When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My 2011 GT3 just passed 24,000 miles. Local dealership wants $1800 for the service. Checked with a near by import shop, and they'll do it for about $1100. Or... I could buy one of these and do it myself.
$295
$367 (this is only 1 of the items that comes in the kit)
Should I try it myself, or just suck it up and pay the dough? Anyone done this service on their GT3?
Did myself. Hardest part is plugs. Easy if your side mufflers are off. Barely have to crawl under car if wheels off. Add fuel filter and tranny oil change. Just did my plugs last weekend too about 1 1/2 hrs.
Alright, I'm going to give it a try. Probably won't start until sometime this Spring, it's too cold to work outside right now . I'll try to document the whole thing and report back. I do enjoy working on the car, but know my limitations.
if you know how go ahead if ya dont...dont. you can save a few hundred at the dealer by telling them no brake flush,cabin filter and do you really need plugs.not to be insulting but if you cannot afford proper servicing perhaps another car brand is called for here. myself..i can easily work on my own vehicles but i have them serviced at the dealers because i choose not to work on them.
^^^ WTF comment is this? I'm going to guess the majority of members here can make the choice to pay or work on self. Many do for the enjoyment, not to save $. The Ops question is legit, dealers rip off this service. it's a total BS 10hrs of labor on something that a medium skilled person can do in about 1/2 a day. Not getting ripped off is not a "can't afford it" comment.
OP, at 4 years, I'd do the full boat service, that way you're not sweating stuff. Do you track the car?
This was my list when I got mine (even though much had been done i like to start from a known point):
Oil/filter, tranny fluid, cabin filter, air filter, fuel filter (997.2 have a different system I believe), brake flush, bleed clutch, replace plugs, replace coils, drive belt, windshield wipers, clean MAF and throttle body, pulled belly pans off for full inspection, inspect axles, inspect steering gear, nut/bolt. (I do track my car) Since yours is CL I'd have a shop inspect your center lock mechanisms.
Going slow this will take you a day. And can be done on jack stands in your garage, belly pans are a bit of a pain this way but doable. Do do tranny/clutch you have to pull off 2 of them.
Also, you can get ALL these parts at RMEuropean, either porsche branded or the OEM maker w/o the porsche label. They are literally the same parts, everything, side by side compare the same.
Yep, I can easily afford to do it, but have to take the car to Portland to have it done, etc, etc. It's a bit of a pain. I do the wrenching on my airplanes under my mechanics supervision. I really like to know how things work and why. Also, I don't mind paying for the work IF it's something I really can't or shouldn't be doing myself. My car is still under CPO for another year and a half, so I'm assuming doing this myself won't void that?
Thanks for the info Speryx, I'm planning on doing the full service. Luckily I have a couple of buddies with lifts. They do a lot of work on their own Porsches so they should be able to help me out a bunch. It's a male bonding thing
I don't know if changing the plugs on a 997 is the same as on a GT3, but my son and I did it on our former car this past fall, it is a whole lot easier if you remove the rear bumper, a 15 min job, just be careful with the plastic pins, we bought a few spares. The only tricky part it the plugs behind two of the muffler brackets, easy to take off the mufflers, as long as the bolts are not corroded. It helps to have small nimble fingers, and small 1/4 inch flex drives and approp torx drivers. Plus a 3/4 inch torque wrench. It took us about 3 hours to do plugs and coils. Best to have help with the removal and install of the bumper, to avoid scratching things. We ran ours up on ramps, and did not take the rear wheels off.
Very easy with a lift. minus 1 of them on the far side.
24k mile service should take approx 4-5 hours from start to finish imo with a lift. I would start Friday night. If you run into hicups, you can go to dealer parts on Saturday
All these items are based on remove / reinstall. I would do it in this order as it would save you time.
-air filter (30 min)
-fuel filter (30 min )
-Serp belt(15 min)
-oil filter (5 min)
+ reinstall air filter box.
-oil change (20 min )
+remove wheels
-Plugs ( 45 min )
-coil packs ( recm as car is now 7 years old) (15 min )
-cabin filter ( 15 min )
-flush brakes ( 45 min )
+ reinstall wheels.
Are coil packs something that should be replaced even when operating properly? How do you know they are "weakening"? Can they be properly inspected/tested or refurbished? Ebay or Amazon or Suncoast? My 2007 RS has had the plugs replaced a while back at the dealer (about 35K miles on it now) but not the coil packs. I do most other minor servicing, but without a lift, the plugs seemed too much a PITA. Thanks in advance.