Hi All,
I have my 2 year service coming up on my 21 CGTS and checked a couple of dealers to get a cost estimate. The two year service consists of an oil/filter change, a brake fluid exchange, and a cabin filter replacement, along with a detailed 'inspection' to ensure everything else is in working order. The dealer estimates it will take 4-5 hours, and the cost is $1200, plus tax.
At the risk of sounding cheap, is this typical based on your experience? I'm in Seattle, so a fairly expensive area...the car will have less than 10,000 miles on it.
I was thinking of taking it to a good independent shop but am not sure if the inspection will be as detailed as what the dealer would likely do-
Appreciate your feedback! (and yes, I know I sound cheap.....but I like to think of it as 'value-minded')

 

Porsche dealers charge an arm and a leg for service. I take my P cars to a local indy shop that specializes in Porsches and other german brands. The cost is typically in the $400-500 range for 2yr/20k mile service.

 

Yes, that estimate sounds about right.

If you are a PCA member some dealers will discount 10%.

Alternatively, you could ask the dealer for an estimate of just an oil change and brake flush which would be similar to an indy.

The full 2 year maintenance service is a lot of checks, mine was up on the rack for a couple hours for it’s two year.

 

yep I just had a 1yr on my Spyder and 4yr on my GT3 ... was about $12xx and $25xx (because I had already changed my air filters already and they omitted that - would have added another $5xx)

and that was with a PCA 10% discount!

p.s there was a Tech bulletin on the Spyder decklid which required adjustment ...

 

That's the book price for your 2-year service. I was quoted the same on my last 718 and used an indy.

 

Oh man, I removed my cabin air filter by accident because I was curious what was inside that box. No tools, takes 5 minutes if you stop to pound a beer half way through. So yeah thats one item down. https://www.fcpeuro.com/Porsche-part...ds=cabin%20air $16

There is a 2nd cabin air filter inside the glove box - that requires a couple plastic screws, https://www.fcpeuro.com/Porsche-part...ds=cabin%20air $23

Oil is $116 (2x 5L )

Oil filter kit is https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/por...an-9a110722400 $18

Brake fluid exchange - $40 for 2 liter of fluid, plus the bleeder kit you'll need $60

Whatever your time is worth, plus disposal fee for the oil and fluid.

$213 for parts, $60 for specialized tools (assume you have basic hand tools already)

Oil change you need a lift, or some specialized jacks so you can remove the under tray and get access to the oil filter.

There are some other things I'm not mentioning like the PIWIS system to flip the oil service interval switch and run a diagnostic report, that system can be had for $100 plus laptop and expenses but the official hardware is thousands.


Can't tell you if its gouging, but its expensive no doubt for what it is. Sounds like you are paying for 4hrs labor, at $250 an hour. Independent shop will likely charge $125-150 an hour, and won't have the same PIWIS system or the latest recall/tech bulletins to catch something wrong.

If they charged 2 hours I'd go with the dealer. 1hr for oil change, another hour for inspection and PIWIS report

 

That's exactly what I'd do. $1200 to "check" a bunch of things you'd routinely check during an oil service is silly. Especially if the car has 3500 miles on it in two years like many of ours will. Higher mileage/harsh usage or track cars are a different story.

 

yep my Spyder and GT have about 3.5k each ... I guess its the price of Pcar ownership.

I like to use a dealer for the service records aspect of the car(s)

 

Seattle dealer service rates are AFAIK amomg the highest in the nation and are in the $250/hour range. So, four hours of labor at $250 and about $200 in parts at Porsche list price or u pto 150% of list.

So… that is typical as other have noted.

And yes, four hours is about the amount of time it takes to do every task listed on the schedule for the 2-year service.

 

Pretty sure that the AutoNation dealer in Newport Beach has far surpassed $300 an hour now. Maybe $350?

 

I always laughed when they wanted to change my "cabin air filters" on my 981 Boxster every two years, seeing as in 10 years of ownership I almost NEVER drove it without the top down!

I assume I'll have the same laugh when it comes time to service my new Boxster 4.0.

 

Recently called the dealership to do my 2 year service in LA, was quoted about $1,500. Was told they were going to replace cabin filters, replace remote key battery (wtf?), check the wheels and tires (recently had the tires replaced at a dealership anyways, didn't want to take it to an indy as I've read wheels were bent on some peoples cars). Asked if I can bring my own high temperature brake fluid and they refused. So took mine to an indy shop, had oil and brake fluid flush done at about $700 or so. Screw the dealerships, they really don't offer much.

 

I just replaced the battery in the remote of my wife's 2021 Macan. The car told her that the battery was low. My 2019 BMW X3 M40i does the same thing and they don't seem to last more than a year or 2, have done it a couple of times in the BMW. Luckily they are both easy to do and easily obtainable CR2032 batteries instead of some less widely available size. My biggest fear with the dealer scheduled maintenance is that they might skip some of the checklist items - they always check the brake pads for wear and condition of the tires for sure since they want to sell replacements if they can, but where something calls for actually checking something like torque, I always wonder if they actually do it.

 

I completed the 2 year service on my Spyder at Suncoast Porsche for $700. When I lived in Seattle I took my P-cars to Barrier Porsche and thought their prices were very fair especially with the 10% PCA discount. Many times they were less expensive than the independents. Everything costs more in Seattle.

 

Just for contrast this past February, our 2016 Macan posted its first message in the cluster about the remote battery being low, so a little over 7 years of service. Surprisingly the second remote posted the same message less than a month later.