30,000 Mile Service

[rhregis]

My '03 Boxster has 32k miles, I called the dealer today to find out how much the 30k service cost and quoted me $975!! What do they do that costs so much? Can I do it myself or take it to an independant and have them do the work? Any ideas? Thanks

[Chuck Jones]

My '03 Boxster has 32k miles, I called the dealer today to find out how much the 30k service cost and quoted me $975!! What do they do that costs so much? Can I do it myself or take it to an independant and have them do the work? Any ideas? Thanks

I think Loren could chime in here with info on how involved the 30K service is. I've got my 30K maintenance coming up right about now...and you can also take a look at your manual that came with the car and it should show what needs to be done. You may find that some of the things the dealership wants to do...may not be something that's "required" according to the service schedule. Sometimes the service departments throw extra parts/labor into the maintenance that may not be necessary.

[Loren]

It should include all the Major Maintenance shown here.

Plus any of the Additional Maintenance (for 30,000 miles) shown here.

If that price includes parts and labor - you might want to shop around. BTW... a 3rd party shop can likely do the same work for much less and your warranty will still be valid as long as you have a receipt for what was done.

[Chris_in_NH]

the 30K is referred to as a 'glorified oil change'. when i first got my Boxster, i was close to 30K miles and i had no idea how to work on my Boxster. so i paid exactly $975 for the 30K service at a dealer. there were a few other 'miscellaneous' charges added on.

now that i've been doing my own maintenance/repairs for 6 or 7 years, i realize that the $975 would have been better spent elsewhere. the major services in the 30K service are an oil change and a spark plug change (depending on model year). i believe for the '03s the spark plug change interval is 60K miles. all the other 'check this, check that' services are just that.

so really you're looking at a $975 oil change.

you can change your own oil for about $120 including tools and ramps (about $70 for subsequent changes). it is terribly easy. and fun. here are instructions: http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showfla...p;Number=211869

you can also 'check' all the things that need to be checked (CV boots, transmission fluid, etc.) just as well as any other sighted person. and i'm not convinced that the dealer really checks all these things anyway. the short story about my 30K visit was that i asked them *specifically* to top up the coolant, which was low. when i retrieved the car the next day, now over $1000 poorer, the coolant had not been topped up. by checking these items yourself, you will KNOW that they were checked and attended to.

if you really don't want to do it, you can probably find an independent Porsche shop that will do it (oil change) for $150 or so. but i would DIY-it, and spend the money on Boxster toys. ;)

[pjslowik]

so really you're looking at a $975 oil change.

That's not exactly true. An 03 requires spark plug change, air filter change, & cabin filter change, among other things. Checking the polyrib belt is up there in importance too. Mine was in bad shape at only 25,000 miles. Ask the dealer exactly what they plan to do for the $$.

[4agdtym]

I had an estimate from the dealer for about $1200 including the 2 year brake fluid flush. I went to a local shop that specializes in German cars and had it all done for under $500 - the same list of work.

The only real advantage to using the dealer (especially if you also bought the car from that dealer) is in the event that there is some catastrophic issue just after the warrenty runs out. I've heard that sometimes, with the help of PCNA ,you can get repairs authorized because you have been a loyal customer.

Also, one should consider the size of the dealership and how much work their mechanics do on Porsche cars. Our local dealer is a multi marque dealer and the mechanics work on relatively few Porsches. Many of the mechanics at the local shops have much more Porshce experience and many have much of the same training.

for what it is worth.... <_<

[Chris_in_NH]

so really you're looking at a $975 oil change.

That's not exactly true. An 03 requires spark plug change, air filter change, & cabin filter change, among other things. Checking the polyrib belt is up there in importance too. Mine was in bad shape at only 25,000 miles. Ask the dealer exactly what they plan to do for the $$.

i was speaking figuratively, but if you want to get down to brass tacks - ok.

spark plugs (6 x $10) = $60, labor $100 (1 hour)

engine air filter is part of the oil change cost

cabin filter $40, labor $25 (.25 hours)

so really he's looking at a $750 oil change.

all the 'visual inspection' items are just 'visual inspections' (serpentine belt, too.) if the serpentine belt was bad (or anything else), they would charge him for it. he could inspect the belt just as well as anyone else.

and your serpentine belt was bad at 25,000 miles or that's what the dealer TOLD you? ;)

[rhregis]

Intreresting stuff guys. Thanks. When the dealer told me what they were going to do it sounded like I could do it myself. Oil change, wiperblades, filters, etc. Are all the filters very easily accessible? It sounds like it. Also, I have read that normal intervals for oil changes are every 15k miles correct?

[Chris_in_NH]

Intreresting stuff guys. Thanks. When the dealer told me what they were going to do it sounded like I could do it myself. Oil change, wiperblades, filters, etc. Are all the filters very easily accessible? It sounds like it. Also, I have read that normal intervals for oil changes are every 15k miles correct?

the filters are very easy to get to

- the cabin filter is the easiest of all. it is to the left of the battery if you're standing in front of the car.

- the oil filter is on the underside of the car near the oil drain plug.

- the engine air filter is in a 'drawer' in the engine compartment.

factory recommended oil change interval for your car is 15K miles (newer cars are up to 20K!), but many people cut that number in half and change at 7,500 miles. i've been doing 15K changes since i've had the car with no problems. i'm now at 113K miles.

with the money you'll be saving, you should pick up a Bentley Publishers Boxster Maintenance Manual which will help immensely with your DIY 30K service (and any other work that you do.)

http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Boxster-Serv...9817&sr=8-1

[Chuck Jones]

I'm not saying that the dealerships will take advantage of you....but as an example....my wife took her new Toyota Forerunner in for the "regularly scheduled 30K service" . I picked her up at the dealership where she dropped off the car, and she gave me her copy of the estimate.....which when I read it, I about had a coronary. They had all sorts of add-ons that just didn't make sense. Her estimate was around $450. I got out the factory book and turned to the back where they had all the maintenance schedules broken down by tasks required to maintain the warranty. When I got done crossing off non-essential service, the bill came down to $130 and the service manager admitted that the "extra stuff" was done as a "convenience" for the customer. Convenience? A $320 convenience? I don't think so.

I'm not saying your particular dealership would tack on those sorts of non-essential charges....but you have to realize that the dealerships make a lot of money off servicing vehicles....and many times the service manager is under the gun from the company execs to bring home the bacon....at your expense.

Make sure that what you're paying for is really something that is required to maintain your warranty....and so much of that is something you can do on your own....just keep the receipts in a vehicle file for the filters, plugs etc.

[pjslowik]

engine air filter is part of the oil change cost

so really he's looking at a $750 oil change.

and your serpentine belt was bad at 25,000 miles or that's what the dealer TOLD you? ;)

Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. But, you said you thought the 03 didn't need plugs for 60k miles, which was incorrect. And you didn't mention the filters. I only wanted to emphasize that the manual, or the posting suggested by Loren, should be checked for proper intervals. I never heard of an air filter being part of an oil change. If that's true, I might start paying for oil changes.

The belt was in poor shape. I saw it. The dealer replaced it along with the engine that was hanging on it.

[Chris_in_NH]

Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. But, you said you thought the 03 didn't need plugs for 60k miles, which was incorrect. And you didn't mention the filters. I only wanted to emphasize that the manual, or the posting suggested by Loren, should be checked for proper intervals. I never heard of an air filter being part of an oil change. If that's true, I might start paying for oil changes.

The belt was in poor shape. I saw it. The dealer replaced it along with the engine that was hanging on it.

you didn't upset me. i was just kidding around! i despise most dealers ('stealers'). ;)

i was mistaken on the 60K spark plug change. it must be the newer cars that go 60K with plugs. i also said that the 'major' components are the oil change and spark plugs. since the oil change includes the air filter and the oil filter, that was included in my 'oil change' category. the cabin filter is not really a requirement.

i suppose that some places may not include the air filter in their oil change, but i always do when i DIY. it's only a $15 part. might as well do it.

the bad engine in your car probably explains why the belt was in bad shape. you said it was replaced, right?

[daveclause]

My '03 Boxster has 32k miles, I called the dealer today to find out how much the 30k service cost and quoted me $975!! What do they do that costs so much? Can I do it myself or take it to an independant and have them do the work? Any ideas? Thanks

Get a Boxster manual and do ALL of your own maint. You can find any maint DIY on this site.....Have Fun! :renntech:

[fasterjames]

Went to an Independent. Paid $635 for a 60K service that included Oil and Filter Change, Poly Rib Belt Replacement, Cabin Filter Replacement, Air Filter Replacement, Wiper Replacement, Spark Plugs Replaced. Porsche of Orlando wanted $1,100 to do the same.

The price was OK for me because unfortunately I just don't have the time to do maintenance anymore.

[Orient Express]

I noticed that the 03 986 maintenance list has a replace spark plug item for the 30K maintenance. On the 996 the spark plug replacement interval is 60K miles. I wonder why there is a difference like that given the similarities of the 2 engines. Anyone got any ideas why?

[Loren]

I noticed that the 03 986 maintenance list has a replace spark plug item for the 30K maintenance. On the 996 the spark plug replacement interval is 60K miles. I wonder why there is a difference like that given the similarities of the 2 engines. Anyone got any ideas why?

My guess is that when the MY99 came out they were using different (2 prong electrode) plugs and have since updated to the 4 prong. Then they left it as it was so MY99 owners would still replace their plugs at 30,000 (which they should do if they are the 2 prong plugs).

Once you switch over to the 4 prong I see no problem with changing the interval to 60,000. All IMHO of course...