redcab

Local mechanics have quoted me AT LEAST $175 to do a complete oil change. The dealer was much more. Gulp. I realize it's a small cost in the grand scheme of things, but out of principal I hate to be ripped off for a half hour or less of work.
So I'm going the sub-contractor route.

9 qts of Mobil 1 0-40 cost me < $50 at Valley Oil in Mtn View
Oil filter cost me $20 at Carlsen Porsche (and that's a ripoff for a paper filter!)
and my local Shell station mechanic is going to charge me $20 to put it up on the rack and do the wrenching (+$4 to dispose of the oil)

Was saving $100 or more worth driving around to pick up the oil & filter? Fortunately it won't make a bit of difference to the finances, but it was just principle.

Palting

Absolutely. The service charge is like the phone charge. I hour bill for 30 minute work, and two hour bill for 1hr 10 min work.

For documentation and warranty issues though, it may be a good idea to have the scheduled maintenance done at the dealership.

silver996

i got mine done for $115 at a local foreign auto specialist. i also had it done at the dealership for $135, so the price you were quoted sounds on the high side...

musicmovesme

I know it might sound crazy but I would say do it yourself it's really not hard and after the first time it shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes. Plus I kind a get a kick out of wrenching on the machine.

Stellpflug

I just had mine done at Niello in Sac for about $150. Very nice service, too.

Chris

Gretch

Yep, I do my own, 9 qts M1: $41.00, filter from NAPA: $7.50. Crush ring: buy 'em by the dozen for $0.50 each, Half hour of playing with Gretta, "priceless"

I am done for under $50 bucks.

I do the whole fleet this way.

If you need to dispose of the oil, anyplace that sells it has to take back the used stuff (for a charge of course).

musicmovesme

Gretch,

Thanks for the tip about Napa auto parts for the crush ring and filter I definitely overpaid for that the first time around.

Gretch

To be clear, I get the crush rings from a porsche parts supplier, but for example you can find them in the Tweeks catalog for $9.99 for a 10 pack

musicmovesme

No problem I understand

redcab

I used to be a DIY oil changer, so no fear there. I gave it up when Jiffy Lube brought the incremental cost down to $25 or so. At that point it didn't seem too expensive considering I also stay clean and it probably takes less time without the set up or clean up (including driving the used oil to the recycling center). I view it sort of the same was a laundering / pressing the dress shirts. A long time ago I decided that even though I could do it myself, it was more statisfying to pay someone a small bit of $ to take the chore off my hands.

Sean M.

I change my own. It's actually a fun task if you have the time, and enjoy working on your Porsche.

I'd never pay a dealer to do it, but I understand your point about Jiffy Lube being cost effective. The only downside to the quick change shops is they may not let the car drain long enough, leaving some of the dirty oil still in the engine. A minor point, but something you can avoid by doing it yourself.

redcab

I usually stand over the mechanic to make sure the drain plug doesn't go back in until the oil stops dripping.

-j

SPR

do it yourself with Loren's instructions. It cost me like 65 bucks all in all! and took less than 25 min.