okay so my car spent the day at the Acura dealer yesterday... just had a couple dumb things to get fixed, but i also told them that my car had been hesitating very slightly during acceleration (this has only happened once or twice in the past week, but i thought i'd have them check it out anyways).

when the service guy called me back later in the day, he starts listing off the parts they need to order for the other stuff, and i thought i heard him say "tune up" at some point. i asked him what he said, and he's like "oh yea, it needs a tune up really bad" and starts telling me all this stuff about how i have Bosch plugs, and Bosch plugs don't work well with Acuras... so it needs a whole tune up apparently, which he said would cost $385, and that would take care of the hesitation problem.

$385 seems reeeally crazy to me... is this typical?? and is it necessary??

by the way, it's a '98 3.0 with 87k miles. i know for a fact that the people who owned it before me had ALL the service done at an Acura dealer, so how did it end up with Bosch plugs if they're "bad" for Acuras??

 

I've never had a problem with Bosch Platinums and I've always been skeptical of the term "tune up". Particularly on this car where the ECU controls the idle speed, fuel mixture, etc... All they really can do is replace parts that are worn or due for replacement. Ask them exactly what the $385 gets you and compare that with the scheduled maintainence guide in the owner's manual. I don't have the 3.0 or an automatic so I can't specifically guess what might be wrong but if your regular maintainence intervals are the same (every 7500 Mi) then you should be due arounf 90,000 Mi.

 

plugs and wires are normal "tune up items" they might charge u a lot for labor, u probably get some fluids topped off an oil change and they might even wash ur car

most of the cost is labor... the plugs and wires are easy to do... if u feel like it... oil change is easy too, ask them exactly what they are going to do for the tune up then go out and get some nice stuff on ebay for half a quarter of the price and install it urself or pay another shop a few bucks im sure one of the guys at pepboys will do it on the side for a 20 or something.

 

probably doing the 90K tune up. Ask him what's included

 

It all bull! But the Bosch plugs could be worn out or fouled up depending. Damn you 3.0 tunes up cost a lot in labor. I guess it because the plugs aren't as easy as the 2.3. (right up on top). But definietly ask for the parts like. If anything seems fishy call some other dealers and ask for their rate for a tune up.

 

that and our plugs are like $20 a piece

 

Dont you have to change the spark plugs at 100,000 miles on the 3.0??? Thats what it says in the manual. It says to change them when the timing belt gets done.

 

On NGK's website it cost about $2.69 per plug for the GP platinum, if u want to go nuts double plat which are 11.71. And there is an inbetween which is irdiums 6.95. For my tune up I am going with GP platinum, (reg NGK ones are 2.44). NGK i heard is best for honda cars.

 

yeah i read that in an import mag at work a while back. i think ngk are oem for our car anyway.

 

Yeah they are.

 

You can look in the manual for the factory replacement plugs part number. I believe they are NGK double platinums. If you car is a 97' it may qualify for the extended emissions warrenty which includes free replacement. I got mine done about 4 months ago.