@#*^#! The Price of Porsche Parts & Services -Semi Long, Sorry

[Dan in Pasadena]

Okay here's my rant:

My new-to me '76S brake lights take a lot of "foot" to work, I do a search here - pressure switches is the diagnosis. Okay, great. I don't see them on the Pelican website (it is very late the other night - can't sleep so I can't call). I figure, these are small potatoes parts so I'll call the dealership, the quote? $90.34 each! Holy crap. I figure, "screw this I'll call Pep Boys", they say they don't carry them but refer me to a little local all VW parts store that tends to carry Porsche parts too.

I call, they ask if I want the German or the Brazilian aftermarket ones? I say give me both prices. $10 for German, $7.95 for Brazilian. I chuckle and ask if he wants to know what the delaer is charging? When I tell him over $90 he says, "No f'ing way!". He says he should multiply his price by 3x or 4x, he is kidding. Okay, I stop by and pick them up, check the prices on pads and rotors they are similarly reasonable and close to Pelican's prices.

Different but similar situation:

Today I stop by a local well regarded Porsche shop because I have been hearing a tick-tick noise on the dirver's side and I want an independent opinion from my usual guy. I think it is either a loose valve or possibly an exhaust leak. This guy (I know him from a long time ago when he did some expensive work on my old 944) listens and tells me he thinks it is valve guide noise. Advises me to listen to it overnight cold and again when fully at temp, that guides get looser as it heats up. We discuss it some and he says guides require a top end job. I ask if he would do rings since the heads would be off. He says, "only cheap shops re-ring, you gotta get new pistons and cylinders, we're talking an $8000 engine". I could go one about the conversation, but you get the picture.

Is it just me or is EVERYONE I talk to about my car just trying to screw me... in Times Square - on national TV - in High Def? The car runs great really. I think it is possibly running a little rich and loads up a little if I try to manuever in traffic at lower speeds without always downshifting - kind of annoying but livable or probably fixable if I knew a little more about CIS - yes, I have books. Now, I am fully capable of doing most work myself, I just don't really want to wrench/have as much time as I once did.

This "thing" that happens the second the word "Porsche" come out of my face has me SO annoyed I could actually think about getting out and buying some soul-less performance car like a G35 or some such! Geez, I am so damned annoyed.

[COLDBASS]

Time to consider a 3.0...

[Bill Verburg]

My new-to me '76S brake lights take a lot of "foot" to work, I do a search here - pressure switches is the diagnosis

I have no idea who diagnosed that but it is pure nonsense.

The '76 models have a mechanical switch at the brake podal



911.613.411.00

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh wonderful, my agitiation just goes on! I never bothered to look - stupid I know. So are these mechanical switches - which I expected in the first place - adjustable, Bill? Or are they an R&R part?

I wonder if the parts store will take them back in exchange? Geez, I can't win for losing. Bill, any secret tips for the change out or is it a simple job? P.S. Thanks for the part number!

[Bill Verburg]

It's pretty simple, biggest risk is blowing a fuse or a shock if the battery isn't disconnected.

Yes, they are adjustable w/i a small range

[scottb]

Dan: Take the car over to North Hollywood and let Dave and the guys at TRE look at it. They'll give you the straight story. If you're going to get reamed, at least it will be an honest reaming!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks so much Bill. And thanks for reading my rant too.

I'll make sure to disconnect the battery. I need to do some minor work around it anyway - minor corrosion - wire wheel, POR 15, touch up, battery mat and clean up the ties downs maybe a new ground strap with dielectric grease. May as well do it all at once.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Scott, Thanks for the recommendation. I had thought about taking it to Dave before - I've never heard anything but good stuff about the shop...except all I see/hear about it are these awesome RS or RSR clones coming out of it with engines that cost many more times than my entire car!,..kinda intimidated me. I sorta assumed they didn't do too much to the lowly garden variety semi daily driver. I'll drive over next week and let them take a listen.

[porschenut]

I took my BMW 5-series to the dealer about a year ago. Even though I didn't tell them to check, they told me both my rear wheels were so badly bent they couldn't be repaired. Would be $800 for new wheels. I took the wheels to a respected indy shop and they checked out perfect.

[Oh Haha]

Dan,
Your comments are not the first regarding the prices of our toys. Most of us here offset the cost of the parts by doing the labor ourselves. I, too, am frustrated by the cost of some seemingly simple parts but I wouldn't trade my ol' SC unless it was for a a move up to a 993. What I have found to be very useful is to read everything you can about the car. I love to read and am lucky enough to have enough time to do this.

[hoosierdaddy]

Originally posted by COLDBASS
Time to consider a 3.0...

Oh ya , nobody will screw you over if you have 3.0

[yelcab1]

Try owning a Ferrari. Ever heard of $2000 for valve job (bring the heads to the machine shops, and they work on them and then give them back to you for installation). The excuse was "there are some critical dimensions we have to hold to." Eff them! Did it myself.

A regular machine shop charges $125 for a valve job on a V8! Any V8.

[RSBob]

The switch can be cleaned and re-adjusted by you. It's a very simple process and probably will work fine. I took mine apart after experienceing the same problem, just to see what it looked like. It is mechancially very simple. Clean, lube, use the adjustment, and you should be good to go.

Always get a second opinion, like TRE, when it comes to major $$ work. Does the car burn a lot of oil, is there a lot of oil smoke on start-up?

One fact you will have to get used to is that unless you learn to turn your own wrenches, these cars are expensive, compared to more pedestrian cars. The parts costs are high, but the labor is what really kills. There are lots of experienced Pelicanites usually available to help on projects, you just need to ask for their expertise or advice.

Good luck and don't buy any Ferraris.

[slodave]

Dan,

When you get to TRE, you will find that your car fits right in! There was only one RSR type car today. They are really nice and know what they are doing.

Dave

[COLDBASS]

Originally posted by hoosierdaddy
Oh ya , nobody will screw you over if you have 3.0

You only get screwed if you allow yourself to get screwed...YMMV

The point I was attempting to make was that a used low mileage 3.0 would be more cost effective than a 2.7 proper rebuild...do you agree?

[Early_S_Man]

Dan,

You may be having bad luck ... or maybe it is just a trend in LA, or, maybe you just have to be a bit more careful with who you believe in LA!!! LOL!

The dealer call may have been just a misread from the wrong line on a PET screen ... or NOT!

I just have a couple of questions, OK?

1. Who , specifically, made the diagnosis of pressure switches for your car?

2. On the 'ticking problem' ... was this strictly an 'off the cuff' call at the independent shop, or was it a day when they were too busy, or did you actually try to make an appointment, and the service writer, or whoever made the $8000 estimate, actually decline to make an appointment and declare that he knew the problem without a tech trying to evaluate the valve guide play?

[Dan in Pasadena]

The diagnosis of the pressure switch was my own stupidity. I THOUGHT I read that the mechanical switches applied to '68 and earlier cars. Of course I should have stuck my dumb head under the dash to look for myself, Doh!

The car runs great, it doesn't burn almost any oil that I can tell - it is leaking some but nothing too serious, probably oil return tubes - I did almost everything else when I had the engine out. But I have only just put the second tank of gas in it since I've had it back on the road...so obviously I need more time to be exact.

The car does NOT need an imminent rebuild. That was a crock, off the cuff diagnosis which is why I posted the rant, where do these Bozos get off with a "sounds-like-a-valve-guide-so-you-need-a-full-valve-job-so-a-full-rebuild-is-in-order-and-if-you're-doing-it-right-it-will-cost-$8000" hipshot?

I stopped by at the end of their day. They could easily have said most of the same things they said in an cautionary, advisory manner. You know?, giving me a heads up that IF it turns out to be a valve guide and I DO decide to address it immediately then it is POSSIBLE that it could lead to a full rebuild which MIGHT run as high as $8000 IF it proves to need P's & C's; but instead he listened to it for 10 seconds and came to the conclusion it was a valve guide. 10 more seconds and it was a runaway that it needed a rebuild! It ABSOLUTELY does not, at least not any time soon. If it IS a worn valve guide it will last a long time before it is a "must do". I'm just so damned tired of the "stick it to 'em because it is a Porsche attitude."

[scottb]

Originally posted by Dan in Pasadena
I sorta assumed they didn't do too much to the lowly garden variety semi daily driver. I'll drive over next week and let them take a listen.

I have a monthly driver at best. Bone stock. I wouldn't hesitate to ask Dave and the guys to work on it and, in fact, they have! Go for it!

[look 171]

Dan,

You have a PM. Local shop? No, please no need to air dirty laundry over the air wave. I was almost bitten by them during a PPI. I wouldn't touch any of em' with your 30 feet pole. I live near you, I deal with that stupid traffic and go to TRE. Oh yeah, you'll pay, but you know it's done right. Oh, and I gladly pay with a smile. that's improtant, very important to me.

Jeff

[yasir]

Went to this Porsche performance shop here in Louisville,KY about 2 years ago to get my C2 Turbo lowered,aligned and corner balanced.The following day i got a call from the guy that my steering rack was leaking and that if i wanted to order one or not.
I was told the labor and parts would be $1100,this is just after me spending close to $1200 for the job mentioned above.When asked further about the labor i was told that yes the the front struts would have to come off and yes the car would have to be aligned again.I decided not to tackle the leaking rack at the time and guess what,2 years and 2 inspections later the rack is still going fine with no evidence of any leak.
I personally think it was all greed or else he would have definitely mentioned the problem before he even started the job.
Later