# 2018 Porsche Panamera - How do I find a good Porsche shop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** porsche\ **Created:** [May 2, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392 "2023-05-02T18:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tennisbum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tennisbum](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tennisbum)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/1 "2023-05-02T18:16:04Z")
I am trying to find an independent Porsche garage in my area (zip code 94404). I don’t think that $485 is reasonable. Can anyone help me? ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/2 "2023-05-02T18:24:52Z")
> [@Tennisbum](#): > > I don’t think that $485 is reasonable. Not sure what you are talking about with the $485. you did not say what it was for. As far as finding a reliable shop. your best bet is to go online and find a Porsche car club in your area and get InTouch with them. they will probably know the best shops in your area. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/3 "2023-05-02T19:54:44Z")
> [@Tennisbum](#): > > I don’t think that $485 is reasonable To do what ? That might be a fair charge but I din’t know since you did not even say what it was for . You have a Porsche so it will cost a lot for anything to be done to it. just put Porsche repair in Google for your area then check reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Tennisbum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tennisbum](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tennisbum)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/4 "2023-05-02T20:40:03Z")
I was in a hurry and left out an important part of my question. The $485 is for an oil and filter change – my car uses 9 quarts of Mobil 1 – and to reset the “Service Required” warning light. Ed Weiss 650-573-6895 Home ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/5 "2023-05-02T20:46:49Z")
You should never put your name and phone number on an open forum . Click on the slanted pencil looking thing and you can edit that out . ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/6 "2023-05-02T20:49:50Z")
> [@Tennisbum](#): > > I don’t think that $485 I presume you mean the shop labor rate is $485 per hour. Yikes! That does seem pretty expensive, even for the San Francisco peninsula. Besides WW’s excellent idea above, if you know anybody owning a Porsche, friends, neighbors, relatives etc, ask them who they use. Be sure to tell the shop owner the name of their customer that recommended the shop to you. One of my neighbors owned 2 identical 911 styles, purchased new. To address the high hour fees presumably, he set up his garage with a small hydraulic lift and did most of the repairs & maintenance himself. Nearly every time I walked by, he was under one of the Porsches. Another neighbor has a Boxster that doesn’t seem to require nearly the same amount of attention. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 12:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/7 "2023-05-03T00:10:05Z")
The labor guide shows 1.0 hour labor for oil and filter change on that vehicle. Additional labor may be necessary for other maintenance procedures. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 3:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/8 "2023-05-03T03:31:02Z")
The average cost for a Porsche Panamera Oil Change is **between $452 and $482**. Labor costs are estimated between $70 and $88 while parts are priced between $382 and $394. Sorry to say but you bought a Porsche, if you wanted a cheap vehicle to service I recommend a Corolla… ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/9 "2023-05-03T14:40:43Z")
> [@Tennisbum](#): > > The $485 is for an oil and filter change What did you expect from a $100,000 + car? $40 oil changes? Wait until it needs brakes or tires!! Well, you bought a Por$che, you are now facing Por$che price$ for $ervice. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/10 "2023-05-03T14:46:27Z")
Friend has a Macan, his routine maintenance costs are HIGH. But go to google/yelp, search for Porsche shops near you, call and find out what they charge for that maintenance interval. It may include other inspections, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/11 "2023-05-03T19:11:57Z")
Syn oil change? $200? Still too high. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/12 "2023-05-03T19:46:50Z")
The manufactures recommended oil for my car is Pennzoil ultra platinum 0w40. it takes 7 quarts. A quart is anywhere from $13-15 a quart. plus, about $15 for a oil filter. so, I can see a dealer charging $200. I bought 3 cases of oil because I hear sometimes it is hard to find. when I ordered them O’Rielly’s was the only one I could get it from at that time. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/13 "2023-05-03T20:00:53Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > The average cost for a Porsche Panamera Oil Change is **between $452 and $482**. Labor costs are estimated between $70 and $88 while parts are priced between $382 and $394. @Nevada_545 says above there’s one hour labor for oil & filter change. Do Porsche mechanics really only charge $80 per hour for labor? If so, that’s a pretty good bargain. I wonder if those numbers have been switched, it is actually $80 for parts, and $400 for the labor? In any event, seems like OP’s P & L fee for an oil change job is about what’s expected. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/14 "2023-05-03T20:05:25Z")
The oil is the special-grade synthetic, pricey, at $15 a quart x 9 quarts + $15 filter you’re at $150, plus dealer markup, plus labor, plus the inspections likely recommended with each change. No surprise on the cost, to me. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/15 "2023-05-03T20:15:13Z")
> [@texases](#): > > plus the inspections [Porsche] likely recommended with each change. It takes me about an hour as well, for either my Ford truck or my Corolla. But I do more than just change the oil and filter. First I idle the engine for a few minutes to warm the oil up, then while the oil drains I check & top off (if necessary) the other fluid levels, lube the hood and door hinges and latches, vacuum accumulated debris from the interior, engine compartment, and the hvac inlet-air screens, and clean windows inside & out. Hopefully the Porsche mechanics do all that for their customers as well. If so, $400-$500 for an oil change seems reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/16 "2023-05-04T01:45:03Z")
You can get a quote from Carrera Motors in San Mateo for starters, found a link to a few others. I know a couple great options in my city for Porsche and other German makes but you’d probably want to talk to a couple places to see how they compare. [Porsche Repair Shop in San Mateo, CA | Porsche Specialists (pcarwise.com)](https://www.pcarwise.com/local-help/porsche-repair-shops/pacific-southwest/porsche-repair-shop-in-san-mateo-ca/) ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/17 "2023-05-04T04:03:58Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > What did you expect from a $100,000 + car? $40 oil changes? Interestingly, the going rate for a conventional oil change **on a typical car** is now about $80, and the going rate for a synthetic oil change is now about $100. The days of the $39 or $49 oil change are over…unless of course if you DIY. And at DIY prices, I can get a 5 qt. bottle of conventional 5W30 oil for about $20, or I can get a 5qt. bottle of Dexos-compliant 5W30 synthetic oil for about $25. A brand-name oil filter, such as Wix or AC Delco or the official Toyota filter is about $12. You are correct that people frequently buy high-performance or luxury vehicles, especially once they have depreciated, and they fail to plan for the maintenance and repair costs. **People often make the mistake of thinking that the maintenance and repair costs on a 10-year old luxury car which costs $12k today will be similar to the maintenance and repair costs on a $12k used Corolla or Camry** …even though the luxury car might have cost $80k or more when it was new. Of course, these “baller on a budget” people end up running the car into the ground because they cannot afford to properly maintain it. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/18 "2023-05-04T12:03:33Z")
Nice car, I like it a lot. You have two things working against you. First the Panamera is an expensive car. Many years ago I owned a Porsche 914 2L and had maintenance done at the dealership I bought the car from. All work was very expensive, even though it was a bargain Porsche. While in line I talked to the other customers and they all agreed that shop prices were steep. The other thing is location. I’m sure you’ve noticed that your area has a very high cost of living. Mechanics have to live near you and need a living wage. It doesn’t hurt to look, but I doubt that you will find substantially lower costs unless you cross one of the bridges to the East Bay Area and even then it will still be expensive. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/19 "2023-05-04T15:27:03Z")
Has the OP joined any of the online forums dedicated to his make and model? That type of forum would be a good place to seek advice regarding an independent Porsche specialist. > **[Panamera - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums](https://rennlist.com/forums/panamera-167/)** > > Panamera - Porsche Panamera, Turbo S, Hybrid, Diesel, GTS and Sport Turismo discussion, how-to guides, and technical help. > **[Panamera - 6SpeedOnline - Porsche Forum and Luxury Car Resource](https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/panamera-75/)** > > Panamera - Porsche 970 (2010-2016) and 971 (2017-current) Panamera tips, guides, technical help and forum discussion. > **[Panamera Talk](https://www.planet-9.com/forums/panamera-talk.75/)** > > This is the place for general discussion about the Panamera. If items are related to other topics please post them in the appropriate forum. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 1:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-porsche-panamera-how-do-i-find-a-good-porsche-shop/190392/20 "2023-05-06T13:30:56Z")
I signed into Consumer Reports to check something else and came across a repair cost estimator. I plugged in your car and got a cost estimate for an oil and filter change. The prices run from $318 - $359 in your zip code, $114 - $146 for labor and $204 - $124 for materials. They also list they also have a list of 37 nearby shops. The closest ones are Boxer Specialist, Near Gear Bimmer Motors, A+ Japanese Auto Repairs, and Max Motors, all within 5 miles of 94404. CR doesn’t rate these shops or provide individual costs, but I assume that the cost estimates they provide come from some or all of the 37 in the list. Edit: I looked at the estimates again and CR uses Repair Pal. You can just go to the Repair Pal URL for the same information.