Guys,

This is my second time around as a 928 owner. Sold my last one 10 yrs ago and thought I would be done with the pricey maintenance and service where my car would be in the shop for weeks or even months. Had replaced it with a Mercedes CLK430 which was the closest modern thing which I thought would be a decent substitute for a 928. The merc served me well and probably just as quick without the 928 drama, but I could never really get the 928 experience and the Bwahhhh factor out of my system.

Last weekend, I scratched my 10yr itch and picked up an 86.5 Auto blk/cashmere with rub strip delete. Has 117k on it. The PO has had the car for 8 yrs and I believe has tried to maintain it as well as the PO's pocket allowed which may have became limited.

I have sent the car out to SM motorsports in LI and am having Sonny do the T-belt + Waterpump/T-stat housing replacement including all accessory belts. I was quoted $2k+ for this work today. On my last 928, I had the same work done at Randolph Racing in MA by Kevin for $1,200, but again, that was 10 yrs ago. My question to you and hopefully to some who are from long island with experience at SM, does $2k sound reasonable for this work? He also did say the water pump alone from Porsche was over $800 non-rebuilt which is crazy compared to 928 Intl.

Just wanted to check with you guys, since Sonny comes highly recommended by many of you.

Thanks,

86.5 Blk Auto
00 MB CLK430 Blk (Daily Driver)
85 White Auto (Sold)

 

That what it takes to do it properly, here. Actually, if he is using a brand new Porsche water pump....I'd think that he probably has "underbid" it and you will "get" a price increase once it is apart....

Make sure he uses either a Gates timing belt or a Factory timing belt. The rest are "unsuitable" for anything but a "used car lot".

 

Sounds right at what one should pay for it done properly. If a belt job only costs $1200.00, almost nothing got changed, labor alone will be close to $800.00 or more.

 

Just to muddy the water, wouldn't it be better to use one of the NEW Laso waterpumps instead of whatever old stock the Porsche dealer might supply?

 

I would ask the mechanic to use the new Laso waterpump,
have him buy the parts from Roger,
I know ths is a sticky situation but a brand new Laso is only 300.00 with the remainder of the parts possibly costing another 800.00 or less,
usually the fuel lines also get replaced if the are original
I charge 1000.00 for labor for a Tbelt/WP job, this includes swapping out front main and oil pump seals and rebuilding the tensioner, swapping out the T stat and WP as well, and fixing any loose rollers
plus retiming the engine with the Porken tool.
Plus Flushing out the radiator and draining the block

 

mine came to around 3100 when i just got mine in 2010. it included a new coolant tank and new tensioner as well, and might have had more done, have to find dig up the receipt to find out. sounds like a pretty decent deal if they don't hike it up mid job.

 

Almost every one we see needs new gears, and that is going to really raise the price up.

 

Guys,

Thank you all for your replies. I feel better knowing that this is reasonable. I will definitely see about getting the Laso WP and the Gates or factory belt. BTW, $1200 spent on my last 928 was 10yrs ago, so I can only guess inflation may have had a role? I'll pics of my new to me 928 soon.

Thanks,

 

That's right in line with what the last job got billed out at... about $1000 in labor for tbelt/waterpump and swapping on the PK tensioner. I point the customer to the big 3 and have them get the parts they need.. And yes...usually cam gears are needed.

 

I'll say what no one else yet has said, get in there and learn the job if you can. Some people don't want to mess with it, and that's understandable if they can afford to pay someone else 2-3k to do it, but if you have decent tools and average mechanical abilities, it's not as bad as it seems.

I'm in the middle of the job right now, just came in from the garage. I've had my 86.5 about 17 years and have paid to have the TB job done twice (less than 1000 each time) but the job is more now than 12 years ago when I last paid to have it done, and I'm really happy I'm now able to do it myself. Lots of good writeups on the net and very satifying job to master.

FWIW, we had a local here quoted 3k for the job recently (instead we did his TB job at my place for 800 in parts). Figure about 10 hours, more if there's lots of cleaning to do.

 

SM Motorsports is the way to go for anyone with 928 in NYC area IMO. I've been more then happy with the service I received there. In fact, I will be heading there for my yearly inspection within next couple of weeks.

P.S. What Don above said, if you do not mind and have tools, try to learn how to do it yourself. There are a few rennlist members in NY area who might be willing and capable of helping you out (no it's not me - I'm yet to do TB/WP myself, but I won't mind helping out and learning lol).

 

Don,

I wish I could as I do have access to a friend's auto shop. My buddy isn't knowledgable with working on 928's and quite frankly I didn't want to chance this job with my his inexperience and my very limited mechical abilities. I figure pay for the big job and do the smaller stuff on my own like inop sunroof or window switches, dash lights, and random electrical/minor stuff.

 

What is the status on the replacement cam gears that one of the vendors here was working on? I have not seen anything posted in a while?

 

I thought Porsche produces them now under new part number? I've spoke to Roger last year and he said new cam gears were readily available (albeit at a higher price). Or did I miss something?

 

Greg, Sean,
how long dose it take a professional 928 tech to R&R a timing belt on a S4?
Thats it, just R&R the belt and set the tension and back together out the door.