Price of 40,000 mile service

[Wrexial]

Originally Posted by PaulE

I don’t know what’s in the 987 40k major service, but you said there’s a list of things you can’t do yourself. If you’re getting an oil and filter change, an air filter and spark plugs, a brake fluid flush and a comprehensive inspection I don’t think the price is unreasonable based on the cost of those parts and a reasonable hourly labor rate.

I don't see anything about brake fluid or spark plugs in the 40k service items list. Looks like I'm overpaying for the service. Oh well... live and learn. Thanks for your reply.

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by Wrexial

I don't see anything about brake fluid or spark plugs in the 40k service items list. Looks like I'm overpaying for the service. Oh well... live and learn. Thanks for your reply.

When I look at these maintenance lists in owners manuals there is always a lot of "inspecting." Things like latches, hinges, handbrake function, lights, air pressure, etc are easy enough. But if you don't have a lift, checking wheel bearings, CV joints and boots, brake pad thickness, brake rotors, plugs and coilpacks is a pain. And if you don't have a good scanner, checking for codes is another thing you can't do. If you just got this car and don't know the service history, a good overall inspection of the car is in order, to know what needs to be done and to have peace of mind. Since the car is now 14 years old, the 40,000 mile service list is one thing but there are things to look at just due to age and not mileage. The labor rate at my independent shop in NJ is now $125/hour, but they do great work and I trust them. You should find a good local independent shop and once you're comfortable with them, stick with them for anything you can't or don't want to do yourself.

[paulofto]

Up until I purchased my 2003 S in 2014 I hadn't really done any DIY on any of my vehicles since I owned my 1978 Fiat X 1/9 which I sold in 1985. I did all the work on that car including clutch, brakes, induction, exhaust etc. It was an amazingly easy vehicle to work on and being in my late 20's to early 30's I was flexible enough to do the work.

Flash forward to 2014. I just turned 60 and bought myself my retirement gift, an '03 S. Other than having the IMS, clutch, fly wheel and RMS done by a local indie, I have found that this is a great vehicle to DIY. I have done brakes (SS lines, pads & fluid), spark plugs, manual transmission oil, coolant flush, radiator replacement, MAF cleaning, throttle body cleaning, accessory belt, A/C expansion valve, oil and filter change, new battery, sway bar bushings and all four trunk supports all on my own with a high rise lift, some specialized tools and basic tools.

My advise is don't let the mid engine placement deter you from doing much of the routine maintenance or some more complex work yourself. Parts can be expensive but shop around on the net and on this forum for deals. Woody (itsnotanova) is a great source for used parts and places like Rock Auto have a great cross section of specific parts on hand. And you would be surprised at how reasonable some items can be from the Porsche dealers themselves.

Sorry for the long winded diatribe but for me part of the joy of owning a sports car is the satisfaction of really getting to know your car and the best way to do that is doing the maintenance yourself.

have fun driving and working on your Boxster

[paulofto]

And one other thing (there is always one more thing) get a '101 Projects For Your Boxster' manual and also a Bentley manual if you can. These are more aimed at 986 models but many subjects pertain to the 987 as well. I have found both invaluable in tackling DIY on my car.

[kk2002s]

Well just an oil change at a dealer is $200+ (Not sure what a inde would be)
It would be nice to know what items a 40k service includes. Would give us a better perspective as to the fairness of the cost.

Keep in minds (If you already didn't get the vibe) that most here tend to DIY most of the maintenance stuff. It's the only way I can afford the car. Also lets me justify buying more tools

For reference, that $200+ dealer oil change, DIY = $65+ with about 1 to 1-1/2 hours worth of work (30-45 mins of that is getting the car up in the air).