12 year service for 981 how much? - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one. If I'm not mistaken, all of the following is due: Major service Spark plugs Brake fluid Aux belt PDK oil change I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000. My warranty also expires at the same time, so there’s another £865 on top. Let’s call it £3k all in for a 12-year-old car with 115k on the clock. I’ve always been an advocate of keeping the car in the OPC network and under warranty, but at that cost, maybe I should consider taking my chances and using an independent or just doing it myself. I'm interested to hear what others are doing now these cars are getting on a bit.

You can renew warranty up to 15 years or 125,000 miles. If you’ve been paying it this far what’s a couple more years at the usual opc rates? It may be cheaper to take out of the network, but at that age I’d have thought a major component failure is more likely hence the high opc servicing and warranty cost is even more likely to pay back?

I would be finding a good indie and saving the difference as a rainy day fund. Keeping a 12 year old car in the dealer network just seems to be paying OPC tax for nothing.

Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book.

At that age and mileage I'd DIY. If you're competent and keep detailed records, in my experience it won't hurt saleability on an older car.

I did this with a very low mileage Spyder ... I wanted to retain the OPC history and we agreed a price of around £1200 ... there are discounted rates for "classics" and 997 is already firmly in this category. Why not ask your OPC ?

athomp04 said: Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book. Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance?

DRH986 said: At that age and mileage I'd DIY. If you're competent and keep detailed records, in my experience it won't hurt saleability on an older car. DIY a PDK oil change ? I understand that there is a process for this ... and PDK problems might be an expensive risk ... but ??

Youforreal. said: athomp04 said: Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book. Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance? I viewed a 981 recently where the owner had taken the car for service at an OPC. The usual crackhead bill was presented, over £800 for a minor service, plus brake fluid. A month later a rainstorm resulted in the dreaded water ingress under the passenger seat. They'd specifically listed having cleared the drain channels on the service bill but then charged the owner over £3,000 to dry out the car and replace the modules.

paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: athomp04 said: Go independent a good one will be cheaper than OPC but probably not by as much as you would think. The real benefit is that they know these cars inside out and will carry out the correct maintenance not what is in a book. Where is the evidence that OPC don’t carry out the correct maintenance? I viewed a 981 recently where the owner had taken the car for service at an OPC. The usual crackhead bill was presented, over £800 for a minor service, plus brake fluid. A month later a rainstorm resulted in the dreaded water ingress under the passenger seat. They'd specifically listed having cleared the drain channels on the service bill but then charged the owner over £3,000 to dry out the car and replace the modules. Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage? Doesn’t really add up tbh.

Youforreal. said: Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage? Doesn’t really add up tbh. Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it? He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on. The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300.

SkinnyPete said: The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one. I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000. Do you need to get it serviced at an OPC? I thought the only requirement was that it was serviced on schedule AND that Porsche parts were used and an Independent can do that. You might save a chunk getting it serviced elsewhere and still get a warranty?

Just had the same done at my indy, albeit a manual car. Came to £984.

FriedMarsBar said: SkinnyPete said: The next service due for my 981 is the 12-year one. I’ve not got a price from OPC yet but I'd guess it would be in the region of £2000. Do you need to get it serviced at an OPC? I thought the only requirement was that it was serviced on schedule AND that Porsche parts were used and an Independent can do that. You might save a chunk getting it serviced elsewhere and still get a warranty? You are confusing block exemption rules which only apply to the initial manufacturer 3 year warranty with the extended (post 3 year) warranty that is an entirely separate insurance product, a condition of which I believe requires main dealer servicing.

Youforreal. said: paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage? Doesn’t really add up tbh. Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it? He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on. The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300. It’s not only blocked drain pipes that can cause leaks into Porsche cabins from what I’ve read online, exp on a boxster. Shouldn't they know that, and deal with it accordingly during the £800+ service?

paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: Why did the owner have to pay it if the drains that he asked to be cleaned out weren’t and that lead to the damage? Doesn’t really add up tbh. Well, it looks very much like they didn't do it properly, doesn't it? He argued with them for a long time, and they refused to give him his car back until he'd paid for the work that appears to have come about as a direct result of their own incompetence. I told him I thought he'd have a legal case against them, but he just wanted to move on. The bill, which I looked at in detail, was for more than £3,300. So when you get your car who are you going to use?

Youforreal. said: So when you get your car who are you going to use? I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use. I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC.

Youforreal. said: paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: So when you get your car who are you going to use? I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use. I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC. So the 981’s you have considered, you won’t maintain the warranty if you buy one? Even the oldest has close on 5 years achievable on it, you won’t get that without a visit to your OPC at some point . No, I think they are at an age where it just makes more sense for them to go to a specialist. I've seen enough behaviour from OPCs that I consider them untrustworthy. I also think it won't work out financially to maintain a Porche warranty. The figures they quote for basic jobs are so far from making any kind of sense, and also they seem to have a habit of recommending work that is unnecessary. Another good example, on the very car we've been discussing. The OPC recommended changing all of the tyres at the last service. The lowest recorded tread depth was 4.7, with most of the other measurements being over 5mm. So right there would be an unnecessary four-figure bill.

paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: So when you get your car who are you going to use? I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use. I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC. As long as your happy that’s all counts, I know of two Indy garages that made a right b ks of a few cars, are they all bad? No, exactly the same as opc’s

paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: So when you get your car who are you going to use? I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use. I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC. So the 981’s you have considered, you won’t maintain the warranty if you buy one? Even the oldest has close on 5 years achievable on it, you won’t get that without a visit to your OPC at some point . No, I think they are at an age where it just makes more sense for them to go to a specialist. I've seen enough behaviour from OPCs that I consider them untrustworthy. I also think it won't work out financially to maintain a Porche warranty. The figures they quote for basic jobs are so far from making any kind of sense, and also they seem to have a habit of recommending work that is unnecessary. Another good example, on the very car we've been discussing. The OPC recommended changing all of the tyres at the last service. The lowest recorded tread depth was 4.7, with most of the other measurements being over 5mm. So right there would be an unnecessary four-figure bill. How old were the tyres ??

ChrisW. said: paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: paulguitar said: Youforreal. said: So when you get your car who are you going to use? I already have a Porsche, there are some well-respected indies within a reasonable distance that I will continue to use. I wouldn't even consider going to an OPC. So the 981’s you have considered, you won’t maintain the warranty if you buy one? Even the oldest has close on 5 years achievable on it, you won’t get that without a visit to your OPC at some point . No, I think they are at an age where it just makes more sense for them to go to a specialist. I've seen enough behaviour from OPCs that I consider them untrustworthy. I also think it won't work out financially to maintain a Porche warranty. The figures they quote for basic jobs are so far from making any kind of sense, and also they seem to have a habit of recommending work that is unnecessary. Another good example, on the very car we've been discussing. The OPC recommended changing all of the tyres at the last service. The lowest recorded tread depth was 4.7, with most of the other measurements being over 5mm. So right there would be an unnecessary four-figure bill. How old were the tyres ?? 2021.

That is taking the M ....

At this age I wouldn't be using an OPC because I think OPC's are useless and expensive, a 12 year old car is just too tempting for them. You'll get a service and a recommended repair list to 10x the service cost. I have concluded based on 6 years of OPC experience I would not use them ever again, their incompetence is heads and shoulders above any other vehicle maintenance incompetence I have ever experienced. If my 911 broke down outside an OPC I would call recovery to take it away rather let the OPC butcher it.

ChrisW. said: DIY a PDK oil change ? I understand that there is a process for this ... and PDK problems might be an expensive risk ... but ?? That's a misnomer. Watching that video of the Australian chap who has two 981 and stripped one complete car down his explanation of the PDK service is enlightening. There are two 'calibration' procedures within PIWIS depending on what parts are changed. The lighter calibration 'can' be done after a fluid change but based on his findings I certainly wouldn't unless the shifts become harsh after the fluid swap and even then I'd think twice. The upshot was calibration should only be done if a new box is fitted or key (major) components are changed. In answer to the initial query, I'd go independent. Having a full OPC history on a 12yr old high mileage 981 isn't going to give a premium over one with subsequent Indy servicing. Oh, and well done for using it and clocking up the miles

I’m interested in this thread, my 981Boxster S is coming up to its 11yr birthday at 40,000 miles and is still under OPC warranty. The next service (next year) will be the big 12yr one, so I will need to decide what to do as well.

Tbh I don’t fully trust any of them! If I still have my gt4 at 12 years old I’ll possibly just start doing the maintenance myself and keep a full record of everything bought to carry it out. If you are any way handy they are simple to work on, only real way to guarantee a bit of care and attention has been taken…..do it yourself.

I had my tensioner and pulley replaced 8 months ago at the OPC (under warranty) after the tensioner pivot bolt headed in the block. I had to pay for the parts and the OPC did the labour. It seems wasteful to replace that again after 18 months and 4000 miles just because it is a service schedule item at 12 years. What is the thoughts on that?

Thanks for the comments so far. Contrary to some posters, I've mostly had an excellent experience with Porsche dealers overall, and getting a nice courtesy car to dump miles on when things go wrong can make up for the few not-so-great experiences. I've had a couple of less-than-ideal experiences with Porsche independents, though, even for things like tyres, which is really offputting because their labour rates aren't much cheaper than those of an OPC. If I were to take the car out of the OPC network, I'd probably be tempted to service myself or get an OPC to do the PDK box if it needs a computer plugging in. That's where my head is at anyway; I need to get some accurate pricing first. stanlow45 said: You can renew warranty up to 15 years or 125,000 miles. If you’ve been paying it this far what’s a couple more years at the usual opc rates? It may be cheaper to take out of the network, but at that age I’d have thought a major component failure is more likely hence the high opc servicing and warranty cost is even more likely to pay back? This is a fair point. I think what you are referring to is called the bathtub curve. Although my car seems to have gotten more reliable as it has gotten older, I've had my money's worth out of the warranty every year. Engine and gearbox failure are the ones I'm really insuring against, though. The car has already had a flywheel under warranty, and from memory the part alone was about £1k and £2k for labour.

^and PADM failure if you have Sports Chrono

elan362 said: ^and PADM failure if you have Sports Chrono I do, but my car is an early car before the faulty design.

SkinnyPete said: I do, but my car is an early car before the faulty design. my car is 2013 with PADM... when did the faulty design come on the scene?

elan362 said: SkinnyPete said: I do, but my car is an early car before the faulty design. my car is 2013 with PADM... when did the faulty design come on the scene? I can't remember off the top of my head but the dates of the units affected have been posted not so long back. I remember reading them and thinking my car was built before the affected batch.

elan362 said: I had my tensioner and pulley replaced 8 months ago at the OPC (under warranty) after the tensioner pivot bolt headed in the block. I had to pay for the parts and the OPC did the labour. It seems wasteful to replace that again after 18 months and 4000 miles just because it is a service schedule item at 12 years. What is the thoughts on that? Why would they need to do it again given that part, evidenced in the history was changed at what will be 3yrs old at the 12yr service? I've had drive belts changed early (my choice) and when it comes to the scheduled service item they've ignored it as they can see its been done earlier and still within its life expectancy.

Armitage.Shanks said: Why would they need to do it again given that part, evidenced in the history was changed at what will be 3yrs old at the 12yr service? I've had drive belts changed early (my choice) and when it comes to the scheduled service item they've ignored it as they can see its been done earlier and still within its life expectancy. I’m not saying it will need done - i hope there is a degree of pragmatism when they see it is only 20 months old when they quote for the 12 yr service rather than just give a flat response of ”the service schedule says it is required” Irrespective of the mileage.

Well I thought the first OPC was okay until the car needed £5k of bodywork to fix their efforts so used a different one after that. But when they mess up, they really mess up! Used the second OPC for 5 years and out of the blue the car is returned after the 12 year service with defective brakes. That ended using official Porsche for anything especially as the report to Porsche UK ended with the thick as pig poo customer rep having to ask colleagues if no brakes was a serious problem or not! Never did get any response to the complaint.

Thought it would be worth updating this thread. I ended up paying approximately: £1000 for the major service and ancillary mounts check £400 for V belt and air filters £500 for PDK gearbox oil change £300 for spark plugs £2200 for a three-year warranty and roadside assistance The independent equivalent was £1150 using aftermarket parts, and of course no warranty renewal. So approximately £4,400 in total, plus tyres, for a car worth about £20k (though keep in mind these prices are now out of date). I know some people may think that's a bit mad, but from my perspective, I would not own a 981 without a warranty. I've had my money's worth from it every year without fail, with great service from OPC, and some great courtesy cars when needed. Along with all the usual invitations and corporate events that you get while being an active customer. The next couple of years will be the final hurrah for my 981, as it'll be too old for warranty. In fact my mileage will go past the 125,000 limit but as the warranty is in place already it will remain valid but in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy my time with the car. elan362 said: I’m interested in this thread, my 981Boxster S is coming up to its 11yr birthday at 40,000 miles and is still under OPC warranty. The next service (next year) will be the big 12yr one, so I will need to decide what to do as well. What did you decide to do?

My 981BS is coming up for its 12yr birthday, at 44500 miles. I'm probably going to go OPC & renew the warranty for 3yrs too.

Check out the depreciation on a Taycan. Those warranty costs look like great value in comparison.