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2007 Prius - Spark Plug replacement

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by tampaite, Nov 23, 2015.

  1. tampaite

    tampaite Member

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    When do you suggest Spark Plug replacement ?

    Prius just hit 150K miles. There are no problems with ignition etc. Should I just go ahead and change it?
     
  2. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    I believe it is recommended at 120K. The Denso iridium-tipped plugs, although expensive, last a long time. You could remove a plug and check the gap. Don't bend anything as the gap is not adjustable. Iridium is very resistant to wear but brittle.
     
  3. tampaite

    tampaite Member

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    Thanks. I went ahead and scheduled spark plug replacement.

    Dealer quotes a price of $107 including labor, parts and tax.
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    That sounds really low for everything. Considering the 1 hour labor rate at the dealer is $120 per hour.
     
  5. tampaite

    tampaite Member

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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    great price!(y)
     
  7. trungdok

    trungdok Junior Member

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    Are people being sarcastic? I can't tell. That's a crazy amount for a $30 for a set of 4 NGK spark plugs and 10 minutes of work.... simple work
     
  8. The Inquisitor

    The Inquisitor Junior Member

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    I don't sense any sarcasm here. It was the dealer who quoted tampaite $107 including labor. That is a legitimate price for a dealer to perform this work. I don't think dealers can charge in 10 minute intervals anyway.
     
  9. trungdok

    trungdok Junior Member

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    I get that it's from the dealer, but that's a decent price at best, especially for something so simple.
     
  10. The Inquisitor

    The Inquisitor Junior Member

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    Simple can be taken out of this equation. He went to the dealer because he does not want to or does not know how to perform this work himself, whether it is simple or complex is irrelevant. You went from saying it was a crazy amount to now it is decent at best. Which is it? I agree with others that is a good price for this work with parts and labor to be performed by a dealerships service department.
     
  11. trungdok

    trungdok Junior Member

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    Crazy amount for a $30 part + 10 minutes of work for anyone. Decent at best going to a dealer.

    Let's touch on your assumptions about him. He doesn't want to do the work -- ok, bring to a local garage. He doesn't know how -- easy thing to fix in this day and age. Simple or complex -- it does matter. Simple task could be easily learned and performed by most with confidence or slight amount of confidence. Complex task requires much more in term of knowledge and tools, and a whole lot less confidence. If he's bringing it to the dealer because he thinks it's complex, then here I am telling it's not. Because it's the usual price (or slightly better price) from a single source, that does not make it a good value in comparison to other choices. Help the guy -- educate him if you think he's clueless or helpless. Dealers are robbers in so many ways -- from the prices they charge customers to the prices they pay the techs. It's best to bring to a local mechanic. Doing something like this would cost you about $40 for labor. I often just walk into my local mechanic shop and get basic things (5-10 mins basic job) done for $20.
     
  12. The Inquisitor

    The Inquisitor Junior Member

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    Now you are being more descriptive as well as helpful to the OP, Thank You. It is of course up to him if he would prefer to use a dealer and not a local mechanic for maintenance.

    But as to what started all this back and forth, if he continues to use the dealership, the price he was given for labor, parts and tax is legitimate.
     
  13. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

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    10 minutes sounds very optimistic. If I haven't done a particular service on a particular car before, it usually takes me that long to figure out which tools I'm going to need and to go find them.
     
  14. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    There's a big difference between DIY service and Dealership service. Why do you go out to eat at restaurants when you can do the same at home? Or go to a bar and not just buy something at the liquor store? Paying 5 times the cost is not something people like to do, but it's just how some businesses work.
     
  15. trungdok

    trungdok Junior Member

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    I admit it is, but it was not meant to be an exact amount. It was more demonstrative of the simple job.

    Seriously? wow