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OPC V Indy servicing - Spark plugs

Scully

Well-known member
Joined
19 Apr 2017
Messages
105
Hi All,

I recently had my coolant changed by my local main dealer and following the job, I got the usual request to fill in an on-line survey about the service I received. It was actually quite a detailed survey with a lot of relevant questions, including one about whether I'd use the dealer again for my servicing. I told them that I would, except that the local indy was cheaper.

Surprisingly (in a good way), I had a quick email response from the service manager asking if I could spare the time to chat about the relative costs.

To cut a long story short, my local indy charges £370 incl vat for a major compared to £395 from the main dealer. The main difference is that the indy includes a spark plug change in the major price and the dealer wants £250 for the job.

Discussing this with the service manager, he asked - does the indy use genuine Porsche spark plugs? Well, I don't know, but I doubt it I said. Assuming it's the correct rating I'm sure many spark plugs are available that work just fine.

He told me that genuine plugs (branded Porsche) cost £17 and oddsies plus VAT EACH! No wonder the plug change is expensive!!

Is that normal for a main dealer? Why are the plugs so expensive when I think I saw on one of the independent parts sellers good quality plugs for £5.99 each?

I'm tempted to use the main dealer for my next major as the difference in price isn't that great but I'd really not want to pay an extra £250 for the plug change.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Dave
 
Porsche dont actually make spark plugs .. they comission a company to make them to their specs .

So .. lets say Bosch makes the plugs and charges Porsche £3.00 per plug .. Porsche puts their markup on them and sells them to the OPC so OPC pay £10 for the plugs which they put their markup on and sell for £17 each .

Bosch also make the same plugs but without Porsche on the box ( other cars may well use them ) .

Bosch sells them to lets say EPC for £3.00 who know what Porsche charge so mark them at £15 retail .. special offers etc and they discount .

Garages are the main buyers from EPC so get good discounts .. lets say indy pays £5.00 per plug , marks it up at £7.00 .. big saveing for the customer for the same plugs .

Ok you say the prices are similar ..

Porsche to service and replace the plugs want £645.
Indy to service and change the plugs want £370 .

Dont seem that close in price to me .

Ok from my point of veiw ..

I worked at an OPC for many years and now at an Indy ..

On a major service i will remove all the wheels for a brake bleed and do both nipples .

I will remove all the under trays and inspect the pipes for corrosion.

I will waxoil the pipes and anything i think needs it .

I will remove the rear discs and check / clean the handbrake shoes .

I will sand and paint the wheel bolts and the brake disc hubs .

I did none of the above at an OPC .. in fact i was on bonus and so tryed to do the job as fast as possible to get paid more .

Im not on bonus at my Indy .

Im the same person doing the same job !
 
Great post Demort a big l eye opener :thumb:
 
Demort's response hits the nail firmly on the head..
 
The prices are an example and not accurate .. but you do get the idea .

Someone once told me that Porsche are the most proffitable manufactuer in the world :dont know:

No idea why that would be !!!

But i can say that i see the price increases on a regular basis that are way beyond a joke .
 
Well said Demort.

Why anyone would use an OPC if they weren't still tied to the Porsche warranty is beyond me.

I see OPCs as big business conveyer belt setups where it's a case of "If you have to ask, you can't afford it".
Whereas Indys are artisans, beavering away, looking into everything and going the extra mile.

A good Indy will try and save you money, rather than try and spend your money.
My Indy has saved me thousands over the years by cross-matching parts or discovering who the OE supplier is. He's worth his weight in gold.

Hats off to all you Indys out there.


Regarding Porsche parts prices, they are truly a mickey take. How they can charge £350 for a moulded plastic header tank is beyond me.
Back in my RS days I'd change the header tank as a matter of course just to tidy up the engine bay and they were about £30.

Still, something has to pay for the flashy showroom and "free" coffee. :wink:
 
Surely this is no longer news. It seems to me that the business model of the official dealer (any official dealer) is to trade on the ignorance of the car owner, who will worry that an independent won't know what it is doing and won't use genuine/proper parts, and that his resale value may be affected ... whereas a good independent has to trade on good service and proper knowledge.

I am still flabbergasted that the OPC in Dubai wanted to charge the equivalent of > 500 euro (2200 aed), over the price of the tyres, just to change the tyres on my 997.

I'm just not that rich and stupid. And if I was that stupid, I wouldn't be that rich...
 
Good answer Demort - thanks for that.

When I said that the orices weren't that far apart, I meant, apart from the plugs. I was flabbergasted that the cost of the plugs was so ridiculous.

If the OPC asked sensible prices for the plugs, then the cost of the service between the two would be reasonably close - I might have chosen to use the OPC to keep the stamp history in my service book.

The service manager dod say that when I'm ready to book the service that I should give him a call and he would see what he could do - I might do that to se what he comes up with. He'dd need to include the plug change for significantly less for me to be swayed though.

Cheers

Dave
Demort said:
Porsche dont actually make spark plugs .. they comission a company to make them to their specs .

So .. lets say Bosch makes the plugs and charges Porsche £3.00 per plug .. Porsche puts their markup on them and sells them to the OPC so OPC pay £10 for the plugs which they put their markup on and sell for £17 each .

Bosch also make the same plugs but without Porsche on the box ( other cars may well use them ) .

Bosch sells them to lets say EPC for £3.00 who know what Porsche charge so mark them at £15 retail .. special offers etc and they discount .

Garages are the main buyers from EPC so get good discounts .. lets say indy pays £5.00 per plug , marks it up at £7.00 .. big saveing for the customer for the same plugs .

Ok you say the prices are similar ..

Porsche to service and replace the plugs want £645.
Indy to service and change the plugs want £370 .

Dont seem that close in price to me .

Ok from my point of veiw ..

I worked at an OPC for many years and now at an Indy ..

On a major service i will remove all the wheels for a brake bleed and do both nipples .

I will remove all the under trays and inspect the pipes for corrosion.

I will waxoil the pipes and anything i think needs it .

I will remove the rear discs and check / clean the handbrake shoes .

I will sand and paint the wheel bolts and the brake disc hubs .

I did none of the above at an OPC .. in fact i was on bonus and so tryed to do the job as fast as possible to get paid more .

Im not on bonus at my Indy .

Im the same person doing the same job !
 
Good post Demort.

You sir are the MVP of the forum. (Most Valuable Poster) :thumb:
 
My point was if the indy did the service but without the plugs then he would remove the labour and the plugs from the cost .. so it would still be a fair bit cheaper like for like .

To be Honest i dont have a problem with OPC guys (probably a bit too negative on my first post ) , i was very happy at one for over 10 years and if you dont mind paying a bit more then a Porsche loan car .. good coffee etc may well be worth it.

I dont own a Porsche .. hell i dont even own a car .. far too many wheels so what do i know :D
 
You a biker Demort?
I already hold you in high standing.
 
Demort said:
To be Honest i dont have a problem with OPC guys (probably a bit too negative on my first post ) , i was very happy at one for over 10 years and if you dont mind paying a bit more then a Porsche loan car .. good coffee etc may well be worth it.

I don't think there is any question about the standard of work, the guys that do it or the quality of parts used.

What is annoying is the markup added on for "perceived value" of a "premium service" that consists only of a shiny showroom and mediocre coffee. Lots will pay it and thats fair enough.

Maybe if money came more easily to me I would spend freely, but every penny is hard won and so has to be put to work.
 
i've had mine done at the opc during the several years i've owned it and think at the start it was more to due with resale value
but due a service shortly and now she's over the magic 100k mark anyway resale value thoughts are far behind me and will be jumping ship to indys
hope they do as much as what demort posted about as my hubs could definately use a scrub and a lick of paint :thumb:
 

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