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It could take a lot longer if you reverse that order...
Very true!!!!
I spent an hour trying to change the air filter on a buddies Accord some yrs back.... Obviously there were a few adult beverages consumed before the fun began.
I called the Nissan dealership to get the price for a 105,000 mile service for my '04 Frontier King cab XE (4 cyl) 5 speed pickup and was shocked at the quote - $740.
Looking at edmunds.com maintainence schedule I got:
The dealer is giving me some spiel about how it costs $550 to change the spark plugs because the intake has to come off. What does this mean? I know spark plugs shouldn't cost more than $10/piece and the labor can't be more than 30-45 mins max., say even an hour that's $75-100/hr...where is the $550 figure coming from?
Never go to a Nissan dealership, the rob people!!! my dad experienced the same thing twice, the first time he was robbed more than 2,000 for an oil change and replacement of a fuel tank sensor. The last time was worst. That was at Nissan, Doral, 107 avenue and NW 12 street, Miami, Florida.
I spent an hour trying to change the air filter on a buddies Accord some yrs back.... Obviously there were a few adult beverages consumed before the fun began.
...and the evening ended with the sentence, "ahhhhhh screw it!"
A lot of dealers charge book time rather than the time it actually takes them to do the job. It could only take them an hour, but if the book quotes 2.5 they'll charge you that. $700 is ridiculous for a spark plug change - that's like 5 hours of labor. I would check with some local mechanics to see what they'd charge. Like ColdAilment says, sometimes the rear of the engine is obscured by the cowl, but I wouldn't think a truck would be like that. When they say "intake" it's probably just the airbox and/or tubing for it - not a big deal. It's mostly likely not the intake manifold, which would be a much larger undertaking.
You may want to look for the plug wires and do it yourself. Plugs are a pretty simple job as long as you have access to them.
Edit: Looking at the pictures, this is definitely a DIY job. Shouldn't take you more than 30 mins.
"Book time" is the only fair way a garage can stay in business. Why penalize a mechanic who can do it quickly and overpay a rookie who takes longer?
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK
The most difficult plugs to replace, at least the ones I have done, is on motors where the last plug is between the end of the block and the firewall. The Nissan Frontier truck my son drives has such a difficult to replace plug. I have small hands, but I still can't get one hand down to the plug since the block is so close to the firewall. I still managed to get the plug out of there and install a new one, it took me about 45 minutes just trying to get the socket to it with a extension plus swivel and the aid of a mirror. By the way, it takes forever to find it with the inspection mirror, so I ended trying by feel, not with my hands, but by feel with the extension and socket combination. I used to work on aircraft, so maybe that helped.
I told my son to never buy the same plugs, but instead to spend a much as needed for long life iridium plugs
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The dealer probably charges a bunch of money to do it, since the motor or maybe mounts probably need to be lowered or moved.
The 97 up 4.6 and 5.4 F150 has been my worst ones so far and they were the first ones to give me sticker shock on spark plug prices..that's been quite awhile back but I can still remember how pizzed I was at the price..I also learned the hard way to use good plugs.
Toyota transverse 3.0L V 6. Dealer charges $547 before tax to do the job. Entire intake and plenum "needs to be removed" to get to the bank 2 plugs.
OR. 6"5"" guy with very large hands (still typing with them) loosens throttle body, scoots it out of the way, and with u joint ratchet attachment and LOTS of mentioning Japanese engineers mothers, does it by touch in 45 or so minutes.
Money saved - around $550. 100 000 miles iridium tipped NGKs come very handy too.
My first experience with changing plugs in a transverse mounted V6, a 3.8l in a Grand Caravan, was not very positive. The front 3 takes minutes, the one in the back took an hour and the other 2 just weren't doable.
Similar experience in the Aztek but by then I'd learned the trick of removing the "dogbone", front engine mount, and tilting the engine forward as far as possible. It was still an awful task, complete with the damn plug wires coming apart at the plug, largely by feel, and with copious and vitriolic swearing. But it was at least possible!
it's a good thing the interval on most tuneups is 100K. If you are doing it yourself, buy the best platinum plugs you can find as you don't want to have to do it again anytime soon.
I called the Nissan dealership to get the price for a 105,000 mile service for my '04 Frontier King cab XE (4 cyl) 5 speed pickup and was shocked at the quote - $740.
Looking at edmunds.com maintainence schedule I got:
The dealer is giving me some spiel about how it costs $550 to change the spark plugs because the intake has to come off. What does this mean? I know spark plugs shouldn't cost more than $10/piece and the labor can't be more than 30-45 mins max., say even an hour that's $75-100/hr...where is the $550 figure coming from?
If it was a front-wheel drive V6, then yeah, there is a high likelyhood that the intake manifold would need to be removed. But this is a 4 cyl, RWD at that. I know that engine; it's a KA24DE, same one as in the first and second gen Altimas. Spark plugs, distributor cap & rotor, can be replaced in a half hour or less.
I have heard of an independant garage charging well over a grand to do the plugs on some Ford Trucks. The plugs are deep in the cly head and get jammed in place due to carbon and break off in the clyinder below the threads. There is a special kit to remove the broken tips and it takes over an hour each if you have already done it a few times. Talk about repair sticker shock.
I had Platinum tipped plugs put in my Subaru about 100k ago. The car has to be on a lift to get at them. I have not changed the plugs and the car will probably be scrapped at 200k because of rust.
I feel better reading this thread. Volvo only wanted to charge me $210 for my plugs. There is a pipe that needs removed, but I was still shocked at $210. Told them to pound salt. Did it myself after watching a YouTube video in less then an hour for $35.00... and I overpaid for the plugs.
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