Tpup

I have a 15 S and took the car in for it’s annual service. It has 25K on it.

Annual service plus a spark plug change was $975 ($500+ was the spark plug change). Is that the going rate?

I also had the annual service done on my 991.2 which was $311 (no spark plug change). I pointed out to my wife how expensive her car was to service...

Thanks

rasetsu

That is an absolute rip off. All 6 plugs on the Macan are very easy to access.

manifold danger

Agreed, with the caveat that I haven't actually tried changing the plugs in my Macan... but it's a longitudinally mounted dual-cam V6, couldn't be that bad.

But it's also the going rate for service at a dealer. Actually a little less than what I paid IIRC.

I used to think that full service records at a dealer would add to resale, and under many circumstances that may be true... but I trade in most of my cars, including this one. I'm not expecting a whole lot of difference in what I get back in a trade compared to if I just did the service myself. Certainly not enough to offset the difference in service costs over the 4 years I've owned it. (Although factor in the sales tax relief in my state and maybe it's close...)

But then again, I've gotten to the point where I have essentially sworn off working on cars myself. I can't lie, the fact that my brakes are pretty much guaranteed to be needing attention at my next service interval (~$3500 for all 4) factored in to why I placed an order for a '20 last week.

It's all part of the experience. I guess.

rasetsu

I can respect that as I do far less of my own automotive work than I did 20 years ago hence the middle road solution of finding a trustworthy independent for which I have multiple options on in my local area.

I don't subscribe to the belief that part of the Porsche ownership experience is having to pay exorbitant labor prices shared with more difficult to access mid and rear engine counterparts. I prefer to save that money towards my next Porsche purchase instead.

dak911

Another reason to lease....I never thought much about that before but at my ripe old age and the fact that I will probable only put 20-25,000 miles on it in 3 years !!

NC TRACKRAT

Tpup, "you wuz robbed". That is so sad. Some "Porsche Experience"! Make them explain it to you...in detail. Those plugs can be purchased for around $60. If they charged you twice that, taking one's time, for a Porsche Tech, a one hour job. $125 labor and retail $125 for the plugs=$250. They soaked you good! You need to find a good "indie" in your area.

jll1011

OP, if you had the dealer service the car the cost sounds about right. Check out dealer costs for the 40k /2 year service. Pretty high. I plan on going to an Indi. I don’t think any of us would get improved trade in values with dealer service vs an Indi, as long as you have the documentation. Every time I trade a car the dealer is quoting low, regardless of condition and maintenance. Just dealt with that with my pristine, well maintained 997. It was dealer maintained!

smohr33

Seems there is no ceiling on what luxury car dealers can charge for service these days. My wife's Audi SQ5 was due for it's 20k service this week. I called for a quote - Oil change, cabin filter, and a bunch of "inspections" = $495. No thank you!

D1coach

2015 Macan Turbo - plugs changed at a respected Indy- $480

NC TRACKRAT

Here, folks...Read this thread. https://www.macanforum.com/forum/eng...ark-plugs.html See how easy it is to change plugs. Now, I'm not advocating that everyone DIY but just to show you the relative ease of this operation. "Knowledge is power". Don't get ripped off. This is not a $500 job by any stretch of the imagination.

manifold danger

Ok. How exactly does one go about finding "a trusted Indy" in their local area? What metrics go into this? Do they have the exact same resources as factory-trained technicians? What happens if a repair goes completely south (e.g., leave oil out of the car, double gasket, falls off a lift, etc.)?

For everybody who swears by their indy shops, there's at least one other horror story.

Maybe I'm biased because I do have a bit of anecdotal experience. I tried the whole indy shop thing with my past BMWs, and suffice to say it did not work out. Several people on the forums chimed in about how great this place was; they tried to gouge me worse than the dealer, repairs were crap, no convenience amenities, and last I checked they were run out of town a couple years ago. This particular place was run by an extremely shady dude, but I didn't know that until after I gave them my business. And they somehow convinced tons of people before me that they were legit. The whole "they've been in business for years", "they build race cars, they know the brand inside and out", "he's a great guy, he'll treat you right", etc. etc.

All that said, I dread going to the dealer for service because it absolutely is a ripoff. But as things sit currently, I don't see another option. I'd still be willing to consider an independent shop, but it's going to take more than some random guys on a forum to convince me that it's worth the what, 20-30% cost differential for peace of mind.

NC TRACKRAT

manifold danger, I understand what you're saying. It's difficult finding knowledgeable and trusted technicians, no matter what the field. Find a shop that's been in business for many years. Then see if they're ASE certified. If you're a member of PCA, ask fellow members for recommendations. When you interview them, ask if they have the latest diagnostic equipment for your vehicle. Do not sign a blanket authorization to do work. Only authorize work you want done but ask them to give you a list of items they may find that deserve attention. Don't take their word for it. Have them show you. For instance, just because they say you're going to need new brake pads and rotors, make them show you how far down the pads are vs. new pads. Ask why they recommend new rotors comparing yours to the thickness of new rotors. Usually, rotors will not need changing until the second pad change, if that. In this age of instant communication, word travels fast. If a shop is ripping folks off, it gets known pretty quick. I have no qualms paying a business a reasonable amount for their services. They have to make a profit to stay in business but that doesn't give them a license to steal. It's important that the owner be reasonably knowledgeable because knowledge is power. That's where sources like this forum and others are invaluable. You may not be inclined to do your own work but, if you start out doing a few minor things, you'll find out how easy a fun it is to keep your vehicle in great shape and save money doing it. Order parts on line and change items like the cabin air filter and wiper blades yourself. Remember, the Moss-Magnuson Act allows the owner or a shop other than a dealership to perform work using like quality parts without voiding the warranty as long as adequate records are kept.

D1coach

If the dealer prices were only 20% higher! For example my 2009 911S needed plugs - one dealer wanted $1400, another dealer $800. The Indy I use charged $400 out the door. There are probably a dozen reputable Indy shops in Houston, and any improprieties are circulated around the PCA club. I have not heard of any instances of these shops ripping people off, though I’m sure it happens on occasion. I hear stories regularly of the three dealers overcharging.

manifold danger

I'm in central Maryland and I know of TPC racing. I'm not sure they do maintenance work on Macans but I'd consider them as they do seem to have an enormously high reputation.

Other than that, no clue what reliable independent shops are local that I'd trust taking either of my Porsches to, and haven't bothered to look based on my aforementioned past experiences so I have accepted getting reamed by the dealer.

Tpup

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll starting asking around the PCA for recommendations for another service source. I've got all the tools to DIY I just don't have the time...