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Time for the important service question

mikezulu

Well-known member
Joined
25 Jul 2014
Messages
79
I have a 2009 997.2 C2 PDK that Ive owned for 4 1/2 years and now has 46k miles on it. Being a first time 911 owner Ive previously put it through the Reading OPC for services and taken out the Porsche warranty and recovery.

The MOT and service is due January and my mind has now been focused on this question because, although I will be spending in excess of £4k for the service, warranty and inevitable work they will also find, they have refused to waive the £280 fee for the 111 point inspection, though they have offered to reduce it to £160. In terms of Porsche ownership the difference is neither here nor there but I think they're being money grubbing. But that's not my point.

The questions on which I would welcome an opinion, bearing in mind that I plan to keep the car for the foreseeable future,are these:

1. Given that some of the Gen 2 cars with DFI and PDK are now at the 100k miles mark with no statistically significant reports of failure or bore scoring, would you maintain the Porsche warranty or be prepared to "self-insure" on the basis that the savings would finance a new engine in 5 years time if it was needed.

2. If I'm keeping the car is there any persuasive reason for sticking with OPC for servicing or would you switch to an indie specialist?

3. Any recommendations for a top indie specialist in Bucks/Berks?oxfordshire?

Thanks in advance for the advice
 
mikezulu said:
3. Any recommendations for a top indie specialist in Bucks/Berks?oxfordshire?

If you do decide to go down the independent route, and if you consider Uxbridge to be not too far from you then http://www.porsche-torque.co.uk are very well regarded by their customers.
 
You need to consider that the warranty is more than just the engine. There are a myriad of things that could go wrong over the next 2 years. Air con condensors are 1k. Steering rack is 2k+. Coolant pipes should they need doing won't be cheap.
It all depends on the cost of remediation. If your car is currently under warranty then the cost of extending will be minimal as any current issues could be covered under warranty.
I'd shop around for the 111 check. Most OPC waive it upon the taking out of the warranty.
 
My neighbour has exactly same issue witha 997t he has. Always serviced at OPC and under warranty, last renewal would not reduce inspection fee even though they had only serviced it and insured it. Will be last time.
If keeping it get a good indie to look after it don't think long term will have much effect in my opinion, stand to be corrected though
:lol:
If keeping long term with normal mileage will not be much in sale price.
I use an indie for mine, Dove House Motors have serviced mine after I finished with OPC. All ex OPC Silverstone, really good team and extremely helpful, have a chat with the service manager Tony Whitcombe 01933 354144. He is a good guy to talk with and get a feel for the company.
 
Northway are absolutely brilliant and less than 10 mins down the road from OPC Reading.
 
If it were me, I would not renew the warranty and would service at an independent specialist.

My car is also a Gen 2 but 2008 with 70k miles. I'm very confident in the engine and the car, so have no warranty and service at a local specialist.

Of course anything could go wrong at any point, at which point you can use the money saved from the warranty and expensive OPC servicing to fix it.
 
Hi mike. I would look at it like this - 1, it's highly unlikely it will develop a serious engine problem if it's not abused. I.e. Warmed up properly before giving it the beans and 4K is a lot of money and halfway to a rebuild you will never need.

Opc warranty is 2 yrs so, do you think you will need 4K worth of work done in that time ? What is your annual mileage? If it's a weekend toy I'd go independent specialist as you're spoiled for choice in that area.

Rsj
Jzm
RPM technik
911 virgin
Autofarm
All reputable and close by.

Spend the warranty money on some nice mods :grin:
 
Agree, I would bank the warranty money
 
I had a warranty for the 1st two years of my ownership, and while it was nice to have the peace of mind, I only made one smallish claim (an idler pulley started squealing). Now I longer bother and just try to stay of top of regular servicing and preventative maintenance.
 
It's like health Insurance. A lot of my relatives paid for BUPA etc while they were young and cancelled it when they were old. Then got ill. Only winner is the Insurance company.

With the car it is similar - why pay for a warranty whilst it is relatively young and self fund as it gets older when the risk gets higher.

Self funding only makes sense provided you do it all the way through imho. This is what I have done in the last 26 years of Porsche ownership and to date my biggest bill was for clutch and RMS on the 993 I had at the time so I am absolutely miles ahead by self funding (so far !!!)
 
Robertb said:
Northway are absolutely brilliant and less than 10 mins down the road from OPC Reading.

:agree:

I walk 10 mins to Aldermaston train station and do some shopping in Reading while I wait :D
 
FZP said:
I'd shop around for the 111 check. Most OPC waive it upon the taking out of the warranty.

afik the official cost of the 111 point check is still £180 + VAT = £216

PCGB or other discounts will normally get you 10% off that.

I've personally never heard of an OPC waiving it completely if you take out the warranty but I have had the cost reduced to £70+ VAT when I've had it done at the same time as a service.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 4 years I've had my car under warranty I'm still '000's of quids in' and even if I hadn't had 2 replacement gearboxes (both leaking at the engine gasket) I'd still be breaking even. That said, I haven't made a claim in the last 12 months. Like any optional Insurance I pay it for the peace of mind it gives me.
 
I'd bin the warranty and just use OPC or Sid at Porsche Torque.
 
T8 said:
FZP said:
I'd shop around for the 111 check. Most OPC waive it upon the taking out of the warranty.

afik the official cost of the 111 point check is still £180 + VAT = £216

PCGB or other discounts will normally get you 10% off that.

I've personally never heard of an OPC waiving it completely if you take out the warranty but I have had the cost reduced to £70+ VAT when I've had it done at the same time as a service.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 4 years I've had my car under warranty I'm still '000's of quids in' and even if I hadn't had 2 replacement gearboxes (both leaking at the engine gasket) I'd still be breaking even. That said, I haven't made a claim in the last 12 months. Like any optional Insurance I pay it for the peace of mind it gives me.
I make stuff up all the time. For instance, all mammals share at least 60% of their DNA with a banana. Fact!
I could have sworn deaf,dumb and blind that my earlier statement about waiving the fee was correct. Must be man flu crossing the streams.
 
Ok .. well .. i look at this from a different perspective .. im not an owner just the guy that fixes the cars but my 2 pennys worth ..

The Porsche warrenty is not as good as it used to be , they introduced wear and tear .. basically they dont pay for everything .

They take into account things like stone damage ( think condensors ) weather conditions for corroded pipes etc .. i saw once a Cayenne with a broken spring classed as wear and tear .. even i argued that one .. its warrenty .. no it isnt .. on appeal however it was payed as a warrenty claim .. a faff for the customer though .

So they can and do refuse to pay for items ..

Ok to be fair what is warrenty .. its classed as a Material or Manufacturing defect.

A stone going through a condensor is not the above .. but you wont actually know that untill the part is removed and then they say no warrenty at which point its too late .

Ok .. thats the negatives .. if your engine dies .. they pay .. if your gearbox dies they pay .. Pdk im thinking here .. more of these have failed than engines .

Ive always said the Porsche warrenty is the best out there .. and i still think it is .. bear in mind i work for an Indy these days so i should be saying the opposite but as always i give my honest answer to a question as im not here to generate business .

The odds of you needing the warrenty though and the associated costs of having to use an OPC over a cheaper Indy ..

Thats a tough call .. and anyone could argue either way .. for me its piece of mind .. although not cheap .

if you do decide not to go the warrenty route then a slush fund just in case .. i doubt you will need it based on what i have seen of these cars so far but its better to be safe .

You will of cource save a small fortune useing an indy so that you can pay into said fund .

That also depends on having a good Indy in your area though .
 

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