Is vehicle maintenance an issue for you? I have some suggestions for you to help keep the service tech out of the reach of your Porsche for expensive problems that are avoidable.
The very first thing you should do is to open the glove box and pull out the vehicle information booklet. In there you will find all the information about the vehicle you want to know, from vehicle weight, wheel base, oil type to be used, spark plugs, coolant, etc as well as required scheduled maintenance. There will be a vehicle maintenance log you can keep the date and mileage you had maintenance work done. These required maintenance mile posts are critical in the validation of your Manufacturer Warranty.
Another excellent place to keep this information is on your computer, keep it there and it will be in front of you when ever you want it. Most computers have Works or Word and in there you will find Vehicle logs such as Road Trip, Vehicle Detail, Vehicle Maintenance Check List, and Vehicle Repair Log. It is a good idea to set up and keep these logs not only as a vehicle maintenance reminder, but when you sell the car you have verification of everything you have had done to the vehicle.
Another reason to keep good vehicle maintenance records is to keep track of not only routine maintenance parts such as fuel, oil, and air filters, belts, brakes, etc. but other service work like air-conditioning, exhaust system parts replacement, tires and engine adjustments. Repeated service work or parts replacement on one item may be a hint to an underlying cause, without good record keeping your service tech may not catch the problem until something catastrophic happens that could have been preventable.
Consider extended warranties if available. The reason for this is because when your original warranty expires the work is on you from this point. Of course you can use the same service facility you have always gone to but if you want to save a little money and you happen to be mechanically inclined you may be able to some of the maintenance work yourself. A good shop manual is absolutely necessary and can be obtained at many auto parts stores, also a very good resource is the internet. I have done several Porsche as well as other car and truck projects from resources found on the internet which are free.
If you decide that you are going to perform the work yourself make sure you understand the job first (don’t start something you can’t finish). Your record keeping will help when going to the parts store or shopping for parts online to make sure that you are buying the right parts (aftermarket parts or OEM). Next the shop manual or your online source will suggest the proper tools you need to do the job correctly. Finally and most importantly is safety. When working under a car that is not on a lift, make sure that you use jack stand of adequate strength to do the job not concrete or wood blocks.Working around the engine requires disconnecting the battery, not only to avoid accidental shock but to prevent inadvertent ignition. It is also a good idea as always when working around machinery to remove rings or loose clothing.