Exactly why I work on my own car. That's beyond silly...

 

Still 200 high

 

That is literally criminal for what is a simple DIY install (I did mine in my C4S Cab last Fall). What are the odds that you're gonna give these guys a 5 Star Rating when they ask for it ....?

 

A good AGM battery is less than $200. Takes about 20 minutes to install. Your experienced indy is not doing you a big favor.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/batter...40cca/sli49agm - with 10% off - less than $200.

 

Truthfully, it does take longer than 10 minutes to change a battery. But an hour plus or minus 15 minutes is plenty of time for someone to do the job the first time with just a little skill with hand tools. A shop that does this with any regularity can likely change a battery in 30-40 minutes. Including the time to roll the vehicle into the shop. You can purchase a perfectly good AGM battery for $160-$225 depending on how hard you look for coupons or deals. So paying the indy shop $400 saves you the time of chasing doen the battery plus the hour or so it would take you to change the battery... your cost over DIY is roughly $200 with the indy shop. Just make sure they use the proper size battery... the '08 S models have the wrong battery fittment info in every battery replacement database, they say it's an H8 battery, but the correct battery that fits the box better and has a bit more capacity is the H9 battery. A lot of places install the wrong battery by following the replacement database. By the way, your battery should last pretty close to 8 years. If you have an '11 model, you should be able to get another 2 years, though areas with very hasrsh climate extremes can take a year off of that. Being inside the cabin instead of underhood can nearly double the useful life of the battery. Your $400 indy shop job should get you an AGM battery (rather than a conventional wet lead-acid battery which won't last as long or have as much reserve power), probably with a 4 year guarantee and likely 900 cold cranking amps (CCA). Example, Autocraft Platinum battery H9 is AGM (Autocraft Gold is a regular wet battery) available from Advance Auto Parts and another chain they own (I forget the name, Carquest maybe?), list price is just under $220 and 20% off is pretty easy to get. How to tell if your car has an H8 (that is what is listed in the replacement database) or an H9... you have to expose the battery so you can measure its length... if it is 15-15.5 inches long it is an H9 also known as 95R size. If it measures 13-13.5 inches long, its an H8 battery, all other dimensions and post locations are the same for both batteries. Your shop may just blindly use the H8 battery leaving you with a battery that's a little short for your battery box causing the corner bracket to not hold the battery securely (there is a second side "locker" on earlier Cayennes also, not sure if it is on 958 or not). In the Autocraft Platinum battery, you get 900 cca with the H8 battery and a little more reserve capacity with 950 cca for the H9/95R battery... and it may fit the battery box in your car better if Porsche fit the H9 battery at the factory.

 

What are you referring to when you mention .21 or .23 and above when discussing the cam bolts? Is this a VIN number reference? Does anyone know at what point in the '12 Cayenne S models got the updated bolts?


Thanks,


Mike

 

The .21 and .23 are the ending two digits in the part number. the part number is stamped into the housing of the Variocam adjuster. If you have a .23 - you're golden.

And it's not clear when the '12 models got the new bolts - but it was fairly early in production (which started in 2011..)

BTW - does this really belong in this thread? There are a few threads on the Variocam issues. This one seems to be about batteries.

 

Thanks Deilenberger! I tried to read the number last night but needed more light to see the stamped number. I will try again today....have a dental mirror coming in the mail to check bolts too.


Thanks for your help.


Mike