I understand many of the strategies in searching for the best price for a new built to order MY09 Porsche in these tough economic times. There have been a number of threads with approaches and expected discounts.

Although I've purchased quite a number of new cars, this will be my first Porsche. I always wonder if buying and servicing at the same dealer is worth a premium. I've done it both ways. My guess is you never know. Since the service department is a separate profit center, they want your business regardless of where the vehicle was purchased. Just wondered the groups experiences and wisdom on the subject. Does PCNA have any specific policies that are known on this subject?


Related question, if anyone can explain how a dealer's allocation in accepting an order and when it will be built works, this is just not clear to me. My understanding is a dealer gets their allocation for a period of months going forward (not sure how many months) which states which models they are allocated to build and when by month. This is updated periodically but again not sure of the methodology and how often. I've also been told that if a dealer has a firm order from a customer they can often get an allocation. I'd appreciate a better understanding.

 

I can give you my opinion regarding the first part of your question.

Despite what the car salesman will tell you about "preferential treatment" from the service guys if you buy the car from them, its usually not true. The service department and employees are really separate from the sales department and often think of the salesmen as ******bags anyway.


I just make sure I establish a good working relationship with the service advisor and service manager of whichever dealership I use for my service. This goes much furthur for me than any supposed "goodwill" drifting over from the sales department to help my service experiences.


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I'm on my second porsche, both bought after several months of searching, beleive it or not, on-line for a combination of what I was looking for, low miles and used, I purchased it at a broker and serviced it at the local porsche dealership. They always treated me better than any other car service dept has. I was very happy with the experiance. When I was searching for my second one, I was able to sell the first to a good friend, he was happy with the price and I basically used the car made some mods and sold it after a year for basically what I got it for and all it cost was gas and aproximately a buck a mile,19,000 of them. Not a bad deal since the depreciation was with the first buyer who only put 1400 miles on the car...06 CS cab. The second one was also searched for a couple of months, C4S cab, got what I wanted, was 6 year 100,000 mile certified dealer warrenty, had 8500 mile, have added several mods and loving it. got a great deal about 20k plus off the sticker price of a new one. You really can't beat that. I plan on keeping this one for a while... good luck finding yours.

 

If you want to get a high level of service from a service department, try bringing in a few dozen donuts after your first visit. I have a US car, and my local dealer has made life very difficult for me at the beginning. I have waited 6 weeks to get the car in for a warranty issue, and since the "bribe" I can get in next day. As well I am getting free support when I have my airbags turned back on when I switched back to my *** from my GT3 seats for the winter.

 

I agree with DD, eastablish a relationshsip with the service people, especially the manager. You might have to let them do some of the servicing for the car - but it will pay off. Salesman can't get you served more quickly or better in the service department.

 

Sounds like it varies greatly by experience, as I would tell you there is a lot of benefit to purchasing a vehicle from where you plan to have it serviced. This is difficult to put a $ figure on, as the value will depend on the number of issues you have with the vehicle.

My opinion comes from both my car ownership experience and my working on the service side of the auto biz in dealerships.

Many times, while working on the service side of the business, I heard "Did they purchase the car here?" If the answer was "yes" they often worked harder to get something covered under warranty.

Also, if you have significant and / or uncommon problems with your vehicle, you will likely test my thesis. I have an M3 that's required 4 battery replacements in 2 years (been thru 5 batteries in total, including the one that came with the car). One was replaced at the dealer closest to my home, at the cost of $328 (including "reprograming"). The other 3 were replaced by the dealer where I purchased the vehicle, at no cost to me (they push to get BMW to pick up the tab). Imagine this scenario extrapolated to a major mechanical issues...

 

I agree with Dan. I also think that bbrc76 has a great point here.

I found that what bbrc76 said was true in other cars, but not in my experience with Porsche. But that could only be luck of the draw. Regardless, I have had 2 different dealerships work extensively on my car, neither being where I bought it. I hang out while my car is being worked on. I talk to the guys. I buy them drinks, and remember their names. When they see that I'm not some young guy who had everything handed to him, they take pride in the work on the car. I'm one of them. I know my way around the car. They take care of me.

Despite having had a SC on my car for 24k miles, I've never, ever had to pay for any repair. All warranty. NONE of this where I bought the car. Just another side to the coin. If you can blend in with the "good ol' boys" (which I can, 'cause I'm a redneck), then hang out with them, respect them, and your car will be babied. In all, don't do it so that you'll get something in return though. Those guys are really cool guys, for the most part. I like spending my afternoons with them while they check out a sound or replace a ball joint...

 

I would imagine in the majority of car stores, the service department is separate from the sales department, which is separate from the parts department. A service department playing favorites with 'did they buy it here', which I can only assume comes from a dealer owner directive, is possibly ruining future sales. There are a wide variety of reasons one will service a car at a different location than they purchased it. One may have moved, is quite frequently a source of this. It could be, especially with Porsche, that one purchased the car from a dealer that had the allocation vs the closer dealer that did not have the allocation. In any case, bad service will see the customer go elsewhere for service, and definitely elsewhere for any future sales as a result, I would imagine.

So I don't think it matters where you buy, unless you expect super service but purchased from the competitor across the street.

More important is, get to know your service folks; chat with them a bit. Don't annoy them with a huge amount of silly requests. Fix things you can fix yourself, yourself. If you come across as a more competent car owner, you have a better chance of getting respected and treated as a car guy.

 

+1

I have found that I get treated like a king at Mckenna service despite having issues with the sales dept when I was trying to get an allocation for a turbo last year which I ultimately bought from another local dealer.

Dont give any weight to that 'preferential' sales pitch. These guys want your business in the service dept no matter what.

 

My dealer gives free top offs of oils and fluids.

DrPeter

 

+10

I service my car where I bought it and each time I go, they line up 6 models/actresses from the hit show Entourage on HBO. Each model is asked to change into a bikini. They give me a vile of white powdery substance and a cut straw. After a short excursion with this vile, I'm feeling quite exquisite. Then, they give me 2 pills bearing the mark "C I A L I S" on them. I am escorted into a private room bearing the placard "S A L E S M A N A G E R" where alcohol and champagne and more said viles of said substance sit on a graciously adorned table of treats. They tell me to hang out and request to imagination's end of the models in this special room.

I take the first pill and begin a contortionist routine with three of the six model/actresses. When finished, the ladies are besides themselves shouting praises of joy and utter ecstasy citing that they've never experienced "anything like it." I dismiss them.

I take the second pill and am treated to a wonderful dance routine by the ladies followed by another contortionist routine in which I take part. Again, ladies in tears weeping at "how great that was".

I am told that only Porsche owners who purchased 2008 White C2 Cabs and service their cars at the same dealership are privy to such treatment.

Maybe it's the service manager. Maybe it's the car. Maybe it's the fact that I service and purchased at the same place. Anyway, I change my engine oil once a week and change my oil twice too while my car is at it.

Now I've read the posts above about hanging out and talking to dudes working on the car and how cool they are to talk to. Maybe you need to find a new service manager.

 

LOL - I guess I really have to think about switching to white!

 

Sometimes you only get free loaner cars at the dealer you purchased from. Worth asking.

 

I came dangerously close to spitting out my Earl Grey when I read this post. Good imagination and pretty funny stuff!