My friend recently took his (2000 I think) TL in to have it's 120,000 mile maintenance. Now, I don't know all the specifics of what they did to his care but he told me that they had to replace the spark plugs. The ones they used were 'platinum tipped' spark plugs which cost about 250$ for all of them (I don't know how many). Is this usual? I heard that spark plugs only ran for like... 5 dollars each... I just wanted to know if he was being handled or not.

 

$250 for the plugs only??? He got ripped off...BIG TIME.

 

There are 6 spark plugs, and each is about $10 ea, buying it yourself. Shops of course charge higher. If it was $10ea times 6 = $60 + labor. If it was spark plugs alone, that is too high.

 

acura uses the EXACT same plug we can buy at kragens- they charge $25 each plug - while we pay $10 each=60+ 1$ for plug anti sieze goop

NGK Iridium or Iridium IX is what many of us are using now
It came with NGK Platinum, iridium is an upgrade and used stock on gen3
dealer probably charges 1-1.5 hours too @ 100-125 per hour

the 105 maitenance is when the plugs were due- with the water pump- timing belt- etc- the 1200-1500$ service

 

Interesting. My friend, who I'm more of a good acquaintance, told me that it was just 250$ for the plugs alone. He don't remember him specifying if that figure included labor or not but my gut tells me no.

01TL4TL, those plugs you mentioned, can any of those go for 40-50$ per? And as for the total cost of that maintenance he got, it totaled a little less than 1000 dollars.

I was very surprised at how much the plugs cost him alone so I wanted to do my own research.

 

WoW I don't belive how people get ripped off.
I know people have to make a living but 6 plugs in this car is deff less then a hour work if that.. So $200 a hour thats double what the stealership charges for a hour of labor.. But its not all the places fault either the people getting the service should know they are getting taken for a ride!

 

Whoa whoa whoa!!
250 for plugs!?!?! Man, that's way too steep. Your bud def got taken for a ride. He needs to go back and have a very polite conversation with someone about how he got ripped off.
Plugs and labor should not be goin over 150 IMO. Or DIY and half that with the best plugs you can get.

 

Poor guy This information just reinforces what I've heard about a certain dealership near me.

 

sounds like the car got its 105 service for $1000- thats normal --done on the cheap side by not replacing pullies and tensioners

After StonedCls adventures of 20k on an aftermarket water pump/tensioner and total engine failure- a smart person replaces everything-
dealer or shop wont quote those items in order to keep the initial estimate lower

many shops dont even offer...somehow thinking you can get another 100 out of everything, or not caring
When they invoice the computer breaks labor down based on labor time book- probably shows 1 hour for that job and 6x25 is 150=250
Next line says water pump 35$ + 350 labor etc

We tell people to DIY whatever they can on the 105 to save--plugs being the biggest item
None of the approved plugs- or even the most expensive plugs seen on tv cost more than 25 each.

 

Interesting. Now, are these parts easy to replace on your own? I'm a pretty good DIY guy when I have the proper instructions. I have an 05 TL and am at 58k miles.

 

01tl04tl I think u got me confused with that guy from alaska..I had my timing belt and h2o pump done 4-5 years ago...

 

oh- sorry then S

Some stories may contain elements from various members in order to make a point in general~

 

schme- see the gen3 Garage section for easy spark plug DIY

 

tyty