$1500.00 PPI? | FerrariChat

$1500.00 PPI?

Discussion in '308/328' started by Kent Dellenbusch, Jun 14, 2021.

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  1. Kent Dellenbusch

    Kent Dellenbusch Formula Junior
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    Oct 7, 2008
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    Ok, so I'm looking at having a PPI done in Vegas on a 328. It was last serviced at ITALY SERVICE, belts, tensioner plugs, coolant, fuel cross-over hose coolant pump and gasket. $3000.00 including labor. The only other Ferrari dealer/ship in Vegas does not do PPi's I called already. A friend of mine in Scottsdale AZ ( 4 hrs drive) has his Testerossa and 355 serviced by a very reputable shop there. I wanted to have him do the PPi but at $1500.00 I feel it's a bit high. I've heard one should not have a PPi done by the same shop that last serviced it, of course, everything will be just fine. Any suggestions for the Vegas area?
    This is the company that does not do PPi's in Vegas - https://lasvegas.ferraridealers.com/en_us/
     
  2. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    first of all, a $3,000 major was either in 2008 or there were a bunch of corners cut.

    $1,500 would be high for a PPI anywhere unless it was leak down & compression, clutch internal inspection, paint thickness, AC pressure, extensive road test, dating of belts, dating of tires, etc on and on. Even with all that around DFW not more than $800-1,000.
     
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  3. Kent Dellenbusch

    Kent Dellenbusch Formula Junior
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    Thank you Rob, I have asked this question based upon your suggestions. I know what is involved in a General Aviation Cessna or Piper airplane. They have PPI's done as well.
     
  4. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
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    Dec 24, 2005
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    Little competition in the area plus Scottsdale pricing probably accounts for the high price. $700-800 I think is closer to average, depending on how much is done.
     
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  5. Kent Dellenbusch

    Kent Dellenbusch Formula Junior
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    Thank you Dave, I appreciate your input.
     
  6. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    I disagree Sir, 3000 is a fair price, we all know anything more is stealing. The labor for that would be about 6 hours if that , and the parts he needed are not expensive at all .either, just because someone else charges 6000 to do the same thing, does not mean his mechanic cut corners, it just means his guy was not a thief. Most Ferrari techs can do belts and tensioners with their eyes closed same as a water pump.

    Thank you
     
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  7. Kent Dellenbusch

    Kent Dellenbusch Formula Junior
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    Thank you Gino.
     
  8. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

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    I had the PPI done on my 328 at Italy Service and was very impressed. Yes, it is generally thought that the same shop that did service shouldn't do a PPI because it is essentially a conflict of interest. OTOH, if a shop is good/has a good reputation, I'd be inclined to trust them as opposed to another shop that did not have the same reputation. But it's totally a personal opinion/judgement call.

    re the price, I paid $700 for the PPI by Italy Service in 2008, which was similar to prices in other areas of the country where I was considering a 328. Hard to believe that PPI prices would still be at that level...
     
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  9. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    I have an 89 328 with 103 K miles, I found an Italian tech that worked at a private absolutely cool Volvo / Saab / Swedish car shop, he did the same thing on my car, I was actually at this shop with my friend who I was with for work on his volvo, the owner said they can work on my 328, so since they are a mile from my home, I had them do the same thing, I supplied the parts, I spent a little less than 3000,and they actually did some more stuff included , my car runs like a top. They also rebuilt my entire suspension, and rebuilt my AC, which was more problematic , but it eventually got sorted .

    Thank you
     
  10. 308 milano

    308 milano F1 Veteran

    Jan 15, 2007
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    So they did a belt/bearing service along with miscellaneous other items. Rebuilt your entire suspension and rebuild your AC for less then $3000?
     
  11. Kent Dellenbusch

    Kent Dellenbusch Formula Junior
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    Thank you Mike, I appreciate your voice.
     
  12. Jdubbya

    Jdubbya The $10 Trillion Man
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    You might try asking in the AZ region section if there's someone else to take it to. Seems there should be plenty of shops in that area but prices might be that high. $1,500 seems steep to me for a PPI, especially on a 328 where they don't need a computer to hook up to it and diagnose things. I had a PPI done in Florida on my GranTurismo and he only charged $500. It was thorough enough for me (and it did take a computer to hook up to it to see things like clutch life).
     
  13. Albert-LP

    Albert-LP F1 Veteran
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    That's (at least) twice what they should ask.

    Have a look to http://www.308-328.com/ site for one hour, learning about the model you are purchasing. Then lift the car, looking carefully at it for half an hour. Then test it on the road for 15 minutes. Then lift it again: you already earned 1500 USD in less than two hours.

    ciao
     
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  14. Jdubbya

    Jdubbya The $10 Trillion Man
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    So I read that wrong, the car is actually in Vegas and you got a quote from a shop in AZ to do the PPI for $1,500? Or from the Italy Service shop in Vegas. If the shop in AZ was gonna ship the car down and back and do the PPI for $1,500 that's very cheap. Not sure which way to read it though.
     
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  15. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Does that $1500 reflect the number of hours or a flat rate to cover them if something pop's up later they didn't see if you bought it?
     
  16. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

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    I agree that IF the buyer is experienced with cars/engines/car work and comfortable with doing it him/herself, the above may obviate the need for a PPI. It was on this site that I was introduced to the concept of a "PPI". I had no intention of doing a PPI initially when I was considering the purchase of a 328 in 2007-8. I had never heard the term, 'PPI', and had never had such an "inspection" done on any used car I had ever purchased. It never occurred to me that I needed someone else to evaluate a car. I had been building engines/working on cars since I was 14 so I was (am) totally comfortable with 'evaluating" a car on my own. ;)

    HOWEVER, after tossing the idea of a PPI at first, I decided to have a PPI done because the 328 was sufficiently different design-wise from any car I had ever owned to be worth having someone familiar with them check it out. As it turned out, it was worth every penny of the $700. NOT because the PPI identified any problems but because the tech (at Italy Service) gave me the option of being in the shop/under the car with him the whole time while he did the PPI, showing me little quirks, access difficulties, typical maintenance issues, etc, etc that are peculiar to these cars. I asked questions about various items as we went along.

    So, IMO, there are two levels of "value" of a PPI. One is the aspect of "This car seems OK and probably won't quit running as you drive it from the shop to your house." The other is hearing/seeing those quirks/maintenance tips, pointed out by a tech. Depending on your personal level of ability and plans for servicing the car, one of those items may be much more important than the other.
     
  17. Albert-LP

    Albert-LP F1 Veteran
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    I have to say that when I had to purchase my first Ferrari, I had a PPI done at Ferrari service Reggio Emiolia (Bonini): yes, it was useful.

    And it ended up I did several PPI for turbo cars upon request of friends, fchatters or my book readers (the turbo eight cylinders one).

    Ciao
     
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  18. Innovativethinker

    Innovativethinker F1 Veteran
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    Could be a reflection of rising labor rates, or lack of available labor. Certainly ask at least one other shop.
     
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  19. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    I did not say that, after the belt , and water pump service, among a couple other issues, I had them do the suspension service and AC, that was all on top of the 3000.00 . My statement about 6 hours at best would surely not include the suspension and AC rebuild.

    Thank you
     
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  20. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    So at $150 an hour, that's is an entire 8hr day only inspecting this car and doing nothing else plus a couple more the next morning.

    Sounds pretty comprehensive.
     
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  21. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    30k major is just not belts, to do a full factory major, also in the perspective this is a 35 year old car, not the first major due in 1993, then anything less than $5-6k is unqualified or shortcut unless doing yourself or a buddy deal.

    I will accept the argument you can get away with majors every 10 years, but not that you can shortcut when you do it.
     
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  22. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    so you are providing the parts and using a Swedish car shop that doesn't see dozens of '08's go through there a year like a Norwoods Auto Italia or dealer. please please don't then discredit $5-6k majors when you aren't talking apples to apples. heck, my crew chief and I did the 328 clutch for a few hundred dollars, but you don't see me telling others that's how much a clutch job should cost.
     
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  23. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    that's not too far off a typical major price if he provided all parts. he doesn't know how to talk apples and apples though.
     
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  24. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    You guys are talking apples and oranges. The OP never represented it as a major. He had a short list that included belts.

    God I sure hope the internet has not so muddied the water that every belt change needs to be a major now. The internet has already jacked up service prices a lot. Lets no continue to do so.
     
  25. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

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    Like everything, if you DIY, the cost is simply that of parts which, in the vast majority of cases is a small fraction of the cost of labor for installing those parts! :)
     
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