a minor service. However, as the name suggests, it is only an inspection, no work is actually carried out to the car. (ie no fluid changes or particle filters replaced)

Rodney Thanks for that i have some things to ask them now and will see, if you just want the car checked out and want the stamp in the book then you pay around £110 if you have done not many miles in the year, but if you want your car to have fresh fluids like me on a Saturday night then you have to pay £320 instead of £110. I will ask them what i get for the cost difference. Thanks Phil

Well I went to OPC Hatfield yesterday and the new premises look very plush indeed. It felt like I was waiting in a very nice hotel lobby rather than a car dealership with complimentary drinks in ice coolers and industrial grade coffee machines. Anyway....the service was very efficient and the problem turned out to be the MAF which was replaced under warranty and while I waited too. So, a good first experience...

I used to live in Essex and bought and serviced a couple of cars through OPC Colchester about whom I can not speak highly enough. Since moving to London I have used OPC East London (Bow) and while remaining reasonable professional, they just seem too busy to give the full "Porsche experience". There isn't much passion to be had there - so much so that when buying the 987 I went back to Colchester and undertook the deal from there (60 miles vs 5 miles). If you want really passionate sports car converstations over coffee when you visit the dealer, buy a Caterham, Noble or a TVR. With Porsche shifting more and more cars to more and more footballers' wives and dodgy Z list celebs who don't give a monkey's about the car itself, it's inevitable that you will start to loose out on that intimacy.

Nicely put, and as you say there are opcs out there that do treat you as a person not a number, but i also agree from owning a Caterham that these people treat you and your car like there own. From visiting my opc over the last year of owning my 911 i have found them intrested, and most people that come into the dealership that i have seen seam to be people who are very intrested in Porsche and not just want the imagie of driveing a Porsche at the same time you still get the odd D*ck Head who does not care about the car apart from it gives them a better imagie, but i don't want mine ruined by these people increasing which they are, sadly.

All that I can add is that the staff at the OPC in Cambridge has always been more than helpful. Perhaps best shown by the reception that was given to the Boxster Register and other owners who attended the event last Sunday. They have already looked after my car after an accident [not my fault] and also serviced the car. No complaints.