Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Ive had my 924 in at an indie garage to check the wheel bearings as at least one of them was noisey. Got an email back today saying that 3 are in need of replacing and one of the 3 was dangerous. My question is how much would you expect to pay to get them changed? They are quoting about £100 front, and about £300 rear, fitted + VAT ( I think it is priced individually, i.e. a front and a rear).
Thanks, Matt

Look up the price of the parts on Euro Car Parts' website http://www.eurocarparts.com/car-parts to see how much they are. Ask what the hourly labour rate is at the 'indie' - that's where the expense builds up. Get another quote from another garage because at the end of the day changing a wheel bearing is changing a wheel bearing, i.e there's no advantage going to an 'indie' (assuming you mean independent Porsche specialist).

Just checked on the Euros site, says they dont list any on the site, so checked German,Swedish, French and their total + VAT is £53.10 for all four corners. The indie's hourly labour rate is just shy of £60/ hr. +VAT. Will do a bit of phoning round tomorrow see what other places quote.
Matt

My guy charges £36 + vat, which is a big saving on what you've been quoted. Ask for discount when you buy the parts - let them tell you how much it is first....... and then ask for TIPEC discount at least.

Ask your pals who they use. Getting a different mechanic will save you a couple of hundred pounds altogether, getting the parts yourself will also save you because most garages add their percentage onto the parts price.

Another example of why it's always useful to post your queries on here. Maybe somebody on here knows a decent garage near you.

Good luck with it.

Hi

Hold on....

3 wheel bearings gone at the same time....no way...

Let me tell you a way of telling....

Go out late at night and find either an empty supermarket carpark or an unused roundabout.....

Drive fairly fast in a circle ...first clockwise, then anticlockwise....

Now if EITHER CLOCKWISE or ANTICLOCKWISE makes no noise....then the MAXIMUM number of bearings you need is 2 (one side) and I seriously doubt 2 as well...

Next jack up the car and spin the wheels....the bearing thats gone will make a rumbling noise...

OR...take it for an MOT (where ALL bearings are checked) ,,,,

To be honest anyone who told me I had 3 wheel bearings gone at once ...I would laugh in their face...as IF it was true you wouldn't have been able to hear yourself think in the car as it would be so noisy.....



All the best Brett

Hi Brett. I first noticed the rumbling only when turning into corners, thought it could be top mount bearings (rumbling started end of sept, begining of oct), then it started rumbling in a straight line aswell (end of oct-ish), so guessed it may be a wheel bearing.The rumbling doesnt seem to be exccesively loud as i can just about hear it over the road/ wind noise. Also geting very slight vibration through the steering wheel. Not been in use since start of the month and only used it to go to the indie its currently at.
Matt

Hi Matt

From your description , I would guess ONE front wheel bearing has gone...NOT three....

How much do you trust this "Indie" ???

There should be other Porsche owners here who can recommend another Porsche Indie near you to check , I would think....anyone ?????


All the best Brett

Hi There

In your first post, you said that they quoted £300 plus VAT to supply and fit one rear. Less say £30 for the parts, that's £270 for labour. At £60 per hour, that's 4 1/2 hours!!! They are having a laugh

Changing a rear wheel bearing on a 924 isn't difficult. Granted, the hub nut is done up ******* tight, but a good garage should be able to breeze it in an hour. Hour and a half tops.

It's the "P" word thing. You mention it they take the P.

I had both fronts replaced on my S2 and the total price including VAT and parts was £130, not done by a Porsche specialist just a good mechanic. I would have thought it unusual for 3 to go at once unless you have been driving on the beach for days filling it up with sand, plus if 3 were gone the noise would be awful.

Well, thanks for all your help and advice guys.
I called a couple of highstreet garages near me, one said about £18 for the bearing + £25 or half hours labour for one front bearing but would have to look at the car to price up the rear as he couldnt remember whats involed to do it (told me he's done one before but was a while ago).
The other garage qouted £350 as a "ballpark" figure for a front and rear and they would need the car for at least a day.
Will call the Indie tomorrow and see what they can do, if worst comes to worst i think it'll be going to a different garage.

Thanks again guys.
Matt.

Hope you get an honest local mechanic how you are comfortable with, I do a lot of my own work but thankfully have a local garage I trust for work I can't do, they don't have specific Porsche experience but they've been around for over 20 years and know their stuff when it comes to cars, and what they don't know they'll say they don't know which is what you want to here.

Example from me is I was there yesterday have the 4 wheel alignment checked, was there just over half an hour.... £20!

So what happened?

Sorry for not saying sooner, it turns out there was a bit of communication faliure on their part, ended up being 2 rear wheel bearings replaced at £300 and wheel spacers on the front were loose. Happy to have the old girl back on the road again, but now there's snow :/

RWD in the snow, have some fun.