JZM where else?
I have used JZM to look after my 18-year-old 997, 911 for many years and ‘looking after’ is the only way to describe it. Unlike many Porsche dealers and garages, not all of course, JZM are not out to fleece you for as much profit as possible, and you are treated like a valued customer whether you are ‘loaded’ or not.
I’m not alone when I say that as they are always busy with servicing and repairing both older and newer models, as well as preparing cars for track days for those who enjoy this aspect of owning a Porsche. So you need to plan ahead as waiting lists can be long due to their popularity and superb workmanship. The technicians have all been there years and a very low staff turnover tells me it is a sucessful and thriving operation and business.
I discovered I had a water leak from the front pipes and needed to have it looked at, as I like to keep this older car in the best condition possible.
Greeted by Michelle Gibbs, the Service Manager, highly efficient, very professional and always on the ball, I sat and awaited the outcome as the car was taken off to have the usual comprehensive health check which takes an hour or so. This is not a JZM method of ramping up the price but it enables you to be informed about what needs doing there and then and jobs that will be needed to be done in the future.
Michelle then took me down to the workshop where she and the technician, car on the ramp, went through the current and likely future problems. Feedback from technicians to customers is encouraged here and I like that. A small leak due to corrosion in the front water pipes was the problem and not too expensive to have repaired. They then pointed out the bad corrosion on the rear coolant pipes, warning that this would need to be done within the next couple of years and which involved an engine out job. Michele remembered and reminded me that my rear gearbox oil seal had been weeping for several years and she suggested that this was a good time to do this while the engine was out and that this would save me a lot of money in the long run. I had pushed this fact to the back of my mind for three or four years, so it was very astute and an excellent shout as I did not want to get caught miles away from home with no water in the engine.
I went along with the water pipe repairs and the rear oil seal replacement and although it was not part of my plan to spend this extra cash, I realised that I should not own a car like this if I was not prepared to maintain it properly. The advice I was given by Michele and Mike the technician reinforced this fact and my thanks to them for reminding me of it.
Car fixed, now no more leaks and on the road again.
Thanks Michele for the sound advice, the long-term view, for keeping me informed at all stages, and thanks to technician Mike for his top work and all at JZM for looking after my car and keeping it in tiptop condition.
Richard Topsfield