OPC Recommendations (northwest) - Page 1 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Good morning Everyone , I’m looking for recommendations for servicing my 997.2 . I’m located equally between Chester & Wilmslow . However I’m willing to travel a little beyond this if it is deemed worthwhile . Can anyone share their experiences of these two or any other OPC nearby ? Thanks Ken

I would recommend OPC Preston. They have been great with me and always fair on price.

Bolton have been good to us and seem to do a good job. Communication can be an issue though. Only been to Preston to have tyres replaced, took all morning to do one tyre! South lakes seem helpful but are always too busy to book you in if you need something doing quickly. They seem to be booked up for about a month normally if you're not a regular customer. Porsche Chester, good salesmen and great handover but had issues with service dept. Stated brakes needed doing when they didn't.

Bolton. The answer is always Bolton. Speak with Mike Thompson.

I would not be using an OPC for a 997.2. No tech's old enough to even know what one is these days :-) def use an indy for a modern classic and avoid £250 PA labour rates. You could register the 997 with your local OPC for Porsche Classic Register and get 15% discount if you do want to use OPC.

odear said: I would not be using an OPC for a 997.2. No tech's old enough to even know what one is these days :-) def use an indy for a modern classic and avoid £250 PA labour rates. You could register the 997 with your local OPC for Porsche Classic Register and get 15% discount if you do want to use OPC. It has full Porsche service history , so I would like to keep it that way . However I do understand your point and I have received exceptional service & knowledge at independent specialists in the past on other marques . Thank you for the tip on the 15% discount , I wasn’t aware of it . I presume I would have to register prior to booking in . I will ask .

Preston or Chester. Wouldn't touch Boltongate.

Bolton and Preston both owned by Bowkers.

Another vote for Preston. They look/looked after both my 718s. Ask for Scott Robertson.

In my experience.... Bolton historically has been the cheapest for servicing, but won't fix anything under warranty, and doesn't always give a Porsche courtesy car. I think one of the service desk girls gets a kick out of telling me no. Wilmslow will fix everything under warranty without question, but often doesn't get things right the first time. Chester, dragged their feet on anything warranty-related and needed to be pushed to do anything tangible, also messed me around once or twice, haven't used them since.

I have booked in with Johnny Holland at Unit 11 . I don’t know if having a full Porsche service history would really matter by the time I let this car go . I think I’d rather have the car fettled by someone who knows rather than a stamp in a book . I’d be paying through the nose for the privilege and I’m not to sure that the correct preventative maintenance would be carried out at an OPC anyhow .

Bit further south, but can highly recommend OPC Wolves. Some of the service staff have been with the Brand for 25 years plus, no problems with warranty work, faults diagnosed promptly, some of the techs also race at a good level good for setting up Geo etc. loan cars always available if booked in advance, will also price match and offer price per Job. Would not let anyone else look after my Porsche cars. Can’t recommend them highly enough based on past 25 years plus.

Just my limited experience but I live close by unit 11 / 9m, i get my 987.2/996 looked after by unique porsche in Westhoughton. I was “let down” by unit 11 on my first porsche car/job (a water pump) on my 987.2, his piwis copy broke the week before i was booked in and he didn’t want to do the job without it, but had bought the part and recommended 9m to fit it (i decided to just do it myself so paid him for the part). Never looked back after going to unique, its also very handy for the train back home when leaving the car there.

Even further south - Reading, I always a first class experience

Any opinions on OPC Stockport?

NomadicTurbo said: Any opinions on OPC Stockport? Nice premises, but the staff left a lot to be desired. It’s also the only OPC where I’ve returned a courtesy car and they practically conducted a forensic analysis - checking every inch like it was a crime scene. I was half expecting them to start dusting for fingerprints. Ironically, the car was a mess when I picked it up. I had to clean it inside and out, top up the washer fluid, pump up the tyres, and fill it with enough fuel to get me home.

I've been using Porsche Bolton since 2016; think I've had 4 new and one used Porsche from them. Have also sold directly to them, PX'd with them, and they've sold a car of mine SOR throught their showroom. Never used any other for servicing or mechanical repairs. Bodywork has always been with Road and Race Restorations in Little Hulton, who I've found to be exceptional. OPC Bolton are not perfect, but they really aren't so far off it. Warranty and recall work has always been carried out with good grace. On the one occasion it could have gone either way for warranty (and not cheap) they agreed it was their issue rather than mine, and I wasn't charged a penny. Loan cars have occasionally been Porsche, but more commonly when they haven't, they've been BMW, and nothing wrong with them for my purposes. More often I ask them to collect, and have never had any issues. I've also heard good things about Porsche Preston, and OPC Bolton are now part of the same group. Preston is slightly closer to home, but I have no reason to move when I know the Bolton team. I can echo the comment that Service Manager Mike Thompson is one of the finest. I've had cars of other brands over the last 9 years. That experience has only ever reinforced that I've been getting the right cars for me, and from the right place. Seems unlikely I'll ever shop elsewhere except for occasional tyres and brake pads. Liam