I think I'll schedule an oil change for next week just to get it straight.... I over think too much.

 

I disagree. If this was 1970, everyone does need to know how. That's why the gas stations used to check for you. And everyone used to need to know how to change a tire, brakes, spark plugs, air filter, etc. Not so today. I don't want my wife doing this stuff. I don't expect my daughters to either. Now, I absolutely love this stuff, and do nearly all of my own maintenance myself. BUT, not everyone needs to know how. There are those that are not that good at this stuff. And those people should just pay someone to do it. I wouldnt want to take my computer apart to fix it. And a 2500 dollar MacBook Pro is a lot cheaper than a 911.

 

I agree with jhbrennan. Some people need a little oil top-up as often as every 1,500 mi. That is the distance of one long round-trip. I think that adding a bit of oil to a Porsche is the minimum any responsible owner should learn.

 

+1 for future reference, add half a quart, drive it around the block and recheck.

 

I learned my lesson.... never assume the spec but the instructions.... next time I would know how to fill it but now it's every 5k an oil change for me. I don't want any further troubles.

 

Ditto!

 

But do your wife and kids know how to charge the MacBook, because that is about the equivalent of checking your oil level. Do you send them to the dealer to add windshield fluid? Not trying to be a jerk but car ownership brings with it certain responsibilities. Not everyone needs to know how to change the oil true, but checking the level or filling the air in your tires are basic responsibilities of ownership.

 

I agree. Otherwise are they going to plan cross country roads trips with scheduled dealer stops to check oil and tire pressure?

 

Knowing the car is very important, it's like a rider know his pony. I'm inspired by the characteristic of Porsche and it way of it's ownership before I started with the brand. I wanted to keep this legacy going.

 

This thread is amazing! Lol!

 

Never heard of wrecking the Mac Book with overcharging it. I would say that is more like putting in gas in the car. Without it, it doesn't run. And in some nanny states like Oregon, they don't even let you do that anymore. And I don't think you can void a warranty or ruin an engine by not filling up the windshield fluid, but you can sure kill a motor without oil. So, that analogy doesn't work either. And BTW, where's the dipstick on new cars??? mmmmm, I guess the manufacturers figured out that not many of the car owners knew how to check oil levels properly...and they got rid of them. In fact, Porsche doesn't even want you to see the engines anymore. How cool does the new Cayman, Boxster, or 991 engine look??? No ones knows, because they don't want you to touch it. Anyone noticing that most maintenance is lasting way longer than the typical owner will own a car. Tranny fluids, spark plugs, diff fluids, coolant fluids....all of these last until 100k. And as for tires, I read somewhere that 90 percent of all cars are driven with incorrect tire pressure....if owners were so good at it, why do they have TPMS? Looks to me like the mfr's don't want owners to touch anything. And with each generation of car owners, more and more intelligent (book smart maybe) people are clueless as to how to do typical 70's and 80's car stuff. I think most people that are on these car blogs and own P-cars are different. And the OP did know to check his oil. Just didn't figure out how to fill it properly. If the mfr really wanted you to know how, why not just tell you...1 qt low, 1.5 qt low, 2 qt low, etc. Instead of having a "bar" system in weird increments. My point is that the mfr's are getting away from DIY stuff on cars. And it still surprises me that with todays car tech, that the computer ECU doesn't just shut the car off when the TEMP is too hot, or the oil is catastrophically low. Doesn't make any sense. I had a 2009 Toyota Sequoia that was dead in the water because of the start up emissions fans were letting dirty exhaust out.

 

I would put money that the majority of road trips are done with no attention to oil or tires.

 

I can't believe this is even a topic, for gods sake is adding oil really that difficult? If its low add some. Do you really think this will void a warranty - please! If it due to be changed then have it changed. Let me tell you what not to do - recognize its low and keep driving it because your afraid what oil to add. Put the mobil in thats on the engine compartment sticker, even if there is Wal- Mart oil in there, it will not matter. In an airplane that takes Jet A, in a pinch you can add regular gas to make it to a place that does have Jet A and it doesn't hurt anything.

 

6Speed has helpful info on this topic and it's good to know the details whether you choose to DIY or not. Reading-up on these topics gives you the knowledge so when you're taking the car into the dealer or shop, you understand what certain maintenance items involve. If you consider doing the oil change in the future yourself, we've written a good set of instructions here:
997 Engine Oil Change

When adding oil/topping-off, half-quart is a great interval.

Enjoy your 997!

 

Please don't try this at home!
Jet-A is very similar to diesel fuel, while regular gas is a whole different animal. Maybe you thought of 100LL aviation fuel for piston engines? They are color coded to make sure you get the right one at the pump or from the fuel truck ...
Cheers,
Oliver