Owning a Porsche Cayman 987 |The Expensive Reality of My Dream Car

Summary

In this video, the host shares his experience with Sam Lander Porsche after sending his car for a sump repair and discovering several other issues. The car received a full alignment, new rear tires, gearbox service, and preventive maintenance. The most surprising find was broken headlight level sensors, which were replaced. The host emphasizes the meticulous care and attention to detail provided by the garage, resulting in a transformed and reliable vehicle, just in time for a challenging 1300-mile journey. The total cost for the extensive work was £1,701, which the host considers reasonable given the quality of service and the peace of mind it provides for his upcoming adventure.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The video is about a car owner's experience with Sam Lander Porsche for repairs and maintenance on his car.
• 🔧 The car was initially sent for a sump repair, but several other issues were discovered during the service.
• 🏁 The car owner is preparing for a long journey, the North Coast 500, and wants to ensure the car is in perfect condition for the trip.
• 📏 A worn-out ball tire was found, which had been rubbing against something, and a loose camber bolt was identified and tightened.
• 🔄 The car received a full four-wheel alignment and two new rear tires to ensure safety and performance on the upcoming journey.
• 🛠️ Preventive maintenance was performed, including greasing parts to prevent corrosion and improve the car's longevity.
• 💡 Broken headlight level sensors were discovered, causing the headlights not to level properly, which was fixed as part of the service.
• 💸 The total cost for the repairs and maintenance was £1,701, which the car owner considers reasonable given the extensive work done.
• 📈 The car owner emphasizes the importance of professional garage service to catch small but critical issues that may be overlooked during DIY repairs.
• 🌟 The car owner is particularly impressed with the attention to detail and thoroughness of the work done by Sam Lander Porsche.
• 🎉 The car owner is invited to a track day by Sam, which he is excited about, showing a positive relationship between the garage and its customers.

Q & A

What was the primary reason for sending the car to Sam Lander Porsche?

The car was sent to Sam Lander Porsche for a sump repair, but additional issues were discovered during the service.

What was the surprising condition of the car's tire?

The car had a bald tire on the inside edge, which was unexpected as the owner takes care of the car and pays attention to the tires.

What was the issue with the car's camber bolt?

The camber bolt on the car was loose, which needed to be tightened to ensure proper alignment and handling.

What maintenance was done to prevent corrosion on the car?

The car underwent a full four-wheel alignment, had bits and bobs greased up, and wheel bolts painted to prevent corrosion.

Why were the headlight level sensors replaced?

The headlight level sensors were corroded and completely sheared off, which affected the car's headlight leveling function.

What was the significance of the North Coast 500 trip for the car's condition?

The North Coast 500 is a 516-mile drive that serves as a test of the car's durability and reliability, making it crucial to ensure the car is in perfect condition before the journey.

What was the initial issue with the car's handling before the repair?

The car felt wobbly due to the loose camber bolt, which was thought to be related to the bushings or shock absorbers.

How much did the total repair and maintenance cost for the car?

The total cost of the repair and maintenance was £1,701.

What was the most expensive part of the repair bill?

The most expensive part of the bill was the two new Michelin PS4 S's tires, which cost £478.

What was the owner's perspective on the cost of maintaining a Porsche?

The owner acknowledges that Porsche ownership is expensive but believes the cost is justified by the quality of work and the peace of mind it brings, especially for a significant journey.

What additional service did Sam Lander Porsche offer to the owner?

Sam Lander Porsche invited the owner to join them for a track day at Croft, providing an opportunity to experience a track day from the pit lane.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Car Repairs and Maintenance at Sam Lander Porsche

The video begins with the host discussing his experience at Sam Lander Porsche, where his car was sent for a sump repair. Upon inspection, several other issues were discovered, including a bald inner tire, a loose camber bolt, and broken headlight level sensors. The car underwent a series of repairs and maintenance, such as a full four-wheel alignment, new rear tires, gearbox sump work, and preventive measures against corrosion. The host emphasizes the importance of these repairs, especially as he prepares for the North Coast 500, a 516-mile drive around the coast of Scotland. He highlights the car's improved handling after the repairs and expresses satisfaction with the service and attention to detail at Sam Lander Porsche.

05:01

💷 Detailed Breakdown of Car Repair Costs

In the second paragraph, the host provides a thorough breakdown of the costs associated with the car's repairs. He lists the various services and parts replaced, including a new gear stick, sump pan, gearbox oil and filter kit, level sensor link rods, Michelin PS4 tires, and a new brake pipe. The host also mentions the labor involved in the repairs, grease application to prevent rust, and the alignment of the car's wheels. He reflects on the high costs of Porsche ownership and compares it to the more affordable maintenance of other vehicles like his Golf GTI. The total cost of the repairs is revealed to be £1,701, which the host considers reasonable given the extensive work done and the car's transformation.

10:03

🏎️ Upcoming Track Day and Reflections on Car Ownership

The final paragraph sees the host discussing an upcoming track day at Croft, where he has been invited by Sam from Sam Lander Porsche. Although he won't be racing, he is excited to experience the track day from the pit lane. He reflects on the costs of owning and maintaining an 18-year-old Porsche, acknowledging the financial commitment required but expressing his satisfaction with the quality of work and attention to detail provided by the garage. The host concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts on the repair costs and thanking them for watching, promising more videos to come.

Keywords

💡Sump Repair

Sump repair refers to the fixing or replacement of the sump, which is the lowest part of a vehicle's oil pan that collects and stores the engine oil. In the video, the car owner sent his Porsche to Sam Lander for a sump repair, which is a critical maintenance task to ensure the engine's proper lubrication and longevity. The repair is part of the broader theme of car maintenance and reliability, as it was undertaken to prevent potential issues during a long journey.

💡Ball Tire

A ball tire is a term used to describe a tire that has worn unevenly, often to the point where the tread pattern resembles a ball shape due to excessive wear on the inside edge. In the script, the owner was surprised to find that one of his tires was bald on the inside, which is a serious safety concern as it affects the tire's grip and vehicle handling. This issue was discovered during the sump repair and had to be addressed.

💡Camber Bolt

The camber bolt is a component that secures the suspension of a vehicle, affecting the alignment of the wheels. In the video, it was found to be loose, which could cause the car to feel wobbly and affect its handling. Tightening the camber bolt was part of the preventive maintenance carried out during the car's service, illustrating the importance of regular inspections and adjustments to maintain vehicle stability and safety.

💡Four-Wheel Alignment

Four-wheel alignment is a service that adjusts the angles of the wheels so they are set to the car manufacturer's specifications. This ensures even tire wear and improves the vehicle's handling and safety. In the video, the car underwent a four-wheel alignment after the rear tire was replaced, which was necessary to correct any misalignment that may have occurred during the sump repair process.

💡Gearbox Sump

The gearbox sump is the oil pan of a vehicle's transmission, which holds the transmission fluid. In the video, the gearbox sump was serviced, which typically involves draining the old fluid, cleaning the sump, and replacing the fluid and filter. This is a crucial maintenance task for the smooth operation and longevity of the transmission.

💡Level Sensors

Level sensors, also known as headlight level sensors, are devices that adjust the angle of the headlights to maintain optimal illumination based on the vehicle's load and road conditions. In the script, the level sensors were found to be broken and needed replacement. This is important for safety, as improperly leveled headlights can dazzle oncoming drivers or fail to illuminate the road adequately.

💡North Coast 500

The North Coast 500 is a scenic route in Scotland, often compared to the more famous Route 66 in the United States. It is a 516-mile drive that the car owner plans to undertake in his Porsche. The video emphasizes the importance of thorough car maintenance before embarking on such a long and challenging journey, to ensure the vehicle's reliability and performance.

💡Bushings

Bushings are rubber or polyurethane components that reduce friction and noise between moving parts in a vehicle's suspension system. In the video, the owner mentions that while the car could benefit from new bushings, the wobbliness was not due to worn bushings but rather a loose camber bolt. This highlights the need for a thorough inspection to identify the actual cause of a vehicle's issues.

💡Michelin PS4s

Michelin PS4s are high-performance tires manufactured by Michelin, known for their grip and performance in various driving conditions. In the script, the owner had to replace the worn rear tires with new Michelin PS4s before his long journey. This illustrates the importance of having quality tires for safety and performance, especially for a demanding drive like the North Coast 500.

💡Labor Rate

The labor rate is the cost per hour charged by a garage or mechanic for their work. In the video, the owner mentions the garage's labor rate of £76 per hour, which contributed to the total cost of the car's service. Understanding the labor rate helps viewers gauge the cost of car maintenance and compare it with other service providers.

💡Track Day

A track day is an event where car enthusiasts drive their vehicles on a racing circuit, often for the purpose of testing their cars' performance or simply for the enjoyment of driving. In the video, the owner was invited to join Sam Lander at Croft for a track day, which he is excited about as it offers a unique perspective from the pit lane and the opportunity to experience high-speed driving in a controlled environment.

Highlights

Car sent to Sam Lander Porsche for a sump repair but additional issues were found.

Ball tire was bald on the inside, a surprising discovery for a well-maintained car.

Camber bolt was loose, causing the car to feel wobbly.

Full four-wheel alignment and two new rear tires were needed.

Gearbox sump repair was completed with preventive maintenance for corrosion.

Headlight level sensors were broken and recommended for replacement.

Headlights not leveling correctly noticed by oncoming traffic.

Car prepared for the North Coast 500, a 516-mile drive around the North Coast of Scotland.

The importance of car reliability for the upcoming endurance journey.

Car felt wobbly due to the loose camber bolt, which was a safety concern.

After fixing the bolt, car handling improved significantly.

Attention to detail and finding minor issues at Sam Lander Porsche.

Headlight levelers were fitted to address the leveling issue.

The total cost of the car repairs and services was £1,701.

Michelin PS4S tires for the rear set alone cost £478.

Gearbox oil and servicing kit added to the overall cost.

Labor cost at £76 per hour for a total of 7 hours.

The value of expert inspection and maintenance for a car's long-term health.

Invitation to a track day experience with Sam Lander Porsche.

Transcripts

hi and welcome back to Joe torts cars

and welcome to another video you'll have

seen in my last video I sent my car to

Sam Lander Porsche it was sent in to do

the sump repair but while it was in

there he did find a number of other

things that were

wrong the main ones being the ball tire

that was bald on the inside which was

impressive to say the least I do

actually take care of my car and I do

pay attention to my tires but this was

the very Inside Edge it clearly been

rubbing against something thing well we

know that now the cber bolt on the car

was loose so that had to be tightened up

it had a full four-wheel alignment two

new rear tires the gearbox sump was done

it had bits and Bobs greased up to

prevent corrosion and help like bit of

preventive maintenance if you will and

the last thing they noticed was the

headlight level sensors or the levelers

were um were broken they were completely

sheared off these corrode on the inside

and just break away um so recommended

changing those I have noticed over the

past few weeks that when I've been

driving along especially coming up hills

people have been flashing me coming the

other way so clearly there was something

wrong I didn't notice but the headlights

weren't actually leveling on the morning

so they do need do it unfortunately it

couldn't get the parts till today so

we're on our way back there now to get

the headlight level as fitted and also

get the all important bill because in

the last video I said I was going back

to get the bill because he hadn't had

the invoice from the tire plate place he

couldn't do the bill so he said pop it

back let's get the level as fitted and

he can settle the bill then now I will

say I timed taking the Porsche to Sam

Lander with

perfection we're about to head up for

the North Coast 500 516 mile drive

around the North Coast of Scotland most

of it single track some of it probably

sketchy at points and a proper test of

durability of a car in order to get to

the start of the North Coast 500 in

Vaness it's a 7-hour drive from where I

live we're going to be completing over

1300

miles during our time in

Scotland it's a hell of a car breaker

and it's hell of a test of Endurance on

a car so I'm very keen to make sure that

this car is in perfect condition and

when I popped into Sam for the sump

because we thought maybe that would

affect the reliability on the journey if

it decided to drop all its gearbox oil

that would be us tapping out of the

journey while it was in there he

realized there was a number of other

things that needed doing and thankfully

he's been able to do them all so we

should have a very very pleasant journey

and initial reports on what has been

done so far of course the camera bolt

being loose did make the car feel a

little bit wobbly I've spoken about this

in numerous videos so far while I've

been trying to get to the bottom of it

thinking there is a chance this could be

the bushings it could be a shock absorb

it could be something and when

everything was checked over he said none

of it's actually that bad hard and

although you probably could do with some

bushings it's not the of the wobbliness

the

wobbliness down to the fact that the

suspension wasn't screwed together

properly so great fun and uh yeah I did

the ner burgering with a with a loose

camber bolt it's a bit worrying really

but anyway we made it I didn't crash

Misha didn't crash and we're home safe

since getting that bolt sorted out I

have to say the it's night and day this

car is handling with Absolut

Perfection there's no wobbliness it's

hitting bumps and riding over them just

like it used to it stays very level yes

it's still comfortable but some of the

firmness of the ride which I did enjoy

about the car has come back and wow what

a difference it has made I'm so happy

with the work they've done at Samer

Porsche and their attention to detail

and finding all these little things and

putting them right is why I go

there but anyway we're on the way now to

get these levelers fitted so I will

check in with you once we've got the

levelers fitted and I've got the all

important bill which I'm not expecting

to be cheap at all so stay tuned to find

out how much my Porsches cost me this

time

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right so that is the level as fitted the

headlights working perfectly and we

checked them just before we went a

massive shout out to Sam at s Lander

Porsche he's done an incredible job with

this car and although the is massive as

you will see I don't think considering

everything that's been done it's all

that bad and considering the way the

cars transformed and obviously giv me a

little bit more reliability when I take

on this massive Journey around Scotland

I think it's a small price to pay what

I'll do now is I'll go through the bill

I will tell you everything that's been

done and then I'll give you the total at

the

end you probably should be sitting down

it's rather big when you consider this

car only cost me 14 Grand not that many

years ago these sort of bills just show

how expensive Porsche ownership is but

see as I don't have Finance on this car

when you spread that across a 12month

period this is kind of like its big bill

for the year works out not too bad at

all so you'll have seen in a previous

video not the last one the one before

when it went into Sam Lander he noticed

the gearbox was really like stick stiff

the gear stick would move the selector

had an issue so he swapped that out he

had a selector he swapped it so he's

added that onto this spell I just paid

for the part I didn't pay for any labor

on that one they replac the sump Pan the

gearbox oil and filter kit of course

when you take the sump off you need new

filters all the oil that's not cheap the

level sensor link rods there was one of

those for the front and there was one of

those for the rears just one on each the

front left hand C front left and rear

left as well there's one on each it had

two Michelin PS4 s's fitted one was bald

to the core the other one wasn't like a

million miles off and given that I'm

going on this massive Journey it's

really important to have fresh rubber

the front are okay they're not great but

they're going to be fine for the journey

and because this car's so light on its

front tires they're going to last a good

few thousand miles yet thought it had to

have four-wheel alignment two reasons

for that really one when you're taking

off most of the rear of the car which is

all the bracing underneath it and you're

accessing the sump you're going to knock

things out of alinement makes sense to

do it but also the fact that the rear

tire was Bal on the inside gave us

question mark over their alignment so

they decided to redo that thank God they

did cuz that's when they found the bolt

loose they greased up other things

underneath the car so the brake lines

they pulled under the plastic covers and

they greased up underneath there they

also painted the wheel bolts lots of

grease on things to prevent rust and

yeah they just went over the car with a

fine tooth comb and I can't even begin

to describe how meticulous these guys

were was really good to see and it gives

me so much more confidence with the car

it did also have a corroded rear brake

pipe so the one on the rear left is okay

not great but the one on the right was

too far gone they needed to replace that

so they put a new brake pipe on and of

course a little bit of brake fluid the

rest of it was Labor as you can imagine

all this took quite a while to do the

car was in more or less all day so the

cost of all this work being completed on

my old Porsche was £

1,701 so what do you think do you think

that was

good I don't think it was that bad when

you think about how much is done a few

things to know is that the Michelin PS4

s's just for the rear set alone is

£478 of that bill that's just for the

tires the tires for these cars are very

expensive these are 19in Wheels by 265

so they're a big old tire and I always

put the best on it and they last so

they're not actually that bad value the

other expensive thing is of course the

gearbox oil and the servicing kit that

comes with that around

£50 there's a lot of oil filters and

it's not something you tend to do so I'm

quite glad that it's been serviced and

it feels totally different since they've

done that but nothing was actually that

expensive the tires made up the bulk of

that cost the rest was Labor none of the

other parts were overly expensive so if

you could do all this work yourself

you'd probably save a lot of money the

garage charges £76 an hour and they

spent 7 hours on the car so you save all

that if you could do it yourself this

isn't something that I ever planned to

do because when you take your car in and

yeah changing the sump would be quite

simple and even when I looked at it I

thought even I could probably do that

it's the other bits you don't notice

it's the cber bolt loose that you don't

notice it's the brake pipe so it's worth

taking the car in to get an expert to

look at it and look after the car

ensuring you pick up all those little

bits along the way that's the sort of

thing that I worry about if I work on my

own car yes I may achieve the job I've

set to do but I'm going to miss all the

important stuff which is not what you

want to be doing so what do we all think

do you think that was more or less than

you expected I really do like doing

these sort of videos giving you an

update on what it costs to look after

this car at the end of the day I think

most of my

subscribers do actually take their cars

to garages some of you main dealer some

of you Independents and it's a really

good thing to share the cost of it these

cars are quite cheap to buy but this

goes to show that they do cost a lot to

run a lot more than your everyday

Hatchback for example my Golf GTI which

is a quick car and a quite expensive car

when it came out cost maybe a tenth of

that to run nothing ever goes wrong with

it when it does it's cheap and it's just

a different ball game when you're

running around in an 18-year-old Porsche

things are just going to cost a lot of

money

and sometimes it's a little bit of a

surprise it's something I've got used to

since owning it the build are large I'm

not complaining about it I just like to

share what it costs because few people

will look at these and think 15 grand

that's the same price as a fiesta it is

until you take it to a garage and it

cost you two grand and you weren't

really expecting it cuz I wasn't

expecting that bill I didn't know half

of this was wrong with the car I didn't

even tend to get tires this time I was

hoping the tires were going to last for

the nc500 they clearly weren't because

they were Bal to the core or at least

one of them was but I don't think it was

actually that bad yes it was a large

bill but I think when you consider all

the work they put into it their labor

rate being considerably less than a

porsch main

dealer yeah I don't think you can go

wrong this bill would have easily been

,000 more a Porsche main dealer easily

and I don't know how meticulous they are

compared with Sam Sam just puts a level

of attention to detail into the cars

which I've never come across in a garage

and I'll certainly be using them again

I'm really happy with the work he's done

I'm not sure when this video will get

uploaded but you'll notice behind me

there is a pair of helmets Sam has also

invied me to join him at Croft for a

track day I won't be taking the car out

but we'll be going out in some of the

cars that he brings with him and

hopefully a few others it'll be really

good to experience a track day from the

pit Lane so I'm super excited for that

I've got my helmet ready and I'm good to

go so that will be coming very very

shortly but I hope you've enjoyed this

video it's just a little quick update

midweek upload on basically the running

cost of this car it may come as no

surprise to a lot of you that it's cost

this much yet again but I think it will

surprise some hopefully it's been

helpful if you've enjoyed it please make

sure to give it a thumbs up and

subscribe for plenty more videos like

this one and many many

others thank you so much for watching

and I'll see you next time bye

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