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NINEAUTO Porsche Service

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Tel: 03 9090 7522
Tel: 0407 325 878
19 Wannan Street
Highett 3190
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Macan – Servicing Costs Compared

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Around Melbourne’s Bayside suburbs the sporty Macan is becoming increasingly popular, with its stylish compact body, highly responsive 7 speed gear box and dog friendly interior, it’s outselling the Cayenne by almost 3 to 1. With Porsche SUV now accounting for over 70% of new Porsche car sales. In fact, the latest Porsche Australia new car sales figures show the Macan as the most popular model in the Porsche stable, outselling the iconic 911 by more than 5 to 1!

In an effort to save money, we are starting to see Macan owners opting for service work and non-warranty items to be undertaken by Independent Porsche Specialist rather than the Porsche Dealerships. With experienced Independents offering a substantially lower hourly labour rate, and access to both genuine and/or cheaper non genuine parts where appropriate, the savings can be significant.

Although not common knowledge, you are able to take your car to an independent mechanic and still maintain your warranty, but conditions do apply. (This Consumer Affairs Victoria link highlights the key stipulations if you choose to go Independent.) It can be difficult to compare service costs between Dealerships and Independents as many of the web advertised Dealership Service Pricing excludes parts and doesn’t clearly state the items included. The best way to compare service costs is to get a detailed quote for whichever service  is due, and ensure that it includes both labour and parts. That way you’ll avoid any nasty surprises and be able to make a more informed decision when comparing your servicing options.

OEM Parts – a great alternative to genuine Porsche Parts

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At NINEAUTO we use both OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and genuine Porsche parts. A part can be described as genuine if it is supplied directly through the Porsche network. Genuine Porsche parts will always come in Porsche packaging and be labelled with the relevant Porsche part number. Normally these parts will be identical to the ones supplied when your Porsche was built. However, sometimes Porsche do choose to supersede a genuine part, but these updated versions are often simply a colour or material change to help Porsche consolidate their parts portfolio.

It may surprise many people that most Porsche parts are not manufactured directly by Porsche and are instead contracted out to specialist suppliers. These third-party parts manufacturers supply these parts to Porsche, who use them in vehicle assembly and vehicle servicing. Many parts can be sourced directly from the ‘Original Equipment Manufacturer’ and are often referred to in the trade as OEM parts. For example, Porsche use brakes supplied by Pagid making them the OEM supplier of the part. So in this instance, you could choose to purchase brakes directly from a Pagid supplier or go through the Porsche network. Likewise, you could source an OEM battery from Bosch or OEM Clutch Discs from Sachs rather than sourcing via Porsche. Whilst OEM parts don’t have Porsche packaging and don’t always display Porsche part numbers they are often mechanically the same and therefore a savvy choice. In many cases OEM parts are often the cheaper and more convenient option to genuine Porsche parts. However, there are some parts that are exclusively supplied by Porsche and there isn’t any OEM equivalent available. Often these exclusive Porsche parts are held in stock in Germany and can take 2 weeks to arrive!

Where it makes sense, we tend to use the cheaper OEM parts sourced directly from the original manufacturer rather than going through the Porsche distribution network. If the OEM parts are visually different and will be on display, we may sometimes opt for a genuine Porsche part depending on the desired look and car requirements.

A wide range of OEM parts are available for the majorty of Porsches and can deliver significant savings to your servicing and maintenance costs. In the past sourcing OEM parts for Cayenne and Macan’s was challenging. However, as these vehicles have increased in popularity, the range of OEM parts available in the market has also grown.

Porsche Bump Stops – Small but Mighty

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These small rubber cones are probably up there with brakes and wiper blades as one of the most commonly replaced parts on a Porsche. Judging by appearance, the humble bump stop looks like a very basic part, however the role it plays in protecting your suspension and improving your ride is significant. Without bump stops, or with torn bump stops, if your wheel hits a bump your suspension can bottom out putting expensive suspension parts at risk of damage. Essentially a healthy bump stop is your last line of defence in protecting your suspension components and axle. In addition, bump stops also aid the function of suspension springs, so driving your Porsche with damaged bump stops can impact how your car rolls and pitches, and its overall balance.

Torn Old Bump Stop beside New Bump Stop

The good news is that these rubbery cylinders are inexpensive at around $40 a bump stop. The cost associated with replacing a torn bump is really driven by labour costs, as bump stops can be tricky and time consuming to replace. How long it takes to replace torn bump stops is dependent on the Porsche model you own and how many bump stops need replacing. It’s normally the front bump stops that require replacing as they work harder than the rears. Front bump stops take on average 2 hours to replace and rears can take up to 3 hours dependent on the Porsche Model.

New Bump Stop Installed

Porsche IMS Bearing– to replace or not to replace…

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With the recent growth in desirability of the Porsche 996 and 986 Boxster we are witnessing more of these models changing hands. With this increase in appeal comes an increased sale price, and many buyers looking for the security of a vehicle with the IMS bearing replaced. As a result we are currently undertaking an IMS bearing replacement almost weekly in our workshop. 
So how likely is it that your Porsche could experience a catastrophic engine failure due to your IMS Bearing (Intermediate Shaft Bearing) failing? There is differing opinions, but for the 1998– 2005 model 996 and Boxster 986 that are most susceptible to this issue, failure is estimated to be around 4%. On this basis Stu does advocate that for peace of mind the IMS bearing is replaced in these models. For other less susceptible models the call is a much tougher one.

The model that are susceptible to IMS failure are as follows:
– All 986 Boxster models.
– 987 Cayman & Boxster models up to engine number 61504715
– All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models)
– 997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745

Unfortunately, there is no pattern to when IMS failure occurs, and there are limited warning symptoms, which is another reason why many believe it’s better to be safe than sorry especially if you own one of these models. Failure can happen early in the vehicle’s life or much later after 100,000 kms. If you’re planning to buy or sell one of these models,  in our experience, most buyers insist that the bearing has been replaced, or alternatively build its replacement cost into the purchase negotiations.

There are a couple of options for the replacing the IMS bearing. Costs vary depending on which replacement parts you choose and whether your car is a manual or auto. The costs below relate to the most susceptible 1998-2005 996 and Boxster models.

Option 1 – IMS Bearing Replacement (Single or Double Row – Model dependent)      MANUAL Cost including fitting $3,390 inc. GST
AUTO Cost including fitting $4,186 inc. GST

Left – Old Single Row IMS          Right – New Replacement IMS

Option 2 – Oil Fed Replacement (a more expensive option but with an infinite life)
MANUAL Cost including fitting $4,833 inc. GST
AUTO Cost including fitting $5,628 inc. GST

There are limited warning signs of IMS failure that can be picked up, and unfortunately the damage may already have been done once the symptoms become obvious. The best indicator that there is a problem is the detection of metal debris in your oil and filter. Another symptom is oil dripping near the back of the engine, and finally a knocking sound from your engine. However, once you get to the knocking engine phase, even if you immediately stop driving the vehicle, the engine damage may be irreversible!

If you are considering a new clutch and your IMS bearing hasn’t been replaced there are significant economies of scale in replacing the two simultaneously. Both of these replacements require the transmission to be removed, so there is a big saving in labour costs in you have them done together.

If you own 996 and are interested in other modifications recommended by Stuart, you might like to click on this link to a prior post. 996 – What’s on the menu?

Porsche Boxster 986 – Officially Historic

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As late 2021 saw the 25th Anniversary of the launch of the first Porsche Boxster 986, now some of the early models meet the VicRoads qualifying criteria for an historic license plate!

So with the 986’s coming of age you now have the option to retire this classic Porsche mid engine two-seater roadster as your everyday ride, and convert it onto an historic/club permit. We have already had 2 NINEAUTO customers make the move. On a club permit you can either choose to drive a maximum of 45 or 90 days per year, giving you plenty of time to still enjoy your Boxster without paying the standard VicRoads registration fee.
For more details of what’s involved in converting over to a Club Permit, click on this link to a past NINEAUTO post Club Permits an option worth considering…

Missing scheduled servicing can be costly

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Over these crazy covid times, many have chosen to delay the scheduled servicing of their Porsche. Letting your service lapse a couple of months over the due date isn’t really a big deal, and is unlikely to have any impact on the performance of your car. However, we strongly encourage wherever possible sticking to the recommended service schedule. Servicing on time is your best insurance to avoid foreseeable mechanical issues that could prove costly if they remain unchecked. Regular servicing is also a key criteria for most prospective Porsche buyers, so a well maintained Porsche is likely to maximise your car’s future resale value.

If you were fortunate enough to negotiate free servicing when purchasing a vehicle, your last free dealership service needs to be completed no more than 4 weeks pasts it’s due date. For example, if you purchased a car on 1st June 2019 and received 3 years of free servicing from the dealership, you would then only be eligible to receive a free third service up until the end of June 2022. Back in 2020 with covid restrictions initially precluding non-essential servicing, many customers scheduled service timing were pushed out with a potentially costly knock-on effect. Let’s say your first service may have slipped from June to September 2020, you then undertook your second service a year later in September 2021. However, if you then wait until September 2022 to book your car in for your third free service it will be well past it’s June 2022 due date window, and most likely you’ll be paying for a ‘free service’!

AC not as cold as it used to be….

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With Melbourne weather starting to heat up, you’ve probably already turned on your car cooling… especially on those sticky humid days where opening the windows just doesn’t really cut it.

If you have been underwhelmed by a coolish breeze rather than an icy cold blast from your AC, this may signal the need to get your cars AC re-gassed. Although there can be several reasons why your AC is inefficient, a common and easy to fix issue is that your system just needs a re-gas. It is recommended that a car’s AC is re-gassed every couple of years, as most vehicles loose between 5-10% of their AC gas annually.

A re-gas costs $210 and is a quick procedure for most modern Porsches. For the older 1980’s and 1990’s models fixing the AC can often be as simple as the repair of leaking “O” rings. The AC problem children in the 911 family are the 964’s and 993’s, they are notorious for having evaporative issues as well as compressor problems. To diagnosis these more complex issues your car may need a re-gas with a dye in the system to find the fault.

 

Do only the front mats of your 996 or 997 need replacing?

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996-interior

It’s often only the front mats in a 911 that get worn and need replacing. So if your rear mats still look good, and you own a 996 or 997 here’s a great way to save money. Rather than buying a set of 4 mats, simply purchase the equivalent set of 2 front Boxster car mats.

Roadworthy eCertificate – green slip now via email

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VicRoads has given the Roadworthy certificate a modern make over and introduced the Roadworthy eCertificate (eRWC). Ironically the ‘green slip’ is now white but uses a ‘greener’ process.

Under this new system, when a roadworthy test is undertaken by a registered provider, VicRoads will automatically email a copy of all completed reports and an eRWC to the email address of the vehicle presenter.

The vehicle presenter will receive:

• the first test report and the second test report (if a second test was needed)
• the Roadworthy eCertificate.

The key benefit of the Roadworthy eCertificate system is that it automatically provides VicRoads with information on every eRWC issued. Conveniently, you can also email on a copy of the Roadworthy eCertificate to a third party, which can make applying for Historic/Club Permit Registration easier or selling or buying a vehicle more straightforward.

Please note the same conditions apply to the new Roadworthy eCertificate as the paper based version. The eCertificate is still only valid for 14 days. After 14 days VicRoads will automatically cancel the Roadworthy eCertificate and you will need to start the process again, and pay for a second Roadworthy eCertificate!

Track Day Checklist

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Now track events are regularly back on the calendar, here’s a handy reference checklist in case you’re feeling a bit rusty when preparing for events. As most track events start early in the morning with scrutineering, packing your bag the night before can take the pressure off. It also gives your Dorian time to charge overnight.

The checklist below is designed to assist your Track Day preparation. If you have any additions or changes to the checklist, or pre Track Day routines that you’d like to share, please add them the comments box below.

CHECKLIST

Documents

  • CAMS Licence
  • PCV membership card (when PCV event)
  • Entry Forms
  • Instruction for the Day – including the timetable
  • Accommodation details (if an overnighter is required)

Apparel

  • Helmet
  • Inflammable long sleeved top (wool or cotton)
  • Closed shoes/racing boots
  • Long trousers
  • Change of clothes especially on a hot day… you’re likely to work up a serious sweat!
  • Racing gloves (if you have them)
  • Race suit (if you have one)
  • Nomex balaclava (gives fire protection and helps keep your helmet clean)
  • HANS device (if you have one)

Equipment

  • Fire extinguisher (check fitment and expiry)
  • Race Number (if required)
  • Dorian
  • Bonnet tie downs (if required)
  • Go Pro

Other Useful Stuff

  • Gaffer tape, often referred to as race tape (either black or clear tape works well)
  • Kitchen Roll
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and cap
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Folding chair for resting between track sessions
  • Bottled Water & Snacks

david race wear