997 maintenance
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Penny wise, pound foolish. FPSH adds more to the value of your car when you sell it (rightly or wrongly) than the additional costs - particularly as it's only once every 20K / 2 years. We are talking small change compared to the value of your car, less hassle, and someone who knows what they are doing and looking for when they check the car (the RMS story being a case in point). I agree no one cares for our cars like we do, but the next owner doesn't know you from Adam and will see you as a penny pincher and probable short cut taker and buy my 997 instead!
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,218
Likes: 10
From: Colorado
Got bad news when I picked up my car yesterday afternoon. They saw early signs of RMS failure. Since I didn't bring it in for that nor did I even mention it, they couldn't fix it. I was told to keep an eye on it and bring it back. I hadn't heard of RMS failure in the 997's. Bummer.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I'm kind of surprised to see people worrying about the cost of routine maintenance on the 997. Just had my first scheduled maintenance done ... about $300 bucks ... a month before 2 years were up. My Honda S2000 required oil change etc. every 3,000 miles or 6 months; typically Honda charged about $275 to $300 for this. So, on my Honda maintenance for 2 years was approx. $1,200 vs. $300 for the Porsche. Even if I decided to do the 997 every year instead of 2 years, it's still half the cost of maintaining the Honda. Besides, it's a $90k+ car ... if dropping $300 on routine servicing was bothering me what am I doing in a car that costs that much in the first place?
Newbies Hospitality Director
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 18,084
Likes: 43
From: Winston-Salem, NC
You can scratch the 997 GT3 from the "except" list. A couple of the guys that own a 997 GT3 or GT3 RS have reported a RMS leak. One GT3 had 2 RMS leaks/replacements in the first 1,400 miles.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,035
Likes: 2
From: Cary, nc
Mark
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: US Capital
Hi all.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700
and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents.
This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700
and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents. This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,347
Likes: 2
Hi all.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700 and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents.
This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700
and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents. This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
Which dealer?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,035
Likes: 2
From: Cary, nc
Hi all.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700 and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents.
This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
Just had my 2 yr (20K) service costing me $700
and I even brought my own oil. According to the "Minor Maintenance Checklist," a road test was performed and signed by Jeff Lyons, technician. I wonder how he did this. I had 11,720 miles when I dropped off the car (I wrote this down prior) and had 11,720 miles when I picked it up. This got me wondering if the dealer performed all those items they checked on the checklist. When I got home, I checked the cabin air filter. Tried to remove it and noticed the sponge around the filter was somewhat sticking on the filter housing (I just left it alone when it started peeling). This tells me that they probably never changed it seeing that it was still clean (I hardly run the vent/AC in the winter and summer). Also, I notice a piece of grey paper-looking material draped over the filter. Should this be there? I wonder if this is the cause of the weak air flow coming out of the vents. This whole experience is not what I was expecting. First impressions last. Thanks for reading my rant.
If your pollen filter appeared clean, then trust me it was changed. They get REALLY nasty, even with low miles. And yes that grey foam piece is supposed to be there. Your dealer was probably busy and thats why no test drive, with such low mileage it may have been assumed that it was fine. Not saying its ok, just probably what happened. $700 for a 20k seems high with you supplying your own oil, but i see that service prices do vary from place to place.
Mark
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Michael S. Palmer
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 560
Likes: 2
Today's "911" requires considerably less service than they used to. Having been driving these things since the 1970s I can tell you that little needs to be done. I am approaching 20,000 and the little "service coming up" thing has been flashing lately. What I will most likely do is change the oil and filter again (done at 10,000), replace the cabin filter, the air filter, and flush the brake fluid. I will do all the visual inspection stuff that the dealership will do, but I will feel better doing it myself as I don't have to worry about some guy dinging the doors, scratching the paint or leaving grease on the leather. No one will take better care of a car that yourself and if you have any automotive skills will be better off doing some of the really simple stuff yourself. Simply document the work you have done, and have the shop reset the computer so that it doesn't keep bothering you. $350 for such simple little things is nuts. Keep in mind that most $100,000 car owners today don't have (1) the time nor (2) the inclination to do anything that requires getting their hands dirty. The more you do yourself the more you will learn about your car and ward off issues down the road. I would be GREATLY shocked that you would need to have your brakes 'serviced' in any way,--you only have 13,000 miles on it. I will mic my calipers to see how they are doing and look at my pads. But to do more is not needed with so few miles.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Timbukto
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 558
Likes: 8
From: Northern New Jersey
I think the only way it can be turned off is if the dealer hooks up their porsche computer thing to it and resets it that way.
But i think that some dealers may have issues with doing that it they didnt service your car.
But i think that some dealers may have issues with doing that it they didnt service your car.
Addict
Rennlist Member
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 834
Likes: 16
From: houston
I have 6700 miles on mine and had the oil changed as its been a year. Cost was $150 and I got a discount for the PCA membership.
ChipAZ don't sweat the oil quality: Oil be it from oil sands or oil shales or just plain light or heavy sweet our sour is addressed at the refinery and heavy crudes have their applications as do light crudes, i.e. heating oil vs. motor oil.
I have a post on the 997 turbo forum you guys may be interested in re; water leak at the rear 1/4 windows.
ChipAZ don't sweat the oil quality: Oil be it from oil sands or oil shales or just plain light or heavy sweet our sour is addressed at the refinery and heavy crudes have their applications as do light crudes, i.e. heating oil vs. motor oil.
I have a post on the 997 turbo forum you guys may be interested in re; water leak at the rear 1/4 windows.