At the dealer:
 

Had to go by BH Porsche today to talk to one of my old co-workers. (He's been there for ~30 years, it was Westwood Porsche/Audi when we worked together). I tell ya, there's no recession up in that biotch. Mechanics making major 6-figures, service writers too, everybody seemed pretty a-OK even though they're living in Kalifornia where you can't do anything that you would want to. Can't drive a fast car, can't bang hot chicks, can't make a living....at least that's what the guys from AZ. tell me. ;)

Got sandwiched in between a couple of new POS cars, I was ready to kick some ass.



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Uncle Paul told me that these cars are junk, all hat and no cattle.

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Nothing yet but when I do, you'll be the first one to know. :)

wouldn't ya know, black cars in California.

Did they recognize the brand of the little red car?

When I was last in California and called several dealers about my 1985 911 they would interrupt me and say we don't work on cars THAT old. I called PCNA and they suggested I try Beverly Hills Porsche since a lot of their customers have classic Porsches. All I needed was a windshield and Beverly Hills quoted me $1,100 for the glass plus installation in 3 days. Fortunately I found Diamond Triumph Glass and they installed a Sigla OEM windshield for $500 with a nation wide warranty.

I can tell you that driving across LA at 5:00 PM with a mostly smashed windshield is no fun at all.

I can't blame the California dealers. Very few Porsche dealers work on air cooled cars. One of our local PCA members took his 81 SC to the local dealer for a tune up and he had bring in his own timing light. Not one mechanic in the place had one. The mechanic that did the work has been a Porsche mechanic since the SC days so he knew what to do, he just did not have a timing light anymore.

Well, they have guys at BH Porsche who have been there since the SC was rolled-out in 1978. (Westwood Porsche guys). My buddy Trevor Williams is the service manager since (?) and yes, he knew that the 356 was a Porsche. :)

I asked him if they still worked on them and he said yes but they don't get many of them any more, parts can be a PIA, etc... Like any new car dealer, they focus on newer models that people actually bring in for service. The parts dept. is pretty good about finding whatever I need for the 356, a surprising amount is still available. The parts managers, Tony or Tom, have been there for decades and are very helpful even if you are not buying anything.

It's true that they do not work on many older 911s anymore, including 3.2 Carreras. Most owners either DIY or use one of the many independent shops that focus on those cars. The dealer labor rate these days is something like $170/hr., so having your old Carrera serviced at the dealer is only for people who don't look at their bills.

They are cool guys there but it's definitely a money-making operation. It's not a soup kitchen. :cool:

Glen, I sympathise because I've been there, (broken w/s in a strange town), but when you need auto glass you want to call an auto glass place. They have access to all OEM glass and they are running a much more competitive, (cut-throat actually), business than the dealer with their huge mark-ups.

Yep, I figured that out. I called several Porsche dealers and got the cold shoulder. The glass shop met me at my hotel and had it done in short order. The installer did cuss a bit because it had been a while since he had done a windshield with no glue.

That good to know that Porsche mechanics make almost as much as lifeguards in So Cal.

prolly no 80% pension after 20 though ;)

Naw, lifeguards gotta work 30 to get 90%.



For widgeon13 (re: black cars):
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There are several private shops in L.A. that work on older Porsche's (like the one that advertises on this site).

When I was in line at the parts department of Circle Porsche in Long Beach they were selling a guy parts for his 356.

I'm pretty sure you will always get a better price using a contractor to replace glass than going to a dealer... most of which will just call in a contractor to do it.


YMMV

One of my big problems besides being out of state with a smashed windshield 50 miles from nowhere was that I did not have a smart phone. We stopped at a bait shop that was the only building around. I was on a road trip and all I had was a phone number of Porsche roadside assistance. They gave me a list of dealer phone numbers. I had to call a friend back at in Oklahoma to use the internet to find me an alternative to the dealers.

It is just another reason to have a smart phone. Now I could just get help and advise from the Pelican brotherhood. That was not an option back then.

With my luck if I just picked a repair shop out of the phone book it would be a combination of JimmyD & MM only less honest.

Sorry to hear that Glen... yeah, if you had Internet I'm sure a local pelicanhead would have come to your rescue.