Service cost, am I missing something?
 

I have an 05 Boxster and an 06 Cayenne S. Both are due for their 80k service. I was quoted $1500 for the boxster and $650 for the Cayenne from one dealer. Am I missing something? I know it's a major service but from what I see in the book it's changing the oil, replacing air filter and cabin filter and then doing visual inspections. Anyone know what I'm missing, because otherwise I'll just do it myself.

I dont know how much of a help this will be, but when I had my 06 Boxster, the 60k service at Hennessey Porsche in Atlanta cost me $1300. And 60K service is the first major service, so I can't imagine 80k service costing more than $350 (the amount I usually paid for yearly oil change as well as air and cabin filter change).

This is why I do my own oil changes. Also, if you are outside your warrantees why would you take it to the dealer? Their shop hours are generally much higher than a specialty shop. On the Boxster, I'd have the IMS replaced with L&N's version. You're getting in that range where you could have a problem. A lot of dealers not just Porsche use maintenance services to increase their profit margins. Visual inspection is pretty vague and they can really tack on shop hours that are not really needed. I've seen rates vary more than double from dealer to dealer. Oil changes are expensive on Porsches just due to the amount of synthetic oil, it cost me $65-$80 in materials to do it myself. With my new FVD oil pan kit add another $7 to that but it gets me out of the house and I enjoy working on my cars.

Yeah, I just got off the phone with the dealer and other than the oil and filter, air filter, and cabin filter, I'm possibly due for spark plugs and brake fluid change. So far the only thing I haven't looked up is how to bleed my brakes but I'm going to read that tonight. And I now plan on doing all of the work myself and saving the money since I don't have a warranty. I have always done all my own work in the past with a couple of buddies. Plus being in the military I have access to lifts and every tool necessary in the auto hobby shop. So I should have any issues. Guess the Porsche name scared me off at first.

So that amount of service doesn't add up to $1300. My '07 CaymanS has 23k on it. When it turn 20k I did my oil for the 4th time, changed the cabinet filer and then had a local Porsche shop do a basic "safety" check of the car which equals "visual inspection" for $100. My car was pass the coverage date due to age not mileage, which on cars like these they should adjust the coverage to be 36k miles and 5 or 6 years whichever comes first not 3 years. Most Porsche owner don't drive them that many miles a year.

Enjoy your time with our cars.

The IMS is no joke on that Boxster so read up on that cause if it goes you're looking $15k to redo that little engine.

Thanks, and I have been reading up on it a lot. The Boxster is my wifes car so I try to make sure that it is in great condition because I don't want her to be stuck on the side of the road somewhere. I know that my build date was Nov 2005, but I also know that it's not 100% whether I have the updated IMS bolt or not. So my next major thing on her car is to do the upgrade from L & N. As soon as I do the oil change I'll know if there is a lot of metal shavings in the filter or not to at least give me a better understanding of how it's looking.

It sounds like you may have an updated IMS bearing with that build date. However, you never know. And you won't know unless you drop the transmission.

That $1,300 service sure sounds like a Major Service, i.e. spark plugs, etc., included. As far as price goes, it's on par. Some places charge $1,500.

Yes, that was quoted as a major service with spark plugs, oil, all filters, and brake fluid change. But adding everything up except for the brake fluid, since I haven't read up on that yet, I can buy all the parts I need for under $300 and do it myself in half a day or less. I just can't justify that price for something that really is so easy.

Jfondren3 We offer a Major maintenance kit that includes everything you need for your 80,000 mile maintenance. The only thing you would need to get is the Spark Plugs. For more information on the Spark Plugs and Major Maintenance kit Click Here.

http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/313242_x600.jpg


Here's a video that demonstrates how to change your cars brake fluid even though it not Boxster specific it gives you an idea. Porsche recommends that it should be changed every two years.



For more information about the bleeders we offer Click Here

Thanks and don't worry, I've already started looking at everything I need on your site. There are a few other parts I want to get as we'll from y'all. Built a shopping cart and now I'm making sure the wife is cool and understands why I spending the money as well as how much I'm saving.

Now if I can slip in that mid pipe without her knowing. Lol

Now how can you go wrong with that? ECS has it all right there for you. Nice! Of course if my car was the electric blue I'd be in jail and my car would be up for auction. ;)

Thank you for the support and if there anything you need or have a question with feel free to PM me. About that mid pipe ....... with all the cost were saving doing it myself and my time being worth something, I figured I better get at least one performance upgrade for our car. It is valentine's day :)

Let me know how doing the service yourself turns out. I have 61,000 miles on my 986S and have been holding off on the service because I only drive the car 300-400 miles per year now.

I will let you know, I actually just placed my order with ECS Tunning for everything that I need for my Cayenne as well as my wife's Boxster. So as soon as everything comes in I plan on doing both of the services with a buddy or two helping out to make things go faster.

Now I just have to figure out how to reset the service reminder after I do everything.

With a build date of 11/2005 I doubt the IMSB is retrofitable so rather than go the expense of removing the trans to verify just get the IMSB Guardian to monitor metal particles in the oil.