Mick goes on, “If, for instance, we see a
car that does 1,000 miles a year, then in some instances we can reduce costs
for the owner, as we know items like brake discs and pads or tires will last
for the necessary period. We don’t see real value in looking at service
intervals; we know that every car and owner requires specific attention to meet
their needs, and that’s where Paragon excel.” Furthermore, Paragon don’t add
costs for replacing items such as tire sealant, fitting new spark plugs or even
removing wheels for inspection. Plus, they are keen to re-use items like brake
shims in a bid to reduce the final figure on the dotted line.
The
technicians' knowledge is matched by enthusiasm for the brand at Paragon, and
they are happy to talk to us about ongoing projects
One area where it was very clear that
Porsche held the upper hand, however, was their access to the very latest
diagnostic equipment, from PIWIS testers to the latest Hunter alignment
hardware. When I put this to Paragon they explained, “We utilize Autologic
software to diagnose faults, and we rarely - if ever see an issue we have
trouble fixing. If that is the case, the clock stops. We have and always will invest
in staff training, plus we have a lot of communication with the Autologic team
over in the States if there ever is a problem that’s troubling us. We actually
have a fund that covers all our research and staff development, and it’s there
for those rare occasions. Once we understand how to fix an issue, we then time
how long it takes to correct, and that’s what we charge.” Another area we
touched on was Porsche’s insistence on investing in the latest and greatest
tools. I questioned how Paragon could compete, and Mick explained: “If there is
a tool we require then we purchase it. We know we are competing with Porsche
and we know their book prices; it’s completely false to assume anyone other
than Porsche is ill-equipped to deal with faults because of incorrect tooling.
In my experience that simply does not happen, and if there ever was a job we
struggled to fix, we would only ever invest our time and money on finding the
solution. If there is a tool that will help us speed up the job and reduce
costs then we will buy it. Our time is money too!”
As
well as servicing and maintenance, independents are capable of undertaking
large bespoke projects and rebuilding work for your Porsche
Another major area of Paragon’s business is
race and track preparation. During our shoot there were technicians building a
‘2.0-litre, 1965 race spec’ project. It had been at the workshop for a few
months, but what I picked up on was how enthused the technician was and how
responsible he felt for the car. He explained, “I regularly see and talk to the
owner about this build, and there’s a need for ongoing dialogue. If he wants to
talk to me he can, if he wants to see images of the progress he can, and if
there’s ever a problem it’s me that’s accountable!” So what about the argument
that a 911 with a full service history from an OPC is worth more and thus the
marginally more expensive service costs are recouped on resale? According to
Paragon, who have been selling Porsches for 20 years, that doesn’t necessarily
ring true. While an OPC- stamped service book is clearly of benefit, the firm
does not feel a car with a respected specialist service history is worth any
less. They state that a stamped service book from a well-known Porsche
specialist is of similar value, and that they would not reduce their
maintenance prices for that reason. More than that, they explained that in 20
years of selling 911s, they had never once had a customer who attempted to
bargain them down on price for a non-OPC marked service book, as long as its
history had been recorded by someone with a deserved reputation. While Paragon
don’t valet every car that comes through the doors or provide the latest
Porsche courtesy car as at an OPC, they do offer solutions that are outside the
box and can save owners money. As specialists, reputation is everything, and
word of mouth is what drives growth. Paragon has a vested interest in retaining
your custom, so they view customers and their cars as ongoing relationships.
It’s their ability to provide a solid and efficient service for less than an
official OPC that is the driving force behind their success, rather than their
ability to replicate the OPC experience.
Paragon’s
vastly experienced technicians have access to industry-leading equipment
including Autologic diagnostic software
While it was clear that OPCs do have some
discretion when it comes to pricing, you can’t ignore the fact that an OPC is
forced to use official parts and, more pertinently, is just one piece of the
global Porsche dealer network jigsaw. That means specialists can have more
flexibility with regards to booking times, and infinitely more flexibility in
finding cost-effective solutions such as using reputable aftermarket
manufacturer parts.
For owners who are prepared to pay the
premium, there are rewards; we’d all love a fully stamped service book, and in
an ideal world we’d replace old with new. Porsche do a fabulous job, but the
interpersonal approach to the habits and needs of a 911 owner at specialists
like Paragon pay dividends with regards to day-to-day ownership, particularly
for those who are stretching their finances just to step into a 911. However,
choosing an independent specialist boils down to more than money. Paragon, for
example, offer a great all-round product and provide a loyal base of customers
- many purchasing their car off the front porch, so to speak - with an expert
degree of Porsche knowledge and engineering. The decision of choosing an OPC or
independent specialist becomes very much a matter of personal preference, and
both have their merits. The case for independents, as Paragon have
demonstrated, is that they provide impressively flexible solutions to some
servicing and maintenance problems, and often save you money in the process.
Interestingly,
more 997s are entrusting maintenance matters to independents such as Paragon,
who have a large base of loyal 911 customers
An unbiased viewpoint
The writer assigned by Total 911 to
investigate OPCs and independent Porsche specialists for 911 servicing, Joel
Newman, is a 911 owner himself. Joel drives a 1999 996, which falls some way
outside Porsche’s Approved Warranty scheme. Joel had already declared himself
neutral in the servicing debate, and with a service for his own 911 imminent, a
wide-eyed, open-minded and genuinely interested viewpoint was assured. As ever,
we’d love to hear what your thoughts are on the great servicing debate. Contact
the editorial team with your views on [email protected].
Total 911 Verdict
OPC
·
Official Porsche stamp in the service book.
·
Added value services, ie car loan and valet.
·
State of the art technology.
Independent
·
Ability to source and fit non-OEM replacements.
·
Cost saving.
·
Knowledge to fix serious issues instead of
replace.
