Confessions of a Porsche Dealer Service Manager
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Company
Pirelli
Pirelli is a brand that makes tires for cars and motorcycles. They focus on creating tires that help vehicles perform better and stay safe on the road.
Term
PCA
PCA is a club for people who love Porsche cars. It helps Porsche owners connect with each other and enjoy events related to their cars.
Term
test drive program
A test drive program is a service where you can drive a car before deciding to buy it. It helps you see if the car is right for you and how it feels to drive.
Company
Porsche of Silver Spring
Porsche of Silver Spring is a car dealership that sells and services Porsche cars. They help people find and take care of their Porsches, and they organize events for Porsche fans.
Car
Porsche 914
The Porsche 914 is a sports car made by Porsche that was popular in the 1970s. It's known for its unique design and is often seen as a fun car to drive.
Term
welding
Welding is a way to join metal pieces together by melting them and then letting them cool to form a strong connection. It's often used in car repairs and building things.
Term
electric vehicle
An electric vehicle is a car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. They are often more environmentally friendly because they produce fewer emissions.
Car
Porsche Taycan
The Porsche Taycan is a fast, electric car made by Porsche. It's known for being luxurious and high-tech, making it a popular choice for people who want an electric vehicle.
Car
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a luxury SUV made by Porsche. It's known for being powerful and stylish, making it a popular choice for those who want a high-end vehicle with plenty of space.
Term
maintenance
Maintenance means taking care of a car so it runs well. Electric cars usually need less maintenance than regular cars because they have fewer parts that can break.
Term
EV
EV means electric vehicle. These cars run on electricity instead of gasoline, which changes how they are serviced and maintained.
Term
ICE
ICE means Internal Combustion Engine, which is the type of engine most cars have. It uses gasoline or diesel to run, unlike electric cars that use batteries.
Car
Porsche Macan
The Porsche Macan is a small luxury SUV that drives like a sports car. It's popular because it combines the space of an SUV with the fun of a Porsche, and people are interested in its future electric version.
Car
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that has been around for a long time. It's known for its unique shape and great driving experience.
Car
Porsche 356
The Porsche 356 is an early model from Porsche, known for being light and fast. It's a classic car that many people admire today.
Company
Suncoast Porsche Parts
Suncoast Porsche Parts is a company that sells parts for Porsche cars. They are located on the West Coast and are popular among Porsche owners looking for specific parts.
Company
Sunset Porsche Parts
Sunset Porsche Parts is a company that sells parts for Porsche cars, similar to Suncoast. They are based in Oregon and help Porsche owners find the parts they need.
Car
Morgan Six Plus
The Morgan Plus Six is a special sports car that looks classic but has modern features. It's made by hand, which makes it unique and sometimes hard to get parts for, leading to longer wait times.
Part
CV boot
A CV boot is a rubber cover that protects a part of the car's axle. It keeps grease inside and dirt out, helping the car run smoothly.
Car
Porsche Boxster
The Porsche Boxster is a sporty two-seater convertible car that is known for being fun to drive. It has a special engine layout that helps it handle well on the road, and people often talk about it because it's a great mix of performance and comfort.
Car
Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a luxury SUV that is comfortable and has a lot of features. It's a good choice for families or anyone who wants a nice vehicle with plenty of space.
Term
oil change
An oil change is when you replace the old oil in a car's engine with new oil. It's important for keeping the engine working well and can help it last longer.
Term
spark plugs
Spark plugs help start your car by creating a small spark that ignites the fuel. If they get old or damaged, your car might not run well or could have trouble starting.
Term
GT cars
GT cars are high-performance vehicles made for long drives and comfort. They are powerful and often have luxury features, making them great for both racing and daily use.
Term
N-spec tires
N-spec tires are special tires made for Porsche cars. They are tested to make sure they work well with those cars, so it's important to use them for the best performance.
Term
warranty
A warranty is like a promise from the car maker that they'll fix certain problems for free if they happen within a specific time. You need to take care of your car to keep this promise.
Car
Ford Capri
The Ford Capri is an older sports car that many people loved for its cool looks and fun driving experience. It's often talked about by classic car fans who enjoy making changes to improve its performance.
Part
aftermarket exhaust
An aftermarket exhaust is a new exhaust system that you can buy for your car that isn't made by the company that made your car. It can make your car sound better and sometimes perform better.
Term
LS1 swap
An LS1 swap is when you take out the original engine of a car and replace it with a powerful engine from a different car, specifically the LS1 engine from GM. People do this to make their cars faster and more reliable.
Car
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a small car that's very popular because it's reliable and gets good gas mileage. Many people like to customize their Civics, and the mention of tape might refer to someone making changes to their car's appearance.
Term
tread depth
Tread depth is how deep the grooves are in your tires. Deeper grooves mean better grip on the road, which is important for safety. If the grooves are too shallow, it can be dangerous to drive.
Term
treadwear
Treadwear is how much the surface of a tire has worn down. It affects how well the tire grips the road, so it's important to check it regularly.
Term
alignment
Alignment is how the wheels of a car are adjusted to make sure they point in the right direction. If they are off, it can cause uneven tire wear and make the car harder to drive straight.
Term
calibrate
Calibration means adjusting the settings of a car's sensors so they work correctly. This is important for features like automatic braking or lane-keeping that use cameras.
Term
bumper
A bumper is the part of the car at the front and back that helps protect it in case of a crash. It's designed to absorb some of the impact to keep the car safe.
Car
Porsche Panamera
The Porsche Panamera is a fancy four-door car that offers a sporty driving experience while still being comfortable for passengers. It's talked about because it combines luxury with performance, but some parts can be tricky to fix.
Car
Porsche Cayman
The Porsche Cayman is a sporty car that looks like a coupe, which means it has a fixed roof instead of a convertible top. It's loved for how well it drives and is often talked about by car fans who appreciate its performance.
Car
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and is great for off-road adventures. People talk about it because it's tough and reliable, making it a good choice for work or play.
LIVE
Welcome to the Porsche Club Insider, your one stop for all things Porsche and PCA.
Here's your host, Vu Gwin and the Insider crew.
Hello everyone, this is episode 206 and we are thawing out here in Maryland.
We've dealt with about a foot of snow and two inch layer of crusty ice.
But we are here, even though there are a lot of businesses
in government buildings that are closed today. We're at PCA's national office.
To the right of me, I have Manny Alban as usual, Damon's at the controls.
And as a special guest today from Porsche of Silver Spring, we have service manager Linda Haruna.
Thank you, Linda, for joining us. Absolutely.
We're going to get into what's it like to be a service manager,
maybe even some insider tips for you that take your car to be serviced at a dealership.
But before we get into it, I want to make sure we thank our presenting sponsor, Pirelli.
Pirelli tires have to achieve the highest levels of performance, safety, noiselessness,
and grip on the road surface. Innovative tires that can even satisfy
the most specific mobility needs of the in consumer. Thank you all for listening.
If you aren't currently a PCA member and own a Porsche, what are you waiting for?
Grab that van, head over to PCA.org and make yourself a member.
And for those of you that don't yet have a Porsche on your driveway or in your garage,
we have the test drive program where we unlock resources to help you find that special car that
you're looking for. So with that, Linda, welcome to PCA Insider. We've known each other for a
while, I would say at least five to 10 years. I've always seen you, I would say,
are always the coolest cat. I've seen you have various events going on when Porsche of Silver
Spring is hosting the local region or doing like you're always just like, all right, whatever you
need and things are moving along. And I think you have to have that personality being in the
position that you're in. Yes, definitely. I truly enjoy what I do on a daily basis. It is a lot of
stress, but at the end of the day, just knowing that we can make clients happy, get their Porsches
back on the roads to them. Truly to me, that's what makes it all well worth it at the end.
So share with us the path that led you here. Were you always a car person and how and why
Porsche? So I grew up around cars. My dad actually owned a body shop for about 20 years when I was
younger. So my younger days, I spent my Saturdays with my dad at his shop and stuff. So it's always
kind of been, I guess, a part of me. I never thought I would be here in the automotive industry,
but it just led me here. Porsche is one of those brands that is
nothing compared to any other brand out there. I did work for Audi for a bit, which was also amazing
as well, too. But there's something about Porsche clients that it's a true experience.
Everybody has a great backstory to them. And it's just, I've met a lot of people that I've
met throughout my 15 years of doing this. It's quite amazing. So I've gained a lot of friends,
and it's just been a great journey. So coming up around a family business and
and buy shop, were you like many of kids that have grown up in a family business when it was
like off hours, not in school. You were at the front table with your homework while trying to
help the family run the business? Yes, absolutely. Oh, was that was that business here in Maryland?
Yes, it was actually over in Auto Park in Gaithersburg. Oh, so you've been local for a while?
Yes, I've been born and raised in this area. So can I ask, did you pick up like bodywork
skills, too? Like, can you, can you skim code offender? Because Manny's got some issues with
his car. How do you feel about restoring a 914? We'll get back to that one.
But my dad did teach me a lot about cars. He did teach me how to weld, which don't ask me now,
because I have no idea. But just a basic stuff, right? So if I was ever had to change my own
tire, I can definitely do it. He taught me a lot of fundamentals of just the basic stuff,
just how cars work and what you need to do if you're ever in a situation. So
I did learn a lot. Do I remember any of it? No. But that's okay. But you have a base,
like you have a base. And I think that's obviously very quite rare, you know, to see,
you know, someone that has a base growing up with that knowledge and being able to apply it
into their future career. I mean, I think we're all very lucky that we have our base
knowledge as our passion for Porsche. And we ended up working for Porsche Club of America.
That gives us a head start, right? When we come into this world, I think that gave you a head
start coming into your career. So you said you started with, was Audi? Yes. Audi? And was that,
how did you hear about that? Like, were you? It's funny because my friend actually was supposed
to go and apply for that job. But she did not want it. So she told me to go because I was actually
looking for a job. So I said, okay, why not? And was it a service job? Or okay, like a service
writer? Yes. Okay. And then 15 years later, here I am. So I know, was was it with a tissue group
back then? Yep. Wow. You go back. Wow. Hmm. Okay. Yeah. And then so. How long have you been doing
it at the road Silver Spring? 15 years. 15 years. Yeah. So you saw the transition, obviously,
from the old shop to the new shop is beautiful. Yes. Thank you. Trust me that that I don't miss
that walk from the old showroom to the Audi shop at all. It was one of those. I did that for a lot
of years. But yeah, just the new shop being able to everybody be in one place. It's definitely
helped business wise and just kind of just, you know, help grow the business clients and everything
and also, but yes, the building is definitely truly amazing. So before we get into the details
of it, can you give us like a quick summary of like the day in the life of a service manager
at a Porsche dealership? It's chaos. I'm just kidding. I'm a therapist. It's actually, you know,
I get there. I'm the first one there. I always try to, you know, be there for my team no matter
what. So I'm the first one there all the time, making sure everything's good, get the doors open,
get everything set up for everybody and just get the day started. Whether it's just making sure
learner cars are ready to go, the shop, you know, the guys have what they need to do for the day,
kind of plan out with each other technician because I also dispatch all the work that goes
into the shop as well too. So just kind of planning out everybody's day for them is what I do. Now,
whether the plan goes the way it's supposed to, which it never does, but that's okay,
because that's the world of service. But, you know, just to kind of being able to
making sure this goes this way, this customer needs this, that person needs this,
whatever comes up in between the day, just make sure everything gets handled and everything's
good to go. Well, I imagine there's so many different components to your day from, you know,
the bay doors going up to, they roll across that new machine that scans the tire treads and everything,
to the parts, to the people, to, you know, the supplies, the tools, I mean, the list is not to
bring it all up while you're away from work, but there's a long list of things that you have to
juggle. You know, because if we have a delay in parts, because with the weather and stuff,
if we have one single delay or something gets missed or anything happens, then that could be
an entire day for a technician where he can't get anything done, right? So now we're going to
readjust, get this done, get that done, or, you know, something else could happen,
you know, something in the middle of a repair could break. So, okay, now we have to readjust
and get this done, right? Customer pops up, oh no, you know, I have my check engine lights on,
something's wrong with my car, I need a loaner car. So, you know, just the things that we have to
just maneuver to make sure everybody gets taken care of, you know, is the biggest thing. So,
it's more like problem-solving in a day. But again, I'll go back to your personality of how
calming you're. Honestly, to her, just sitting at this table calms me. She must exude something
that just calms me. I think you have an alcohol disorder. Maybe that's what it is, but I think
that you're literally like seconds away from something, I don't want to say going terrible,
but I feel like it's almost like a restaurant, right? Like you have your menu, but you know,
every day some component could go wrong and then you take in the factor of the customer that might
be demanding or things that you've promised that's out of your control. I'll just take
one little sample like insurance work, right? Like if a car came into you for insurance work and
you're humming along so to speak, but the insurance company didn't get back to you or they didn't get
the parts or whatever, then you're the person that has to break that bad news to that person.
And again, so many different personalities out there in the world. Wow, that's it's
much respect. It's, you know, again, there's not a problem that cannot be resolved, right?
That's how I kind of look at it. And no matter how big it is, yes, for whoever might it be the
client or whoever's on the other end of it, it is very, very big to them. But again, if we
don't stay calm and make sure that we help them through the process, then everything is a disaster.
If you can't have a panicked service advisor like, oh, what do I do?
So how does that work? Let's say I have my car there and you said it should be done by
three days from now. Yes. Then you find out, when you find out the part didn't come in,
does the parts department tell you that? Does the technician tell you that?
Yes. Yeah, usually we have a system that's used in our dealership, actually all our dealerships.
So basically you can do tech videos. It's my karma. You can do tech videos and PIs,
but everybody has access to it. And then whatever I guess stage the car is in. So whether it's
waiting for a part to come in or diagnosing or whatever it might be, it gets put into that slot.
So we kind of all know where the car is right now at this moment. So if we're waiting on a special
order part, it's sitting in the special order part section. Parts will go in there and say, hey,
this part's either coming from Germany or it's going to be here on this date. So then when
that date comes, usually they'll say, hey, parts are here and they'll move it to ready for technician.
Now if it does not, that's when the advisor will reach out and say, hey,
you know, can I get an update on these parts? It could be delayed because of, you know,
the weather or Porsche loves to do where, oh, it's coming from Germany now. So now we have to wait
two to three weeks for it to get here and not today. So, you know, with those situations,
we just got to let you know. Here's what happened and just see what we can do to, you know,
accommodate. You know, if you don't have a loaner or if you never got a loaner car, we can see if
we can figure that out for you. But just to make the situation more better for you and you can be
at ease about the situation too. So that's what, you know, what it would look like.
I guess a service advisor is the one who calls a customer up and...
Yeah, yeah. I saw all the bigger problems. So it's just...
When they say, I'd like to speak to your manager. You mean you'd like to speak to Linda?
Porsche of Silver Spring is a premier dealership?
Yes. Okay. And your role in making sure that they stay a premier or that they became a premier?
Yeah. So every department has their, I guess, goals they have to meet throughout the year,
every quarter, just to get those points for us to be able to get to premier. So it's sales and
how many cars they sell and a whole bunch of stuff that they have to do. Same with parts as well too.
And then for me, there's what I have to do as well. So I just have to make sure I'm always based on
our CSI and everything that goes on the surveys, right? So all that gets kind of compiled into it.
And that's how we get our scores and then making sure everyone else does what they need to do as
well too. So again, at the end of the day, every department has their own pieces. They have to
make sure that fit into the puzzle. But then we all, you know, need to make sure that we do
what we have to do as a team to make sure we keep that standard and make sure we continue to keep
that standard so that we can continue to hit those premier points. So a premier just doesn't
how many sales you've had or whatnot? No, it's a whole package. Yeah. It's a big deal.
You know, it's, it's, you know, for dealers, it's like bragging rights kind of in a sense.
You know, you get these cute little new business cards and stuff like that versus premier and
stuff like that. So it definitely works out. So it's, it's a huge deal. And it affects us. I
think it also affects like your allocations and stuff right now. Yep. Yep. It affects allocations
for sales. And for me, for on the service side, it benefits us because if you're a premier dealer,
you get early, you get early access to be able to sign up your technicians for training classes,
which is good because usually they'll tell you, hey, on this date, basically it opens at 12,
go sign up your tux. And by the time I could sit there and wait for that time to come,
and every slot is filled. Wow. Yeah. So according to the AI, which is never wrong.
It's never wrong. Never wrong. 25 premier dealers in 2025. Yeah. That's pretty. Yeah. So there's
a top 25 and then there's the top 50. Okay. So the top 25 obviously get the allocations and then
you get the business cards and all that. But then there's a top 50 range as well too. So
it's definitely. Are they still called premier? Is that like? They're still called premier. Yeah.
Yeah. But they, more of the top 25 are the ones that get the recognition for that. But it's,
it's, it's cool. You know, it's, I don't know if you guys know, but back in the old days, we were
the very first premier dealer when this first started. I forgot the year, but we weren't actually.
That's super cool. I wonder actually too though. Once you're a premier dealership,
can you lose premier status? Like you have to maintain, how long does it take? It's every year.
It's every year. It's every year. Yeah. So it's not like if you don't perform in a way that should
maintain premier status, it's not like in three months you're done. No. They revisit. Yeah. So
every quarter they'll send out like a scorecard of kind of where you're at so far. So if you're
kind of down on one category, you don't, you do have time to be able to build up the points again
and get to where you need to be. But yes, it is a year and the next year, if you miss it by a little
bit or another dealer, just push a little bit. Yeah. Which, which has happened. So it's, it's
definitely a, you know, you just continue to do what we do every day and just kind of hope for the
best. So you mentioned the technicians and the training, which I find amazing too because, oh,
I forgot I said amazing. But there's, it really is incredible because you have to prepare so much
more in advance than the customer. You know cars, we're not going to try to pump you for information
for upcoming cars. Well, we might, but there's another electric coming in. That's it. But you
need to get your folks to training before those cars arrive so that they're familiar with them and
be able to service them. So what's, what's the cycle time typically? Like the next generation of
electric vehicle that's coming very quickly or the ICE vehicle that might be coming very quickly,
say it is. Yes. Like how, what would the dealer, when would the dealer know that that car is coming
and when would you send your folks to training? So we know now the timeline of when it should be here.
Usually Porsche will have some sort of training probably, you know, two to three months ahead
of before the car gets launched. Oh, that's all? Yeah. Two to three months. That's it. Oh, I thought
it would be more than that. Yeah. So because, you know, a lot of times, you know, it's, it's kind
of like, let's say this new EV does come out. You know, we already have the Taycan and the
McCann EV, right? So even if this new EV does come out, there's going to be a change, but it's not
going to be that much of a difference. There's some overlap. Yeah. Are we talking about the Cayenne
or something else? No, we're just saying that there's an EV that's probably. We're talking about
the Cayenne. Keep going, keep going. I don't want to get her in trouble. No, it's fine. Everyone
knows the Cayenne EV is coming out right. It's supposed to be sometime this summer.
And we hear it's fantastic. And the one that looks amazing, the one that I saw in
at PAG was, yeah. Yeah, it definitely does. It's going to be great, I think, for the people that
do like EV. So we'll see how that goes. Yeah. Yeah. Boy, you better never play poker. Yeah.
For those that love them, we'll love them. Yes. They're great cars. I'll give it a raw.
Good on you. Man, hey. All the EVs, the Taycan, the McCann, I mean, they're amazing. I don't know
if you've all had a, oh, yay, had a chance to drive either one. But they truly, I mean, it's,
Porsche built an electric car. Come on now. That's pretty cool, right? It's a Porsche. When I
tell people, when you get in it, you know, right away, you're in a Porsche. Yes. I mean, the power
source is different, but it's still a Porsche. Yeah. No. With EVs, Manny talks about this all the
time because he likes to tinker in his cars, but he doesn't like to tinker on them if he doesn't
have to. And I think the biggest. Just to save money. Yeah. Understand. The thing that appeals to
him, especially with EVs, is the less amount of parts and maintenance. Yeah. And so I know as of
right now, your world hasn't been turned upside down in terms of like, you know,
so many cars that require less maintenance. But at some point, at some point, it will be that,
right? Like at some point, there'll be cars that don't need as much. And how does, how does the service
side prepare for that? Like I talked to my friend, you know, that that's in charge of like the Orsman
group. And he was thinking about like, what would life be like if all cars were EV, right?
And how would his service side survive and contribute to, you know, the premier status and
such? I mean, you know, with the EVs, the biggest thing has, the challenge has been just all the
updates and software. You know, it's honestly a giant computer talking to our little computer
saying, this is what's wrong. And still, we can't figure it out. So it's definitely a lot different
than just, you know, a gas car where, you know, we plug into tester and it gives us these codes.
And then we can kind of pinpoint, go look at this, go look at that and try to figure it out.
But it's, I think that's been the biggest thing with EVs is just, you know, the time they're
taking up to just kind of figure out what the issue could be. And then just the software,
you know, Porsche is always pushing out new software for this, new software for that.
They made it where most of the cars can get over the air updates. But the amount of updates that
those cars also get is a lot. A lot. I've had clients tell me, I mean, they're just like,
it's hundreds and they're just, yeah, they'll turn their car on and it's just, you know, it's
going. But you know, the ones that can't do, which take like 10 hours or whatever it may be,
and then they have to come into the dealer and actually get it done. Yeah. Yeah. They,
when the Tycons first came out, they had a update that was supposed to be 10 hours. It took five
days. Five day update. And hopefully you're not parking it at a lift. We had to have a one bay
that was, that's all we did. The one bay. Yeah. Yeah. And one of my hourly texts that just started,
I was like, this is your job. You're going to stand here and make sure. And don't touch the
cable. Don't touch, don't like this. And just watch this. And then we got to make sure that
the car itself doesn't overheat because still with it being hooked up and the port and everything,
it still can get hot. So we have to, you know, sometimes stop the update, unplug it, cool it
down with the fan and try again. And as a service manager, this workflow difference between an EV
technician versus your ICE, you've got to figure out how to make this still, at the end of the day,
it's a business. You have to figure out how to make this profitable and having one guy sit there
watching a screen. Can you do other things? Of course, absolutely. And that's why one of my
goals was, especially for my technicians to make sure everybody gets certified in an EV.
So that it's not just stuck on one person where, okay, you can only work on the EV cars because
you're only certified for it. So about 70% of my shop is all EV guys. So they can definitely,
I'll give them a Tycon and then they'll get this car. So each of them do have two bays,
so they can have a down Tycon getting updates done or whatever it needs while they work on
something else. Just to kind of be able to kill two stones, one bird and just kind of make sure
everything kind of works in this way. If it does go down, it's not taking up someone's lift and
then they're screwed for two, three days and they can't get anything else done. So when it comes to
repairs like that, you say like hundreds of over the year updates, you know, potentially with some
cars. I wonder, and I'm noticing if you're on YouTube and I'm not on focus, I wonder if auto
focus is off. But I wonder if like video games, for example, over the year updates, things, video
games like cars, it seems like nowadays electric cars at least, it's acceptable for them to come out
not quite finished. And then the manufacturer is using the opportunity to get that car out
faster. And then, oh, we can just fix it later. That's what it's kind of sounding like. Let me
introduce you to my iPhone. Yeah. iPhone as well. Yeah. Which I think has monthly updates. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Which I'm so scared of was it approving? Yeah, because when I wake up in the morning,
all my icons are in different places now. Yeah. But yes, it is partially that. I think because
they're, you know, it's the push from, you know, the manufacturer or the push from just
the world, right? You know, you got different manufacturers that might have this many EV cars
or this many cars that are out right now. So everyone's trying to keep up with it.
So I think with that, they think, okay, cool. It's good. Let's push it out or fine. It's good
enough. And then it's like, uh-oh. All right. Well, let's put this campaign out for a software
that's going to take this much time. It's all right. The dealers can handle it. And then, you
know, and of course we do, but it's definitely been a challenge for, you know, for the EVs with
that. Because even when the Macan EV came out, it was the same way. Yeah. Yeah. They had a very
large update that came out shortly afterwards. You know, and it was just like, you couldn't do
this before. I think the payments point, we're almost conditioned now that that's the way things
are. To expect cars. I remember how much PCA paid for a website one time. And then I felt like the
next year we were doing nothing but paying to have it fixed. And I thought, I thought we bought a
website already to go, but instead we bought a website that was a project car and needed some
stuff. Well, even more is remember when we had the PCA app. And we paid, you know, we were the
first car club to come out with an app and, you know, all this came out. And when it came out,
it was great, but then all of a sudden all the phones had different operating system updates.
And now the app that we created, as Manny said, it almost felt like we paid again to have it
redeveloped so that it would work on the new operating systems. And then every couple of
months, it was just ongoing. And the time frame with that is that I got to PCA in 2014 and there
was no app at that point. Yeah. It happened beforehand. Right. Because we were just like,
this will never catch up. And now look, everything has an app. Yeah. But to the other direction,
we're talking about latest and greatest in EVs and we still have ICE. But with Porsche and in
your world, you also get like a 356 or early 911 roll through your doors. And you have to be
prepared to be able to help them as well. Yes, we definitely do. The good thing is my technicians
are very willing to learn, let's say if it's something that they've never done before,
but they definitely will take on a task. Now with the older cars, classic cars, we do
obviously kind of prepare the client of it's going to be some time just because of, you know,
the workflow. And we just want to make sure we take our time with your car itself. And depending
on parts too, because you know, a lot of things could be a lot of it's probably coming out of
Germany. You know, it's I have a 993 there right now that we've been waiting on a part for
since October. Oh, wow. Yeah. So it's it's but it's it's Germany, right? So it's one of those
things where, you know, it is what it is. Yeah. So, you know, it's it's not going to change if you go
to a different dealer or if you go to independent, they still have to wait for that part, have to
wait for the part, you know, so it's but the good thing with a lot of clients that do have the
classic cars, they're a bit more understanding of that aspect, because they know it's a bit more
challenging to just get it done and making sure that you know, plus the cars older, so you never
know with plastic pieces, something might be brittle. Once we get in there, something else
could happen. So but yes, definitely with that, it's more just time and just making sure that we
just give the right, prepare the client for what's about to happen. You know, just never
over promise something and then we under deliver. So that's the biggest thing.
Are you guys considered a classic partner? We are not. Yeah.
So I have I have a scenario actually. So I bought a coolant oil heat exchanger for my
Cayenne. It's a first gen Cayenne. It's a little box. It looks like and it wasn't leaking really
badly, but I saw it leaking when I was doing oil to him, like I'll just order one for when it goes
or next time I'm down there and feel like replacing it. And I ordered it and I think it was Sunset
Porsche Parts. They're all out on the West Coast, I believe. Suncoast. Suncoast or Sunset out of
there out of Oregon. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. There's Suncoast and then there's Sunset Porsche Parts.
Everton, Oregon, I think. Yeah. Yeah, Beaverton, exactly. And I ordered this piece and it had to
come from Germany. I was waiting for it for at least four months, I think five or six. So if
if let's say a customer has a part like that, but it has to be replaced before the car can move
again, how do you deal with that? Just put the car outside. I was going to say free storage,
but I'm like outside, never mind. Well, no, depending on the car itself, obviously, right. So,
you know, we have spots where we can park it if it needs to stay inside. But, you know, most of
time we'll move it so it's not a down bay. This way that we can still do what we need to do. But
yes, that situation is probably because they have to find someone to make your part because it does
probably doesn't fail all that often. Yes. So that's usually what happens when it's that
time frame. Because it's like with custom ordered anything you get from Porsche.
It takes about six plus months. And they're not just making the one for you. They're waiting for
like a batch of 2050, whatever the vendor that they use previously, you know, just isn't
the right vendor anymore. So they got to find someone else now to get the parts and do that. So
we've come across that too. The worst is when you've been waiting that long and they say it,
sorry. Sorry it's not gonna happen. It's never gonna happen. That's happened to me before back in
it. And I was like, what do you do? Can you go to the aftermarket? We ended up doing that.
Okay. Yeah. So the client was fine with it, which thank God, good. But it was, but just after all
that time and it was like, yeah. Does your role also include finding the talent, the technicians?
Or technicians and service advisors? Wow. Then that I know from what I hear it's
the pool of applicants and qualified people. And then once you bring them on and making sure
they stay after you invested so much in that. It's again, it's another challenge in itself.
You know, because you always want to find the right people to fit because, you know, you can have
one bad apple and then there goes a whole morale and, you know, it's just going to bring down the
team and stuff. So and that's the biggest thing for me with my team is just making sure everybody
gets along and everybody fits. And with that, so I am a bit pickier when it comes down to picking,
let's say a Porsche technician. I want to make sure that they're going to be the right fit for
the dealership, the team and that they have the passion for the brand itself. They have the passion
for, you know, just they have the passion for what they do, you know, because you can find
technicians out there that great, they'll fix the car and move on. But, you know, you want to have
especially with Porsches, it's, you know, you got to have that kind of skill set where
you care for what you're doing and then kind of be happy with your end result.
Yeah. And be very methodical about it, right? I would think that patients, patients is a big thing.
Most of the customers that come in, you know, we know a lot of them that they're, they come in
probably probably the most well informed consumer. They may not be turning the wrench themselves,
but they've watched all the YouTube videos, they watched Autodah. And so, and they know if you
take a panel off and there were three snap plugs, they'll look for the three snap plugs. You have
to be precise. Yes. Is there any non-compete clause after you've trained any techs? Yeah.
That's tough. Yeah. Wow. Do you get people that are so enamored with, oh, I want to go work for
Porsche, but they don't necessarily have the Porsche weight in them because some people just
don't, right? Yes. Yes. They just, oh, I want to go to Porsche because I'm going to be bringing
911s in and out. Right. Right. Which is very unfortunate. You know, I'm sure there are great
technicians out there that, you know, possibly work at other manufacturers, but it's just,
you know, for me, it's, you've got to at least have some sort of German experience, if not Porsche
experience. Because, you know, when you go from a different manufacturer, like an American car to
a German car, you'll lose your mind because it's like, what, what am I doing? And because there's
so much more dyke you have to do and there's so much more to the car itself. And it's just, you
know, things take a lot longer to do, you know. So, you know, I always make sure that whoever
we do talk to or hire, whoever it may be, at least has Porsche experience or does have
German experience. So, a lot of my, a lot of my technicians actually came from,
they were Audi master techs. Audi? Okay. Yeah. Because there's a lot of, especially for like
the Cayans and the McCons, there's a lot of things that they share as a platform for the cars. So,
it was an easy transition. Granted, yes, when they get to 911s, it's like a whole different
world for them. But, you know, they've done tremendous. They're looking at the front of the
car. They're like, where is the engine? It's in the back. So, much like finding a solid technician
that's going to stay with you after you invest it, you're kind of, you yourself are like a needle
in a haystack of finding a service manager that understands the culture, has stayed for 15 plus
years. Oh, by the way, like how many, how many female service advisors are in this world?
Service managers. Service managers. I don't know that many actually. I know in the Porsche
dealers in our area, I am the only one. I have gone to some trainings where I have met maybe one
or two. It's very rare. So, it's definitely... I don't think that's because they're trying to
hire more men. I think maybe the interest is not there. It's possible. You almost didn't even go
to the interview. Someone had to say, you almost weren't here. Right. But look, everything happens
for a reason. Exactly. But, yeah, it's just, I don't know. I just don't really see it that often.
I don't know what it is. It's honestly being a female in this position. It's not any
advantages to it. There's not that many challenges. You're still doing what,
you're still a service manager at the end of the day. Right. And that's how I take it. Don't treat
me any differently just because I'm a female. Right. Or don't look at me any differently because
I'm a female. But again, because I still go do the same stuff that any other male service
manager does at the end of the day. But I just think maybe it's just a hard position to fill
with a female. I'm not quite sure. I think the industry has just always been male dominant for
so long. Absolutely. So, maybe it is changing. But, you know, at this current period, there just
hasn't been a lot of interest. Right. Yeah. Is there more, I guess, the percentage
movies hire with service advisors being female? I think so. Yes. I mean, I used to have one. She
ended up leaving because she got pregnant and couldn't come back. But yeah, we had one. I think
being a female in a service role, whether you're an advisor or a manager, I think we kind of,
as a female, kind of provide a different sense of, you know, we have that kind of care and
nurturing maybe present something differently. And he's pretty nurturing.
I got three cats. Sorry. I had two. I had two. But I think that that helps us as females in this
role, right? Because we just kind of put a different spin on things. Sure. And because I know a lot
of people have this perspective of, oh, no, it's the service department, it's the dealer, they're
taking all my money. And, you know, that's definitely not the case. But, you know, I think
we can just kind of softly tell you, hey, they might take a lot of money, but not all of it.
Your car is broken. We're going to let you know why we're taking all the money.
You know, it's interesting. Right along this line, we have a video coming out by Tony Calis.
I'm not sure when you have a schedule for it. Yeah. So by the time this is episode 206, I believe.
So it should already be out. It's about, it's called the $800 world change. And he's an independent.
Right. And he basically spends an hour explaining why it's $800 that it's not simply a come in,
we'll drain the oil, put a new filter in and send you on your way of all the other stuff they check.
Exactly. While they're waiting for the oil to drain, stuff that they can bring up to you and
say, oh, by the way, did you know you have a torn CV boot? Do you realize your tires are worn
because you're out of alignment? All these things that he said they check that take time.
And oh, by the way, the book says your car has to sit here for an hour while the oil drains.
Yeah. So has anybody checked their own oil on their car and on their portions?
I do. You do? I do.
We'll see if you have our older clients here. Yeah, exactly.
You mean with the little meter that you've... I love my dipstick.
He has a dipstick. You know, they don't have it anymore on the Cayans. So that's, yeah, there's no more.
I like the dipstick. Welcome to the 2020s where you have to look at this little...
Don't you have any cars where you got to look at the... That's why your Boxster even has a
dipstick, right? My 996. Wow. I... Dipstick cars are great. That's what I'm...
That's the t-shirt for me. Actually, they're actually the easiest to work on. The oil level,
we can get it on point quickly. But to set oil level too, it's a pain. Like, it's...
Because you have the tester hooked up. The tester tells you the car has to be X amount
of temperature, right? So you have to wait to hit that temperature. And then it says,
oh, add another point, whatever chord it might be. And it's like... It's like baking. You gotta
add a cup. Yes. You gotta turn it off, add that, wait till it warms up again. It's very precise.
When I nail it, I feel like I've won the gold medal. When I see it come up, it says,
oil level okay. Man, he's celebrating on the driveway. Yes, and all the great anything.
What I often tell people when they question why they're paying so much, I was like,
just think about it. There's so many things that you could actually do wrong. Yes. And
does the person or company you're taking to it, do they have the insurance? Are they going to
stand behind? You're taking... I'll talk about my buddy Peter, Peter Chen, which I think you
know very well. Hold it in. Hold it in. Hold it in. Hold on. Sorry, Peter. I just called you out.
I will say he does always fork over the dollars, but he also does it while he complains. But I'm
like, Peter, they know exactly what your car needs. They're going to keep it on record. They know
the proper protocol for it. Could you do it yourself? Yes. But how mad would you be if you'd
missed one step and it caused some other damage to your car and or you don't even have a record
of it? And when you go to sell it later, it's going to cost you $2,000 of value. I'm like,
you have to look at it that way. And before we get into all the little nitty gritty details,
but stuff like that is what I think people often forget. They're just thinking, as Manny said,
oh, you're moving one drain plug, putting it back in, just filling it back up. No, no,
there's a lot more involved. There's a panel there that needs to be removed that has about
like 10 screws right away. That, you know, if you lose that one screw, good luck finding it,
because a lot of times they might have stuff that we get in that goes to possibly independent shops
or they did it themselves at home. Yeah, it's like the screws that they've lost. Sure. They put
something else in there. Or they got a brand new stubby impact gun and they wouldn't use that to
put everything back. Oh my God. Or they don't, you know, the double washers for the, to me,
I'm just like, this is why you should just come because now you get to pay me to fix it. And here
you go. Exactly, exactly. I will call out my sister-in-law where she was driving and had all
this noise underneath the fur car. She said, I don't know what's going on. Can you come over and
take a look at it? And of course, it's the panel that there was an Audi Q5 or something like that.
Probably dragging. It was dragging. And I said, where the heck did you take this to get served?
She's some, some guy's house, whatever, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, I'm like, why am I,
I was like freezing cold. Like, why are you calling me? Like, why don't you call the guy that
didn't put this panel properly? She's like, yeah, but I can't get home. And of course, I look at my
wife and I'm like, fine, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go. And I, like, sure enough, I was like, all,
it's all the wrong fasteners. You know, there's like two left there. And, you know, I had my bag
of zip ties and I just zip ties. Like it's enough for you to get home. But you better call this guy
to do it right. And again, people don't think about they're just thinking an oil change is an
oil change. It'd be like my son-in-law. He got his oil change on the Subaru out west. When they
went across country, they never put it back. Not even when he got back, I said, I'll help you change
oil. So we put it up on the ramps. I go underneath because I hated that car because it had like
30 fasteners. I had to like three different type and everything. So I'm getting ready to take it
all down. And I look, I'm like, well, the oil change got a lot quicker now. It's not even there.
Why is that? It's not there. So when you change oil, they never put back the other body.
Well, back to you with some details as service manager. So offline, we were talking about
that. One of the complaints I hear from people about taking it to the dealer is that the service
advisor is just trying to sell you extra service. So they make commission off that.
That's not really true. It's not. Well, for us, it's not. Now, I don't know.
Okay, fair enough. Yeah. Other dealers may do this. I don't think so. They could maybe get
a spiff if they sold a difference. Maybe they have some sort of spiff system. If you get this sold,
then you get natural such and such dollars. But no, for us, you know, they get their commission
from their entire gross that they do. But again, you know, it's about being able to
recommend or educate your client of what's needed for your vehicle at that time. So they come in
for a service, they can kind of just let them know, hey, your car is now 20 years old. Yes,
you do have only 10,000 miles. But just to kind of keep in mind, because of the age,
you might now need this service done or this checked and, you know, that replaced and stuff
like that. Because a lot of people don't understand or they just kind of forget because
it's been kept in the garage that everything's fine. It's not okay. Yeah, it's really not okay.
Especially the spark plugs. Yes, I get that a lot here at the people call up and they say,
well, I brought it in for my two year service or whatever. And the spark plugs have 2000 miles
with them. Yeah, but they're telling me I got to change them. Do I have to really change them?
Yeah, so Porsche for especially the sports cars, the GT cars, they did change that up to two years.
And then for the McCons and everything else, it's either three years or it's 30,000 miles or
four years. So and it's because the engines now perform differently. You know, so they want to
make sure that those plugs get replaced when they need to see don't have any issues with misfires
or anything else going wrong with the car. So the engine is such a precise instrument. Yeah.
And I'm going to call out Peter again. And you know, how often do you want to say it's your fault
for not driving the car? For two years, you put all these miles on it. And I think I did give him
crap the last time he came in. He like put on like 50 miles from yeah, but that was him driving at
home when he left me last year. Correct. And I was like, that's it. Yeah. And he's like, boo, the
time is up for my spark plugs. I'm like, okay, so what's the problem? He's like, but I only put
like 100 miles on my spark plugs are probably good. I'm like, but if it's timed up, like you got to
do it. Like you do realize sometimes the reason why they want to replace the plugs is maybe the
plug itself is not the issue. But the fact that it's been dormant in that thread setting for two
years and it's an aluminum versus metal and what could possibly happen there if you don't change
What's funny is there's a reason I never get these questions from the guys who own base porches.
It's always like the top of the line cars. They'll call me up and they'll basically ask,
is Walmart tires okay to use? No, please don't use Walmart tires. But they're round,
they're black. What's the difference? I don't drive it that hard. I use Amazon oil. Yeah.
Why did you buy that car? I should say it's okay to buy tires at Walmart. Just don't use the crappy
brands because I bought good tires from Walmart. It's really cheap. Man it hit a nerve. Let's say
always buy quality tires no matter where you go. Just make sure you get just N-spec tires that are
for the car. Muchumachos are not the N-spec. Now, you know, yeah, so just make sure that they're
the N-spec and the correct form. Would you say there's a difference between your standard Porsche
customer versus your PCA enthusiast when they come in and you say that it needs to be done?
Wow, her face. I would love to play poker with her. Yeah, unfortunately. Yeah, right? Like,
you have to, I know, I know because I'm one of them, right? So. I love you guys. Don't get me
wrong. And there are a lot of people in the PCN members that I truly love. You know, I have people
look, but there are some members that I'm like. Really? Really? Like, why talk to such and such?
And they told me I don't need it. Yeah. Okay, that's fine. Look, at the end of the day,
we're here to help you, right? We're not the enemy. If you don't want to, that's fine. It's your car.
You're more than welcome to decline this, decline that, not do this, not change your oil for two
years. It's up to you. But again, all we're letting you know is this is what needs to be done.
Right. And if the cars are in a warranty, then you really have to pay attention to
because you don't want to give them a reason why to turn down your warranty.
Because it's not even us, but Porsche can see all that, the manufacturer. And if they see anything
of weird or neglect, yeah, they don't kick any claim back in a heartbeat. That's why you know
about people who tune their cars or get them chipped and do all that. It's like, just wait
till your warranty expires if you want to do anything because Porsche also can see all that as well.
All right, guys allowed to put on a customer came to you and said, I bought this Capri so exhaust.
Yes. Yeah. So aftermarket exhaust, I don't mind doing. We just don't do any tooting and all that
kind of stuff just because, you know, it definitely could have the potential to void your warranty.
And, you know, there are other shops that definitely will do that for you and, you know,
but I'll put on the risk, right? Yes. But if it's had a warranty, would you guys do like
suspension or like it's not just for sure nothing at all, you will do. Yeah, I've gotten some cars
ready for the track. You know, I guess no Kenny. Yeah. So I've helped him with his new car to get
that ready to go. GT3 RS, right? Yeah. Yeah. So green? No, the white one, the white one.
Yeah. And then Tila, I don't know if you know Tila, she just recently purchased a 2016 GT3.
Nice. And we got that her ready to go. We put a cage in and did it. Wow, really? Yeah. As long
as you provide us the parts, we will do it. You know, I mean, I'll talk to my shop foreman's,
obviously, if they're willing to do it because there are certain things they're just kind of like,
maybe not. But, you know, things like that, not a problem. No LS1 swaps. No, you know,
we haven't gotten there yet. So I think we'll hold off on that a little bit.
Especially because I know Elvis is still with you, right? Yes. Yeah. So the folks there are also
enthusiasts. Yes. Like they may do the oil change and they clarify, what does Elvis do?
He's a service advisor. He's a service advisor. Yeah. And, you know, it's cool to see enthusiasts
in the shop. Yeah. All my guys, my technicians, they all, they love these cars. I have one gentleman
who just is a die-hard Porsche fanatic. Anything old classic that comes in, I mean, he just
gravitates towards it. Yeah. It's like, he sees it just like pulling in through the lane and then
first thing you see is he's running up and he's like, what is this thing? Oh, my God. And then
he just goes down the whole history of this is this and da, da, da, da. And it's like, all right,
go back to work now. That's what you want to see though, I would. Yes. Yeah. Especially being a Porsche
owner. Yeah. That the person is not saying, what in the world is this? Yeah. Yeah. So, you know,
but that's, you know, and that's what I look for in, you know, hiring people, right? Just to have
that actual passion and want to do this, you know, because a lot of people come in, I'm just here
to fix cars and yeah, it's a job. But, you know, then there is that job where you actually like
what you do. Yeah. And all my guys like what they do. Yes, it's hard and it's a lot of hours,
but they all enjoy and like what they do. So, that's truly. Can I share a funny thought when
you're talking about having people that are enthusiasts and, you know, the special people
that you're choosing, like I would bring my car to your dealership and really not have a second
thought of how it would be handled. But I've had the opposite where I had to take my wife's car in
for the display that was, it crapped out on her car. And I was really worried about how the
technician honestly was just going to sit in the car. And then I know to replace that screen,
like you've got to kind of pry something. So, I literally put tape, blue tape all the Honda Civic.
Yeah. Yeah. So, it's still my car and I still, Linda, don't laugh too hard. I'm not, I'm not,
but when I put in the service advisor at the Honda dealership, I hope this doesn't get out to my
friend, but he was just like, uh, sir, what's with the, I'm like, cause I know you guys to take
this out. He's like, sir, how do you know that? I'm like, I've been in the car audio industry. I
know how this thing works, but because it's under warranty, I'm going to let you guys do it. Right.
But I don't want any scratches on my dash. And so there's a different level. There's just a
exactly. And I know. Yeah. I mean, it's also, because it's the brand too, right? So we make
sure we make sure that the advisors take their, the time and care. So to my technicians and also
my porters, my wash guys, my detail guy as well too, right? Because it's that standard. It's that,
you know, experience that you get when you come into a Porsche dealership. It's that whole,
you know, driving in, dropping it off, pulling into the lane. And you know, it's, it's a lot
different than let's say you go to your Honda dealer and that's nothing against Honda, but you
know, it's you, you feel the difference. Definitely. And that's what we always try to make sure we
uphold to that standard, right? Don't you have like a, I remember last time I was in a dealer,
they were explained to us something when you pulled the car in, when you first bring it to
service bait, it like takes photos of it. Yes. It takes photos of it and it also reads the tread
on your tires. And then it pops up on the little monitor. So you can kind of see where your tires
are at. Everyone always likes to sit there and stare like, Oh, is that my tires? I'm like, Yeah,
you need tires. They're like, Oh, okay. Computer doesn't lie. That's your try depth. Right.
But yes, and that helps us to see what damage now that the advisors will do walkarounds as well
to once they do check in a car. But that has saved us in a lot of situations, because a lot of people
will just say that wasn't there. And I'm like, it was like, Oh, but yeah, it's, it's, it's definitely
saved us. And again, you know, it's, we always want to make sure your car comes in and it's
returned back to you just the way it is, or even better, right? Because that's, that's what we,
that's, that's our goal. And that's what we want to do with every vehicle. You know, so it's definitely,
we try to keep that standard for, for everybody. I guess the treadwear itself probably helps determine
whether or not you got to look at the alignment, right? Yes. Yeah, usually it says that all the
alignments off, but it doesn't read, it only reads a certain amount of the alignment. So once that
does happen, if you do any tires, we recommend the alignment to happen so that you know, you
are going to know that something's wrong. But you know, a lot of these cars now have cameras. So
with the alignments, you need to calibrate a lot of those cameras as well too. So you don't have
any issues with those features. Not to $49.95. No, that's definitely with the coupon alignment.
My dipstick car, my dipstick car alignment is pretty simple. So yes, yours is definitely. But
yeah, it's with all these new technology and that's coming out in these cars, it's definitely, it's
going to be hard for, I would say, you know, independent shops or the gentleman that does it
out of his house. It's going to be hard for them to try to, you know, fix these cars. Or at least
fix it right. Yeah. And that's the biggest thing that's a Porsche thing is making sure a car is
fixed right the first time. We get graded on that, by the way. It is literally a question on your
survey when you get the survey if your car was fixed right the first time. I guess the cars,
I see people who say, like I saw an article that said, do you know you have to take the front
bumper off of a Panamera to replace the air filter? Yes. But that's not really new. I read it. I'm
like, that's not new. I know. I think I saw that somewhere too. And I was like, that's not anything
new. And cars are getting more compact as far as how everything's squeezed into everywhere. So
the engineers got to put the air filter somewhere. And the bumper, so taking a bumper off to replace
it is not like open heart surgery by any means. It's pretty standard. It's nothing new, but you
see more and more where, you know, we were talking about Caymans, a buyer's guide and the personal
owner service manager, Peter, he said everything is squished into this Caymans. So anything to work
on is somewhat difficult because everything has to be now compacted into this little space.
Yeah. But they're trained in the process of how to do it. And if you do it every day,
you know, it's not a big deal to them. Can we all agree though with the cars being so complex
these days that one, and when you're buying it new, obviously, your warranty, all the service,
do it as they recommend. But then also, I love CPO and I love, if you can, getting the extended
warranty for your car. Yes, absolutely. Yeah, it definitely, I tell people just do the routine
maintenance. Trust me, it will save you down the road. I get it, you don't have that many miles,
but your car is now four years old. There is a reason why Porsche put this out
as their intervals for their maintenance is because they know. And this is so that you don't,
in a year or two, have issues or this isn't working right, and then you're out of warranty,
and then what happens? So I always, my recommendation to everybody is just do your routine maintenance.
Especially, I tell people, if you have PDK, do that, please. Be religious on the fluid. Yeah.
If you have all wheel drive, be religious on the transfer case and the differentials. Yeah. Fluid
might seem expensive, but trust me, it's a lot cheaper than replacing the actual units. Absolutely.
And it just makes them last longer. Just stick to what Porsche recommends. Especially if you do
track your car too, try to do your PDK more, I guess, frequently. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Just so that
you don't have any issues. Now, granted, it's not something that Porsche puts out there saying,
oh, you have to do this, but just so that you don't have that issue, and especially tires and brakes
too, right? When they're needed, get them done because they're also very important. The tire and
wheel warranty, I think that's worth this weight in gold. Absolutely. Especially with 22-inch wheels
and stuff. If you have the opportunity, you might just get it because it'll pay off. Yes. Because
I mean, especially those 22s, you hit a pothole or a curb, your wheel is probably bent. Yeah.
And those wheels are not cheap. And usually when that one tire is going bad,
you're going to at least do two because you can't have one
brand new one and three old ones, right? Correct. Yeah. So it definitely is,
if you don't get anything else, you don't want the maintenance or whatever, maybe just make
sure you get the tire and wheel because it's definitely beneficial and it will save you
a lot of hassle when it comes down to it. All right. I'm going to go right on the edge here and
don't slap me. Yes. Explain to me goodwill. Goodwill. Okay. So goodwill is up to the dealer's
discretion. Okay. So if you go into a dealer, I've had some people that came to us, never been here,
and said, hey, my buddy got this repair done and his dealership goodwilled it for him. Can you do
that for me? My answer to you is no. That's so Linda. No. No. First of all,
so it is up to every dealer's discretion. They don't, they can, they don't have to give you
goodwill at all. And it is a split between the client, the dealer, and portion. Goodwill is
usually something out of warranty or something that's like an act of God or something that,
you know, something happened and the customer is like, no, I didn't do it or, you know, so we're
trying to figure a solution where they're happy. It's not the car's fault. So we're going to try
to help you out. But it again, it is a three-way split. Yeah. And case by case. Case by case.
It's better you ask the dealer you do have a relationship with because they'll probably
mean you're getting car service there. Absolutely. Not that you stop there every month to get
donuts and coffee. Yes. Right. Because they will probably be your best bet, not just call up a
dealership and say, hey, my buddy, and can you do this for me? Because I find that hilarious. That's
starting that ask with that scenario. They think that that's going to help the situation.
And also if you read something on Red List or anywhere. How often are you quoted with Red
List stuff? Every day. Every day. Please don't think that your car should be covered because
you read it somewhere because that's not how this works. Oh, this is what I read. So
call up the office and, you know, or frustrated because something is going to be repaired out of
warranty and they think it should be something that Porsche should have, it should have lasted
longer. And I tell them, I tell them about, you know, goodwill going to PCNA and starting a
file. But I said, but whatever you do, do not go on the internet to air your grievances because I
can guarantee you Porsche looks at all this. And I know first, not with me, but with friends who
had any chance of goodwill shot down because they posted everything on Facebook or Red List or
whatnot and Porsche saw it and were like, game over, we're done here. So I said, give them a chance
to work with you. And before you start going all over the internet with your frustration.
Yeah, you know, we're here to help. And that's that's the biggest thing.
Like you said, the answer is no. Yeah, I mean, and it's not it's because we, you know, and even
with like warranty stuff too, with getting certain things, you know, if we tell you no, it's not us
that's really saying no, it's just the policy policy. In our hands are tied just, you know,
if we do something for your car, and we don't follow the procedure, then they're not going to pay
for it. Right. You know, so it's not that we don't want to we want to fix cars. Trust me,
I don't want your car sitting there for an X amount of time. I would like you to be
in your car happy on the road. But unfortunately, there are sometimes things that we have to do,
you know, just to maybe get the right answer to pinpoint exactly what the issue may be.
It's not that easy at times, because these cars are not easy at all. So it definitely is one of
those we might have to reach out to Porsche technical support as well, and get their insight.
And then if they don't know, they will have to reach out to Germany and see what their
insight is. So there sometimes it there's situations where, you know, it's not just cut and dry like,
oh, great, the fault says this cool. So it probably is this, you know, where we might have to deal
the board digging and get some input from profession and Atlanta PC&A, they are also a
resource when there's an issue you can't figure out to Germany or do you contact Atlanta or
Germany when we contact Atlanta first. And then, you know, basically what they take is the data
we send to them, right? And they're just looking at what we have presented to them. So they don't
have the car in front of them. So again, they're just looking at what we send and like, okay,
so they'll tell us to do maybe certain other things. And then from there, if they're at a loss,
all right, they'll send it over. Yeah, they'll send it over and see what the
but I guess I was talking, I wasn't talking about Goodwill, just regular repair work that
I remember at Tech Tactics, they showed us this one technology where
Oh, like the Google glasses? Yeah, they could be technician instead of flying someone from Atlanta
to a dealership in Idaho, that dealership in Idaho could contact Atlanta and they could
I don't know if they call Google glasses, but essentially the same thing. Yeah, ours are called
Tech Live glasses. I think we've used them once. But yes, that also we call it in, they'll set up
a time when they want you to go over with the car and stuff. And then they are also in Atlanta as
well too, for that. Yeah, I mean, it's, I mean, the whole idea when they told us was the customer
didn't have to wait two or three days for someone to fly out, they get there fairly quickly via
remote connection, just to help the technician diagnose the problem.
Well, I knew this was going to happen. I still have like a ton more questions, but we're already
at our hour. So Linda, we might just have to have you back and maybe have a more specific collection.
But this time, next time we can talk about Audi customers and what night they are.
I still have like challenges and there's a lot more, but like I said, we'll definitely have
to have you back. Thank you for digging out of the tundra and being here. I want to remind folks
to be sure to head over to PCA.org to sign up for PCA's newsletters, performance news, e-brake news,
and mart fresh all free. Maybe we'll include you in this discussion with, we will only have one
portion news item and it has to do with the modular architecture and possible swapping EV for
so this is car buzz who must have one person situated in front of the computer just looking
at patent filing because every patent that has come out in the past year are car buzz that's
found out that patents that Porsche has filed for and say filed for this modular vehicle patent,
which gives hope because right now we know that you can't it's not very easy to convert a EV platform
to a gas internal combustion engine platform, at least financially it's not worth it.
This modular forum would allow you, it's almost like Lego, you could take the whole engine part of
it, snap it out, the car broken in three places, the front, middle, and back and replace it with
the gas engine and you're good to go. Yeah, so I think the traditional skateboard platform that
I think most EVs are known for, you can't do that because it's one bed so to speak that you just
put your body on top of and you can't change it, but hopefully this next generation of vehicle,
the last especially with a 9-11 or maybe a Cayman or Boxster, the last third of this newer platform
can be interchangeable where you can plug in an ICE. I'm sure that does wonders for your service
department. Sorry, you came up with an EV but we found out the internal combustion engine might
be better. We'll show you how to take it apart, no problem. We'll send you to training two months
before we release the car out there, but there's hope, but for those of you that are, you know,
again, it's hilarious how some people are so anti-EV, whatever, but this is a possible solution
to the problem. I just can't wait, but the aftermarket will bring. Oh boy. Oh boy.
All right, I want to remind you also that if you want some more discussions and listening on tech
stuff, you can head over to Tech Tactics East February 21st and 22nd. Day one, the 21st is sold
out. The 22nd, I think we still have a couple of slots open, so it's the same schedule,
Saturday and Sunday, so come on on Sunday. This year, I've never realized how many technicians
are coming to this event. Yeah, they emailed me, said, I'm not a member, but I work at a dealership
and I'm a technician. Can I come? Wow. I thought, yeah, sure, absolutely. Interesting. Our training
class is full and they're like, well, let me go do this. Let me go to Tech Tactics to see if I can
learn something. Works reunion Amelia Island, March 6th, judged area is sold out. Corral,
registration is still open. I did a site visit last week and the facility looks incredible.
Yeah, there will be a little insider tip. If you've been to Amelia before, when you come out of
the golf course and you can turn right or left, you can no longer turn left.
They're repaving, doing something and when we are there, it'll still be under construction.
Is there a sign there? There is a big sign, but that matters. So the day that we got there
was the first day that they closed that road and it was hilarious. You ever noticed like when
ants come to it? Oh, you can't go that road down that road. Not at all. So you know how like ants
when, or if you've watched the movie ants, they came to a leaf and then they like didn't know what
to do, right? So literally people in Jacksonville came up to the sign and they just parked there
and just looked at the sign. It was hilarious. It took them a while to go. I guess I should turn
around, but they were just parked there. So most of you are going to use GPS driving up and it'll
reroute you accordingly. Go make a left. No, no, no. Go make a U-turn. It'll take you around.
Here's the thing. Do me a favor. There is one street that will take you through a neighborhood
and then there's one street, Fletcher Street, I think is the commercial way and I think Canopy
Road takes you through a neighborhood. So if you do go through Canopy Road, please,
especially at 6.30 in the morning, like kind of take it easy and go through very, very quietly.
Now, I don't know by the time, by the time we get to work's Amelia, I think the neighborhood's probably
going to get its fair share of traffic through there and they may complain and have some sort
of solution for that. But as of last week, you could still go. Yeah, it probably will be blocked
and say something like residence only or something. So again, if you do find yourself going through
Canopy Road, please watch, especially those of you that have like an open exhaust like people
are sleeping. So take it easy. Don't do that. Porsche Parade Lake Placid. As of today, we're
recording registration for phase one is open. The event itself is June 14th through 20th.
Love to see you there. We've got amazing plans for you and it's going to be a great time.
Beautiful roads, beautiful scenery. We have, I think, 10 hotels that you can choose from.
We were there before and we're going to redo some of the historic stuff and we're also going
to do some new things. We also have Treffenet Sea September 19th. Registration for that is open.
We have a great cast of seminars. We've got a wine cruise going out of Vancouver,
stopping in San Francisco, stopping in Santa Barbara and then finally ending up in LA.
And we've got some activities once you get into LA as well. As far as videos recently dropped,
the restoration challenge 996. Damon took a ride in that. You want to say a few words on that one?
Yes, as I had something else prepared there for the screen. So this released, I believe,
a couple of weeks ago. By the time this comes out. It's not out now. Releasing today. But it was
Porsche Owings Mills 2025 restoration challenge car. And it's a 1999 996 Carrera that has basically
suspension wheels, lightweight flywheel. Let's not forget they made it a wide body.
The wide body. The most guy thing to do ever, you buy wheels, they don't fit because they're for
a wide body. Exactly. So what do you do? You make a wide body. Yeah, exactly. So yeah, they bought
the 996. Then they bought the wheels and then they test fit the wheels and looked at the offsets.
And so yeah, it's now wide body. Really enjoyed the drive. I'll leave it at that. But you can kind
of see what a lightly modified 996 with suspension and some really light engine mods feels like.
It's my kind of car. I thought I was watching your video. I thought you had driven my 996
before, but I guess you only drove the boxer. I've driven your 996 like moving it from that
parking lot to the back parking lot. Because you were like, this is a new experience for you.
I'm pretty sure he's driven my 996. Yeah, I've never driven it. I drove his 996 when he lowered
it by himself. Oh yeah. I remember that. And the thing would wander on the highway. Okay.
Because I had to drive it to the shop canades. Yes. It's now fixed. Don't worry. I put a proper
suspension on it. It trammed like crazy. It was terrible. Yeah. So anyways,
you know what led to his best, the II repair was the, uh, he put, um, aftermarket headlights into
a Civic and then we went up to Connecticut for the tech tactics when it was held up there.
Well, on the way back, I'm starting to think, Holy crap, I am really old. I can't see anything
in front of me at night. And I told him, I'm like, I can't believe my vision is so bad at night.
He gets it. And as soon as he gets it, he's like, Oh, I didn't, I didn't let my head like explain
to myself. Let me explain. Let me explain myself. So I had switched out and don't hate me. This was
a while ago. Um, but you know, the Civic headlights were not that bright. So I switched out to HID
bulbs and in Maryland, it's not that dark. Like we have lights everywhere. So I, so I noticed that,
you know, yeah, okay, my lights are better, but we were in Connecticut where there were no lights
and my Civic and don't laugh, but it was a Civic hybrid that I also lowered with SI springs and
shocks and stuff like that. But when you lower it, it also kind of re-aims the lights. And I never
readjusted my lights up after I looked first, first five feet, every crack in the road. After
that, it was like Star Trek going into the universe. We got home and I adjusted them, but I never
realized that I needed to because it's not that dark here in Maryland. Anyways, um, for those of
you that are looking to race against other PCA members online, check out PCACemRacing.com.
I believe the winner of the Rolex 24 recently is a big time SIM racer and perhaps maybe some of
his time spent on PCACemRacing.com contributed to the success. Especially in a six hour caution.
Yes, driving in the fog, exactly. If you're looking for PCA insider swag, we've had bottles,
mugs, t-shirts, you can check it out there. For those of you that would like some PCA insider
decals, send us your address information to podcast at PCA.org. Linda, thank you. It's always a
pleasure. Thank you for bringing that calming effect to our little room here. It was awesome.
We want to have you back. I know you have even more greedier stories that we can share,
but now you know what it's like and you can prepare for it next time. With that, I want to
thank everyone for listening. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe and consider sharing our
show with fellow Porsche enthusiasts. Until next time, stay safe and we'll catch you down the road.
Thank you.
About this episode
Linda Haruna, the service manager at Porsche of Silver Spring, shares her journey in the automotive industry, detailing her experiences and insights from her 15 years in service management. She discusses the unique challenges of managing a Porsche dealership, including problem-solving under pressure, customer interactions, and the importance of maintaining a calm demeanor. Linda also reflects on her early exposure to cars through her father's body shop, her transition from Audi to Porsche, and the rewarding aspects of making clients happy. The episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at dealership operations and the dedication required to provide exceptional service.
Original notes
Linda Harouna, Service Manager for Porsche Silver Spring, joins us in studio to answer as many questions as she can. We find out how she became the Service Manager at a busy Porsche dealership, what a day in the life of a service manager looks like, and what are her toughest challenges. Ever wondered about "goodwill" repairs or Service Advisors getting paid commissions for additional work? The differences between ICE and EV servicing? We ask all those questions and more.
Porsche Club Insider
Porsche Club of America
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