ntmatter

I hadn't seen something like this posted before, so figured I'd put together a maintenance log for my 1995 993. Since I have all of the receipts for maintenance back to delivery, and since they were almost entirely dealer-performed, I have good data on mileage, date, and work done. For non-owners looking to purchase a 993, this might provide at least one example of what to expect in a cared-for car. Here are some interesting highlights:

• The long term per-mile average for maintenance costs has been $.27/mi, or around $500/year
• Porsche dealership labor in 1995 was $65/hour
• Some problems seem unfixable across years and owners (in my case a leaky valve cover gasket)
• The cost for maintaining (my) 993 is about 1/8th that of the Lotus I owned
• On a low mileage car, some issues that would normally be warranty repairs just don't crop up until well after the warranty expires

If you have similar data, this thread might be an interesting resource to compare and understand the real-world expectation for 993 maintenance these days.

pirahna

I have a sheet that basically looks like a carbon copy of that for my company car. I wouldn't do it on my 993 in case my wife ever saw it.

Johnny_law

Something doesn't make sense to me, you showed an Oil Change at Barrier in 2012 for ~$30. I just picked up the two filters and plug washers from them and they charged me $61 bucks, double the cost as what it would have cost me at Suncoast or Sunset. That didn't include the 10qts of oil at $11 per qtr.

Have their prices gone up that much? Or did I just get shafted?

Johnny

Bully67

Pleasure of ownership: Priceless

ntmatter

Good catch - I forgot to capture the oil cost which I bought separately at Napa. Also, this change was for the large filter only, as I do the sump filter every other change.

Quadcammer

my opinion...this much mental masturbation over costs does not help enjoyment of the car but rather makes you focus on the dollars and cents of owning a car like this, which is entirely not the point.

Whenever I do anything for the car, i write the mileage, date, and repair on the receipt, stick it in a file and don't look at it again unless necessary for a future repair.

Johnny_law

Ahh! That all makes sense. At 10qts the oil adds up especially with today's oil prices.

Interesting, when I went to get the filter I had a get together at Griot's the next Saturday so I was pressed for time, however when I asked for the oil filter Barrier initially only gave me the large filter. I said I wanted both and they stated they don't change out the small filter with a standard oil filter. I haven't looked into actual maintenance requirements but I was surprised.

Thanks for posting. I just got my low mileage car so I will be able to contribute with time.

Johnny

Johnny_law

Well of course Quadcammer, I wouldn't expect anything different from you LOL, but I'm cursed by being an engineer so I keep records. If I ever sell, which I plan to never sell, the next owner will know without question that my car was "loved".

But believe me, I do enjoy the drive.

jg291446

I am an accountant and I have to admit it... I like "mental masturbation" like this!

Thanks for sharing and I'd be curious to see the cost of ownership on a high mileage 993.

ntmatter

It was actually an interesting exercise going through and reviewing every invoice in order, because you get to visualize the history of the car. It's sort of like reading a diary - getting the first oil change at 329 (and then 631) miles, the warranty work, and transitioning to paid maintenance after that. It's not about accounting for dollars and cents, but rather a way to reminisce about the history of the car and the attention that has been given to it by its caretakers.

Inre the filter, I think the same thing happened to me at Barrier - which is why I figured to do the sump filter every other change. The sheet is showing me that I'm due for a change anyway, so I'll order both from Pelican this time around rather than chancing the dealer's inventory.

F

Quadcammer

I keep records too, I just don't enter into a spreadsheet every time I rub the car with a microfiber. You guys probably record the length, fuel consumption, date, absolute pressure, etc of every drive too?

Tony_KB

that is a bargain compared to let's say a Ferrari 355 over 20 years, a bargain for the performance and reliability, how many miles on the car ?

bcameron59

You're overdue for an oil & filter change....

Johnny_law

Temperature and Humidity are pretty important.

Falcondrivr

Mine has 176,000 miles and I have a similar spreadsheet with everything, including slippery slope stuff like the euro turbo bumper, suspension upgrades, track mods, exhaust, ect... It even has the smog inspection cost for the years it spent in California. Basically it has everything except gas.

It works out to almost exactly $2000 per year, or 21 cents a mile.