As another data point, taking the car to an actual shop for those services would be 50-100% more expensive than my pricing, typically.

I've been doing this for 8 years all around CA, including lots of people here on Pelican and on Rennlist as well.

Labor costs, 944
 

I live in SW Florida and the Dealership labor costs was upped to $135 per hour. That means that changing your oil plus inflated parts costs would cost you around $200! In reality, the Mahle filter for $10 and 6 quarts (always buy 7) would be another $26 at auto parts store (non-synthetic), you do the math. It's more fun to learn the car by working on it and you save a ton of money in the process. Another cool factor is that most people don't know about the 944 and they're always asking what it is. With some 17" wheels and tires, the car really looks hot. Here's a pic of my '87 in the factory Nile Green metallic with '06 Cayman wheels:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1454627142.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1454627194.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1454627264.jpg

Yes i know the shops charge way more than you would. Please Message me your contact info for my record.

Changing the oil is not hard but messy, sounds like you will pay 4 times more if you take it to a shop to do the oil change. But wont any oil change shop change the oil and charge their flat rate or there is something different about 944 that only a porsche shop should do it? They dont have the filters huh?

Your car looks good, classy color! I like the dash on the earlier models and my fav colors are guards red, and that nice gray (donno the exact color name)

Having spent 42 years as a mechanic at a Porsche dealership, I will say that the 944 was the best thing that ever happened to me. There were so many of them out there and they required so much attention that they definitely helped put my kids through college. That being said, I did buy one for my wife (after our house was paid for, kids through with college and married off) and it is a much easier and more comfortable car for a woman to drive than an early 911. If you have to rely on someone else to maintain it...look at something else.--Dave

When I first bought my house money was tight and so I tried very hard to economize on transportation.

I figured if I did my own repairs it would cost 1/3 as much as a shop as I could get wholesale prices on parts and avoid labor charges.

If I applied the 80/20 formula to my driving, 80% of the time a two door econo box getting 40mpg would be adequate and only 20% of the time would i need my 4x4 for passengers or carge. But it costs an additional $500 per year for insurance (with collision) for a 2nd vehicle. When gas was $4 per gallon a 2nd econobox car paid off. It also extended the life of my 4x4.

And the 944's are so much more fun to drive...

haha after reading your first sentence I was like yeaaahhhh 944 all the way, and after reading your second sentence I was like uhmm I guess not!
I don't think I will have the time or mechanical ability to do all the work myself, so probably it will got to a shop if it is a serious job.
The worst part is that it is not an expensive car to take it to a shop and pay 3 figures to fix it, if it was a 911 then yeah maybe. However, I did talk to a member here who does the stuff for 944 considerably cheaper.

True that, I see your point.

So I wasn't too happy with the econobox ride, so acquired my 1st 944. Then I gave the econbox car to my nephew... So much for 40mpg!