Things to be aware of....known issues F12

6 yrs ago I bought a brand new ENTIRE GEARBOX for F12 for $20k.

 

Wow, that seems like a great deal or I am getting royally screwed! The dealer told me today that the parts are $10K (for an SAP kit) and the labor is $10K which is how it got to $20K. Pretty outrageous!

So I decided that I am going to take the car to a local master Ferrari tech tomorrow who works at an independent shop for a second opinion. I find it highly unusual that after my major service a few weeks ago where they replaced the DCT fluid and inspected it that now all of a sudden (with no miles other than driving home) I have a random leak. My hope is that they over filled it or spilled oil when filling the DCT. I will know more in a few days and I will report back!

 

Leaks are not covered under the extended warranty which retails for about $8k/year.

 

I’m not sure that understand why they need the SAP kit. If they’re using the SAP kit then it’s more than just a gearbox reseal.

More info here;
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/dct-repair.658520/

While your gearbox is out and split, you might also want to consider having the sensors replaced.

 

If they overfilled the DCT it will throw oil from the special revision hole, made for that, not from the area, that 2 parts join.

If you need a SAP kit, I have one for sale for much less than Ferrari wants, don't worry.

 

Assuming they are at $250/hr for labor they are quoting 40 hours to pull a transmission, reseal it, and put it back in. Surely it can't take that long. Sounds like they are putting in $5K in parts, and doing 20 hours of labor, and then decided to throw a 2x multiple on it just for extra profit. Definitely shop around. Most good indy shops will warranty their stuff for 6 months to a year. Likely about what the Ferrari dealer is going to offer as far as their warranty.

 

No, they aren’t taking the piss. The SAP kit does cost $10k. And as for the labour, US rates are crazy high - up to $300/hour. So 33 hours to drop, split and rebuild the gearbox is about the norm.

I’ve seen the DCT workshop manual and it’s a very involved process.

I think the more pertinent question is why they’re proposing to replace the SAP for a simple leak. It possible that it’s a precaution but in that case, they should make it clear that it’s discretionary.

 

The dealer claims that the only way to get the new gasket is to order the SAP kit. I find that to be ridiculous since the car has no issues with shifting and no codes. I took it to an independent Ferrari repair shop today (Moorespeed, Austin TX) and the owner thinks it was overfilled. They are going to clean up the oil and get the engine hot to see what the situation is. Let's hope for a positive result!

 

I haven't been able to follow the subject very well, but as far as I understand, the authorized Ferrari service has stated an exorbitant labor fee. If your vehicle's warranty has expired, it would be much more reasonable for you to have this operation done by a trusted and experienced Ferrari private service/mechanic. Of course, I don't know the current situation and the choice is yours.

 

This seems odd as the case joint where the SAP resides is sealed with caulk, not a gasket.

There are also third party gaskets available for other parts of the gearbox but I’m pretty sure that the SAP kit doesn’t contain gaskets for the gearbox case - only for the internals such as the solenoids and these too are also available from third parties such as Hollywood Mechanic - take a look on his website for the different gasket and seal kits that he sells.

It’s possible that they’re claiming the leak is internal and the oil you’re seeing is coming from weep holes but the photos you showed looked like it was a failure of the case seal.