Doesn't about $160 to change sparkplugs seem a bit high to you ?

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

2007 Honda CRV ( 4 cylinder). 100k miles.

They want about $160 to change plugs ( just the plugs, no wires, etc.) Apparently the plugs are about $15 apiece, and an hour of labor.

I think I'll try this one myself

http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4888

silver7 · Jun 12, 2010

Doug, I'm assuming you went to a Dealer. Having been in the car business for many yrs I know how it works. The "Svc Dept" & the "Parts Dept" are seperate entities within the dealership, as far as P&L goes. Each Mgr is paid as a result of his depts. P&L. So when the Svc dept fixes your car they "buy" the parts @ full retail,. from the Parts Dept. However if you go to the Parts dept or K Mart for example you'll get them at a much reduced figure as much as 3 times. Then pay a pal or someone like CarX just to install them. You can't imagine how much you can save. BOL Sounds crazy I know, but that's how it works. Unless it's a "recall" or something so specific, NEVER I mean NEVER go to a Dealer.

letsgohoosiers · Jun 12, 2010

I have a '02 Honda CRV, just passed 85k miles.

Probably going to replace the spark plugs as well. Let me know how it goes.

louisvillekid · Jun 12, 2010

yes that is way too much, and you can change them yourself very easily. hell even if you don't have a deep well socket and a sparkplug gauge you can buy them and the plugs for way less then 100 bucks, hel you can probably get everything for under 40 bucks

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

letsgohoosiers said:
I have a '02 Honda CRV, just passed 85k miles.

Probably going to replace the spark plugs as well. Let me know how it goes.

Here is step #1

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In: Spark Plugs and Wires, Honda Element [Edit categories]
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2007 Honda CR-V
Search Honda Certified Used Cars inventory and locate a dealer.
www.honda.com/google

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Answer - CRV Spark Plugs

Well, I can only speak for a 2002 CR-V, but it should be the same process. You have to remove a plastic cover with four 10mm nuts on it, which will uncover the 4 coils that are covering the spark plugs. The coils are basically the same thing as spark plug wires (they are very expensive, don't replace them unless you are having some kind of trouble. If you are just doing maintenance, replace only the spark plugs). Each plug is secured by another 10mm bolt - remove each one of these and remember in what order you removed them since two of them will help anchor the plastic cover you removed. The 'coils' have wiring harnesses connected to each one and you have to disconnect that before you can pull out the coil (really, it's more like a plastic tube than a 'coil') and get to the spark plug. Disconnect the harness, pull out the coil, then using a rachet with an 8" extension and a spark plug socket, loosen and remove the old spark plug. Examine it for any unusual damage - if it just looks a little old or discolored, all is fine. Reinstall the new spark plugs (I recommend Bosch Platinum +2 plugs since you don't have to gap them - they cost about $5 apiece) using the rachet configuration just until snug (do not overtighten - it could snap the plug off!) and reinstall the coil and the wiring harness. After you finish them all, reinstall the four 10mm bolts in the proper order to secure the coils, then the four nuts that hold the plastic cover on. I recommend doing them start to finish one at a time to avoid confusion. It took me 20-30 mins and with the high dollar plugs cost me $20....well worth doing on your own. Good Luck!

WorldNumberOne · Jun 12, 2010

$ 160 too much ?

not if they were installed by a naked jessica alba bent over your engine so you could play with her poosswa.....

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

silver7 said:
Doug, I'm assuming you went to a Dealer. Having been in the car business for many yrs I know how it works. The "Svc Dept" & the "Parts Dept" are seperate entities within the dealership, as far as P&L goes. Each Mgr is paid as a result of his depts. P&L. So when the Svc dept fixes your car they "buy" the parts @ full retail,. from the Parts Dept. However if you go to the Parts dept or K Mart for example you'll get them at a much reduced figure as much as 3 times. Then pay a pal or someone like CarX just to install them. You can't imagine how much you can save. BOL Sounds crazy I know, but that's how it works. Unless it's a "recall" or something so specific, NEVER I mean NEVER go to a Dealer.

Well that is the Honda price. It is basically $16 a plug and 1 hour labor, however my local mechanic wants almost as much !

The only thing I let Honda do on this car is oil changes. I bought ( prepaid) 12 oil changes for about $150, great deal, but they always try to upsell you.

My real service need is front brakes. Honda wants $290, local wants $280. I then priced the plugs.

I wound up buying the plugs from the auto parts store ( $12 per). I struck up a long conversation with the manager and he knew a lot about the local Honda dealer. He turned me onto a local mechanic he knows that works out of a local used car dealer shop. This guy only takes cash payment, and you can bring your own parts.

This guy will do the brakes for $50 ( pads cost me $55), and maybe an extra charge if he needs to turn the rotors. He said he would put the plugs in for $40 labor. I agreed to both and will do that Mon or Tues.

I think $40 is fair, but $100 is too much for the plugs. I don't touch brakes myself, not a mechanic. At $100 I'd do it myself.

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

letsgohoosiers said:
I have a '02 Honda CRV, just passed 85k miles.

Probably going to replace the spark plugs as well. Let me know how it goes.

I wouldn't be afraid of this job, well worth saving $100 to do it ( but I'll pay $40, as working on cars is frowned upon where I live).

It is supposed to be done at 100k miles, so you have awhile.

Are your brakes original ? I'm surprised to get 100k out of brakes.

Here's a real ripoff to watch out for on this car. Replacement of air filter and cabin air filter. Honda will charge you well over $100 for this ( maybe $150). Parts are maybe $30-40 ( at a parts store). Once you do it once, you can do both filters in under 10 minutes, so they charge you about $600/ hour labor to change simple filters. Cabin air filter gets nasty so change that maybe every 20k miles ( I just bought one for $15). There are instructional videos at that CRV forum or on Youtube. It's a little tricky until you do it once, thus watch the videos or read the (excellent) instructions online.

The engine air filter is super easy to change, I suggest a big long flat head screwdriver to help pop off the 5-6 clamps holding the casing together. I could do that one in under 2 minutes.

I use the reuseable K&N air filter, costs more, but works better. You clean it, let it dry, oil it up, and re-use it forever. It can last a million miles, but of course you're washing the thing every 15k or so miles....save the old paper filter to pop in, while the K&N dries naturally.

http://www.knfilters.com/

quality product, pretty green too.

get it from the start, best if you keep cars long term.

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

Cabin air filter thoughts/ instructions in this thread ( for CRV).

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13973

You should be able to change a fucking cabin air filter in any car yourself, and probably can do this yourself.

I'm far from a "Gearhead", but I know when I'm getting jacked !

Honda wanted to rotate and rebalance my tires at about 8k miles for $50. at my 1st oil change.

Tires never need to be rebalanced unless they get fucked up in a pothole or something.

How can they defend $100 labor for a 10 minute job of changing air filters ?

Doug · Jun 12, 2010

Shit like this really pisses me off. Honda would make you drop the car off in the morning and pick it up at 5pm, or wait a few hours for it....when the difficulty level is like changing a car battery.

$100 /hour labor charge is almost fair, if honest. $25 ( minimum) labor to change both filters would be OK. They can do an oil change for that with the oil and filter, why not a straight labor charge of $25 for simple shit....because they are thieves is the answer ! The oil change gets you in the door to buy more !

I'll pay Honda like $14 for the oil change no problem, but nothing extra.

Dante · Jun 12, 2010

on my old 1998 honda Civic took me 3 mins to change the plugs.. was like 20$ god the new cars SUCK for maintenence on your own

by the way DOUG jaysusus you drive alot... 100K in 3 yrs... MY GOD thats like 33K per year average is what 15K 12K?

ProPokerPlayer · Jun 12, 2010

Ill give u guys a tip.. 3 brands of automotive products that you should go nowhere near. I know you'll find a person here and there that swear by them but if u do the research they are mostly junk.

STP
FRAM
K&N

Doug · Jun 13, 2010

Dante said:
on my old 1998 honda Civic took me 3 mins to change the plugs.. was like 20$ god the new cars SUCK for maintenence on your own

by the way DOUG jaysusus you drive alot... 100K in 3 yrs... MY GOD thats like 33K per year average is what 15K 12K?

wife driving the Honda to the ground. Working on the divorce or weitzner here. I'd go 20 years to get 100k miles.

10-15 k miles on my F-150 in like 2 years...2000 F-150 with 115K miles, 2007 CRV with like 102k miles

ensign_lee · Jun 13, 2010

Not at all. Just parts would be like $110-$120. So they're only charging you like $40 for labor.

And I'm basing this off repair costs for domestic cars. For international ones, where parts need to come in from somewhere else, I would assume parts would be even more expensive.

Doug · Jun 13, 2010

ensign_lee said:
Not at all. Just parts would be like $110-$120. So they're only charging you like $40 for labor.

And I'm basing this off repair costs for domestic cars. For international ones, where parts need to come in from somewhere else, I would assume parts would be even more expensive.

Parts consist of 4 sparkplugs that cost about $12 each retail at a parts store or $16 each at Honda. No other parts involved here. Labor is about $100 ( 1 hour).

Doug · Jun 13, 2010

Well I'm back to square one here. My cut rate cash mechanic no longer seems to be an option. Sometime in the last 28 hours the building burned to the ground. Looks like I will be putting the plugs in myself after all and hiring the full price mechanic for my brakes.

Brock · Jun 13, 2010

Changed my plugs and all went well. Changed my cabin air filter and my
carpet on the floor got soaked every rain.

Brock · Jun 13, 2010

Fixed the seal on the cover over my cabin air filter and all is well. The
plug change should be easy enough with the right extensions and a
swivel.

jordan17 · Jun 14, 2010

I just changed my 4 brakes pads and plugs!
plugs $28
front & back pads $50(repair shop wanted $280 :finger

labor $0 did it myself.................. :dancefool

Doug · Jun 14, 2010

letsgohoosiers said:
I have a '02 Honda CRV, just passed 85k miles.

Probably going to replace the spark plugs as well. Let me know how it goes.

This video should tell you all you need to know. It looks very straight forward to me, everything nice and convenient to access from the top. This job doesn't have the PIA factor involved where you scrape knuckles and contort your body reaching into tight spots.

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