VERY poor experience at a Porsche dealership for service
06-27-2008 | 02:19 PM
#16
Anjin San
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From: South Pasadangerous, California
Matt,
Are you a member of PCA? If you are also talk to your Zone rep and see if he can help.
Write a letter to Porsche NA, ask for the PCNA area rep to help.
If that does not work talk to the DMV about the shop doing faulty safety related repairs.
Are you a member of PCA? If you are also talk to your Zone rep and see if he can help.
Write a letter to Porsche NA, ask for the PCNA area rep to help.
If that does not work talk to the DMV about the shop doing faulty safety related repairs.
06-27-2008 | 02:23 PM
#17
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
(As I said earlier, I don't want to get the state involved, because all that will do is get the mechnic fired, and he's not the one I have issues with.)
06-27-2008 | 03:40 PM
#19
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,350
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From: Middle Missouri
calling the state police will not get the Salesmanager in trouble, it will get the Service manager and mechanic in trouble, which will get the owners in trouble, and possible suspend the right to be a state inspection location...IF there has been several complaints in the past.
jason
jason
06-27-2008 | 03:59 PM
#20
Anjin San
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From: South Pasadangerous, California
I also think that an independent would do a better job on an air cooled car.
06-28-2008 | 07:12 PM
#21
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Thanks.
I'll do most of the work from now on, thanks to the great resource of Rennlist!
But, unfortunately, I needed an PennDOT inspection station, and I'm not that. I just didn't think that the Auto Palace would be so bad.
Eight days for a state inspection and emissions (and they didn't even do that right), a brake line bleed and a window motor was a lot more time than I could have imagined.
I'll do most of the work from now on, thanks to the great resource of Rennlist!
But, unfortunately, I needed an PennDOT inspection station, and I'm not that. I just didn't think that the Auto Palace would be so bad.
Eight days for a state inspection and emissions (and they didn't even do that right), a brake line bleed and a window motor was a lot more time than I could have imagined.
06-28-2008 | 08:44 PM
#23
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,106
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From: Santa Barbara, California
This is my order of operations when it comes to my Porsche:
1. Myself -- because there is no mechanic who cares half as much about my car as I do...meaning I'll take the time, care, and proper caution to make sure everything gets done and done the way it was meant to be.
2. Indep. Shop -- These shops tend to work on 356, 911, 964 and 993 models just as much, if not more than 996 and boxster P-cars. I find that the owners of these shops were smart enough mechanic to start their own shop and enthusiasts themselves. They tend to take care of my car better than dealers and are more way more knowledgable with older P-Cars.
3. Dealer -- My 911....NEVER goes to a dealer. If I had a 997 I might consider taking it to a dealer because to be frank about it most indep. shops dont have the massively expensive tools required to service some things on these cars. For servicing take a 997 to and indy or do it yourself. But hey if your double-clutch electronic tranny fails in a 997, I promise you an indep. will have to outsource that work....pad the bill a little....and give the car back to you.
Hope this helps....I always say do whatever work you can yourself...instant gratification and pride of ownership increase IMO
1. Myself -- because there is no mechanic who cares half as much about my car as I do...meaning I'll take the time, care, and proper caution to make sure everything gets done and done the way it was meant to be.
2. Indep. Shop -- These shops tend to work on 356, 911, 964 and 993 models just as much, if not more than 996 and boxster P-cars. I find that the owners of these shops were smart enough mechanic to start their own shop and enthusiasts themselves. They tend to take care of my car better than dealers and are more way more knowledgable with older P-Cars.
3. Dealer -- My 911....NEVER goes to a dealer. If I had a 997 I might consider taking it to a dealer because to be frank about it most indep. shops dont have the massively expensive tools required to service some things on these cars. For servicing take a 997 to and indy or do it yourself. But hey if your double-clutch electronic tranny fails in a 997, I promise you an indep. will have to outsource that work....pad the bill a little....and give the car back to you.
Hope this helps....I always say do whatever work you can yourself...instant gratification and pride of ownership increase IMO
06-29-2008 | 09:04 AM
#24
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,373
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From: Fairfax Virginia
Did your car PASS inspection and get a new sticker? If so, just start taking the car to an Indy and chalk it up. If you are a PCA member you should get a slight discount on the service (and parts) you just received from the dealer.
06-29-2008 | 10:08 AM
#27
Banned
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 9,422
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From: Houston, Texas
I do not have much more wisdom to add to this post than that which has already been imparted, but I NEVER take either of my cars to the dealer. I have an independent here in Houston, Sam Shalala at Protechnik who does excellent work. I know Sam and the two other guys at his shop (Ronnie and Ian).
The dealers know the H20 cars. Ian and I were talking on Friday while he was changing the oil in the 993 and he informed me that the mechanics at the dealer only get paid 1/2 their typical hourly rate by the dealership for warranty work which, assuming for the moment that this is true, would explain why most, if not all, of the good mechanics leave dealerships to work at independent shops or start their own repair business.
Good luck.
Greg
The dealers know the H20 cars. Ian and I were talking on Friday while he was changing the oil in the 993 and he informed me that the mechanics at the dealer only get paid 1/2 their typical hourly rate by the dealership for warranty work which, assuming for the moment that this is true, would explain why most, if not all, of the good mechanics leave dealerships to work at independent shops or start their own repair business.
Good luck.
Greg
06-29-2008 | 11:37 AM
#29
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Hamilton Can
You'll find that 99% of the cars serviced by Porsche dealers today are Cayenne's, 996's, and Boxsters. Since our air-cooled cars are 10+ years old, an entire generation of dealer-based Porsche mechanics were never trained to service them. Anecdotally, my preferred independent set up his own shop after leaving a dealership he worked at for many years. You'll probably find the same thing to be true in your neck of the woods. The mantra of this board is to find a trusted independent and stick with him.
Ironically, my local dealer is very supportive of our local Porsche club and has a couple of guys left over who apparently know air cooled 911's quite well. Sometimes they're price competitive, usually not. However, this is the exception and not the norm.
Ironically, my local dealer is very supportive of our local Porsche club and has a couple of guys left over who apparently know air cooled 911's quite well. Sometimes they're price competitive, usually not. However, this is the exception and not the norm.
