Large differences in labour rates in Uk OPCs

[captainhoo]

Recently I contacted a few OPCs to get a quote for installing a dashcam on my Taycan. I was surprised to see the variance in pricing.

The dashcam price was the same pretty much across the board, the difference was in the labour rate. I was quoted between £890 to £1475 for the front only (including installation). All within 50 miles radius, close to London.

Sharing this so you check with a few OPCs before carrying out any work.

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[Mourloz]

Had the same experience in Midlands.

Ended up installing a FitCamX on my own.

 

[Speuk]

Recently I contacted a few OPCs to get a quote for installing a dashcam on my Taycan. I was surprised to see the variance in pricing.

The dashcam price was the same pretty much across the board, the difference was in the labour rate. I was quoted between £890 to £1475 for the front only (including installation). All within 50 miles radius, close to London.

Sharing this so you check with a few OPCs before carrying out any work.

Plenty of independent installers who will do it for less than £200. Easy enough to install yourself. I installed a Viofo A139Pro dual camera in my CT.

 

[Dave Birch]

Halfords £50 - job

 

[captainhoo]

Plenty of independent installers who will do it for less than £200. Easy enough to install yourself. I installed a Viofo A139Pro dual camera in my CT.

You are right, there are plenty of installers around and I very nearly went an independent installer at first but after calling Porsche GB warranty department and the grey response I received, I just didn’t want to have any issues with the warranty later on and reverted back to porsche. If it wasnt for the warranty my choice was the BlackVue DR970x 2 channel Plus (LTE). I also did consider the dual channel Fitcam X but I’m not brave enough (read it as too clumsy!) to mess with the interior trim.

Porsche dashcam is Ok, it’s not the best in the market but does the job. My main concern with Porsche Dashcam is the front only option (my car doesn’t have the necessary pre-wiring for rear unit). I did like the Radar feature of Porsche dashcam though; I may be wrong but the way I read it, it links to the car radar and perhaps parking sensors for its Parking mode.

Main point here is to warn other owners about the large variance in the quotes I received from various OPCs near London. I always thought the rates were fixed by Porsche GB, but this exercise proved me wrong. The first quote was for ~ £1250, second was ~£1450 and the 3rd and best quote came in just under £900. In future I will be checking the prices with multiple OPCs even for a routine service.

 

[Speuk]

You are right, there are plenty of installers around and I very nearly went an independent installer at first but after calling Porsche GB warranty department and the grey response I received, I just didn’t want to have any issues with the warranty later on and reverted back to porsche. If it wasnt for the warranty my choice was the BlackVue DR970x 2 channel Plus (LTE). I also did consider the dual channel Fitcam X but I’m not brave enough (read it as too clumsy!) to mess with the interior trim.

Porsche dashcam is Ok, it’s not the best in the market but does the job. My main concern with Porsche Dashcam is the front only option (my car doesn’t have the necessary pre-wiring for rear unit). I did like the Radar feature of Porsche dashcam though; I may be wrong but the way I read it, it links to the car radar and perhaps parking sensors for its Parking mode.

Main point here is to warn other owners about the large variance in the quotes I received from various OPCs near London. I always thought the rates were fixed by Porsche GB, but this exercise proved me wrong. The first quote was for ~ £1250, second was ~£1450 and the 3rd and best quote came in just under £900. In future I will be checking the prices with multiple OPCs even for a routine service.

I had my first service carried out in July and emailed several OPCs
PRG we're competitive but wanted the car first 2 data and a long wait fir a loaner.
High Wycombe tried to add 2 items which were described on the quote as "value create" and and £170. They did remove these when complained to the DP but i had already booked at Solihull who were initially a bit more expensive than PRG but undercut them when I told them the PRG price. Ready supply of loan cars. Did the service and heater recall in one day and final bill was £22 less than quote. So I used them for the brake recall, and brake software update, quick booking, brand new loan car, only small issue was they forgot to update the pcm with brake fluid change so I'll need to pop in one morning for them to update that.

 

[RGBArgee]

You are right, there are plenty of installers around and I very nearly went an independent installer at first but after calling Porsche GB warranty department and the grey response I received, I just didn’t want to have any issues with the warranty later on and reverted back to porsche. If it wasnt for the warranty my choice was the BlackVue DR970x 2 channel Plus (LTE). I also did consider the dual channel Fitcam X but I’m not brave enough (read it as too clumsy!) to mess with the interior trim.

Porsche dashcam is Ok, it’s not the best in the market but does the job. My main concern with Porsche Dashcam is the front only option (my car doesn’t have the necessary pre-wiring for rear unit). I did like the Radar feature of Porsche dashcam though; I may be wrong but the way I read it, it links to the car radar and perhaps parking sensors for its Parking mode.

Main point here is to warn other owners about the large variance in the quotes I received from various OPCs near London. I always thought the rates were fixed by Porsche GB, but this exercise proved me wrong. The first quote was for ~ £1250, second was ~£1450 and the 3rd and best quote came in just under £900. In future I will be checking the prices with multiple OPCs even for a routine service.

I’ve got front and rear Porsche Dashcam and wonder how it links to radar and parking sensors?

 

[Kimiko1136]

I paid $350 for installing FITCAMX front and back from an independent dashcam shop in Ca US

 

[captainhoo]

I paid $350 for installing FITCAMX front and back from an independent dashcam shop in Ca US

US Porsche centres may have a more relaxed approach when it comes to warranty claims

 

[captainhoo]

I had my first service carried out in July and emailed several OPCs
PRG we're competitive but wanted the car first 2 data and a long wait fir a loaner.
High Wycombe tried to add 2 items which were described on the quote as "value create" and and £170. They did remove these when complained to the DP but i had already booked at Solihull who were initially a bit more expensive than PRG but undercut them when I told them the PRG price. Ready supply of loan cars. Did the service and heater recall in one day and final bill was £22 less than quote. So I used them for the brake recall, and brake software update, quick booking, brand new loan car, only small issue was they forgot to update the pcm with brake fluid change so I'll need to pop in one morning for them to update that.

That £1450 (highest price) was from Porsche High Wycombe!

 

[Speuk]

That £1450 (highest price) was from Porsche High Wycombe!

Hahaha why am I not surprised. I couldn't believe they would describe items as "value create". One was for reading the fault codes and the other for resetting the pcm... both standard as part of the service. You can probably imagine my sarcastic email to the dealer principal.

It's a shame as High Wycombe is very close to me. Reading was my usual opc and supplied the car very quickly when others were waiting 12 months or more. Reading were also very reluctant not to do the brake fluid change as part of the service but as the car was only 18 months old I wasn't prepared to have it done 6 months early. Shortly after the service I got the brake recall which Solihull confirmed included a full brake flush and fluid change.

Incidentally the brake pedal travel when stopping with mechanical brakes is now fantastic since the psm software update .

 

[anonymouse]

That £1450 (highest price) was from Porsche High Wycombe!

... who were also the winners of the highest quote for a first service, £1500 - and didn’t improve despite two requests. They appear not to use common sense when pricing.

I think they are conning you when they tell you there is a warranty risk. I had my dash cam installed by an excellent provider, TTW Installations. They used a simple-to-remove plug which isolates the dash cam from the rest of the car electrics, so if there is ever a question about an electrical problem you just unplug it.

threats of warranty issues seem to be how a lot of dealers sell expensive work to you. E.g. all of this stuff about “checking drains“ which is optional but not optional. And very expensive..

 

[captainhoo]

I’ve got front and rear Porsche Dashcam and wonder how it links to radar and parking sensors?

My mistake, I misunderstood the radar part from the product info sheet. it must be referring to dash cams built-in radar sensor, not the vehicles sensors.

 

[Fish Fingers]

In the early posts on the UK service cost thread, the price difference across dealerships was huge - for the same work.

They appear to have levelled off a bit now.
And you need to factor in whether it includes the drain checks.

 

[RGBArgee]

In the early posts on the UK service cost thread, the price difference across dealerships was huge - for the same work.

They appear to have levelled off a bit now.
And you need to factor in whether it includes the drain checks.

These drain checks appear to be fairly simple, certainly not £200+ per hour x 3 hours + VAT . What’s the risk? Is it a diy job with photo evidence? Can a non OPC do it at a third of the cost?

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