Reality Check: Is this IMS / RMS estimate appropriate?
 

I requested an estimate from a local indy to replace my IMS and RMS. His estimate for an LN Engineering single row Pro Bearing IMS Retrofit was $2619.64 and with the LN Single Row Permanent solution is $3756.56.

He has done 6 of these and he has only seen 4 failed IMS bearings in his 15 years in business.

Do you think this is a reasonable estimate and would you do it? I feel compelled to take care and preserve my 2004 Anniversary edition w/54k since there are a limited amount on the road. I do sort of feel there is an irrational hysteria on replacing these IMS. That is the feeling this Indy had as well.

Does that include the clutch? I assume the flywheel would be extra if required.

It's a Tiptronic, so he's charging a bit more for the automatic trans.

I'm no IMS expert, but isn't the 04 dual row? Can that be replaced with a single row?

I looked at an old posting from Jake and he was charging the same for a TIP and a manual figuring the extra work for the TIP offset the cost of the flywheel and clutch parts.

Putting in The Solution involves a clean room approach, some drilling etc that the simpler ball bearing kits from LN don't need. And the cost difference in the kit parts says the delta between your mechanics price for the two kits seems to me to make sense. If you go the ball bearing route the Pro means you now have two rows of bearings working for you.

There are two indies in my area that are LN "Preferred Installers" that will do an IMS retrofit (not The Solution) for $1850.

The 2004 is a single row, second generation design.

There is a LN dual row IMS Retrofit Pro that can replace the single row and should be good for 50k miles plus. It requires a newer set of tools called the Faultless Tool Kit part number 106-08.22.

LN calls it the Single Row Pro. Confusing name but it is a LN dual row bearing that replaces the factory single row OEM unit. And the MSRP of that part is $799.

An 04 would be a single row engine.

Wow, that's 50% of my quote. Really diverse ends of the spectrum.

It should really be called a "Staggered" 2 row because otherwise people get confused .The "2nd Gen" terminology is lost on anyone but an IMSB nerd. Both are great products imho.

Be circumspect about large variations in pricing on retrofits. The only real way to compare quotes is to get fully itemized quotes. You need to know what is included and what isn't for each before any realistic comparisons are possible. We charge more for Tip equipped cars simply because they take longer, and while the Tip is out, it is also the perfect time to service it because you can remove the torque converter and drain it fully, something you cannot do with it in the car. We also always include a new AOS, simply because it is out in the open and easy to swap while you are in there.

Get more information........

What JFP said, a full itemized quote is how to compare.

When I got mine done, I only looked for ball park pricing but I was more concerned about the reputation of the indy I was going to go to. Saving a few hundreds bucks wasn't worth the comfort I had with giving my car for someone to pull apart.

I got mine done this winter, RMS/IMS/Clutch, oil change, and all the CV boots replaced , $3000 with tax

Hey Frank - I'm in NJ also, where did you get the work done? Please PM me if posting is not appropriate.

Thanks,

Jim

Had an Indy give me a quote for my 2003 Tip Boxster S and it was a bit over $4k for the permanent solution, but that was a while back. They may have come down a bit in price since then. So to me the estimate looks right in line and yes he said the Tip trans required a bit more in labor and parts cost. They have to drain and refill your coolant system and I assume they would be putting new coolant in the car.

Jim, I'm in NJ too and had mine done at Power Tech in Rockaway. I've been going to them since I stopped going to dealers for all my work. They may be a bit further than you want to travel but they do great work, only work on Porsches and are straight shooters.

I had a well regarded Porsche shop in CT do the work on my 2001 986 S. They use LN Engineering and installed a dual row in my car. The quote was $1250. I did the RMS, Flywheel, Clutch, the updated IMS bearing, 4 wheel alignment, and obviously fresh oil. It was a hit at $4200 out the door but doubt I'll need to ever do it again since I only put 3-4k miles a year. The piece of mind was a big part of it but the clutch was on the way out.

You could be right, but back in the mid 2000s when people were paying 15-20k for a rebuilt engine at the dealer, this was a no brainer. Porsche was not even thinking about a resolution until the after market, L&N then others provided a fix. Jake was working on his permanent solution years before the first bearing replacement came out. i'm sure he did that as a stop gap until he could perfect the permanent fix and I am grateful he did. I have never had a failure on any of the 3 cars I've had, but I know and listened to enough People who experienced a catastrophic failure that I was more than happy to spend the money. At the time, M96 cars were certainly Worth more than today, but you Can't really find a porsche any more reliable than an M96 E/W the permanent solution. If I didnt already have two, I would buy one and pay the 4 grand for peace of mind. The car would still come in way less than any other Porsche you can buy with more than 4 Cylinders. IMO of course. If only the headlights were round : - )


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quick Update. I received my vehicle Saturday. I had it done by another INDY who I felt more comfortable with. To drop the engine & Trans, replace the IMS with the L&N Retro, RMS, and AOS, new Oil filter and Oil he charged $2,200.00. I'm thrilled with the Indy and the result. He also checked some other systems on the car like the motor mounts and CV boots. I'm pretty thrilled with the work.

To get a decent ballpark, go online and add up the prices of the parts. Add 10 or so hours at local labor rates. And voila, you'll be reasonably close