Everything You Need to Know About Choosing the IMS Bearing Upgrade Kit at ArborMotion

If you own a 1997 to 2008 Boxster, Cayman, or water-cooled 911 model Porsche, then you’ve most likely heard about the potential issue with your engine’s intermediate shaft bearing. 

The good news is the bearing doesn’t fail at the rate the internet would like you to believe. The bad news is that IMS bearing failures do happen and when they do, it’s catastrophic, leaving you with a vehicle that has little value and not worth installing another new or used engine.  

 

The better news is with an IMS bearing upgrade you mitigate this potential issue, and you can enjoy your Porsche for many miles to come.

 

M96 engines (996, 911, & 986 Boxster) have two different serviceable IMS bearings (Dual or Single row). We must see the actual bearing to determine which style your car uses. The approach we use for the M96 engines upgrades your sealed roller bearing to a direct oil fed plain style bearing that uses oil pressure from the oil filter housing. The 997 and 987 vehicles were introduced in 2005 with the new M97 engine, yet some early models still used used the M96 engine with a serviceable bearing. There’s no VIN split, so looking at the stamped engine code is the only way to verify whether you have an M96 or M97. 

 

The M97 IMS bearing is not externally serviceable, but there is an option to minimize the chance of failure. The M97 IMS upgrade we use is an oil fed cover that uses oil pressure from the cylinder head. Sebastian Gaeta, the owner of ArborMotion & Rennstatt, uses this cover for his personal car and he's quite happy that the option is now available to protect the non-serviceable bearings.

 

In summary, the proper solution for your Porsche will depend on which engine model you have. Learn more about the IMS Bearing failure here.

 

Porsche Service in Ann Arbor for IMS Bearing Upgrade: We’re the Experts!

At Rennstatt, we’re passionate about offering high-quality care for your daily driver, summer toy, or race car. Your Porsche is our shared focus. Our Porsche technicians work to ensure your vehicle is performing at its best.

 

The IMS Bearing Upgrade Kit allows you to enjoy driving your Porsche worry-free! If you're ready to schedule your upgrade, call or book your appointment today for Porsche service in Ann Arbor! 

Your Porsche Oil Change

When is your Porsche due for an oil change? For daily drivers, and year-round Porsche vehicles, like the Macan, the Cayenne, and the Panamera, the answer is easy: every five months or 5,000 miles. 

What about the non-daily drivers? What’s the recommendation for a Boxster, Carrera, and Cayman summer-only Porsches?

 

At Rennstatt, we ‘re often asked “When should I change my oil for my Porsche? It’s only been 1,000 miles since the last oil change. When should the next oil change be?” Even with only a few miles of use, it’s still important to have regular oil changes performed. The definition of “regular” changes is five months or 5,000 miles. However, if it’s not your daily driver we recommend having the oil changed at least once per year even if you do not exceed 5,000 miles, ideally just before putting your car in storage for the winter months. 

 

You don’t want dirty oil sitting in your engine all winter. There can be contaminants in the oil. That degradation of oil can have serious and lasting effects on your engine over time. 

 

Schedule Porsche Service in Ann Arbor at Rennstatt!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop! Bring your Porsche to Rennstatt and we’ll have it running in tip-top shape in no time! No question is too big or small. Call Rennstatt for Porsche service in Ann Arbor at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today! 

ArborMotion’s Mission to Help You Save

ArborMotion recently started using new software called Service Intelligence that will help you take the best care of your vehicle. Service Intelligence is set up to send reminders to you when upcoming services are due, via email or text. These reminders make sure you get every mile possible out of every maintenance service, saving you money!

By having your vehicle maintained on time, not too early or too late, you get the best value out of every dollar you put into your vehicle. If your recommended service is performed too early, you lose part of each maintenance cycle which is a waste of your valuable money. On the other hand, doing regular maintenance late can lead to mechanical failures and potentially reduce the overall life of your vehicle. 

 

Service Intelligence also shows you a list of upcoming services recommended, so you can keep an eye on those and plan ahead for future maintenance appointments. Service Intelligence is one more way ArborMotion is working every day to make your auto care easy! When you get a text or an email from Service Intelligence, you can easily respond and schedule your recommended services.

 

Schedule European Auto Repair in Ann Arbor at ArborMotion!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop to help ensure you and your family are safe. Schedule service or repair at ArborMotion and we’ll have your car running in tip-top shape in no time! At ArborMotion, we care about your safety! No question is too big or small. Call ArborMotion for domestic and European auto repair at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today!

Porsche Macan Maintenance and Service - What's In The Shop

This 2015 Macan came to Rennstatt because the owner noticed a coolant leak. When we raised it on the hoist, we could see a number of drips. We needed to do some digging to figure out where the leak was coming from. 

In the course of our investigation, we needed to remove the valve cover. The coolant was leaking into the
valley of the engine and out of the back of the valve cover. While looking into the coolant leak, we also noted that the valve cover gasket was starting to seep. Once the valve cover comes off, the gasket should also be replaced. This ended up being a timely service and helpful preventive maintenance for this Macan.

Schedule Porsche Macan Service in Ann Arbor Today!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop to help ensure you and your family are safe. Bring your Porsche Macan to Rennstatt, the performance division of ArborMotion and we’ll have it running in tip-top shape in no time! At Rennstatt, we care about your safety! No question is too big or small. Call Rennstatt  for Porsche maintenance and repair at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today!  

A Porsche for All Seasons

Most 911 and Boxster owners put their cars away when the snow starts to fly. But, if you own a Panamera, Cayenne, or a Macan, you enjoy the engineering and excitement of Porsche driving all year long. 

Here’s a few things to do over the winter to keep your Porsche running smoothly:

• Have your oil changed -This keeps the engine well lubricated and is one of the most important things you can do for any vehicle.
• Have your alignment checked - When the weather turns cold and big potholes sneak up, alignments can be thrown off just from your daily drive.
• Have all fluids inspected - If there’s any leak or rupture in fluid lines, catastrophic repairs may not be far behind. Your Porsche specialist at Rennstatt will keep a sharp eye on your fluid levels and quality with every service. 
• Have general mileage-based maintenance performed - Your Porsche is precisely engineered and designed to run efficiently, as long as you take proper care of it. Keeping up on flushes, spark plugs, and brakes are all essential to keeping you behind the wheel for many happy miles. 
• When you do any service with us we perform our Pit Stop inspection which gives you an excellent picture of the overall health of your Porsche.

Did you know - Rennstatt is a one-stop shop for Porsche maintenance for many Ann Arbor Porsche owners?

Schedule Porsche Service in Ann Arbor Today!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop to help ensure you and your family are safe. Bring your Porsche to Rennstatt, the performance division of ArborMotion and we’ll have it running in tip-top shape in no time! At Rennstatt, we care about your safety! No question is too big or small. Call Rennstatt  for Porsche maintenance and repair at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today! 

Taking Care of Your Mercedes-Benz

What does it mean to take care of your Mercedes-Benz? What’s the service schedule for your Mercedes?

Schedule A

You’ll see the Schedule A notification regularly. That notification for your Mercedes Benz lets you know that your vehicle is ready for an oil change. Along with the oil change, there’s a multi-point inspection that we perform, as recommended by Mercedes. 

 

Schedule B

This service schedule notification will come up approximately every 20,000 miles. This service includes an oil change, cabin and engine air filter replacements, a brake fluid flush, and a multi-point inspection. The brake fluid flush is necessary because moisture can build up in the brake lines over time, which can impact your braking ability.

 

Schedule C

You’ll see this maintenance reminder least often in your Mercedes Benz. Schedule C service is an oil change, multi-point inspection, changing of the wiper blades, and a computer-based scan of your vehicle for an overall health check. When we perform your Schedule A and Schedule B services here at ArborMotion, we’ll keep an eye on your wiper blades and perform all necessary maintenance checks. As a result, you’re less likely to see a Schedule C reminder.

 

Schedule Service or Mercedes Repair in Ann Arbor at ArborMotion!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop to help ensure you and your family are safe. Schedule service or Mercedes repair in Ann Arbor at ArborMotion and we’ll have it running in tip-top shape in no time! At ArborMotion, we care about your safety! No question is too big or small. Call ArborMotion for domestic and European auto repair at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today!

Common BMW Repairs

Your BMW is beautifully made, but what are some repairs to be aware of? What things do we keep an eye on at ArborMotion so your BMW runs as long as possible?

Standard Maintenance

All vehicles need standard maintenance. Broadly speaking, this includes your oil changes, brakes, all your fluids, spark plugs and coils, and battery. Every time you bring your BMW into ArborMotion, we do a multi-point inspection, and compare your current mileage to the BMW recommended schedule for your year, make and model.

 

Oil System

A common concern for some BMWs (less-so in newer models, thankfully) is leaking oil. There are a few components within the oil system, like the valve cover gasket and the fuel pump, that can become problematic. You may notice puddling of oil under your vehicle, or even a “low oil” light on the dashboard. When we do our multi-point inspection, we’re checking the health of these potential trouble areas. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to bring your BMW in for regular service with ArborMotion!

 

Cooling System

Your engine cooling system is arguably one of the most important components to your BMW. Even with all the advancements BMW has made with technology, these systems don’t run forever. Eventually, you may notice an overheating warning light or a high temperature on your temperature gauge. If this happens, call ArborMotion right away so we can get to the heart of the issue and get you back on the road as quickly as possible!

 

Schedule BMW Service at ArborMotion Today!

We’d love to be your go-to repair shop to help ensure you and your family are safe. Bring your BMW in for service in Ann Arbor at ArborMotion and we’ll have it running in tip-top shape in no time! At ArborMotion, we care about your safety! No question is too big or small. Call ArborMotion for domestic and European auto repair at 734-761-1088  to schedule your appointment today!