So, now I understand the cost of Porsche ownership :-O Options

[injunmort]

$250.00 to install two tie rods, that seems awfully high with you suppling parts. as the others have said, its quite a punch list, seems high. but the results somewhat justify the bill, if the car is better than ever

[Chris914n6]

They either gave it to someone who had to learn how to work on an old VW or they doubled the labor times. Some of those charges tell me they billed you for the mechanic forgetting to do stuff right the first time, like centering the steering wheel during the alignment.

Everybody pays for knowledge in some way. Don't blow too much of your time and energy on it moving forward.

[ChrisFoley]

...
Everybody pays for knowledge in some way. Don't blow too much of your time and energy on it moving forward.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Gunn1]

1st agree to an initial price for diagnosis. Anything over and above that original amount must be authorized buy owner before continuing.

We had the same issue with one of our more current model year DD's.

Had the vehicle towed into the dealer we purchased from. They were authorized by me to diagnose, anything more had to be authorized before continuing.

Work ended up being major (spun main bearing on a 5.7 liter Lexus)

Dealer proceeded to do remainder of teardown without our authorizing anything more than the getting us a Diagnosis.

They called at the point where they wanted to know if we wanted a new long block at a parts cost of around 10,300.00 or a engine out of a total with around 15,000 miles on it for 8,500.

Keep in mind the vehicle is now in the shop with the engine and tranny already removed.

We told the dealer we would not pay for anything past the authorization, and furthermore required the vehicle be put back to the condition it was when the tow company dropped it off. By this time they could not because they had sent many of the parts in as cores, or as they said, had lost them.

The dealer said No.

We called the regional service manager based in Chicago, told them of our experience, and after 1 week for investigation we received a phone call saying we would have our vehicle back with a new engine and related parts installed by weeks end......No charge.

Hope you do too.

After talking to the dealerships service advisor when we picked up the vehicle, he said "no hard feelings" "this happens from time to time" "we have shop insurance for these type of issues"

So just by following these few simple rules (keep in mind at a dealership shop) and contacting the correct people in the chain we came out with a successful outcome.

[Amphicar770]

Glad they got your car running well...but wow. A bunch of those charges are egregious! 80 bucks for a 5 minute thermo cable adjustment?? Looks like they charged for every fix a la carte, rather than just billing for the total of hours. Not illegal, but certainly not as fair as they could or should be. I'd call them and ask why they didn't just charge for time spent. Maybe they'll cut you a break and do the right thing.

Well, I imagine the response would be that they did a lot of other "stuff" that they did not charge for. What that might be, who knows. No point stressing over it at this point, enjoy the car and lessons learned. I am certainly glad I did a lot of the "heavy lifting work" before hand or the bill may have exceeded the car's value.

I think one thing all service providers need to keep in mind these days is the power of social media. Customers can and do share their experiences both good and bad. In the long term, that will have a big impact on your reputation and your business prospects. You do not have to be the cheapest game in town but you do need to have high quality and be fair in your dealings with customers. Certainly charge a premium for quality work and skill but do not charge 3 hours if it really takes 1 hour. If you are backed up and do not get to the vehicle for a week after it was dropped off for a scheduled appointment then mark that thermostat adjustment (or something) as no charge.

Shops like Tangerine are extremely well respected for both the quality of their work and products but also for treating their customers fairly. Someone recently posted about their great experience at Tangerine and how their car was finished the same day they brought it in. I thought of that recently as I had scheduled an appointment with the shop I used 3 weeks prior yet it took a week before they even looked at the car and was a total of nearly three weeks by the time it was ready. While Tangerine is a good 3-4 hours from me, if I knew I had major work to do I would not hesitate, in the future, to load the 914 on the trailer and haul it up there. Would I use the shop I went to again? While they did good work, probably not.

[iankarr]

Absolutely right that there's no need to stress or regret. The most important thing is that your car is on the road (more than many can say) and you're happy with the work. In the end, a few bucks one way or the other wont make or break anything. Hell..I paid Manhattan motors 600 bucks to flush the brakes and change the oil on my cayman before I felt comfortable doing it myself...but it was super convenient and done well. There are always less expensive options, but cost is only part of the equation.

Totally agree that social media gives a much needed voice to consumers. It probably does more harm than good to society as a whole, but that's a different thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif).

I think I'm the one you referenced about my experience with chris at tangerine. If you're only 3 hours away, I'd definitely send the car to him. Either drive it, or if you have AAA platinum, I think you get 1 free 200 mile tow every year. As I mentioned in my other post, Chris is that rare combination of knowledge, skill, speed and fairness. (And, no I'm not on his payroll!). Just someone who knows the real deal when I see it.

Enjoy the car!