$1000+ for a 4 year visual inspection?

[4thPcar]

My brake fluid already replaced due to the recent recall. From what I can tell the only part replaced in this proposed service is an air filter. Everything else is visual check: seat belts, wipers, horn (not making this up). They check brake pads without removing the tires. I can do most of this myself. Can someone please try to convince me that this is worth the cost, without the sarcasm that I can take my chances without it.

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[Flying ace]

 

[4thPcar]

happy you are entertained...you have a lot of experience with the brand. How about a bona fide opinion?

 

[gnr3312]

I’m guessing you’re talking about the 2 year maintenance that’s required for the Taycan. Find yourself a friendly service rep/dealership, have them reset the maintenance clock after verification that the brake fluid recall flushed front and back. I would let them do the air filter so they can make some money and you get the reset for free.

 

[4thPcar]

I’m guessing you’re talking about the 2 year maintenance that’s required for the Taycan. Find yourself a friendly service rep/dealership, have them reset the maintenance clock after verification that the brake fluid recall flushed front and back. I would let them do the air filter so they can make some money and you get the reset for free.

I was thinking the same, thanks. For clarification, this is the 4 year service. Brake fluid replaced less than a year ago during the recall. My only concern is the brakes, which have 40K miles on them. But I can definitely get them inspected and the $1K service includes no major repairs anyway.

 

[gnr3312]

I was thinking the same, thanks. For clarification, this is the 4 year service. Brake fluid replaced less than a year ago during the recall. My only concern is the brakes, which have 40K miles on them. But I can definitely get them inspected and the $1K service includes no major repairs anyway.

I’ve read here that the brake pads should last 100k miles because the regeneration does all the slowing down.

 

[Flying ace]

happy you are entertained...you have a lot of experience with the brand. How about a bona fide opinion?

The matter is whether you care if this inspection "service" is on the vehicle history. I'm laughing bc the list of the work performed is non-technical. If you plan to trade the car in, then it's less relevant. If you're selling to a Porsche enthusiast, perhaps they may care the service was performed so that the dealership servicing history is uninterrupted in its history.

 

[SergeyIndy]

This is a really good deal for a 4-year service. The labor rate is a minimum $300 an hour so you are getting a really good deal. I am looking at the service manual what is involved and it is a pretty good checklist and also involves checking drains, error code readings, for example, but some services can be done DYI (wipers, pollen filter, fob battery). Brake Fluid as you say is separate and on a 2-year time interval and Brakes are on 6-year time interval for pads alone (no rotors).

Based on this, I am not following what is the fuss is all about, plus you cannot reset the service minders yourself. I would take that deal before it is over.

For context Macan ICE oil change is $600 plus add that brake fluid flush and you are at a $1,000. I had my Cayenne for 60k service is 6.1 hours plus Spark Plugs and that is $2,000.

My dealer was so busy the month of March with services with a pile of Taycans waiting in line for recalls, some never had a single recall done. The Service manage said, March was an all time record for service revenue.

 

[69Mach390]

This is a really good deal for a 4-year service. The labor rate is a minimum $300 an hour so you are getting a really good deal. I am looking at the service manual what is involved and it is a pretty good checklist and also involves checking drains, error code readings, for example, but some services can be done DYI (wipers, pollen filter, fob battery). Brake Fluid as you say is separate and on a 2-year time interval and Brakes are on 6-year time interval for pads alone (no rotors).

Based on this, I am not following what is the fuss is all about, plus you cannot reset the service minders yourself. I would take that deal before it is over.

For context Macan ICE oil change is $600 plus add that brake fluid flush and you are at a $1,000. I had my Cayenne for 60k service is 6.1 hours plus Spark Plugs and that is $2,000.

My dealer was so busy the month of March with services with a pile of Taycans waiting in line for recalls, some never had a single recall done. The Service manage said, March was an all time record for service revenue.

Where do I sign up to get paid $300/hr to look at seatbelts?

 

[SergeyIndy]

Where do I sign up to get paid $300/hr to look at seatbelts?

They do more than that and you can reference the Maintenance Journal that came with the car and the typical cost is accurate, which is to say just because you do not drive a car that needs an oil change we will get you with our labor rate. How can you miss your headlamp alignment

 

[69Mach390]

They do more than that and you can reference the Maintenance Journal that came with the car and the typical cost is accurate, which is to say just because you do not drive a car that needs an oil change we will get you with our labor rate. How can you miss your headlamp alignment

Would love to hear from a mechanic of the “visual inspection” actually happens or if someone just sticks their head inside the car and under the hood to see if anything looks amiss then checks a few boxes and moves on.

Or even better if anyone here had a visual inspection that actually FOUND anything wrong besides windshield wipers.

In my experience dealer service centers tend to do multi-point inspections just to find excuses to sell you more stuff. It’s more for them than for you. Can’t count how many times someone has come back from a dealership inspection and shown me a laundry list of overpriced and not necessary yet services.

 

[Moto7451]

Two dealers could not explain to me the difference between the inspections in the manual and the ones they do every time the car is recalled. I think in the US they always do an inspection.

Everything in that list is inspectable with a lift, taking the tires off, and removing one plastic panel in the frunk. They’ve removed mine so many times I’m going to see if they can warranty it the next time I’m in for a recall. It’s warped and the pins don’t hold in place anymore.

In countries with MOT/Vehicle Safety Inspections I think these happen less as a sales tactic since they have to happen every year rather than any time you might be in their bay.

OP:

Ultimately this is your money and you’re free to do what you want. I inherited my car and my next car will be another Hyundai/Chevy/Rivian type product since I don’t get much enjoyment out of the Dealer/Corp experience with Porsche. I did enjoy the free lunch at Petit LeMans 2024 since the PCNA ghosted them on Friday. Other than that… I’d rather just do the Porsche Experience .

If you think this is worth it and will feel better then have at it. To answer your value question, no this isn’t worth the cost. “Is a hose broken” or “is this a CV boot cracked” is something any certified mechanic can answer.

Pepboys does it for free or $30 for the plebeians with their Mercedes and Cadillacs and the subhumans driving *spits* Corvettes.

I’d pay $200 and complain a bit and be fine if they threw a $100 premium over normal retail on that brake flush.

 

[4thPcar]

This is a really good deal for a 4-year service. The labor rate is a minimum $300 an hour so you are getting a really good deal. I am looking at the service manual what is involved and it is a pretty good checklist and also involves checking drains, error code readings, for example, but some services can be done DYI (wipers, pollen filter, fob battery). Brake Fluid as you say is separate and on a 2-year time interval and Brakes are on 6-year time interval for pads alone (no rotors).

Based on this, I am not following what is the fuss is all about, plus you cannot reset the service minders yourself. I would take that deal before it is over.

For context Macan ICE oil change is $600 plus add that brake fluid flush and you are at a $1,000. I had my Cayenne for 60k service is 6.1 hours plus Spark Plugs and that is $2,000.

My dealer was so busy the month of March with services with a pile of Taycans waiting in line for recalls, some never had a single recall done. The Service manage said, March was an all time record for service revenue.

They are happy to reset the service minders for no charge.

 

[4thPcar]

Two dealers could not explain to me the difference between the inspections in the manual and the ones they do every time the car is recalled. I think in the US they always do an inspection.

Everything in that list is inspectable with a lift, taking the tires off, and removing one plastic panel in the frunk. They’ve removed mine so many times I’m going to see if they can warranty it the next time I’m in for a recall. It’s warped and the pins don’t hold in place anymore.

In countries with MOT/Vehicle Safety Inspections I think these happen less as a sales tactic since they have to happen every year rather than any time you might be in their bay.

OP:

Ultimately this is your money and you’re free to do what you want. I inherited my car and my next car will be another Hyundai/Chevy/Rivian type product since I don’t get much enjoyment out of the Dealer/Corp experience with Porsche. I did enjoy the free lunch at Petit LeMans 2024 since the PCNA ghosted them on Friday. Other than that… I’d rather just do the Porsche Experience .

If you think this is worth it and will feel better then have at it. To answer your value question, no this isn’t worth the cost. “Is a hose broken” or “is this a CV boot cracked” is something any certified mechanic can answer.

Pepboys does it for free or $30 for the plebeians with their Mercedes and Cadillacs and the subhumans driving *spits* Corvettes.

I’d pay $200 and complain a bit and be fine if they threw a $100 premium over normal retail on that brake flush.

Would be interesting to hear from others as with the limited reply so far I can clearly see two camps. At the moment, I am in the camp of asking them to replace the air filter and reset the minder to clear the "replace brake fluid" notice since it was done last year. They have recall work to do anyway.

 

[4thPcar]

The matter is whether you care if this inspection "service" is on the vehicle history. I'm laughing bc the list of the work performed is non-technical. If you plan to trade the car in, then it's less relevant. If you're selling to a Porsche enthusiast, perhaps they may care the service was performed so that the dealership servicing history is uninterrupted in its history.

Fair enough about the value of service records, those were important when I put my 911S on auction But as you note, the work is "non-technical" and as such, I don't see the value. I can inspect the horn, seat belts, wipers, and even brake pads on my own.

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