Just out of curiosity - is the lack of tire service just due to risking wheel damage during mount / dismount? Or stocking / acquiring a bunch of odd sizes for the kind of cars you service? Both?
I feel bad pointing it out but couldn't help it. Love your content Wizard! I was glad when you started the channel and truly enjoy watching it. Ignore the haters, I can see sometimes it gets to you but you'll always have internet trolls... Cheers
@@RayPerigo He said in earlier videos that he dislikes tire work. I think they're overwhelmed with work as is. So to diversify in something that he is not a fan of doing right now and the way the business model is set up it would make no sense to make it into a tire place as well. I assume its similar in the Midwest as it is on the east coast. There are dedicated tire shops (that also do alignment) and dedicated shops for mechanical work. I've found that the ones that do both often enough do not do either job right, but that could be just my personal experience. Anyways back to work, had too much fun commenting today, I rarely ever do. Cheers
@@newtonraymond77 While that's been the norm for a long time, the internet and social media are changing the game. Trust me, specialty shops who know their stuff and treat customers right are booked up solid for 3-4 months. The lack of new car inventory doesn't hurt either 😉
I found a VW shop on Yelp that had mostly 5 star reviews. It’s my go to shop even though there are closer places. I can do oil changes, but I still take it there for maintenance as it’s really not much more and they do a complete look over.
Nowadays, All German car companies are immoral and unethical.. Look what VW recently did with emissions.... BMW Mercedes and Porsche are just as bad ! It starts at the top wtih the leader of the country Angela Merkel... shes a fraud too ! I'll stick to my Hondas.
It wasn't necessarily a fraudulent estimate. Dealer service departments are required to follow a certain diagnosis and repair plan by the manufacturer. Items that are considered "out of spec" are suggested on the estimate. That coupled with the dealer's extremely high labor rates means you will likely have a better experience going to an experienced/knowledgeable independent shop who doesn't have to jump through those same hoops.
Charging $1,700.00 for pads/sensors/caliper bolts/rotors/oil/filter is exactly why i do all my own work on my p-car for a fraction of the price. Some dealers are getting $600.00 for oil changes we can do for $60.00 in parts. If you enjoy turning a wrench, Porsche is an extremely satisfying, easy vehicle to work on. Parts are sometimes a bit more than a Honda/Toyota, but not by much.
Yea, even $1700 is high imo, I've done this job on a Panamera, not much different than any other brake job or oil change. A Porsche dealership though will probably want $3k+
I thought the $1,700 was the ripoff price. I still do. Pads and rotors for the Panamera is under $200 from AutoZone or eBay. $1500 for labor? What the heck...
@@relic2279 To be fair, I wouldnt put a house brand pad and rotor from AutoZone on a Porsche. Quality OEM parts themselves for the front are around $600. It's an hour job for an experienced mechanic.
@@johneldorado $600? This is a Porsche Panamera, not a 918 Cayman GT. Its competition is Mercedes S class and BMW. It's a luxury sedan, not a sports car. It's not like your running this thing up at the track every weekend - it's a 4-door sedan. It doesn't need $600 brake parts. That's insane overkill.
Clearly they just wanted to sell him a new car, and put the old one out for second hand sale. Turnover is all these dealers care about, not customer service.
I hate to say it, but I suspect the owner is female and wealthy so they thought they could pull a fast one. Wrong! Not typical of Porsche dealerships, but typical of Porsche owners.
@@dodgeguyz Correct. However, there is a dearth of people driving cars who realize when they are getting bullshitted and dealerships often take advantage of this fact. Plenty of very intelligent people get screwed because they lack the necessary knowledge and these places laugh all the way to the bank as a result.
I still believe that Tyler should get one of these. He always talks about needing a car thats fun but at the same time can haul the dog, the kid and grandma to school. This is pretty much the best option.
I love shops who care enough to show you that the repairs you thought you needed are not necessary. That’s how you stay in business. Thanks for the video. Cheers.
Had the same thing a while back. Thought i needed a new clutch. Steve looked at it, said there is At least a year or longer to go. He could have just agreed and Replaced it. Honesty goes a long Way.
I have a “Volvo wizard” here in Houston who I’ve used for 20+ years because he’s honest and fair. He only does Volvo and doesn’t even charge for small things and doesn’t mark up parts. I’ve continued buying Volvos just to stay with him. A great honest mechanic is worth his weight in gold. As soon as they’re out of warranty, the dealership never sees me again.
I had a Toyota dealer in Denver comment that my brakes were down to 3mm and needed to be replaced soon. I was surprised, being that the car was almost new and had only 30 thousand gentle highway miles. Went to a more reputable dealer and the number was 7! At 155 thousand miles the brakes still had 4mm! Great video.
I had a similar experience at a Toyota dealer in the Pacific NW. They said I needed new brakes. I got a second opinion at a Les Schwab tire shop. They said I was good to go.
I work at a dealership and the problem is most technicians will not take the wheels off to check the pads properly .. some cars have absolutely no way of telling how much pad is left on them without taking the wheel off and opening the caliper . Had a few jobs come in saying replace brake pads because the previous tech quoted "3mm" and upon opening the caliper finding the pads still at 60% (6mm)+
@@birk0086 This was the one on Arapaho (in 1991). The dealership eventually changed to Nissan (which convinced my dad to have his brakes relined on a 9 month old car with 10,000 miles!" )
I love this guy, he is so honest to his clientele. I'am also one of the first subscribers and i'm shocked how much subscribers you have now Wizard. Congrats on 500k. Greetings from Belgium!
The only Porsche dealer in my state quoted the previous owner of my 987 Boxster a whopping $4000 for just rotors, pads, and wear sensors. I did it myself in an afternoon for $500 in parts with OEM equivalent drilled rotors, upgraded carbon ceramic pads, and generic sensors. Looking back through the service invoices, some of the charges they paid were utterly eye watering - like $1000 for an oil change sort of eye watering... Makes me very grateful I can do all my own mechanical work.
The air suspension outfitted Panamera’s (I have one) are awesome, mine has 155k on the odometer and it’s on its original air springs with no leaks or issues. They cost 1600 bucks to rebuild all 4 with warranty and are easy to DIY. Edit: Now at 180,000 miles still on the original air suspension, no issues, no leaks.
@Jeff Russo I know how it works Jeff , I'm an IT service eng and work out in the back area of retail from Poundshops to high end stuff , The white boards with targets/how to close deals /incentives/leaderboards etc is an eye opener .. I'm also KPI'ed on stuff i flog /upgrade .. it's a horrible world ! ..
Jeff Russo sales people also get trailing commissions on the finance they sell. If they can sell finance at A higher rate than what the dealership recommends, they’d get A bigger trailing commission. So everyone is looking after their own interests.
Jezza said the dog thing about the Crossfire, not the Panamera. He (or Hammond) said they really liked driving it because it was a good car and when they were inside it, they didn't have to look at it :)
Absolutely insane that they would even attempt that. I've got a 13 year old Toyota with 363,000 miles on it still rolling on the original calipers and rear wheel cylinders.
So what should people driving more mainstream cars and SUVs expect to pay for a good brake job? I drive a 2013 Accord. At about 100,000 miles, needed its second brake job. I take my cars to a reputable independent shop. Rotors had been resurfaced once, so new ones were in order. I always request a hydraulic system flush and fresh fluid with a brake job... have never needed to replace calipers or master cylinder. Requested their best quality pads and rotors, since I plan to keep the car for many more years. Total cost parts and labor... about $900. Excellent results... better than the original brakes. Your thoughts Weeeezard? 😎
@@billyjoejimbob56 If you use OEM parts you'll generally pay a premium for Porsche and other high-end marques. Also the rotors are likely quite a bit larger on the Panamera than on a 2013 Accord.
It should also be noted that sometimes spurious warning lights can come on after a genuine issue. The example I would give is when a coil pack fails on the Panamera it will be accompanied by all manner of warning lights for engine, gearbox and suspension. Replacing the rotors, pads and calliper bolts is an easy driveway job. I did my 2010 turbo with no issues. If you haven’t yet driven a Panamera, do it!
Exactly, no modern brakes fail at 40,000 miles, much less so everything at the same time. Never had to replace a caliper, master cylinder or brake hose in my long life as a driver, just pads, rotors and once an ABS pump. I cringe as I imagine the cost of the "repair" as the stealership, and also because it's highly probable that they being so honest and capable would do a hatchet job.
@@joe6096 My point being that Porsche should not be giving such unethical people the privilege of selling their cars....mmmm yeah sure - in the fantasy world we should live in.
Porsche Dealerships like to create a situation where people don’t want to own them outside of warranty, so they jack up the price so that people are motivated to buy a new one, and they will low ball you on the trade in and then sell it for much more. I have a 911 and the dealership quoted me over $4k for the 80k mile service. Decided to switch to a reputable independent car shop and they did the service for $1k. That’s 75% less!
The Wizard will have that customer for life now , amazing what a little honesty can do for you. At this rate the Wizard will need a bigger shop to handle all the work he's getting. The time he gets to spend away on the boat will be priceless.
If true... that dealership management needs to be informed and that tech should be fired... I run a Porsche dealership service Department... and there is no need to replace calipers and a brake booster along with the pads and rotors for a brake job. I looked it up and we would have charged $1879.13 after tax for front pads, rotors, sensors, the hardware kit, and an oil change... It's a little more than the Wizard but not "fraudulent" more... gives dealerships a bad name a reputation.
I worked at a Midas, lasted about 3 months because they were grimey. Also Covid lol but I came from an honest shop and I couldn't in good faith keep selling shit people didn't need
Wizard. So glad you did the Panamera. I have a 2010 and think it is the greatest value (thank you depreciation) in such a versatile car. Hatch with back seats down and it has the room of an SUV. You can haul a family (of 4). Sporty, fast and takes corners like no other in its class. I have done some work, like the brakes myself. Very straight forward. I live in KC and only wish you were closer. Love your channel. Thank you.
Hi Wizard, I'm a mechanic in Australia and unfortunately we have crooks over here too, a friend who is also a mechanic had a customer bring a 2002 C200 Mercedes to him for some brake work, the customer had been told by another shop that it needed new pads and rotors all round and was quoted $2000.00, my friend looked at it and found that it only needed front pads, he only charged $100 to supply and fit. Seems that the crooks think that because the customer owns a European car then they should pay more repairs. Thank goodness there are some honest mechanics like you around. Regards
I was introduced to your shop through Hoovies Garage. I've become a big fan of your UA-cam channel because of your honesty and integrity in the way you run your shop. Your common sense approach to the cars that you fix is very refreshing. Keep up the excellent work. I liked how you tried to tell Hoovie the issues with his Corvette engine and he didn't listen. You are the Car Wizard!! Keep the excellent work.
The one thing dealerships don't want to hear. "Give it back, I'm taking it to the Wizard!" The one thing Wizard likes to hear. Hoovy: "I'm taking it to the Wizard".
I wonder if the customer actually said " I'm taking it to the wizard "? .. if so then it really does show the superior quality of work omega auto clinic does!
These are sooooo reliable. my 15' 4S has 60K and not ONE warranty claim. Tires pads and oil. (air filter and plugs every 30K / PDK tranny at 60K). Great value. Skip the Air Suspension and PWR Sunshades and soft close doors (unless ur feeble like Smithers)
This type of thing can actually be a blessing in disguise. My friendly local dealership F'd me once, twice, and when they attempted a third time I decided to do all the work that I could. Turns out, most things are quite easy and cheap to fix myself via youtube and amazon, they get fixed properly and something new doesn't mysteriously pop up as an issue a few days after I leave the dealership), and I learn something.
"Honesty is not a virtue because human beings have to be honest." I have been following you for a while and I really like your work and your frankness. So, congratulations. Also greetings from Istanbul.
I used to work for a GM dealer long ago as a master mechanic, Warrantee work does NOT pay the bills and it is why YOU get soaked for stuff you do not need.
I have had atrocious experiences with Land Rover Dealer mechanics. This is exactly the issue no one takes out of warranty cars to them for repairs as the prices are insane, they do gobs of warranty work so the only way the mechanics make any money is on brakes, tires, alignments, and maintenance services as that is all that gets done at the dealer. I started having issues with my old rover so I bought a new one which spent so much time in the shop when new I got rid of it. An independent Euro mechanic like the wizard who used to be a dealer mechanic for LR sorted it out and it's all good now, a reliable 14 year old land rover! He explained the situation and basically told me there was only one dealer in the area that treated their techs reasonably well and as a result it was the only dealer in the area with good mechanics. The good dealer was able to sort out the new truck in one visit where the dealer I bought it from was not able to get it straight in 3 visits and over 90 days in the shop I had already gotten LR to agree to take it back at that point. The sad thing is the independent mechanic charges like half the price for most things his labor rate is 2/3rds, his parts price is better and he'll use aftermarket or OEM parts when there is a good replacement where you can basically by the same part with the LR scratched off for half what the dealer gets. I take my in warranty cars to the dealer for an oil change every year that way i can catch warranty items but otherwise I'll work on it myself or take it to an independent for stuff I can't handle.
Shops inflating prices and calling for unecessary repairs infuriates me. I am so glad there are still a handful of honest shops out there. Glad the owner was smart enough to walk away. Thanks for sharing. take care.
Is this the same dealership Hoovie talked about a few years ago that built a HUGE complex, far out of size for the market, and started ripping people off to try and recoup that expense?
Mark up your parts, charge for labor, and look at how being a good honest business owner pays off. We all want our mechanics to make money, but don't BS us. Wonderful job!
Most dont want or care if the shop even survives. They just want absolute cheapest price, undercutting and bickering about pennies. Only concerned about their end. No one elses. Sad...
That’s if they actually bothered to replace them at all..Perhaps Brake lines , but the master cylinder would have just got a good detail and a coat of Armour All , and that’s it.
Always ask for your old parts. They belong to you, and you're entitled to them. The only time you wouldn't get them back is if they're bein replaced with rebuilt parts, but even then you can pay the core charge and keep your old part.
I work in automotive parts store that machines rotors, yes you can resurface slotted and drilled rotors, you just have to take off a couple thousands at a time. No issues.
Clarkson was talking about the first model years after the facelifts it got better. Somewhere on youtube is an explanation. They wanted to keep the iconic 911 shape and enough headroom for the back passengers.
I was at a place one time at the counter. The mechanic comes to the counter where the owner and me where, and said be broke off something under a car, it was rusted and probably would have broken away ways. The owner goes we broke it, we will replace it. I been going to him ever since.
@@johnmars3868 If the fluid wasn't changed at 20k like it was supposed to, then absolutely yes, the moisture in the old fluid can ruin calipers and the master cylinder.
I work at a Porsche Dealership as a Diagnostics Tech. In all my years in this job I have never seen callipers or a master cilinder that need to be replaced for a brake warning light.
@@christopherhamilton5557 spent 6 on it then 6 in repairs all ujoints control arms etc. I love the truck 160 mileage engine runs smooth I'm open to selling it but nobody wants an old sierra in decent shape
I’m glad that you charge a fair price and you’re not robbing people we need more shops like you. Would love to meet some of your customers and see their reaction to the job in the price that you charge
Took your recommendation and bought a Panamera with the V6 and standard suspension. I've spent enough time behind a wrench dealing with air suspensions to never want to see another. Very happy, thank you.
My cousin had a BMW 535i. Took it in at 25k miles because he was getting a shudder in his steering wheel. Goes to the dealership and they told him his steering lug had come loose but that was part of why it shook, and because the tolerances were so tight, the vibration had caused the lug to rub against the GFC sensor and that in turn was causing the car to puke coolant into the oil pan and because the coolant was like water and couldn't be compressed, it was causing his valves to contact the piston. So they made all that shit up..like what is a GFC sensor...and quoted him new valves and pistons, plus a new steering assembly and it was going to cost $11,080.00. They told him if he continued to drive it another 5 miles, mechanically totaled. So he took it to another shop and it was a wheel bearing. $200. He had recorded the conversation with the parts and repair manager, he went to the GM and they offered him to buy another car at invoice and holdback, so essentially dealer cost..and the dummy took it.
I learned Alinement from my dad in the mid 80s on a 1937 Bear Alinement Machine. Straight, level, square, plumb. You can do a basic alinement with a level, a tape measure, a plumb bob and string. I have seen some shops with fancy Hunter machines that couldnt set the toe in. Much less deal with camber, caster, worn front end components. Alot of "regular" cars dont even allow adjustment on caster.
I like how dealers say how great their cars are just to make a sale, but then make you think it's falling apart when you take it to them for simple service...
I know $1700 is amazing! I priced out the parts on a popular internet site. I was thinking since it is a Porsche that maybe the rotors were $400 a piece. They cost the same as any domestic car, even the pads! And the wear sensors are only $4 to $25 a piece. ??? SMH
That is precisely why car dealerships are more commonly know as "stealerships". That quote just sounds egregiously excessive so the stealership can pocket more $$$ from their customers. Car Wizard, keep up the good work!
Preach that Statement Car Wizard!! " look at your owners Manual And Educate yourself about your car" i absolutely hate working on Cars that are treated as A to B Cars in that just drive it and be oblivious of things breaking and Failing on the car! every car owner NEEDS to know the basics of a car IMO
"Hello, Dewey Cheatham & Howe Porsche, how may I help you, today? The service position? Oh, that's where the customer bends forward, grabs their knees, and prays the technician uses Vaseline (typical for Porsche, you pay extra for options)."
Car Wizard, I would love to see more in depth videos showing the actual step by step repairs. Brakes may be too easy but if you have some tough diagnostics or hard to perform jobs I would love to see exactly how you do it.
Great video Wizard! It boils down to greed sadly. I’m an OEM guy for 30 years - good dealers and independents completely understand the importance of customer relations and building a strong reputation. Those that tear their customers heads off with unnecessary repairs or sales markups do pay the price ultimately but most don’t seem to care. Congrats for building your business and your reputation the right way - you’ll be very successful!
@@cjmarsh504 yep and I owned a 2005 Crossfire Limited coupe w/ a 6 spd and i do agree with him. That said, I enjoyed that car and think it's going to be a future classic!
My Panamera has 38,000 miles. Pads and rotors replaced for $3600. Oil change $350. A few months ago front air suspension replaced with compressor, $12,000. New thermostat, $2000. $500 air filter service as the front bumper must come off. Recent recall for some cam follower problems under warranty even though warranty expired. 30,000 mile check up $2000.
A Panamera isn't that exotic... and people think they need to go to the dealer, but a well connected independent garage can do (most) of the work for you, or could at least give a proper second opinion on what actually needs to be replaced. The example from this video is completely ridiculous, there is NO WAY a Porsche would need all that work done when it's 5/6 years old with 40k miles... when things are quoted like that, I would take that as a sign the dealer isn't doing well and needs money.
It's truly refreshing to see that there are still SOME honest people in the car business :) If you have any kids, can you encourage them to transplant the same honesty to the IT world? :)
Really hits home why people should just learn to wrench on their own. I realize not everyone is interested, and many may not have the time, but it is my first recommendation to anyone for routine maintenance jobs on a vehicle. Still love the show!!
“This is definitely one of the cars that has multiple, multiple warning lights that could come on...” He should’ve been pointing at the Rover on the lift.
He was more referencing that this the type of car that has plenty of warning lights and dash readouts for many different things .. not saying it will come on because of unreliability..
Great work wizard! I have 6 classic Mercedes and you would definitely be my go to mechanic if I was there! But keep up great work, please buy and save an old German car!
The front tire wear was made aware to the customer, as well as alignment. We do niether of these services at my shop.
Lmao. I was just going to comment on that
Just out of curiosity - is the lack of tire service just due to risking wheel damage during mount / dismount? Or stocking / acquiring a bunch of odd sizes for the kind of cars you service? Both?
I feel bad pointing it out but couldn't help it. Love your content Wizard! I was glad when you started the channel and truly enjoy watching it. Ignore the haters, I can see sometimes it gets to you but you'll always have internet trolls... Cheers
Yep nitto on one side and a worn Michelin on the other.
Your the Boss Wizard!
@@RayPerigo He said in earlier videos that he dislikes tire work. I think they're overwhelmed with work as is. So to diversify in something that he is not a fan of doing right now and the way the business model is set up it would make no sense to make it into a tire place as well. I assume its similar in the Midwest as it is on the east coast. There are dedicated tire shops (that also do alignment) and dedicated shops for mechanical work. I've found that the ones that do both often enough do not do either job right, but that could be just my personal experience. Anyways back to work, had too much fun commenting today, I rarely ever do. Cheers
A solid reputation as an honest shop owner and mechanic is worth far more than inflated repair invoices - it will pay dividends forever.
I've been shopping for panameras for a couple of years. They are always higher priced..
Too bad dishonest shops operate for decades sometimes and some never go out of business
@@newtonraymond77 it's often because they are the only horse in town.
@@newtonraymond77 While that's been the norm for a long time, the internet and social media are changing the game. Trust me, specialty shops who know their stuff and treat customers right are booked up solid for 3-4 months. The lack of new car inventory doesn't hurt either 😉
I found a VW shop on Yelp that had mostly 5 star reviews. It’s my go to shop even though there are closer places. I can do oil changes, but I still take it there for maintenance as it’s really not much more and they do a complete look over.
I owned a shop for 10 years, never took advantage of any customers, I needed to sleep at night
With the amount of cars that are on the road seems like a pretty good job security, there wouldn't be any reason to take advantage of people?
@@cliffordzellner5917 Well you'd be wrong
Sad to hear you say that, but I think we know why.
Thanks for that man God bless you.
Good man 😂
The dealership forgot to quote him for a new brake pedal
And an ABS module
And the emergency brake lever and the low windscreen washer signal on the dash...not forgetting the rear brake lights too😂😂😂
@@JustinPaul1stOr the brake light switch haha
Blinker Fluid Control Module Assembly, new muffler bearings...how the car was driven in without bursting into flame is unknown!
@@markh.6687 yeah that's the German spec part in an American car🤔🤔🤔
That dealership is conducting fraudulent estimates and needs to be exposed and reported to the Attorney General.
Nowadays, All German car companies are immoral and unethical.. Look what VW recently did with emissions.... BMW Mercedes and Porsche are just as bad ! It starts at the top wtih the leader of the country Angela Merkel... shes a fraud too ! I'll stick to my Hondas.
The Attorney General? lol Why stop there? Call the President and the Pope.
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Batman too?
It wasn't necessarily a fraudulent estimate. Dealer service departments are required to follow a certain diagnosis and repair plan by the manufacturer. Items that are considered "out of spec" are suggested on the estimate. That coupled with the dealer's extremely high labor rates means you will likely have a better experience going to an experienced/knowledgeable independent shop who doesn't have to jump through those same hoops.
@@oldskool1979 Let me guess, you're British?
Charging $1,700.00 for pads/sensors/caliper bolts/rotors/oil/filter is exactly why i do all my own work on my p-car for a fraction of the price. Some dealers are getting $600.00 for oil changes we can do for $60.00 in parts. If you enjoy turning a wrench, Porsche is an extremely satisfying, easy vehicle to work on. Parts are sometimes a bit more than a Honda/Toyota, but not by much.
Yea, even $1700 is high imo, I've done this job on a Panamera, not much different than any other brake job or oil change. A Porsche dealership though will probably want $3k+
I thought the $1,700 was the ripoff price. I still do. Pads and rotors for the Panamera is under $200 from AutoZone or eBay. $1500 for labor? What the heck...
@@relic2279 To be fair, I wouldnt put a house brand pad and rotor from AutoZone on a Porsche. Quality OEM parts themselves for the front are around $600. It's an hour job for an experienced mechanic.
@@johneldorado $600? This is a Porsche Panamera, not a 918 Cayman GT. Its competition is Mercedes S class and BMW. It's a luxury sedan, not a sports car. It's not like your running this thing up at the track every weekend - it's a 4-door sedan. It doesn't need $600 brake parts. That's insane overkill.
@@relic2279
It's a $120k+ car. It sounds like you only drive shitty cars and get your parts at AutoZone.
Clearly they just wanted to sell him a new car, and put the old one out for second hand sale. Turnover is all these dealers care about, not customer service.
You may have nailed it. Tell the customer the car needs thousands in maintenance and see if they bite on a new car.
This.
I hate to say it, but I suspect the owner is female and wealthy so they thought they could pull a fast one. Wrong! Not typical of Porsche dealerships, but typical of Porsche owners.
The service department doesn’t work like that. If they did a dealer wouldn’t stay in business. A dealerships main income is service.
@@dodgeguyz Correct. However, there is a dearth of people driving cars who realize when they are getting bullshitted and dealerships often take advantage of this fact. Plenty of very intelligent people get screwed because they lack the necessary knowledge and these places laugh all the way to the bank as a result.
I still believe that Tyler should get one of these. He always talks about needing a car thats fun but at the same time can haul the dog, the kid and grandma to school. This is pretty much the best option.
I love shops who care enough to show you that the repairs you thought you needed are not necessary. That’s how you stay in business. Thanks for the video. Cheers.
Had the same thing a while back.
Thought i needed a new clutch.
Steve looked at it, said there is
At least a year or longer to go.
He could have just agreed and
Replaced it. Honesty goes a long
Way.
I have a “Volvo wizard” here in Houston who I’ve used for 20+ years because he’s honest and fair. He only does Volvo and doesn’t even charge for small things and doesn’t mark up parts. I’ve continued buying Volvos just to stay with him. A great honest mechanic is worth his weight in gold. As soon as they’re out of warranty, the dealership never sees me again.
I had a Toyota dealer in Denver comment that my brakes were down to 3mm and needed to be replaced soon. I was surprised, being that the car was almost new and had only 30 thousand gentle highway miles. Went to a more reputable dealer and the number was 7! At 155 thousand miles the brakes still had 4mm! Great video.
I had a similar experience at a Toyota dealer in the Pacific NW. They said I needed new brakes. I got a second opinion at a Les Schwab tire shop. They said I was good to go.
I work at a dealership and the problem is most technicians will not take the wheels off to check the pads properly .. some cars have absolutely no way of telling how much pad is left on them without taking the wheel off and opening the caliper . Had a few jobs come in saying replace brake pads because the previous tech quoted "3mm" and upon opening the caliper finding the pads still at 60% (6mm)+
Which Denver dealership was it?
@@birk0086 This was the one on Arapaho (in 1991). The dealership eventually changed to Nissan (which convinced my dad to have his brakes relined on a 9 month old car with 10,000 miles!" )
I love this guy, he is so honest to his clientele. I'am also one of the first subscribers and i'm shocked how much subscribers you have now Wizard. Congrats on 500k.
Greetings from Belgium!
You should get some large car wizard magnets to stick over license plates when you don't want to show them. Like eric the car guys does. Saves editing
Pretty sure this is the first time he's blurred out the plate. I'm sure the owner was ,"Sure, but don't show my plate!"
Or just a cheap hand towel from Dollar Tree
Problem with that is Kansas has been using *aluminum* plates since 2018...
Make sure that it is a special 'aluminium magnet' though.
Why people hide there license is stupid, all you can do is just look up name and address info, so hiding it is pointless.
10:36 "... and I don't care if you guys like it or not."
Gotta love the straight talk from the Wizard. 😁
The only Porsche dealer in my state quoted the previous owner of my 987 Boxster a whopping $4000 for just rotors, pads, and wear sensors. I did it myself in an afternoon for $500 in parts with OEM equivalent drilled rotors, upgraded carbon ceramic pads, and generic sensors. Looking back through the service invoices, some of the charges they paid were utterly eye watering - like $1000 for an oil change sort of eye watering... Makes me very grateful I can do all my own mechanical work.
The air suspension outfitted Panamera’s (I have one) are awesome, mine has 155k on the odometer and it’s on its original air springs with no leaks or issues. They cost 1600 bucks to rebuild all 4 with warranty and are easy to DIY.
Edit: Now at 180,000 miles still on the original air suspension, no issues, no leaks.
Thanks for the quality content, Wizard! The Panamera exterior styling was greatly improved in 2017.
Beautiful car. Still haven't figured out why people hate this car.
Those Flash Showrooms , Slimy Salespersons and free coffee don't pay for themselves .
@Jeff Russo I know how it works Jeff , I'm an IT service eng and work out in the back area of retail from Poundshops to high end stuff , The white boards with targets/how to close deals /incentives/leaderboards etc is an eye opener .. I'm also KPI'ed on stuff i flog /upgrade .. it's a horrible world ! ..
let's not forget the massive budget for advertising (jk, Porsche doesn't spend a dime here).
@Jeff Russo you saying that like these people are slaves and forced to work there. They can quit any time and find a job in another sphere.
Spoken like someone who’s never set foot in a Porsche dealership 😂
Jeff Russo sales people also get trailing commissions on the finance they sell. If they can sell finance at A higher rate than what the dealership recommends, they’d get A bigger trailing commission. So everyone is looking after their own interests.
Jezza said the dog thing about the Crossfire, not the Panamera. He (or Hammond) said they really liked driving it because it was a good car and when they were inside it, they didn't have to look at it :)
Nice from far, but far from nice!
Yep was the Crossfire
Yawn!
The car wizard is such a honest and great mechanic he is the best
_Technician_ 🙂
Hack
"There is no money value you can put on your reputation".....never forget this and you will sleep well at night.
Same. dealer quoted us 4 K for a repair, my spouse was like why didn`t you speak with them... What for? Took at to an independent mechanic - 600.
Most dealer service shops are out of their minds, high on glue. Some indie shops are too.
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH high on glue lol 😂
Bosch rotors $75 Wagner rotors $100 pads $50-axle wizard labor $1300
Imagine if all manufacturers recommended Calipers and Master cylinders at 40k 🤣🤣
Yeah, what a pathetic attempt of a scam.
Absolutely insane that they would even attempt that. I've got a 13 year old Toyota with 363,000 miles on it still rolling on the original calipers and rear wheel cylinders.
So what should people driving more mainstream cars and SUVs expect to pay for a good brake job? I drive a 2013 Accord. At about 100,000 miles, needed its second brake job. I take my cars to a reputable independent shop. Rotors had been resurfaced once, so new ones were in order. I always request a hydraulic system flush and fresh fluid with a brake job... have never needed to replace calipers or master cylinder. Requested their best quality pads and rotors, since I plan to keep the car for many more years. Total cost parts and labor... about $900. Excellent results... better than the original brakes. Your thoughts Weeeezard? 😎
Brake pads on a honda who give af
@@billyjoejimbob56 If you use OEM parts you'll generally pay a premium for Porsche and other high-end marques. Also the rotors are likely quite a bit larger on the Panamera than on a 2013 Accord.
This car is nearly all aluminum. Porsche spent some money to combat weight and rust! I like that!
The Wizard in front of the dealership: YOU shall NOT pass!
It should also be noted that sometimes spurious warning lights can come on after a genuine issue. The example I would give is when a coil pack fails on the Panamera it will be accompanied by all manner of warning lights for engine, gearbox and suspension. Replacing the rotors, pads and calliper bolts is an easy driveway job. I did my 2010 turbo with no issues. If you haven’t yet driven a Panamera, do it!
Master cylinders RARELY if EVER go bad before 100k miles. That dealer should be arrested for attempted robbery.
for fraud
Exactly, no modern brakes fail at 40,000 miles, much less so everything at the same time. Never had to replace a caliper, master cylinder or brake hose in my long life as a driver, just pads, rotors and once an ABS pump. I cringe as I imagine the cost of the "repair" as the stealership, and also because it's highly probable that they being so honest and capable would do a hatchet job.
Is there some way to report it to Porsche themselves? Surely this should concern them......
@@noelnicholls1894 There's no need, because it wasn't broken to begin with. That was the point.
@@joe6096 My point being that Porsche should not be giving such unethical people the privilege of selling their cars....mmmm yeah sure - in the fantasy world we should live in.
Porsche Dealerships like to create a situation where people don’t want to own them outside of warranty, so they jack up the price so that people are motivated to buy a new one, and they will low ball you on the trade in and then sell it for much more. I have a 911 and the dealership quoted me over $4k for the 80k mile service. Decided to switch to a reputable independent car shop and they did the service for $1k. That’s 75% less!
Wizard, thank you for your videos and honesty. I wish you were in Maryland!!
You're a good guy Wizard! Thanks for being an honest mechanic!
The best form of advertising is word of mouth and honesty 👌🏻
also showing your work on video so that all the deskbound jockeys can criticise. Have to respect the guy. Also he shows how he diagnoses odd problems
The Wizard will have that customer for life now , amazing what a little honesty can do for you. At this rate the Wizard will need a bigger shop to handle all the work he's getting. The time he gets to spend away on the boat will be priceless.
Hurray for the Wizard. All you need is an honest mechanic and the Wizard is defiantly an honest mechanic
If true... that dealership management needs to be informed and that tech should be fired... I run a Porsche dealership service Department... and there is no need to replace calipers and a brake booster along with the pads and rotors for a brake job. I looked it up and we would have charged $1879.13 after tax for front pads, rotors, sensors, the hardware kit, and an oil change... It's a little more than the Wizard but not "fraudulent" more... gives dealerships a bad name a reputation.
“You need a new master cylinder and calipers” that’s what a Midas dealer used to tell me any time I went in to replace brake pads.
Where was that dealer....or state?
Master cylinder no, but the way your brakes ware can indicate caliper issues. Not defending Midas but sometimes that definitely is the case
I worked at a Midas, lasted about 3 months because they were grimey. Also Covid lol but I came from an honest shop and I couldn't in good faith keep selling shit people didn't need
Oh yes Midas is well known for that, i learned the hard way when I was younger 😖
Did they at least give you "the Midas touch?"
I’m so glad you are there for us!
Sad part is they probably wound not have replaced any of it but charged them for it.
@@lightningstrikestwice6302 yeah it doesn’t make sense but I have seen it first hand.
Exactly WHAT scum bag mechanics do.
My uncle was one .. just like Matildas dad ( Danny Devito). KROOKS
Wizard. So glad you did the Panamera. I have a 2010 and think it is the greatest value (thank you depreciation) in such a versatile car. Hatch with back seats down and it has the room of an SUV. You can haul a family (of 4). Sporty, fast and takes corners like no other in its class. I have done some work, like the brakes myself. Very straight forward. I live in KC and only wish you were closer. Love your channel. Thank you.
I believe that, Clarkson's "pooping dog" reference, actually referred to the 2004 Chrysler Crossfire.
Yes, it was shipmate
Clarkson's a superdouche.
If I remember right, the Panamera was “the hunchback of Notre Dame”
@@300DBenz And a drowning victim's bloated corpse.
I remember when this car was against the quattroporte and Aston Martin in that top gear episode , they looked away every time a mirror came up
Hi Wizard, I'm a mechanic in Australia and unfortunately we have crooks over here too, a friend who is also a mechanic had a customer bring a 2002 C200 Mercedes to him for some brake work, the customer had been told by another shop that it needed new pads and rotors all round and was quoted $2000.00, my friend looked at it and found that it only needed front pads, he only charged $100 to supply and fit. Seems that the crooks think that because the customer owns a European car then they should pay more repairs.
Thank goodness there are some honest mechanics like you around.
Regards
I would have loved to have her to recording of how that service manager justified replacing the whole system. It had to be actionable in court.
I was introduced to your shop through Hoovies Garage. I've become a big fan of your UA-cam channel because of your honesty and integrity in the way you run your shop. Your common sense approach to the cars that you fix is very refreshing. Keep up the excellent work. I liked how you tried to tell Hoovie the issues with his Corvette engine and he didn't listen. You are the Car Wizard!!
Keep the excellent work.
The one thing dealerships don't want to hear.
"Give it back, I'm taking it to the Wizard!"
The one thing Wizard likes to hear.
Hoovy: "I'm taking it to the Wizard".
I wonder if the customer actually said " I'm taking it to the wizard "? .. if so then it really does show the superior quality of work omega auto clinic does!
Wizard you are the man , straight talking and no messing
Wizard the Panemera needs Front Tires!!! They are on the limiters, especially the front left!
Doesn't do tires. Why do you think Hoovie goes over to the Car Ninjas with a Bentley full of wheels?
@@Hotlog69 my bad I forgot
These are sooooo reliable. my 15' 4S has 60K and not ONE warranty claim. Tires pads and oil. (air filter and plugs every 30K / PDK tranny at 60K). Great value. Skip the Air Suspension and PWR Sunshades and soft close doors (unless ur feeble like Smithers)
This type of thing can actually be a blessing in disguise. My friendly local dealership F'd me once, twice, and when they attempted a third time I decided to do all the work that I could. Turns out, most things are quite easy and cheap to fix myself via youtube and amazon, they get fixed properly and something new doesn't mysteriously pop up as an issue a few days after I leave the dealership), and I learn something.
"Honesty is not a virtue because human beings have to be honest."
I have been following you for a while and I really like your work and your frankness.
So, congratulations. Also greetings from Istanbul.
I used to work for a GM dealer long ago as a master mechanic, Warrantee work does NOT pay the bills and it is why YOU get soaked for stuff you do not need.
Sounds like the dealership business model needs to be changed then. Theft by swindle isn't a good solution.
I have had atrocious experiences with Land Rover Dealer mechanics. This is exactly the issue no one takes out of warranty cars to them for repairs as the prices are insane, they do gobs of warranty work so the only way the mechanics make any money is on brakes, tires, alignments, and maintenance services as that is all that gets done at the dealer. I started having issues with my old rover so I bought a new one which spent so much time in the shop when new I got rid of it. An independent Euro mechanic like the wizard who used to be a dealer mechanic for LR sorted it out and it's all good now, a reliable 14 year old land rover! He explained the situation and basically told me there was only one dealer in the area that treated their techs reasonably well and as a result it was the only dealer in the area with good mechanics. The good dealer was able to sort out the new truck in one visit where the dealer I bought it from was not able to get it straight in 3 visits and over 90 days in the shop I had already gotten LR to agree to take it back at that point. The sad thing is the independent mechanic charges like half the price for most things his labor rate is 2/3rds, his parts price is better and he'll use aftermarket or OEM parts when there is a good replacement where you can basically by the same part with the LR scratched off for half what the dealer gets. I take my in warranty cars to the dealer for an oil change every year that way i can catch warranty items but otherwise I'll work on it myself or take it to an independent for stuff I can't handle.
Shops inflating prices and calling for unecessary repairs infuriates me. I am so glad there are still a handful of honest shops out there. Glad the owner was smart enough to walk away. Thanks for sharing. take care.
Is this the same dealership Hoovie talked about a few years ago that built a HUGE complex, far out of size for the market, and started ripping people off to try and recoup that expense?
I drive by it often
Walser?
Thanks wizard, another great
Video. Its amazing how hard it
Is to find a good, honest mechanic.
Your reputation speaks volumes. 👍
Mark up your parts, charge for labor, and look at how being a good honest business owner pays off. We all want our mechanics to make money, but don't BS us. Wonderful job!
Most dont want or care if the shop even survives. They just want absolute cheapest price, undercutting and bickering about pennies. Only concerned about their end. No one elses. Sad...
@@CarWizard My family's been lucky enough to rely on the same reputable shop for 40 years and 3 generations. You're absolutely right, so sad.
Great to see honest reliable ppl like The Wiz still around in the car business! 🙏✝️
I wouldn’t be surprised if the dealership would resell the removed parts on an eBay store
Genuine factory parts.
Not Chinesium.
Or someone needed those parts that worked there or was a friend.
OEM Porsche parts will sell, even used
That’s if they actually bothered to replace them at all..Perhaps Brake lines , but the master cylinder would have just got a good detail and a coat of Armour All , and that’s it.
Always ask for your old parts. They belong to you, and you're entitled to them. The only time you wouldn't get them back is if they're bein replaced with rebuilt parts, but even then you can pay the core charge and keep your old part.
I work in automotive parts store that machines rotors, yes you can resurface slotted and drilled rotors, you just have to take off a couple thousands at a time. No issues.
The Chrysler Crossfires really have the rear-end "pooping dog" effect
That’s the car Clarkson was referring to... and I can see why.
Clarkson was talking about the first model years after the facelifts it got better. Somewhere on youtube is an explanation. They wanted to keep the iconic 911 shape and enough headroom for the back passengers.
that was the car Clarkson wrote about as well
Looks like a Dog taking a Dump
Unless you have the SRT6 with the fixed rear wing which breaks up the profile.
@@aliwatson7360 It's a pooping dog with more downforce!
I was at a place one time at the counter. The mechanic comes to the counter where the owner and me where, and said be broke off something under a car, it was rusted and probably would have broken away ways. The owner goes we broke it, we will replace it. I been going to him ever since.
Car wizard is a wizard for a reason! 🧙♂️ ❤️
This guy is truly the best mechanic ive send on UA-cam. It's a pitty I live in a different country otherwise I'd be sending you my cars
A good mechanic would replace the caliphers and hoses, caliopher pistons do wear, they get pits and the rubber seals leak!
Yes, after 100,000 miles, not 40,000.
@@johnmars3868 If the fluid wasn't changed at 20k like it was supposed to, then absolutely yes, the moisture in the old fluid can ruin calipers and the master cylinder.
Thanks for another honest repair Wizard 🧙👍
There is no such thing as "Corinthian leather" that was a marketing gimmick by Chrysler in the 1970's and 80's.
Typical Herman... missing the joke.
Lol
It's like the old "5.0" Mustangs. That was Ford marketing as the 302 was a 4.9litre engine.
Deadpool as his face is shoved into a Cadillac seat. "Rich, corinthian leather!"
All the way from Newark New Jersey.
Thanks to you and your staff for being honest.
That drivers side front tire has seen better days.
Looks like it needs an alignment
@@darkiee69 Yup👍
And the front end has major curb rash.
@@BA-gn3qb just goes to show this car is being used as it should be and not just a garage queen or weekend driver.
I work at a Porsche Dealership as a Diagnostics Tech. In all my years in this job I have never seen callipers or a master cilinder that need to be replaced for a brake warning light.
I'd love to bring my truck to car wizard 2000 sierra 6 k in repairs already not done yet. Love you wizard
Omg you must love that truck... $6k?
@@christopherhamilton5557 spent 6 on it then 6 in repairs all ujoints control arms etc. I love the truck 160 mileage engine runs smooth I'm open to selling it but nobody wants an old sierra in decent shape
I’m glad that you charge a fair price and you’re not robbing people we need more shops like you. Would love to meet some of your customers and see their reaction to the job in the price that you charge
Smart second hand buy, great spec for an everyday driver!
Looks nice not keen on the rims I’d of gone a size up
Took your recommendation and bought a Panamera with the V6 and standard suspension.
I've spent enough time behind a wrench dealing with air suspensions to never want to see another.
Very happy, thank you.
Looking at buying one. How bad was fixing the air suspension? Is it a DIY job?
ya i don't think they were going to replace everything just charge the person the 10+ grand for the job..
My cousin had a BMW 535i. Took it in at 25k miles because he was getting a shudder in his steering wheel. Goes to the dealership and they told him his steering lug had come loose but that was part of why it shook, and because the tolerances were so tight, the vibration had caused the lug to rub against the GFC sensor and that in turn was causing the car to puke coolant into the oil pan and because the coolant was like water and couldn't be compressed, it was causing his valves to contact the piston. So they made all that shit up..like what is a GFC sensor...and quoted him new valves and pistons, plus a new steering assembly and it was going to cost $11,080.00. They told him if he continued to drive it another 5 miles, mechanically totaled. So he took it to another shop and it was a wheel bearing. $200. He had recorded the conversation with the parts and repair manager, he went to the GM and they offered him to buy another car at invoice and holdback, so essentially dealer cost..and the dummy took it.
I learned Alinement from my dad in the mid 80s on a 1937 Bear Alinement Machine. Straight, level, square, plumb. You can do a basic alinement with a level, a tape measure, a plumb bob and string. I have seen some shops with fancy Hunter machines that couldnt set the toe in. Much less deal with camber, caster, worn front end components. Alot of "regular" cars dont even allow adjustment on caster.
I like how dealers say how great their cars are just to make a sale, but then make you think it's falling apart when you take it to them for simple service...
So damn true
Refreshing to see an honest mechanic 😊
Even $1700 sounds crazy for rotors, pads and wear sensors. I guess if you drive a Porsche, you are used to bending over when you take it in.
I know $1700 is amazing! I priced out the parts on a popular internet site. I was thinking since it is a Porsche that maybe the rotors were $400 a piece. They cost the same as any domestic car, even the pads! And the wear sensors are only $4 to $25 a piece. ??? SMH
@@ronfazer2423 The customer probably wanted OEM parts so he will pay dearly.
@@seeya205 I overlooked that! You nailed it
This is the first time I ever heard anyone say something good about this car. I am moving toward buying one. Thanks for this video.
That is precisely why car dealerships are more commonly know as "stealerships". That quote just sounds egregiously excessive so the stealership can pocket more $$$ from their customers.
Car Wizard, keep up the good work!
Preach that Statement Car Wizard!! " look at your owners Manual And Educate yourself about your car" i absolutely hate working on Cars that are treated as A to B Cars in that just drive it and be oblivious of things breaking and Failing on the car! every car owner NEEDS to know the basics of a car IMO
"Hello, Dewey Cheatham & Howe Porsche, how may I help you, today? The service position? Oh, that's where the customer bends forward, grabs their knees, and prays the technician uses Vaseline (typical for Porsche, you pay extra for options)."
Then they go the see the cashier Helen Waite
Car Wizard, I would love to see more in depth videos showing the actual step by step repairs. Brakes may be too easy but if you have some tough diagnostics or hard to perform jobs I would love to see exactly how you do it.
I thinqué he leevé itt to Júniôř Minutt
Wizard using his powers yet again 😎🍿
Great video Wizard! It boils down to greed sadly. I’m an OEM guy for 30 years - good dealers and independents completely understand the importance of customer relations and building a strong reputation. Those that tear their customers heads off with unnecessary repairs or sales markups do pay the price ultimately but most don’t seem to care. Congrats for building your business and your reputation the right way - you’ll be very successful!
Jeremy actually made that comment about the Chrysler Crossfire
I remember that
@@cjmarsh504 yep and I owned a 2005 Crossfire Limited coupe w/ a 6 spd and i do agree with him. That said, I enjoyed that car and think it's going to be a future classic!
I agree 👍
My Panamera has 38,000 miles. Pads and rotors replaced for $3600. Oil change $350. A few months ago front air suspension replaced with compressor, $12,000. New thermostat, $2000. $500 air filter service as the front bumper must come off. Recent recall for some cam follower problems under warranty even though warranty expired. 30,000 mile check up $2000.
How do brakes go bad at 38K? Were they ceramics?
That's ridiculous... 38k with about 38k worth off work on it. Wtf
That’s the problem with exotic cars lots of times folks have to go back to the “stealership” for service
All hail the Wizard!
A Panamera isn't that exotic... and people think they need to go to the dealer, but a well connected independent garage can do (most) of the work for you, or could at least give a proper second opinion on what actually needs to be replaced. The example from this video is completely ridiculous, there is NO WAY a Porsche would need all that work done when it's 5/6 years old with 40k miles... when things are quoted like that, I would take that as a sign the dealer isn't doing well and needs money.
Im in the EU so called domestic market for this car the story here is in some places the same if you have a car for a 100K we will try to rip you off.
Here in Brazil we suffer from the same problem. A lot of oportunists dealers and smart mechanics. God Bless Your truly work.
Whenever you get requests to "check the alignment" they never realize you basically have to do an alignment to check it.
The tires usually tell you with wear patterns.
It's truly refreshing to see that there are still SOME honest people in the car business :)
If you have any kids, can you encourage them to transplant the same honesty to the IT world? :)
That 'Do it!', with the hand slap scared the heck out of my cat. :D
Really hits home why people should just learn to wrench on their own. I realize not everyone is interested, and many may not have the time, but it is my first recommendation to anyone for routine maintenance jobs on a vehicle. Still love the show!!
“This is definitely one of the cars that has multiple, multiple warning lights that could come on...”
He should’ve been pointing at the Rover on the lift.
Yeah but made up for it putting the Porsche up on the lift for a clear shot of the Bentley!
He was more referencing that this the type of car that has plenty of warning lights and dash readouts for many different things .. not saying it will come on because of unreliability..
That is cool that your honest, and knowledgeable on a lot of cars.
Looks like that front end needs an alignment given that inner tire wear on the driver's side.
Why can’t I find someone like this in Georgia … knowledgeable and honest
Wizard skills saves the day again!
Thank you for your mechanical integrity - coo-does too you. Great job.
Great work wizard! I have 6 classic Mercedes and you would definitely be my go to mechanic if I was there! But keep up great work, please buy and save an old German car!
where I come from in the Caribbean (trinidad) we have a saying: 'Honesty is the ONLY policy.' keep up the good work Wiz'