Maintenance Q re lo annual miles '75

[Loual]

I put under 2k miles on my '75 over the last three years, and brought it in to my wrench today to get a tune-up - last one was 3 years ago. He insisted that even with just 2k miles since last tune, plugs had to be replaced (platinum tipped, $100 for 6) and valves adjusted. I agreed to both. He also replaced cap, points and rotor (which I know from personal examination need replacing every three years) oil / filter change (I do that annually myself during the non-tune-up years), new gas and air filters, etc. $795 later it runs like a charm.

Now in the grand scheme of things $800 every three years to keep the engine in tune is acceptable to me, but I want the board's advice - could some of this expense have been avoided, particularly the valve adjustment... perhaps done ever other visit (say every 6 years)? FWIW I live in NJ so labor rates are high. The wrench is a very highly regarded independent who specializes in Porsches - I've used him for years and everything he does he does well.

Thanks!
Lou

[Jim Sims]

Depending upon how it was driven and stored (which is what one is doing with a car that is only driven 600 or 700 miles per year) it may have needed new sparkplugs, points and a rotor in 2000 miles but that's not a given. How was the car running when you took it in? The oil and filter changes are important but I'd drain and discard the gasoline if it wasn't stablized and flush the brake fluid before I'd spend the money on a valve adjustment at 2000 miles. How old are the tires? Again, it may be more important to replace them due to age than to adjust the valves. Hope you can drive it more in the future. Cheers, jim

[nostatic]

there is only one real solution to this problem. Put more miles on the car. Time takes its toll too...you might as well drive it while it's aging.

[Bill Douglas]

May I have his number, I'll buy the plugs off him.

Like Nostatic says "Drive this puppy"...

[Loual]

Thanks!
Nostatic, yes, I should drive this more and spare my daily driver some of the 20k miles I've been putting on it annually.
Jim,
Goods Qs on your part. The car is garaged and covered when stored. The use is spread out... I try not to go more than 6-8 weeks without driving it, and the weeks at a time are in the winter - I live in the Northeast and they salt the roads. I replaced the tires 18 months ago (got great deal on 205/60 AVS Intermediates from the Tire Rack, and mounted them on stock 15" Fuchs). Brake fluid flush and new stainless brake lines were done last summer.
Bill,
Hmmm. I doubt he still has the plugs. I should have asked for them when I picked up the car yesterday. Wrench is Bodymotion in Ocean Township; www.bodymotion.com. Was $17 a plug a fair price - seems high?

[sammyg2]

Changing the platinum plugs that often is just pissing away money. Actually most platinum plugs are IMO a waste of money period, but that's arguable. The claimed advantage to platinum is that they are supposed to last longer (and resist fouling, another arguable point). Some people swear by them, some people hate them.

$17 a piece sounds more than double what I would expect to pay for platinum plugs unless that are something extremely exotic. Last time I bought some I think I paid around $6 a piece.
What brand/model number are the plugs?

It's your car, you can drive it as much as you want, but I would like to make a suggestion if I might: I would do this type of maintenance myself. It's not that difficult and you could save a bunch of money. I understand that working on cars isn't for everybody.

A cap, points, and rotor should cost less that $40, fuel and air filter another $40, oil change $20 to $50 depending on the oil (you said you already do that in the off years) so for far less that $150 you could have done all this in an afternoon.
I know some folks dont want to bother with it or have other reasons like a lack of time or a garage but I'm a cheap son of a gun and hate paying someone else to work on one of my cars unless it's something I can't do as well, like paint or alignments.

One more thing: always, always ask (in advance) for the replaced parts even if you don't want them. This gives you a chance to take a look at them and see for yourself, and it also helps to make sure the shop doesn't charge you for something you didn't get. They can still give you something from someone else's car if they really wanted to be lowlifes, but it will reduce the chances of an honest mistake.

[Loual]

Sam,
I hear you. I do as much as I can myself but did not have the time to do the tune right - which means adjusting the valves. I've done other things myself which save big $ - last year I replaced the sunroof cables myself - so it averages out in the long run.

[Rot 911]

Lou, I'm going to say what the others have only hinted about, you got raped dude! First off platinum plugs are probably a waste of your money to start with. A good set of NGK plugs would run less than $2.00 each. Second, he ripped you off on the price on the plugs, cap, rotor, etc. Next time you want a tune up, here is my standing offer: Pay my round trip airfare to NJ to have me do your tune up (less than $300) put me up overnight on your sofa, buy me a good steak dinner ($25.00), some beer ($12.00) buy the parts yourself (I estimate around $100.00) and save yourself $358.00! You say you replaced the sun roof cables yourself. Those are harder to do than adjusting your valves!

[Loual]

Kurt,
I suspected so... which is why I asked.
Sounds like I will be shopping for another wrench.
Many thanks,

[TerryBPP]

A tune up is about the easiest thing t do. Bosch Platinums cost about $34 for six at any auto parts store. I highly doubt that the points/rotor/cap need a change after 2000 miles. The only thing that is a little expensive is the valve adj. and that due to the time factor. Tell us your techs name and businees so we don't get robbed as well.

[Loual]

Terry,
It's the 3 years, not the 2000 miles, that took their toll on the points, cap, and rotor. A month ago I went to start the car and it would turn over but not catch. From experience, I took off the cap and rotor, and lightly sanded the contacts on them and the points, and it started right up.
Wrench is Bodymotion, Ocean Twp, NJ.
Thanks,
Lou

[Bill Douglas]

I find it remarkably satisfying to do tune up/maintenance things myself. Firstly I get in the car with a smile on my face as I think of all the money I have saved. Secondly I don't have to mess about dropping the car off and picking it up. Thirdly feeling the car perform better because of my tune-up. Fourthly, well there is no fourthly other than the 911 makes me a happy guy.