Fleeced! (?)

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Not an inexpensive, low-maintenance car to keep long-term.

My car is a '01S. 58k miles. I am the third owner and have had the car for 5+ years.

I did a PPI before I bought the car. It told me exactly what I needed and the condition of every part. Cost me $2k to get the car in shape but the car had 42k miles on it and I knew it needed a 45k service and probably brakes so I factored all that into the offering price. When the PPI came back and confirmed all that, I bought the car, added fluids and an alignment to the service to be performed and told them do the 60k service so I'd know where I stood from a preventative maintenance standpoint.

Since then I've averaged about a service incident a year. 3 were for seat belts or airbag lights until they got it right. One was an O2 sensor. One a air leak. One a shifter linkage sensor needed a spray of electronic cleaner. Of those 6, I've gone to the dealer for 4, done one at a local muffler shop, one at an indie. Of those 6, I paid something for only 3!

I also have an '01 Acura and a '02 Honda CRV of about the same mileage. Of the 3 cars, the Porsche has had fewer problems, been cheaper to own/drive/maintain, cost less for the equivalent part (!), and got better mileage. Never left me stranded.

Yes cheaper even though I give it upgrades like PS2 tires and Optima batteries that I don't give the other cars (they do get the best Michelins too but theirs are $400 cheaper).

I do some of my own work, get some done at cheap mechanics or oil change places where I'm essentially paying for the lift time. I buy my parts online and use OEM parts wherever I can (in all the cars that is true) as opposed to Acura/Honda/Porsche labeled parts that are really the same part...just marked up.

My '99 Boxster (totaled after about 5 months) was flawless and cost me no $ over the 5 months beyond the mods I took off after I totaled it.

Are these experiences representative..probably not. I got lucky, do preventative maintenance and pay attention to what my cars tell me. I have a modest set of tools.

My today projects were a last ride before the winter put-away in the Boxster, then clean and condition its leather. For the Acura, I read its codes (none) so I'd know what I was expecting when I visited the dealer next week for it's "maint required" visit.

Just as my experience is a small sample, so Randall's was/is too. My experience/costs could change tomorrow. I hope his does too but for the better.

I'm just one of the few that posts positive experiences.