Image Unavailable, Please Login I was quoted $1,200 for an annual service that only included an engine oil and gearbox oil change. I figured for $300 I would just do all of it myself! $250 for oil, gearbox oil, ATF for PS fluid, and brake fluid. Add on another $65 for the oil filter and various crush washers.
It's amazing how much it costs to have so little done at the dealer isn't it? I've been doing all fluids as I get things done as well. Did power steering (Shell Spirax ATF), Gearbox (royal purple 75w90), and Brake flush (ate typ 200) a few weeks ago. Found my water pump leaking so rebuilt that and flushed the coolant (BMW blue) and oil change (mobil-1 5w40) just last week. And when I replace all my exhaust in a month or so I'll remove the F1 actuator and properly flush the F1 fluid.
Its crazy, especially considering that it wasn't even all that comprehensive. It was an oil change, and a gearbox drain and fill. I could understand if it were $1200 for all fluids and a new belt. But man . . .
Had about 24 horus of anxiety with this one. When emptying the gearbox, I found the drain plug absurdly tight. Probably since the torque specs are absurd. When I went to put it back in, it wouldn't tighten. I never even got to the point of putting a torque wrench on it when it just started free spinning. I ordered another plug from AW Italian (amazingly fast shipping by the way) and it got here the next day. When I went to put the new one in, it would only go about 2 turns before binding. Rather than marring another plug, I got a pressure washer fitting, which is also M22 and was able to chase the threads with it until it threaded in easily. The new plug went in after that. To hell with Ferrari's torque specs. I mean, who the hell torques a drain bolt to 75 Nm?!? Everything else was super simple, BTW. This is still one of the easier cars I have ever worked on. Here are a few pics. You can see how marred the old plug is. It actually left a shard of thread in the female threads on the gearbox housing. At least the brass strips before the aluminum. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login New one vs the smashed old one!
I understand and really appreciate people being able to work on their own cars, also Ferraris. However, I don’t mind paying my specialist or dealership for these kinds of jobs because my time is more valuable to me.. also, I would not know what I’m doing haha.
Gearbox oil change every year? What, with 1000-2000 miles on that oil? Way overkill, it must have looked brand new coming out of the drain hole.
LOL, no. I have owned the car for just over a year and dont have any record of when it was changed last, so I figured I would do it. I wont be doing it every year.
Same here but for me, the bigger issue is the keen eye that a good mechanic will have on the car to spot items that need attention that I'd never spot on my own. OK, drop a grand on something I could do for a third the price, I could miss something that could cost me big in the long run. Anybody agree with me on this?
I'll typically take mine to our dealer once a year for a quick look lover, which is $275, but simply to point out anything needing attention. If it's out of my league, they do it. If it's in my comfort zone, I do it. I've learned I need to look at things my own eyes. Our first 430 came with a reputable PPI and about $15k in service prior to delivery. First thing I did was dig around the engine bay, and found the air hose intakes weren't connect underneath the shrouds. That's a pretty miss from someone, but now I know I need to lay my own eyes on things.
I think it's generally understood that the WSM got the torque wrong for the GB drain plug. 75NM is absurd for a brass plug threading into aluminum. Against my better judgement, I had the same thing happen this past summer during my first annual. I was able to repair the threads with a tap, and replaced the drain plug. Torquing drain plugs is silly to me, from now on it's snug + quarter turn to seat the crush washer. While it may be overkill to replace the oil every year, I think the value is at minimum knowing your heat exchanger isn't leaking coolant into your gearbox. I'll do mine every year just to keep an eye on that failure mode.
I have only done mine with the under tray off. I also had the bumper off for other things. If you are really going to drain the transmission oil, the under tray has to come off and be put back on. To get to both engine and transmission filters, I think it has to be off too! There is a lot of work on modern cars just to get to the things that need to be done. The cost of the electronic diagnosis tools, the mechanics have to live too, specialty tools, etc. Then factor in the fancy facilities in expensive areas, loaners, etc. and maintenance gets expensive!!! I am not saying it sounds like a bargain, but for $900 there is a lot more work and expenses than just the $300 for a few quarts of oil and replaceable filters.
Do people clean the oil filter every year? Yes. The undertray has to come off for that and honestly that’s the biggest pain I foresee (due for my first change this May/June since I bought my car).
Why are you guys pulling the under tray? The most I take off is the diffuser for the gearbox change. For just oil, no reason to anything more than the two rubber plugs and plate under the filter.
I have done the oil with just the access holes before, but I took the tray off this time to give everything an inspection. It's really only like 20 minutes of work to get it off.
Hand tight + 1/4 rotation typically works for most sealing rings made from copper or aluminum. These rings work via plastic deformation.
Good to know. Haven't been under the car yet, so don't know what's accessible through the access holes.
For some of us, it isn't necessarily about money, but the fact that working on the car ourselves is as enjoyable (or near) as driving it, and really makes the ownership experience complete. For me personally, it's what really makes the car mine.
