Porsche Assist: Italy or France OPC !!!

programtrader · 27 Jul 2013

Driving on Italian motorway to Nice, France today, coolant started leaking. Stopped at Italian service centre & car leaked most of coolant onto the floor (leak from below car, joint or pipe work near left exhaust). Build up of white stuff under there but coolant went brown so probably rusted?

Car waiting at local garage. Monday Porsche Assist will recover to an OPC. Genoa, Italy or Monaco are closest.

Any advice on who may be better? Am distrusting of the Italians! And remainder of our hols is in France (we took the train to Nice, leaving car in Italia!)

Also any idea if its more than 4hrs repair work - in which case they may recover to UK.
Lastly, am out of wtty - any guess on cost?

997 C4S, Tiptronic. 2006.

Many thanks for any responses this weekend!!

infrasilver · 28 Jul 2013

Sounds like it could be water pump giving up. Shouldn't be more than a four hour job for anyone.
Personally I would get it to Monaco.

markiii · 28 Jul 2013

The labour rates in Monaco won't be cheap, who's paying the bill?

programtrader · 28 Jul 2013

ThankYou Infrasilver - and nice blog pix!

Markiii - I will be paying for repair. Porsche Assist brochure says they make a contribution to get me back on the road, no idea how much. Guessing not much.

Good point - I did think, is it Monaco prices or are labour rates in Europe harmonized?

Next French location is Antibes.
Genoa is 48miles from cars location, going away from where we are (oppo direction)
Monaco is a 68mile tow.
Antibes 94miles

If it goes to Genoa, means a day of driving from where we will be by Tuesday (Cassis) to pick it up. They provide hire car.

RAC Europe who back Porsche are usually bound to Jo to closest OPC. However they let slip that they prefer dealing with the French garages.

Guess I should ask P Assist about labour rates..

infrasilver · 28 Jul 2013

French rates are cheaper than the UK so if Monaco is more expensive than Italy it won't be too much.

markiii · 28 Jul 2013

I was in the south of france/Monaco in May

once of the guys in our group lives in Monaco, and I have no doubt can afford whatever they may charge, however he won't use OPC Monaco and far prefers

OPC Frejus

http://www.centreporsche.fr/frejus/

make of that what you will.

Having been there with one of our group who needed new tyres following a puncture, they are a very helpful bunch.

However at £1500 for 2 305/30/19 for his Turbo S I wouldn't call anywhere in that neck of the woods cheap

programtrader · 28 Jul 2013

Again - thank you both so much! Porsche drivers Rock! Where else can you get great advice, foreign OPC locations and experience passed down, over a summer weekend, when ur stuck in another country and your Porsche wants to wee its coolant on the floor, more desperaately than a teenager falling out of a club at 3am!

I didn't mean to be unfair to Italians, it's just that there were a few "how can we rip you off moments" when we were there last week. Also the Italian breakdown company PAssistance used, just seemed to find the most incredibly expensive ways to do things (e.g. offered us a 380 EURO taxi trip to Nice - the driver turned up tipsy and wanted cash, we took the train for 36 EURO's....!) Moreover, France just works to save time collecting the car.

Spoke with PorscheAssist who are Hugely helpful, but have no idea in Europe. RAC France-Lyon who are there agent are also staffed by some of the most amazing people in terms of helpfulness & understanding, they just lack any OPC knowledge.

I will phone Monaco, Frejus and Genoa tmrw morning, to get prices (parlais Anglais?) before speaking to PA/ RAC France to see where the car goes. Frejus is a great tip - actually perfect location, but alot of extra miles for the low-loader, so depends how well I can negotiate it.

Despite keeping PAssist I did give up on the warranty this year (thinking I much rather trust Andy at PorchTech in NW London ( http://porchetech.co.uk/ ), than OPC, esp W.London).... hmmm maybe I should call and see if he fancies a trip to the French Riviera!

markiii · 28 Jul 2013

Our chap with the tyres also had a challenge getting them to take it to frejus as they wanted to go back north which was totally the wrong direction for the trip

He negotiated and asked if by not taking the courtesy car he was entitled to they would offset the expense of the extra distance

Which in the end they agreed to

programtrader · 28 Jul 2013

ah, great tip - I will try some similar bargaining and see what it returns. Will be sure to let you know.

programtrader · 29 Jul 2013

okay so update is:

PA/ RAC-France decided best idea was for car to goto France, before they even considered my next moves (interesting, seeing as Italian garage was closer, but exactly what I wanted to)

Antibes is the destination - closest apparantly. Monaco supposedly only a showroom?!

Car can't be seen until later in week, as they're busy... so either:

A. Fixed by end of week, I get to collect and drive home (Eurotunnel on Sunday)... PLEASE! 8)

B. Not ready, in which case:

Taken on low loader back to UK (4 week wait time!)

I drive the rental car back to London, drive all the way back to South of France when 997 ready then switch over (ouch... alot of driving)

I drive rental car to Calais, passenger ferry, rental car in England (All paid by them), then fly back to collect when ready

So we'll see

Am going to pop by the OPC in Antibes when they get the car (being delivered tmrw morning) to try charming them to hurry up, or at least get a diagnosis on if its the water pump and if they stock those. Anyone have a Friend at OPC Antibes?!
:roll:

In the meantime it seems the replacement car policy when abroad isnt a like for like, so I now have a Renault Clio Diesel Estate. Ahem. :sad:

markiii · 29 Jul 2013

Antibes was where they wanted to take our guy, coincidence or do they know something we don't?

Be intrigued to see how good they are?

programtrader · 29 Jul 2013

I'm intrigued (i.e, damn well anxious! too).. hence going there to see the outfit tmrw....
Will report back my "feelings"...

I might 'warm them up' by walking into sales department and telling them I'm thinking of upgrading my Renault Clio Diesel Estate (rental car) for the upcoming 991 Turbo and see how they react! :floor:

programtrader · 30 Jul 2013

Good news is, my car got towed from Italy to Antibes today. Arrived there just as car was being unloaded.

Antibes is the NICEST OPC I have ever seen! Immaculate - in fact the service area was so damn clean I was wondering if they actually fix any cars! A little negotiation (a.k.a. Begging) has secured a pick up on Friday (Phew, holiday ends/ Eurotunnel beckons on Sunday).

Needs new water pump and belt... 950 EUROs, which ain't great, but I suspect is as good as London pricing (that includes 3 hours of labour).

Have to say the Gentlemen who runs the service department is brilliant - very helpful and got the car up on the ramp while I was there, pulled in a technician and then when all was agreed put protectors on steering wheel, gearknob, alloys.... wow!

Have some pix, just not sure how to post from iPad.

programtrader · 5 Aug 2013

Conclusion: OPC Antibes sorted everything by Friday, allowing us to drive back Sat / Sun. Will post full report and some pix as soon as on the laptop not the smart phone! Thanks for everyone's advice and well wishes - you are all stars !!

Cunno · 6 Aug 2013

result, nothing worse than breaking down abroad. Glad you got the car home :thumb:

Porsche Assist: Italy or France OPC !!!

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