Check out my new 986! And several questions...

[Geof3]

Originally Posted by ScottAZ

Interesting. I wonder why they’re saying otherwise and seemingly encouraging me to wait. I would hope it’s not so they get the larger job of doing it on its own when it fails.

Really should consider the flywheel as well. While you are there. Nothing worse than putting in a new clutch and having the flywheel fail down the road. Most of the labor is simply getting the trans out and back in, don’t want to do it twice if not needed.

Most likely they have a book that says 2 hours for the AOS...

[ScottAZ]

Originally Posted by Geof3

Really should consider the flywheel as well. While you are there. Nothing worse than putting in a new clutch and having the flywheel fail down the road. Most of the labor is simply getting the trans out and back in, don’t want to do it twice if not needed.

Most likely they have a book that says 2 hours for the AOS...

Thanks. It’s a Porsche shop so they should be well aware of where it’s at and what it takes. I just don’t get it. I’ll question them on the AOS again in the morning.

The flywheel is getting replaced. It brought the total up $800, but they said it failed some sort of deflection test and I was reluctant to have them put the old one back anyway.

I went it for $2800 in service (IMS, RMS, clutch) and have since added the water pump which showed signs of a coolant leaks, the clutch slave cylinder which was also leaking and the flywheel and I’m up to $4500. I think I’ll be keeping this car for a while!

[Cunningr]

Originally Posted by ScottAZ

Thanks. It’s a Porsche shop so they should be well aware of where it’s at and what it takes. I just don’t get it. I’ll question them on the AOS again in the morning.

The flywheel is getting replaced. It brought the total up $800, but they said it failed some sort of deflection test and I was reluctant to have them put the old one back anyway.

I went it for $2800 in service (IMS, RMS, clutch) and have since added the water pump which showed signs of a coolant leaks, the clutch slave cylinder which was also leaking and the flywheel and I’m up to $4500. I think I’ll be keeping this car for a while!

Adds up quick, but on the positive side is you know exactly what you have on those main failure or use items. My car the previous owner had the ims/rms work done but did not change the clutch. I use the same mechanic and he verified it really did not need replacement as the car only had less than 28K miles. I probably would have had it changed though anyway.

[ScottAZ]

The shop is adamant that the AOS is a two hour job, and will have to charge me as such, even with the trans out. I don't know how to prove them otherwise. I guess I won't be using them in the future.

[ScottAZ]

Originally Posted by lskolnick

With the transmission out, it takes maximum 15 minutes to do the AOS.

They say that the AOS is accessed from the top and they are working on the bottom and that it is an additional 2 hours, not 15 minutes. I'm not sure if they're right or if your estimate of 15 minutes is. How can it be confirmed? Thanks.

[garv214]

Originally Posted by ScottAZ

They say that the AOS is accessed from the top and they are working on the bottom and that it is an additional 2 hours, not 15 minutes. I'm not sure if they're right or if your estimate of 15 minutes is. How can it be confirmed? Thanks.

Have you tried calling another independent Porsche shop regarding the AOS? Maybe the place your are using is correct, but I suspect it would go a long way toward making you feel better if another shop could verify what they told you...

Hope that is helpful...

[MWS]

Originally Posted by ScottAZ

I asked the shop to add in the AOS to the work order and they’re claiming that it will add two hours of labor. There’s no way, right?

Regarding the "2 hour" time and quote...if your at a Porsche shop, I'm guessing you've been speaking to the "service advisor"; they only quote from lists that show how much time (and how much to bill) for an item, regardless of what is being done and what access might be granted that could shorten this amount of time...this is why it's called a "quote". If the list shows 2 hours, that's what they will tell you, if it takes the mechanic 15 minutes, that's what they *should* bill you. I say "should", because that's the difference between an honest shop and one that, well, is just seeing a way to make some extra money. For reference (and yes, I get a lot of grief for this), I have always had my service done at my dealership and I'm always given a bill that is much smaller than the quote...granted I also have 2 Audis that they also service, but I believe that they have always been fair to me and have never been over billed. Regarding the argument of dealership vs independent shop...it's dependent on what's available in your area; where I live, there are few places that I really feel comfortable having service done, and the couple of times I've had quotes from other places, the dealership was still the lowest...and the actual bill was far lower than the quote.

In your situation, I'm not sure how to advise you. You could speak with the "service manager", but I'm sure he would follow the same line as the "service advisor". Perhaps go ahead and have the AOS done, and if they bill you for the 2 hours, well, you know that they are billing the maximum...if the bill is less, then perhaps you have found a shop you can trust. IMHO, finding a shop you trust is just about the most valuable relationship you can make....and for what it's worth, the dealership I've been using for service I've been going to for 25 years, but I've never bought a car from them as the sales side I've found to be overpriced and unflexabe. The shop knows all my cars are from other dealers, but still treats me like family...sometime they joke about if I would like to change my plate holder (which shows another dealer), and I'll tell them that if you have a plate frame that reads "serviced by", and we have a good laugh.

Anyway, sorry for the long response.

[Todd Mac]

$4,500 all in for those items sounds pretty good. A local shop here was $3,000 for the RMS and IMS (LN) and another $1,800 for the clutch without replacing the flywheel and that didn't include the water pump or AOS like you are having done.

[Luckyman01]

The condition of the flywheel may dictate a flywheel. Be prepared to see what you have once its out

[ScottAZ]

Originally Posted by MWS

Regarding the "2 hour" time and quote...if your at a Porsche shop, I'm guessing you've been speaking to the "service advisor"; they only quote from lists that show how much time (and how much to bill) for an item, regardless of what is being done and what access might be granted that could shorten this amount of time...this is why it's called a "quote". If the list shows 2 hours, that's what they will tell you, if it takes the mechanic 15 minutes, that's what they *should* bill you. I say "should", because that's the difference between an honest shop and one that, well, is just seeing a way to make some extra money. For reference (and yes, I get a lot of grief for this), I have always had my service done at my dealership and I'm always given a bill that is much smaller than the quote...granted I also have 2 Audis that they also service, but I believe that they have always been fair to me and have never been over billed. Regarding the argument of dealership vs independent shop...it's dependent on what's available in your area; where I live, there are few places that I really feel comfortable having service done, and the couple of times I've had quotes from other places, the dealership was still the lowest...and the actual bill was far lower than the quote.

In your situation, I'm not sure how to advise you. You could speak with the "service manager", but I'm sure he would follow the same line as the "service advisor". Perhaps go ahead and have the AOS done, and if they bill you for the 2 hours, well, you know that they are billing the maximum...if the bill is less, then perhaps you have found a shop you can trust. IMHO, finding a shop you trust is just about the most valuable relationship you can make....and for what it's worth, the dealership I've been using for service I've been going to for 25 years, but I've never bought a car from them as the sales side I've found to be overpriced and unflexabe. The shop knows all my cars are from other dealers, but still treats me like family...sometime they joke about if I would like to change my plate holder (which shows another dealer), and I'll tell them that if you have a plate frame that reads "serviced by", and we have a good laugh.

Anyway, sorry for the long response.

This is great advice and unfortunately, the service adviser is the owner's wife. I challenged her on the 2 hour quote several times and she is insistent on there only being a 15 minute savings by having the trans out of the way. Oh well.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by ScottAZ

This is great advice and unfortunately, the service adviser is the owner's wife. I challenged her on the 2 hour quote several times and she is insistent on there only being a 15 minute savings by having the trans out of the way. Oh well.

That is B.S. if it is being exchanged before the other one fails, major access difference! No reason to change it I would cancel the AOS replacement