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997-2 and recent OPC experience vs independent

Ajs997-2

Well-known member
Joined
2 Feb 2016
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65
Early warning that this is a longer post, so please bear with me.

My 2009 C4S is still in warranty so servicing by OPC seems natural and as it is relatively local, it got my vote back in January. Further, as the crap Porsche battery failed, the car had been already dragged off to the OPC to have that attended to, so for convenience, that's where it stayed.

At 40k+ Miles the major service was supplemented with new brake fluid and sparkplugs, although I wasn't advised in advance, so the expected £495 plus VAT was considerably outstripped, by over 70%. Perhaps that is nothing new to most readers and I am being naive.

What surprised me a little more was the extensive list of further recommended actions, 'amber ticks' in the standard report. I say 'surprised' as these each appeared to be significant and potentially serious items, none of which was even whispered when I bought the car from same OPC, 2 years and 5k miles previously. I was initially advised of these items, all non-warranty of course, by telephone and then chose to meet and discuss face-to-face.
At £2,850 total we discussed each of the proposed work items in turn and I was advised that action, while not urgent, was recommended. When I mentioned a possible European trip, the service manager became more overt, suggesting action. As none of the items were MOT notifications we agreed to leave it until the summer and revisit subject to my EU trip. He knows my intended annual mileage, 3 to 4K and his last words were that with only 4mm of tread on some tyres that I should look at replacement 'very imminently'. These are not in the £2,850 figure.

So now that it's August, I can't say 'Summer' by the look of current weather, I thought that I'd give my local Indy a call to review the jobs. Being busy folks, they offered to take the report and meet to review the car the following week.
So, Tuesday morning after the car was an hour up in the air on the ramps the mechanic invited me to see what he had done - reviewed, wiped and/ or applied a little lube or waxoyl to some underbody exposed items. In summary nothing needed any attention. The service manager wrote up his report on the 6 or so offending items saying that by MOT time, Jan18, the items under review will get another look, but that the chance of any action needed by then would be, in his and mechanics opinion, very unlikely.

So a bill for £50 for time spent assessing OPC instigated potential actions; actual work needed now or likely in the next 6 to 12 months; zero.

Moral - stick with those Indys well reviewed by 911uk.com members.
 
OPC - mechanic inspects the car and makes a list of items that are either urgent or in most cases an advise note for the customer , ie this is worn but adviseing which tends to mean next service it will need doing ..

Red items are urgent .

Service is every 2 years .

Tyres at 4mm .. hmm .. some of them on the edges are only 6mm from new , Porsche say change at 3mm .. legal limit is 1.6 mm .


Service advisor is given the list .. probably bonus here on sold work but best if i dont comment on this ! ... and tells the customer the list from the mechanic , this is priced and told as if it needs doing ..


Service advisor sells said work and goes back to the mechanic and tells him what work has been sold.

Mechanic points out that he was adviseing the work for the future but is told ive sold it now so you have to do it ...
Usually followed with its going out tonight so you have to get it done .

Depressed mechanic then has to do the work .

I dont blame the mechanic .. although sometimes it is indeed warrented but not often .. i blame the system that certain OPC,s have adopted ..

IMHO customer satisfaction comes first and not profit , something i think some places seem to have forgotten .

I know as i used to be in that situation .. treat people how you would like to be treated is how i see it .

Im pretty sure i know the OPC you mean .. it used to be one of the best in the country .. im saddened to see it fall so low .

Ex OPC - Now at an Indy .
 
Not all OPCs are the same. There is a tendency to assume they are all working in the same fashion. Had a check done on my car during its service in July and the report came back with nothing needs doing other than I had a non Porsche battery fitted.

Interestingly they did put down on the form my car was 'standard' though! Haha
 

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