USMC_DS1

DME, Digital Motor Electronics... basically you want the mech to pull a DME report for the engine over revs. It can provide insight into whether or not the car was abused... and if the engine warranty is void due to that abuse. Here's some good Porsche materials to review re the 997.1.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s68zzkoyid..._Technik.pdf?m

mattyf

So a couple of us have been looking for a confirmed 2006+ final bearing update failure and haven't found one. Where have you seen this?

tooloud10

I'm not sure I agree with this. Just had a similar thread in the 996 forum. What maintenance is so expensive on a basic 997?

Edgy01

I have a 06 Cab that I purchased new and will shortly hit 75,000 miles. Acquiring miles since June 2006.

These cars, with the minimum of maintenance, do extremely well. I would buy my car used, knowing what I know now about their reliability.

Just recall that these cars eat up tires (if you drive them properly) and should simply get the things like oil changes on time. I would rather buy a car that was driven than a hanger queen. The problem with the latter is that you may not have failed an item (infant mortality) that you should have back when it was within warranty.

Porsche AG loves most of their customers. They drive them little, and by the time something fails, it's out of warranty. They win every time!

USMC_DS1

I tend to agree that the cost of maintenance can be low from a DIY perspective as you're only paying for parts and whatever your time is worth. FWIW, I happen to enjoy working on my car and consider it therapeutic... if I was still living on Maui I'd probably lean more towards my prior passions - windsurfing and SCUBA diving!

But let's break down the cost of maintenance into tangible terms. Prices may vary based on region, p-dealer, indy, and where you source parts for the DIYers... I'm using my '08 C2S as a reference so make sure to look up the parts for your particular year and model 997.

DIY Parts Cost
- oil change = 9 qtrs x $6.97(Walmart) for MB-1 and 1 oil filter kit x $11.25 and 1 drain plug seal(crush washer) x $0.50= ~$80
- air filter = $22.50
- S-belt = $61.50
- cabin air filter = $19.75
- brake fluid 2 x $15.25 = $30.50
- spark plugs 6 x $10.50 = $63
- ignition coils 6 x $41.75 = $250.50
- Water Pump = $249.68 while on sale

Total = $777.43 if you DIY'd all these items on a 997.1S compared to the other extreme of having the p-dealer perform these service items.

P-Dealer Cost
- oil change = $300-$995 (so far Power Porsche in Newport Beach, CA tops the stealership price band for gold flaked MB-1 oil changes)
- air filter, S-belt, cabin air filter = ~$500
- brake fluid flush = $250-$500
- spark plugs and ignition coils = $1,100-$1,800
- Water Pump = $1,000-$1,800

Total = $3,150-$5,595(for those stealerships)

Review the minor and major maintenance schedules to determine how frequently and via what time frames you need to service each item. Look up the specific schedule for your particular year and model 997. By 50K miles I performed all the above service items and I expect to do so once more before the 100K mark. Some maintenance items such as oil changes require more frequent changes... and other items such as the WP are not mentioned at all within the p-schedule but we've been seeing them fail at 40-50K miles so that's a pre-emptive service item IMHO. One thing nice about DIY... I've saved so much in cost that I tend to perform oil changes and other scheduled maintenance much more frequently then the minimum recommended by Porsche.
Major_maintenance_checklist_2008.pdf

Minor_maintenance_checklist_2008.pdf

So as you can see... there are extreme cost differences between DIY maintenance and P-Dealer maintenance. Indy shops will, of course, be something in between but still much more than any DIY work/maintenance. The other consideration would be the one time acquisition cost of specialty tools depending on how much or little anyone would like to take on as a DIY project... that can span from as little as a $100 to $1,000 if you acquire a Durametric tool for diagnostics and reset - $300, a pair of JackPoint jack stands - $300, Motive Power brake fluid flush tool - $75, some torque wrenches - $150, Airlift(coolant flush tool) - $100, and misc mech tool set - $100. BTW, half my tools are used on my other vehicles so I would say that $600 would get you in the DIY game for all maintenance items. Frankly after tools the most costly items are tires. The rear set only seem to last ~15K miles and that's if you avoid the tracks. Lastly, these are all basic maintenance parts which are the typical serviceable items. If something catastrophic should go wrong with say the engine... well, that is a $25K FRU, field replaceable unit, on the other extreme if you have to replace it.

This is my 1st p-car after owning several BMW's, Toyota's, Pontiac's, Ford's, Mazda's, and one Lexus. Mechanically these cars are well built and I'm pleasantly surprised at how little it's cost me to self maintain it. Now if you prefer dealer service then be prepared to cash out for the cappuccino machine in the Porsche service lounge vs. the day old coffee elsewhere.

deverest

Thank you! And your breakdown on maintenance is a good read.....I am learning to do all the DIY stuff on my old 3 series first, working up to the 997.2

USMC_DS1

Here's a link to many of the DIY's for the 997. https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...ech-index.html

BTW, I did everything from basic maintenance to installing a super charger on my prior E36 M3. Getting some DIY's done on the BMW is a great stepping stone towards working on the 997. Of course, you'll have to get used to the engine being upside down and in the back but don't let that intimidate you. These cars are very well put together and fairly easy to work on given the proper tools such as the JackPoint jackstands. Just start with the basic... air filter, oil change, s-belt and then go from there.

Steve/K2WE

I have just shy of 72,000 miles on my '07 Targa 4. The only major problem was a water pump failure at 66,000 miles. I'm a very happy camper.. The detailed service record looks normal to me..

Steve in Saratoga Springs, NY

groovzilla

like most used porsches & mercedes, there is definately a "sweet spot" when buying a higher mileage car which can certainly be to ones advantage when concerned about out of pocket expenses.

like many porsche owners, i don't drive my cars much, maybe 4K-5K miles a year and i am not rich so lossing my *** when i go to sell my porsche is a concern. thats why i always look for the sweet spot.

with this thinking, when buying a water cooled porsche at 75K-80K miles and by putting some effort into it, you can usually find cars where most major items have been serviced or replaced such as clutch/IMS/AOS/brakes/tires/coils/plugs/waterpump, etc.

you can drive the car for a few years and then sell it before ot hits the 100K mark.

several 996's i looked at had replaced transmissions at 40-50K miles and other warranty related items done well before 50K miles - so buying a used porsche with less than 50K miles that is out of warranty can work against someone who frets some large bills in the future.

Spokane5150

LOL You forgot about the 3-4 gallons of Porsche coolant at $50/gal.

USMC_DS1

Now you know how I burn time on those flights every week.

motodude

how did you know you had to change the water pump? what happened?

eflight

Just got off the phone with my local dealer to get some prices

So here they are to add to the database

Oil change $260
Brake Bleed $280

30K service (oil change, plugs (not coils), belt, air filters) $1675

water pump replacement $1020

So the good news is that his prices are on the lower side of the dealer prices. Surprising actually given that there are really no indies in the area.

I also priced out all the stuff I would need to buy to do most of the the work myself (oil, brakes, belt, plugs, filters), including tools and jackpoint stands ($600 for 4, ouch), came to around $500 less than the dealer. Probably less than that when you add in shipping for all the parts and tools.

So now I am on the fence if DIY makes sense for me.

mdr2001

Eflight,

This go round may be light on the savings - but you will have the tools to continue ongoing maintenance. I know prices vary, but I can do an oil change for about $60 and a brake flush for $20. Based on your prices above I save $660 every two years (2 oil changes and one brake fluid flush). S-belt for $60 (parts) and plugs just cost me $52 from Amazon(no coils). If you some of these services to your other vehicles - it pays off almost immediately.

Hope to add you to the DIY community...

kevspada

I have an '06 C4 with 87,000mi on it and also no issues.