[MCL968]

An interesting and accurate read.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/screwed-world...29566.html

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[94SilverCab]

That's how I found out about 968 specific auto forums. My 968 was having repeated warm start problems and not knowing any better I took it to the stealership to have a look. Total $235 to diagnose and "repair" my DME relay (by the way, they replaced with the original part and not the upgraded DME relay). When the problem recurred I researched on the internet, found out that this was an ordinary problem, bought the new relay for $27 and plugged it in myself.  

 

I only buy used cars, and have found a very reliable indy mechanic who can actually fix my cars.

 

Jay

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Langley968]

Very interesting read... and unfortunately... so right!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[az968]

I am dreading the day when the man running the shop I take my 968 to for service calls it a day and hangs it up. 50 years of real product knowledge and nothing he hasn't seen and fixed before. The next generation of shops will be ODB II readers and part swappers. And they'll never have seen a 968 before....

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

Also precisely how I feel about the possibility of my mechanic retiring , although he's a youngster by comparison , only 40 years of those very same attributes Bob's ( AZ ) mechanic possesses. He's been working on my Porsches and MBZ's for 30 of those years and although he specializes in German cars , he works on his brother's Ferrari all the time, and he'll fix just about any make and model car as long as it's not too new ..

But as difficult as time wil make it for us to find a mechanic who can work on 968s, if you have a new car you'll pretty much be at the mercy of the " Stealer " for the near foreseeable future ; my first awareness to this was the factory stereo issue ; on many newer cars you cannot replace the stereo to any aftermarket units . The electronics are all integrated in such a manner that prohibit your changing the stock unit because nothing else will function in its place . So you're stuck with the factory's usually mediocre system at a cost that's 2 x or 3 x of a far, far, superior after market product you could buy.

As for the service and repair aspects associated with new cars ; on some makes you cannot even change the oil except at the dealer because they are the only ones who can reset your service interval alert light to disappear from the instrument panel. Cost of a dealer oil change for a brand new Fiat : $ 250 ( that's just labor and does not include the oil and filter ! ) . You can only imagine what a timing belt change , or any other major service or R&R cost will be at the dealers . And no other option at your disposal because without the proprietary computer settings management requirement your car will simply not run unless a dealer services it .

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Bulti]

That is exactly why fora like these exist, no? DIY? I'll be damned if I let anyone touch the internals of my car again.


Of course, sometimes there is no other way (fill in own exceptions), but it is well worth the effort and initial investments in time and tools.


"he works on his brother's Ferrari all the time" - "all"... hehehe ;-)

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[ds968]

Yes, as much as I drool at the sight of ( most,not all ) Ferraris, just seeing how often that car is in my mechanic's shop for one fix or another, cured me of any desire to own one.

The forums may be a DIY facilitator for many but not so much for me ; I'm not only mechanically-inept but dislike working on even the simplest things on cars. However, the forum is a major money saver for me ; as accomplished as my mechanic is , he still needs to diagnose and troubleshoot stuff and that time translates to hourly labor charges which can add up to tidy sums . The info here narrows and mitigates that process significantly and more often than not it even points precisely to the problem and solution so dreading the mechanic retiring is not the only worry...the forum possibly " retiring " is a pretty daunting thought as well .


But here's the real reason you shouldn't take your car to the dealer :http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/mi...6/?ref=yfp

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[az968]

So he left his 911 for two years and never checked in? 911 I guess he didn't need it anyway.


I can DIY some stuff on my car but as both the car and my body get older, I'm going to need Jack my mechanic more and more, if just for telephone support. I have his home phone so he can't escape me even when he retires:-)


$250 labor for a Fiat oil change? That's scary! I guess if you can afford to own one, you can afford the labor rates. Wait, did you say Fiat?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[94SilverCab]

My 968 mechanic (Max) is not even 30 yet...so I should be able to keep my 968 until my 85th birthday, or so

 

Jay

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Rap]

Jay quiet, don't jinx us!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.