Service cost for IMS Retrofit & Clutch?

[Vinney52]

I just had the ims ,rms and clutch and flywheel replaced. Total bill of $3,700. 2001 Boxster S. 107,000 miles.

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by Vinney52

I just had the ims ,rms and clutch and flywheel replaced. Total bill of $3,700. 2001 Boxster S. 107,000 miles.

This is what the complete procedure should cost.. We charge 3,500 normally and 3,000 during our October and April IMSB Clinics.

We are seeing more and more shops compete for this business.. Its leading to the procedure being done too cheaply by the bottom feeder shops and then the corners get cut. We are having to deal with more and more mistakes being made during procedures because of this. Shops are not getting better at this procedurally, they are getting more and more complacent and too "comfortable" with the procedure, leading to mistakes.

When dealing with the lowest bidder you will get what you pay for.

Here is a good bit of detail about what the IMSBR process should include:
Intermediate Shaft Retro-fit Service

[Dr_P]

Hi All.
Am brand new to forum.
I recently took my 986-S model (2002) for its 30k service and my technician (retired Porsche Dealer mechanic from NY area) found some metal shavings (some, not a lot) along with one small bit of plastic and one small bit of metal in the oil (dropped lower sump pan).
I have/had read extensively on IMSB issues (here and elsewhere) and expected this at some point, but when I called the nearest dealer for a quotation, I was surprised to find they actually quoted a higher price for the LN Engineering retrofit than for a retrofit with authentic Porsche parts. Moreover, the warranty for LN is only 30-days (assuming it passes the pre-approval process), while Porsche offers 2-years and unlimited mileage. This just seemed odd to me, although a pleasant surprise. I see posts from Jack Raby, etc. everywhere, and numerous posts and links to Pelican Parts, Flat6innovations, etc., but almost nothing from anyone who has had a Porsche Authorized Dealer perform the work. Just curious if anyone has any thoughts/comments/information to share? Am I missing anything, or is this actually likely to be as good a deal as it sounds?
My local technician said everything else on my S-model looked beautiful (it's had regular oil changes every 3-4k miles since new, about once a year), and I wouldn't have known anything otherwise without his expertise (purrs like a kitten, runs like a beast), so I'm inclined to continue as planned, but just wanted to double-check my thinking, having seen nothing about Dealer servicing this item.
Thanks all,
- Dr. P

[Jake Raby]

Some of the most botched installs I have seen, and assisted with came from dealers. Remember, the dealer was the last group that started doing the IMSR processes.

Now, there is NO OEM Porsche IMS Bearing! This has NEVER existed, and the IMSB alone has NO PORSCHE PART NUMBER. The part number associated with the IMSB is for a complete new IMS assembly, fitted with a bearing. This requires complete engine disassembly to be fitted.


They do not carry out pre- qualifications, and very few techs have bothered training outside to get the real scope of what to do.

Why take your car to the place that maintained for over a decade that the IMSB wasn't something that could even be removed from the engine?

Care nothing about those warranties. Most of that is just marketing. The LN product is not heavily guaranteed; because we don't want people buying something only because of a piece of paper. Further, I know of 27 other modes of failure that will take your engine out, and many of those will impact the health of an IMSB.

We've carried out over 500 IMSR processes, certainly more than any facility in the country, and possibly the world. To date we've not had a single failure of any engine that was preventatively retrofitted. We were doing this first, before anyone, and I developed the processes. We apply those and a pre- qualification every single time. It looks like you are in NC, no reason not to send your car to the place where the IMSR was born, and the IMS Solution was invented. I have cars here from 27 states, it won't be alone :-)