Dealer vs Jiffy Lube
 

Hey Guys,

My 01 Boxster is up for the 30k service interval. I read a few posts on here and noticed that the dealer changes Oil and spark plugs and charges $900 for that.

I had my plugs replaced last year, (it was pouring and they went bust). The car probably had 25-26k on it then, so I am thinking I can avoid the plug change.

I just bought a Porsche Oil filter from suncoastmotors (for $15) and was planning to get an oil change from Jiffy Lube or something like that. Is that alright? Has anyone done that?

So, if I do that, I cut down on 1) Oil change 2) Spark Plugs. What else is done on this service?

I have to take my car in anyway, the driver's side door is making a rattling noise, its under the Porsche Extended warranty so I am not too worried about that.

Thank you
Khurram Zaveri

If you go to Jiffy-Lube you will have to bring your own Mobile1. Just ask them not to charge you for the 4-5 quarts they usually charge, and just charge for the labor.

Thanks Pete,

I just decided against it, I just remembered a guy who had oil changed on his BMW 530i 2 yrs ago from Pep Boys. His engine seized the next day and he was screwed.

I'll just go to the dealer to get the oil changed, it comes out to the same price (considering we have to change oil wvery 15k miles)

Is there anything else thats done at the 30k service interval?

Thanks
Khurram Zaveri

A whole bunch of checking this and that. If you have the Maintenance Manual for your car, it will specify what gets looked at during each maintenance. In the case of my '99, there is a list of 25 separate checks that are performed at the 30k service.
Some folks think this is a ripoff, others (me, for one) think that they are earning their money (probably around $90 an hour shop labor rate) if they actually do the checks they are supposed to do.
Expensive, but then nobody (should have) said owning a Porsche was going to be cheap.

The maintenance check list is here. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?act=maint&code=maint_menu The Boxster is the same as a 996.

We filmed the 30k service on a Boxster and 996 for the DVD set if you are interested in doing it yourself.

On your year the plugs are good for 60k miles.

I would not have the oil in my Lawn Mower changed at JL. I do have a local guy who does my oil changes for me AS I WATCH.

I buy the filter at my local dealer and the Mobil 1 at Wally World or Pep Boys.

Lately, I have been using Shell Fully Syn Rotella 5-40. At WW, it costs about $3.25 per qt.

Ditto on the plug info, 60 K for 01 and up.

Good luck.





QUOTE=Tool Pants]The maintenance check list is here. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?act=maint&code=maint_menu The Boxster is the same as a 996.

We filmed the 30k service on a Boxster and 996 for the DVD set if you are interested in doing it yourself.

On your year the plugs are good for 60k miles.[/QUOTE]

An oil change is not rocket science. Personally, I live 1.5 hours from the dealer and I either change it myself or take the filter to a shop that uses mobile one and spend a whole lot less. The only thing they can mess up is either not putting the filter on or not puting the oil in. Personally I check the level before I leave as a precaution. If I lived closer to a dealer I might be inclined to have it done there instead, but probably not for something as easy as an oil change.

[QUOTE=porscheguy05]An oil change is not rocket science. Personally, I live 1.5 hours from the dealer QUOTE]

As I was reading this thread I was thinking the same thing. I change my oil every year or 5k miles and live 2 hours from my dealer. I wouldn't take my car to have the dealer change the oil if they lived on the same block as me though. Oil changes aren't hard to do people. I am not mechanically inclined at all and if I can do it anyone can. I actually enjoy it. I learn more about my car and how it works. I don't think anyone is so busy they can't take 45 min to change their own stuff. Perhaps some of you guys just have too much money and wanna support your local dealer or somethng. I don't care what Porsche says either, 15k intervals isn't a good idea even if you drive like Ms. Daisy. Maybe someone can give me a viable reason on why they can't change their own oil..I'd love to hear from ya.

TOOLPANTS, BRUCELEE...

you guys mention that plugs for an '01 boxster lasts 60K miles??

WHat about a 99 boxster.....??

Also after you get the spark plugs changed, how long do they last?


thanks

Adam wrote: "Maybe someone can give me a viable reason on why they can't change their own oil..I'd love to hear from ya."
OK, Adam, here ya go:

Let's pretend ... that the year is 2015, and instead of owning a Boxster, you are looking for one to buy, let's say a 2000 S. The car is by now 15 years old. You are presented with decision of choosing between two of them, both your favorite color, similarly equipped, similar mileage, similar condition, similar price. You drive the cars, and both appear to run satisfactorily.
You ask to examine the maintenance records for car A. The owner shows you a few receipts from the local NAPA store for quantities of oil, and maybe a filter or two. Other than that, there are no maintenance records to speak of. The owner says he changed the oil himself (it's not rocket science, after all), and didn't document when he did it, nor keep the receipts.
You ask to examine the maintenance records for car B, and the owner shows you the Maintenance Manual, with each scheduled maintenance stamped by the dealer for the first several years, and by a Porsche specialist shop after that. In addition the owner has the invoices for all service performed on the car since new, including all oil changes, also performed by either the dealer or the specialist shop.
OK, which car do you buy?

This is not just some far-fetched, hypothetical scenario. It happens ALL THE TIME in private party purchases of used Porsches. Why? Because buying a shoddily maintained Porsche can be dangerous to your financial, and spiritual, health. To some extent the risk can be minimized by thorough inspection, but a fully documented maintenance history is a big plus for both the seller and the buyer.

On the 1999, the Porsche folks say 30K on a set of plugs. I agree with them.

2001, it goes to 60K.

The middle ground is to buy your own oil and filter and pay a reputable (read, you can watch them) shop to change it. That also takes care of the waste oil, which saves you a sep trip to a station to dispose of.

I pay $15 labor for this service, which is worth it to me as I would be changing oil on four cars a month.

And of course, keep all the receipts.

If you go to Jiffy Screw make sure they fully drain the the car. It can take a while to get every last drop out. So if they are done in 20 minutes, something isn't right.
Some have been known to leave it over night to drip dry.

Rapid Ruin
 

My son-in-law used to manage a group of quick-change (insert any name) type franchises. He would regale me with horror stories of customer's cars being screwed up by his dimwit employees. (Oil not refilled, drain plugs and filters cross-threaded, morons reaching through window to turn on ignition switch with standard tranny in gear and running into wall, etc. etc.) They had a full time mechanic at an independent garage just to replace engines and transmissions that they had ruined. Consequently, I would rather you hock your TV to pay for a dealer to do it; or do it yourself.

I see your point Ronzi but even though I don't have the "offical" dealer stamp I note the mileage and date in my owners manual which should satisfy most people I would hope. The point is moot anyway though because I will keep my car until I'm dead and buried unless it gets totaled first. I shuddered when I read Bushwacker's stories but I'm not suprised. I like to work on my car myself if I can because no one loves my car more than I do. I know I will take the extra special care and attention it deserves that may or may not happen at other places. I'm sure most of the mechanics are competent at the Porsche Dealership, but like Bruce said, I wanna see them do the work for my peace of mind and an oppurtunity too learn more. I'm debating right now if I should take the car in for my 15k service or just do it myself. I've already changed the air-filter and oil which basically just leaves the pollen filter change. It says they do a couple other things in the manual but I can't remember anything big at all. Anything I need to watch out for or keep in mind while doing a 15k service?

I think the IQ test at Jiffy Screw must be somewhere around 70!

:p

Can warranty be refused if we do the work ourselves on a lets say 15K or 30K maintenance? I would think it would be easy for them to tell if the plugs were changed and such.

My 30K maintenance is still many months away, but I know it costs a lot, and is basically oil, plugs, and air filter, with many checks. I was thinking of doing the plugs, filter and oil and having the dealer finish up by inspecting everything. This should keep costs down...

What do you guys think?

Mike

I would ask dealer what they think re:warranty. I do know that having the dealer on your side when a warranty issue comes up can help.

down here we have Mobil 1 stations that only do things like oil changes, radiator flushes, etc.
I wouldn't trust them with my Boxster either.
My extended warranty demmands that maintenance work be done ASE certified mechanics. Which unimpressively probably covers most quick change places.

Did I mention the Boxster oil change can't be a quick change?

What do you mean by it can't be a quick change. It doesn't take any longer than anything else I've done but it definately takes more oil!

The time is not the issue. If your Boxster is nice and warm, the oil will drain fairly quickly.

The issue with Jiffy Screw is that they are down there and you are not!

I can just imagine Judge Judy cackling hysterically when presented with a maintenance history filled out by the owner.
If I were presented with a Maintenance Manual with the service entries filled out by the owner, my response would be "Yeah, right." It would be, in my opinion, virtually worthless in terms of certifying a maintenance history. Maybe better than no history, but maybe not.
Is it better to be faced with buying a Porsche with no maintenance history, or is it better to buy one that has been maintained by a certifiably untrained amateur?
I don't mean to impugn anyone's integrity or abilities, I'm just pointing out that at some time in the future we are all going to pass our Boxster on to the next owner, and that next owner, if he has any brains in his head, will use the maintenance history as an important element in his decision to buy or not to buy.

I understand your point, but I have no intentions of ever selling my boxster so self-maintence when possible makes more sense for me.

A couple years ago I took my Honda to a Jiffy Lube and a few days later I noticed some leak spots on the garage. Took it to the dealer and they saw that the drain plug was stripped and plugged back in crooked.

A friend recommended that I get changes at a 76 service station, he seemed to have some rationale for them being better qualified. Regardless, I'm doing delar oil changes from here on. (Also I live in a condo and shared garage so I can't work on it).

As for the Porsche recommended 15k mi oil change - whats wrong with that? Doesn't the manufacturer know their cars? It seems to me that this is a design specification that the engineering team worked to. Also this is a closed system with a dry sump. Also we are using synthetic (non-decomposing) oil. It makes sense to me. I don't mean to be argumentative, I am just wondering whats the rationale for these frequent changes.

Maybe changing every 7500 mi would give peace of mind, but I wonder if anyone has an engineering argument for more frequent changes. In terms of saving money, too, you can spare an expense if you don't change unneccessarily often.

Ronzi, the Judge Judy comment was mint.

I've taken my Boxster to Newport Beach Porsche in California for its last two oil changes. While they were very good with the service, and after my insistence, did allow me to watch-- at $200 for an oil change, it no longer makes sense. I took it to them for the 60k mile service, but that is one of the most important services and I forked out the $1300 to make sure it was done right.
However, as a 22-yr-old army lieutenant, such service can put a hurt on my wallet- especially here in Germany where parts and pretty much everything else are ridiculously expensive. No need to dip into the buns fund when a simple afternoon can save me some cash. $200 is a weekend in eastern Europe. It's true an oil change isn't rocket science and I've seen sites that walk you through it if you need the know-how--this one is Boxster-specific-- http://www.986faq.com/7-0/default.asp#008

I take care of the simple stuff myself and leave the real work to the pros.

"As for the Porsche recommended 15k mi oil change - whats wrong with that? Doesn't the manufacturer know their cars? It seems to me that this is a design specification that the engineering team worked to. Also this is a closed system with a dry sump. Also we are using synthetic (non-decomposing) oil. It makes sense to me. I don't mean to be argumentative, I am just wondering whats the rationale for these frequent changes."

First of all, the rec is 15K or one year, whichever comes first. Many Boxes don't get this many miles in a year, so the drain interval in miles is usually less than 15K.

Secondly, Porsche recommends an oil filter every OTHER change, which is exactly opposite to what most oil engineers would tell you. In fact, where truck fleets use synthetic oil and change at 25K miles, many actually change the filter at 12.5K miles, as recomended by AMSOIL.

Lastly, keep in mind that Porsche is at cross purposes to some degree here. They get a lot of flack for service costs as it is and so scheduling them out to 15K gets them off the hook to a certain degree. So does the fact that if your motor craters after warranty, well, that is your problem, not theirs.

All in all, I tell my customers to go every 7500 miles with filter included. When you do the oil change the way I do, the cost is pretty cheap, esp as compared to say a $12K engine replacement.

I agree. As far as changing my oil every 5k miles, that is a full year worth of driving for me so I don't think that is excessive. When I can change the oil and filter for only $75 instead of 200 this seems like cheap insurance on ensuring engine longitivity. I think it would be absurd to change my oil only once every 3yrs.

Adam, for your situation, what you say makes sense. I have only put 8k miles on my boxster in the last year, but that includes a roundtrip from CA to Okla. So I too don't put many miles on the car. Fortunately, I have a '91 BMW 520i that takes the brunt of my driving. Drove the damn thing from Bavaria through Poland, all the way to Ukraine and back in a weekend. Nevertheless, why pay a couple hundred dollars or even worse- euros, when that money's better spent on a hotel in Prague. I'm just saying everyone's situation is different, depending on how often you drive the car, how much $ you're willing to give away, and how mechanically inclined you are.

As for the guys that change the oil every 5k miles, I think it's absurd. It won't hurt your car, but it's unnecessary. Porsche gives its guidelines for a reason. As a corporation that has a reputation built on quality, the last thing they want is a bad rep for people's engines giving out, all in an elaborate marketing scheme because they're worried that people won't buy Porsches because of the maintenace cost. First off, new Porsche buyers spending $55,000 on a Boxster or $90,000 on a Carrera are not the type of people to fret the $200 every 15k miles. The only people that think about those things are guys like me who buy the used Porsche, from whom Porsche doesn't get a dime, because I bought the car from someone else. In that case it would be in Porsche's interest to actually say that the oil needs to be changed more frequently, because they would only be making money off of us used car guys in the maintenance and oil changes.

Porsche's not swindling us, they know their cars. The thing's solid. You get what you pay for.

I know! I just read that last week or so. A filter change every 30k miles!! Crazy Germans have lost their minds. lol

I agree with MCR. Besides, Porsche is not the only car that suggests 15k oil changes -- there are many others. And most of those don't take 9 quarts of oil -- the more oil the car has, the longer the oil itself will last.

If Ford or Chevy can engineer a car to go 7.5k between changes, who's to say that a Porsche that costs 3 times as much and uses twice as much oil can't go 15k between changes?

"As a corporation that has a reputation built on quality, the last thing they want is a bad rep for people's engines giving out, all in an elaborate marketing scheme because they're worried that people won't buy Porsches because of the maintenace cost. "

You would think that wouldn't you. Yet is has been acknowledged as true by BMW and the accusation has been lodged at Porsche for some time. The fact is that these companies ARE sensative to complaints of $900 service bills and have been stretching the oil change intervals as a response. This has been reported in Panorama and Rondell.

"First off, new Porsche buyers spending $55,000 on a Boxster or $90,000 on a Carrera are not the type of people to fret the $200 every 15k miles. "

Well, it is not $200 every 15 K but much more. When you are into a 911 the TOTAL bill can easily be $1200 for a 60K service. No everyone frets but enough folks do. If you don't believe me, stand around the cashier's area at check out time at Porsche. Grab some coffee and listen.





"The only people that think about those things are guys like me who buy the used Porsche, from whom Porsche doesn't get a dime, because I bought the car from someone else. In that case it would be in Porsche's interest to actually say that the oil needs to be changed more frequently, because they would only be making money off of us used car guys in the maintenance and oil changes."

Actually, Porsche has been trying for years to get us away from the Dieter's of the world and back into their service shops. It is not the oil change they want, but the other more expensive stuff.

Moreover, by specifiying 15K oil changes to go with the other services, they are more likely to keep us in the fold.

I am not making them wrong, simply saying that they have a maint. strategy and I simply do not agree with the way the oil change fits into that.

Not a really big issue anyway for as I have said, for many folks, the one year req. actually works out to 7500 miles anyway.



"Porsche's not swindling us, they know their cars. The thing's solid. You get what you pay for."

Porsche makes a fine car and that does not mean that they are always giving us what is totally best for us. They have to balance their interests with ours. Our interests are our job. I think trying to save $60 on an "extra" oil change when you are gambling with a $12K engine is a bit foolhardy but that is just how I see it.
:dance:

Well said.

[QUOTE=Brucelee]"
Well, it is not $200 every 15 K but much more. When you are into a 911 the TOTAL bill can easily be $1200 for a 60K service. [QUOTE]

Although I am new here and dont own a boxster (yet), $1200 for a 60k service on a porsche sounds pretty decent to me. Right now i drive a '99 Impreza RS, and I paid $900 for my 60k service at subaru and my car is maybe 1/8 of the price of a 911. I had no idea the boxster's took 9 qts of oil. :eek: