Pros & Cons of Factory Service

[Flint]

Hi all, I have a 2006 997 —it's out of warranty and I'm wondering what the ramifications on resale are if I don't have Porsche do my service. They stamp the book etc .... and I'm wondering what everyone's opinion on this might be. I can change my own oil, I got a grease gun, in fact I have a garage full of tools and a bunch of know how .... but it's that factory service stamp ... if and when I sell the car ... if I keep it for the long haul I think it doesn't matter too much, but if I sell or trade up in a year or two .... you guys get the picture ...

Thoughts?

[Jay H]

Good service history is always a plus when selling a car, even non Porsche vehicles. It certainly won't hurt to have a water tight dealer service history for the car, but it's very expensive to pay for all the stuff that an aging sports car needs at the dealership. As the car ages, I think the dealer service history won't be as vital as just proving that oil changes and other fluid flushes were done on a timely manner by yourself or a qualified shop. Any RMS/IMS issues should be well documented however due to how much attention these areas get by used car buyers that have done some research.

At this point in time, the dealer service history is not on file with a master database that any Porsche dealership can pull up, so the dealer service history is only as good as your records unless you trade in your car where you have had all the work done.

If you can DIY, then save the cash and DIY. Document it well and to many purchasers of a used 911, talking with a competant owner who serviced his/her car themselves goes a long way to establishing how the car was cared for. Any dealership that you try to trade the car in at will start low on their offer anyway regardless of how much dealer service history your car has. You can always use that history as a negotiating point, but it won't add massive value. The money you save by doing it yourself will far outweight any value gained by having all the service work done at a dealership.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Jay H

[phillipj]

Completely agree with Jay.. If a prospective Porsche buyer sees that you have done your own service (and he or she is knowedgable) there are no issues. Going to the dealer for service is pointless unless you have a great relationshhip with your dealer. Some will even match Indie prices in order to have the work go through their dealership. Most gouge... $260 for an oil change.. Please... :cursing:

The most important thing is that the service was done as per Porsches schedule and done with approved parts and lubricants (and documented of course.)

All the best..

[Flint]

Thanks very much gentlemen —I value your comments and agree with them.

Cheers.

[ledd4u]

Also, do what I did ask your parts guy or service person to pull up the warranty history . That one is in the national database. It will tell you all that was reported that failed and give you an idea. It will give you details that will allow you to construct a service history.

[Flint]

That is a very good idea. I'll ask my guy.

[USMC_DS1]

I do my own maintenance for the most part. For example, oil change every 3k miles or 5-6 months... whichever is 1st. I'll have the dealer perform maintenance like the oil changed based on the standard Porsche maintenance schedule... at 24k and 60k miles just to have them inspect for anything I may have missed during my own maintenance jobs. It also helps with prospective p-car owners to show them dealer service records. For those who are really OCD about maintenance I'll share the frequent and numerous service items I've taken care off above and beyond the standard Porsche schedule such as spark plugs, air filter, coils, brake flush, engine coolant flush, etc.