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When you think about it, purchasing a new car is like buying a computer. It's an expensive, high-tech device that needs maintenance and care to stay working properly for its entire useful life. With the average age of cars on U.S. roads creeping ever higher, extended maintenance programs have become more critical than ever before when buying a new car. Porsche's Periodic Service is one of the company's many efforts to help extend the useful lives of their customers' vehicles by proactively addressing issues before they become a problem.

Porsche's Periodic Service is designed to optimize your car and keep it in peak condition indefinitely. Continue ahead for more on what to expect from Porsche's Periodic Service, how often you should take your Cayenne or Macan in for service, and how you can prep your new Porsche before taking it in for its first checkup...

What to expect from Porsche's Periodic Service

Maintaining your Porsche with Porsche's Periodic Service will ensure that it continues to perform at peak levels for as long as feasible. Depending on the model, you can expect to take your vehicle to the dealership for one of three types of service: That said, general wear-and-tear items are still covered under the program, but the intervals at which these items are replaced or serviced are extended based on how you drive your car. 

How often should you take your Porsche in for service?

Porsche's Periodic Service doesn't specify at what mileage you should take your car in for service. Instead, it dictates the intervals at which service is due—typically every 10,000 miles or 24 months, whichever comes first. This means you could take your car in for service just a few months after buying it or wait until the vehicle's third birthday before visiting the dealership.

It all depends on how (and how hard) you drive your car. The goal of Periodic Service is to proactively address issues before they become a problem. So while there's no set rule for when to take your car in for service, you should aim to go as soon as you feel it's necessary.

Preparing your vehicle before taking it in for service

(i)- Know what to expect. Many customers mistakenly believe that buying an extended warranty covers all the routine maintenance that their vehicle will need over the life of the warranty. Not so. An extended warranty covers unexpected repairs—usually after the standard warranty has expired.

For example: if your Porsche's oil filter breaks, causing the engine to seize, the extended warranty will cover the repair. But if the filter fails before the warranty expires, you'll need to pay for it yourself. With this in mind, it's wise to learn about the Periodic Service schedule for your vehicle and the specifics of each service. You'll be better prepared when it's time to take your car in for maintenance. 

(ii)- Prepare your vehicle for service. Depending on how hard you've been driving your car, you may need to prepare it before bringing it in for service. This is especially true if you're bringing your vehicle in for an early service. For example, if you've been driving your car in stop-and-go traffic, you may need to replace the old oil filter before taking it in for its scheduled change.

This is because the hotter temperatures and increased wear and tear associated with stop-and-go driving tend to accelerate the breakdown of engine oil. Similarly, if the engine mounts have been overheating due to hard driving, they may need to be replaced. In this case, you may need to have your vehicle towed to the dealership so the technicians can work on it immediately.

Porsche periodic service: Frequently asked questions

How much does Porsche maintenance cost?

 If you drive more than 10k miles annually, you should take your Porsche for servicing every year. Minor regular repairs, such as oil and filter changes and a thorough inspection, should cost between $200 and $400. Major planned repairs, such as PDK transmission maintenance or brake fluid replacement, might cost up to $1,500.

Expect to spend between $150 and $350 per tire if you need to replace one. If you want high-performance tires, you could expect to spend up to $500 per tire (depending on your car model and driving style).

While we're on the topic of pricey line items, the brakes on a Porsche are often expensive to maintain. A total brake job (front and rear) might cost you up to $1,000, with the potential to cost you up to $1,800, depending on the age and type of your automobile. Remember that your Porsche is a high-performance car; thus, when changing brake pads, you must use components designed for high-performance vehicles. Ceramic brake pads are strongly recommended.

What is the cost of repairing a Porsche?

Several variables determine the cost of repairing your Porsche. Are the repairs minor, such as replacing a spark plug or a valve cover, or big, such as coolant leaks or water pumps? Minor repairs may cost a few hundred dollars, while a water pump may cost almost a thousand dollars.

Repairs vary from planned service expenditures because they are much more challenging to estimate. Breakdowns, accidents, or fender benders may occur at any moment and are usually unintentional on the driver's part. Like any high-performance, precision-engineered automobile, features, and labor for fixing a Porsche are more expensive than you may expect for an ordinary car. While longtime Porsche owners are well aware of this, it is certainly something to consider if you are in the market for your first Porsche. When considering maintenance expenses or needing repairs, remember that independent repair businesses are often less expensive than going to the dealership.

What is the cost of an oil change in a Porsche?

Oil changes are an essential element of automobile care. The cost of changing the oil in Porsche is higher owing to the engine's usage of high-performance synthetic oil. This oil may range between $12 and $14 per liter, and your Porsche will need seven to ten gallons. That's up to $120 in oil, not including the filter and labor. In addition, earlier Porsches utilize mineral base oils. These oils should not be replaced with synthetic oils. 

If you reside in a hotter climate (somewhere hotter than Germany, where the automobile was designed), you should replace your oil more regularly than every 10k miles. If you drive a turbocharged Porsche and reside in a hot environment, it is advised that you change your oil every 5k miles to guarantee peak performance since turbocharged engines create a lot of heat.

Conclusion

Porsche's Periodic Service is one of the company's many efforts to help extend the useful lives of their customers' vehicles by proactively addressing issues before they become a problem. Porsche's Periodic Service doesn't specify at what mileage you should take your car in for service. Instead, it dictates the intervals at which service is due.

This means you could take your vehicle in for service just a few months after buying it or wait until the vehicle's third birthday before visiting the dealership. It all depends on how (and how hard) you drive your car. Continue reading porschemotorcar.com to be updated on Porsche news and more.