Why do we get screwed on prices ?

[exLotus]

Hi Guys,

 

I just received delivery of my 986 2.7 Year 2000 Boxster. Loving the solid feel and flat 6 engine torque compared to the ex Lotus Elise. Compared to the MX5 and Elise I used to own, I am finding that local suppliers and Porsche specialist really do go for the “kill” when it comes to charging.

 

I wanted some extra exhaust note so I started investigating options locally to get the exhaust bypass undertaken. The cheapest quote I received from independent Porsche guys is $1,800 using MY existing muffler !!!  Common guys, are they lining the internals with gold plated heat shields and sending the muffler off to a Japanese monk ?

 

Why don't these guys do more volume by charging more realistic prices rather than adopting an all or nothing profit approach ?

 

Perhaps they need to adopt a customer segmentation to their service model:

 

1. Doctor/Dentist/ Surgeon prices

2. Business Managers/ Consultants

3. Used Porsche buyers looking for a fair price

 

I am all for supporting and buying locally but it has to be a win-win model for suppliers/repairers and customers.  Why do Aussies always get the raw end of the deal?  The economies of scale argument surely cannot hold much water because there are plenty of Porsches per capita in Aust.

[sandy468]

Welcome to P world, you're now elite and shall be treated as such by way of Pcar tax! Quite a classic car you have there!

Nah seriously it's like any good car pretty much ... some will try to gouge ya and that's where you have to hunt around and find the people who do a good job at a fair price and you can always supply your own parts or let them gouge you a bit on aftermarket parts, which is the usual..but the usual on most cars anyway.

[ANF]

Make the internet your friend! Even with high freight prices for shipping relatively small quantities it is still much cheaper to source parts out of Europe of the US, it has always been this way and most likely always will be.

Our isolation from the world makes it a fantastic place to live but means we pay more for goods, no logical reason for it they just do it.....

 

EDIT: Tassie's' extra bit of isolations means that we again pay a little bit extra.....

[Tit]

The cost of doing business in Australia is high (salary, taxes, duties, tyranny of distance etc).  Plus they know their online competition.  

Gotta pay to play etc etc

[edgy]

OP, 

I and many of my friends with half their mechanical wits about them agree with you, and that is that a lot of these Independent Porsche Shops are not worth it.

I am just a peasant on the bottom of the food chain, and those fancy kinda shops don't exist for people like me. Inverse it could be said that a fool and his money are soon parted... its all about perspective I guess? 10 years in the auto game gave me good perspective I'd like to think.

As others have mentioned, import your own aftermarket parts (and some OEM) and work selectively with the right workshops.

Surprisingly my local Porsche centre is quite reasonable on parts and service.. it actually does not work out cheaper to take my late model cars anywhere else. 

Oh and DIY  

 

 

[exLotus]

Yes. Agree with all your comments but the reality is that it does not have to be that way. Using the exhaust bypass mod as an example, if they charged $950 instead of $1900, sales volume will probably go up from 1 every 3 months to significantly more. So you make less per unit (probably still 100% margin at $950) but overall much more revenue. It doesn’t make any sense to go for the kill with pricing ! 

That's just a gobsmackingly ridiculous price to charge someone for a muffler modification using their own muffler ??? 

Its pricing decisions like these which contributed to Trump winning the election !!!  lol !  

 

 

[Apogee]

You don't have to necessarily use a Porsche specialist for it. Most things like changing brake pads, rotors and spark plugs or just an oil change doesn't necessarily require specialist skills. A competent mechanic would be able to do these things without "factory training". When you visit a dealer, you are generally getting an apprentice who does all of the work with the head mechanic looking over him anyway. 

[exLotus]

You don't have to necessarily use a Porsche specialist for it. Most things like changing brake pads, rotors and spark plugs or just an oil change doesn't necessarily require specialist skills. A competent mechanic would be able to do these things without "factory training". When you visit a dealer, you are generally getting an apprentice who does all of the work with the head mechanic looking over him. 

Agree. I took my beloved Boxster to my local mechanic to get oil change and brake oil flushed. Charge=$275.

 

[911sies]

Agree. I took my beloved Boxster to my local mechanic to get oil change and brake oil flushed. Charge=$275.

 

Welcome aboard. I'm also an ex-Lotus owner (Exige).Depending on the age of your Elise, you're used to the Toyota-related ease of access, and high availability of parts...that had Toyota stamped on them .Welcome to a brave new world!. 

If you haven't already got it, get this book 101 Projects For Your Porsche Boxster  Basic servicing is pretty easy if you know one end of a torx bit,from another. 

Most people (including me) bite the bullet and go for main dealer or specialist services. The best specialists have Porsche trained techs working for them, and the stamps help retain some value when you come to sell. 

As for the exhaust, I got mine from Belgium. I'm not even going to share what that costs me to get here, suffice to say it sounds as expensive as it was. The biggest plus compared to your old car, is a flat six connected to your right foot. Then you realise It's all worth it.

[Shady Speedway]

Cause the next guy getting a quote is more than likely cashed up and technicaly inept.

Porsche shops charge like bulls simply cause they can. They can keep winding up the price till they have the amount of customers they want.

[exLotus]

Welcome aboard. I'm also an ex-Lotus owner (Exige).Depending on the age of your Elise, you're used to the Toyota-related ease of access, and high availability of parts...that had Toyota stamped on them .Welcome to a brave new world!. 

If you haven't already got it, get this book 101 Projects For Your Porsche Boxster  Basic servicing is pretty easy if you know one end of a torx bit,from another. 

Most people (including me) bite the bullet and go for main dealer or specialist services. The best specialists have Porsche trained techs working for them, and the stamps help retain some value when you come to sell. 

As for the exhaust, I got mine from Belgium. I'm not even going to share what that costs me to get here, suffice to say it sounds as expensive as it was. The biggest plus compared to your old car, is a flat six connected to your right foot. Then you realise It's all worth it.

Yes. Ordered the book.  I came from a Rover Elise. I cried when I started my Boxster for the first time. The wail of the flat 6 made me emotional. And I could listen to music whilst driving also brought happiness to my heart. The Boxster is just as capable of a handler compared to a rover elise. I feel there is more mechanical grip.

[LeeM]

  Mate, doing my 912 brakes, (told them they were VW) I was charged $40 for both rotors to be machined. 3 weeks later, same people, but told them the rears were for a Porsche,  $400 quote!

 Asked why the price hike, they said they had to change the machine, coz Porsche rotors are different!  Ofcourse I just said BULLSHIT to his face and walked out

 Welcome to the P tax mate! Shop around is my advice

[firstone]

Check out the 986forum.com, DIY Exhaust Mod.

I have done it and the note is beautiful.

A long 12mm drill bit is the only cost. Don't go bigger.

[Niko]

Ok, I feel your pain, but if you are prepared to throw your line out a bit further.....

I purchased a FISTER Exhaust from the U.S. of A. for my 2001 Boxster S about 5 years ago.

Sensational Exhaust.   Didn't do any dyno checks to see improvement and I would be surprised if it improved it very much.

But the sound was perfect.

A few others on the forum have dealt with Darin for their 993's exhausts.

He will reco an old core and "sport it out"   Normally in the states you would give him your old unit, otherwise pay a deposit for the old core.

I didn't want to go to the expense of sending one of this big mufflers back to the states so I paid the deposit.

Now things and prices have probably changed.  But I got the modified exhaust, plus paid the deposit on the old core all for about $1000.00 AUD

Because of the size I had it shipped over by boat, and I think that cost $150.00 or something silly like that, compared to flying it back here.

Darin is a great guy to deal with and was at one stage going to come over here and hold a "workshop" with the Vic forum members, and come on a run with us.

Anyway I have popped on a few photos to sort of show how it looks, but I was extremely happy with the sound, and got lots of positive comments on it.

The new owner of the car still has it on and loves it. 

Worth and Email to Darin.    (Not sure if I have his name spelt right ..Darin)

Good luck with it and if you do find a local place please let us know

 

FISTER EXHAUSTS.

Darin FISTER 

http://fdmotorsports.net/fister-exhaust-boxster/

[TrevMcRev]

I enquired about getting my stock 996 mufflers modded, similar bypass job, and were quoted about $250 for the welding work from memory from Jocaro but that was to do to the originals before putting on while taking the aftermarket ones off.  So I were paying for a bit of labour anyway, but definitely not $1500+ labour in it!

I think it was a couple of hundred to change em over.

Nikos Boxster sure did sound good though!

 

[exLotus]

Thanks guys. I will check out fister exhaust and a few local exhaust fabricators.i will keep everyone in the loop if i find a good local guy to do the work here in Melbourne. My boxster is far too polite sounding at the moment. I am also intending to get the shop to fabricate a secondary cat bypass.

[espskk]

Thanks guys. I will check out fister exhaust and a few local exhaust fabricators.i will keep everyone in the loop if i find a good local guy to do the work here in Melbourne. My boxster is far too polite sounding at the moment. I am also intending to get the shop to fabricate a secondary cat bypass.

Welcome, my one tip if you are going to use the original exhaust is to purchase another original as a spare.  The reason, when you receive an EPA notice and have to present the vehicle for a decibel test you will need to put the original back on to pass it.  How do I know this.  I found out the hard way, fortunately I had been advised to find another exhaust also. If you go the fister mod or gundo hack, call it what you will, your car will sound fantastic but it will be loud!!  There appear to be a few on eBay for not much money.

Cheers Steve.

 

[911sies]

As mentioned, don't overlook Carnewal. The biggest complaint when switching exhausts, is droning. Carnewal's don't drone, they just sing. 

 

 

[exLotus]

Welcome, my one tip if you are going to use the original exhaust is to purchase another original as a spare.  The reason, when you receive an EPA notice and have to present the vehicle for a decibel test you will need to put the original back on to pass it.  How do I know this.  I found out the hard way, fortunately I had been advised to find another exhaust also. If you go the fister mod or gundo hack, call it what you will, your car will sound fantastic but it will be loud!!  There appear to be a few on eBay for not much money.

Cheers Steve.

 

yeah baby ! Bring on the loudness ! But no drone please otherwise i would have just stuck with my lotus elise. That elise lack of sound deadening and dronning killed me ! I will puchase Niko muffler as epa insurance.

[Digital Mouth]

The Boxster 97 to 99 if my memory serves me correct cost over a $100.000

Today their selling for 15K to 20K 2nd hand yet we're paying for parts as if it was still a $104.000 car.

It's wrong and it's unfair.

Luckily you can find a lot of good stuff on eBay and if you shop around you can find a good, fair and honest mechanic.

I recommend Cavaco Motors in Sydney. They charged me $1000 to put a new gearbox into my car where the guy down the road wanted $2500.

Go figure..

[Arnage]

Exhaust mods, I looked into getting a better sound our of my 996, researched & found a solution called the "Gundo Hack" or "PSE hack" removed the silencers myself ( quiet easy) 3 hrs because I had no idea. $250 to get welded up & 1 Hr to re fit .

as others have said, try a bit yourself & you can get the same result for heaps less.

[Apogee]

As mentioned, don't overlook Carnewal. The biggest complaint when switching exhausts, is droning. Carnewal's don't drone, they just sing. 

 

 

My new Spyder came with a Carnewal exhaust that the previous owner installed. Sounds great on start up but I wish it was a bit louder.

[Coastr]

The cost of doing business in Australia is high (salary, taxes, duties, tyranny of distance etc).  Plus they know their online competition.  

Gotta pay to play etc etc

plus our seeming love of creating cartels and monopolies.

 

good work on updating the exhaust - nothing better than a growling Porsche six!