Zee 0 #26 August 4, 2009 Quote And that's just labor, the plugs are extra. Jeez! Tip - Righty tighty, lefty loosy Action©Sports Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #27 August 4, 2009 People complain about Fords, but they're sure as hell easier to work on than the more "reliable" cars.. I couldn't *believe* what a pain in the ass it was to do something as basic as change my oil/filter in my Civic, especially since my last car had been a Probe.. Seriously.. Get a Hanes manual & save some $$. Spark plugs are easy to change (depending on access and the size of your paws!!)"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 800 #28 August 4, 2009 The Probe was a Mazda. Seriously. Much like the Explorer II series. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #29 August 4, 2009 MX6, I know, I know.. Still, Ford stuck a plastic logo on it so technically it's FORD!!! Edit: spelling "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warpedskydiver 0 #30 August 4, 2009 Quote People complain about Fords, but they're sure as hell easier to work on than the more "reliable" cars.. I couldn't *believe* what a pain in the ass it was to do something as basic as change my oil/filter in my Civic, especially since my last car had been a Probe.. Seriously.. Get a Hanes manual & save some $$. Spark plugs are easy to change (depending on access and the size of your paws!!) That is one of my main problems I have hands like an ape. Size 5 gloves. I don't notice that I am gouging flesh off my knuckles, it is normal procedure. Some people like riggers and surgeons have those hands that can seemingly contort and fit anywhere they want. I am jealous. The only good thing about large mitts is hand strength and a fist can cover from the chin to the eyebrows. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #31 August 4, 2009 Yeah.. Being little and having good dexterity is great.. Every time a man made snide comments about women being too weak to be good mechanics, I would remind them of the million times I managed to find the screw/screwdriver/torquewrench/lockwire, etc they dropped down the hell hole.. (Confined space where the cargo hook lives in helicopters.) But big hands doesn't mean you can't do the work.. It just means you might need to move stuff out of the way to gain access."There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #32 August 4, 2009 QuoteGood idea. Kallend, I'm sure you know your way around under the hood. Does it really look that hard to do? Well, I did a complete rebuild of my MG from engine to rear axle, but at least I could see the engine when I opened the hood on that.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #33 August 5, 2009 QuoteThey saw a sucker, therefore $300 And you PAID No, I didn't. I shall do it myself.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 220 #34 August 5, 2009 QuoteQuoteThey saw a sucker, therefore $300 And you PAID No, I didn't. I shall do it myself. Try not to be too condescending to the sparkplugs.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #35 August 5, 2009 Time for Car-Care Reform. Imagine all those severely ill automobiles that don't have access to the carcare system! "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 220 #36 August 5, 2009 QuoteTime for Car-Care Reform. Imagine all those severely ill automobiles that don't have access to the carcare system! They have CARCARE - it is just not free! The government should have to pay for it! I mean it is almost a right to drive a car! He paid for it! The government should do it's part and cover the cost. VOTE YES FOR UNIVERSAL CAR-CARE!I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stayhigh 2 #37 August 5, 2009 when do one need to change their spark plugs???? my car is getting old as well..Bernie Sanders for President 2016 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #38 August 5, 2009 QuoteMercury Sable, 3 litre V6. Is that engine transverse mounted? I think it is, and I think the problem is that the rear cylinder bank is right up against the firewall, and the plugs are not easily accessible. I don't know what's involved in getting to them, but I think there's alot of disassembly required to get in there, and thus the 4 hours of labor the dealership is quoting. I will say this, $300 is alot to spend on new plugs, but if the book says 4 hours, that's 4 hours for a professional mechanic in a shop with all the tools and supplies he needs. You doing it home may take longer, significantly longer if you need to run to the store for tools or supplies, or you break something else in the process of swapping your plugs. How much is your time worth? What if it takes you all day, and you spend $100 on tools, parts and supplies? How for ahead are you in the end? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 800 #39 August 5, 2009 universal joint socket extensions...and shallow 12 point sockets. ...just sayin....a nice quality fine point ratchet helps too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #40 August 5, 2009 Quote Well, I did a complete rebuild of my MG from engine to rear axle, but at least I could see the engine when I opened the hood on that.\ I miss my Spitfire, doing oil changes without having to crawl under the car, Now that's accessibility. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #41 August 5, 2009 Quote Quote Well, I did a complete rebuild of my MG from engine to rear axle, but at least I could see the engine when I opened the hood on that.\ I miss my Spitfire, doing oil changes without having to crawl under the car, Now that's accessibility. It's all a conspiracy between the automakers and the mechanics. I remember the old cars. Big, roomy, lots of open space under the hood, even in small cars. Carburetors, everything was mechanical or damn near all. Now, you look under the hood of even a full size car, and there's barely enough room to slide my hand down the side of the engine block. And the mechanics say to do this or that, they have to move this or that to get to that, and therefore, it takes X # of hours to do it. Etc etc.... "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misternatural 0 #42 August 5, 2009 True That!! My 55 willys jeep you could fit two more passengers under the hood if you wanted. Now you have to be a frikkin electrical engineer nano robot to figure the thing out & get in there and work on it...... practically have to take the engine apart just to get at the radiator cap. Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires. D S #3.1415 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 800 #43 August 5, 2009 oh yea..right back to the friggen Engineers.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #44 August 5, 2009 Quote [ It's all a conspiracy between the automakers and the mechanics. I remember the old cars. Well, it's many factors. The quest for lower hood lines for aerodynamics. The advanced pollution control plumbing. The addition of air boxes and remote airfilters, all the plumbing for fuel injection, everything has air conditioning and power steering. Most I think it's the shrinking of the engine compartment for streamlining and weight savings to blame. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #45 August 5, 2009 QuoteQuoteThey saw a sucker, therefore $300 And you PAID No, I didn't. I shall do it myself. You seem to have found the correct tool. "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hackish 8 #46 August 5, 2009 I work on cars every day. Although lately it's less wrench turning and more organizing employees to make sure they have everything they need. Yes, running a business is expensive. Few people consider this when they hear of a shop's hourly rate. We're $70/hr and about $2.50 of that is profit. With standard tasks on a vehicle it's generally based on the book rate. So I open Mitchel, enter your vehicle type all the options and it tells me how many hours it should take to change your sparkplugs. I bill that even if it takes the employee twice that amount of time. People often say "that's simple, I can do it myself". Many times I replace sparkplug wires because the customer installed the plugs themselves and lacking the experience to know that their plugs have a crush washer they don't turn them that extra 270 degrees. Part of being a good mechanic is having the experience and knowledge to get the job done. Even to look at your old plugs and know if there is something else going on. Knowing which plugs work the best in your car - hint hint don't ever put champion or bosch in a honda! Of course there are crappy mechanics out there too. That sucks. -Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warpedskydiver 0 #47 August 5, 2009 AC in a GM, Autolite is not bad in other vehicles Champion sucks, well except they work in a ChryslerMy favorite are NGK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #48 August 5, 2009 QuoteI work on cars every day. Although lately it's less wrench turning and more organizing employees to make sure they have everything they need. Yes, running a business is expensive. Few people consider this when they hear of a shop's hourly rate. We're $70/hr and about $2.50 of that is profit. With standard tasks on a vehicle it's generally based on the book rate. So I open Mitchel, enter your vehicle type all the options and it tells me how many hours it should take to change your sparkplugs. I bill that even if it takes the employee twice that amount of time. People often say "that's simple, I can do it myself". Many times I replace sparkplug wires because the customer installed the plugs themselves and lacking the experience to know that their plugs have a crush washer they don't turn them that extra 270 degrees. Part of being a good mechanic is having the experience and knowledge to get the job done. Even to look at your old plugs and know if there is something else going on. Knowing which plugs work the best in your car - hint hint don't ever put champion or bosch in a honda! Of course there are crappy mechanics out there too. That sucks. -Michael Agree, but Whooossshhhh. "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #49 August 5, 2009 Quote universal joint socket extensions...and shallow 12 point sockets. ...just sayin....a nice quality fine point ratchet helps too. I love my wobble and flexible extensions. They'll get you into places you can't fit a U-joint. I love my S-K 5 degree ratchets. They'll let you work in tight spaces where you're working blind and can just get your arm in. I loved my 1970 Land Cruiser FJ40 with a 350 Chevy. Enough ground clearance that I didn't even need ramps or jack stands for reasonable maintenance (oil + filter change) or unreasonable upgrades (new transmission). I could stand in the engine compartment on a frame rail. Took just a few bolts to fold down the grill to change out a cam. The engine had one vacuum line for distributor advance, two wires attached to the HEI distributor ignition and tach terminals, and three wires on the alternator. I only needed my wobble extensions for drive shaft bolts and the S-K ratchets were nice not necessary. I like driving my 1998 A4 on the highway a lot more and don't miss 15 highway MPG with single digits around town but cringe when it's $512.50 in labor to change the water pump because the whole front of the car has to come off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #50 August 5, 2009 Geez, John...take the easy way....trade it in on a new car.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
