$26 spark plugs??? What the F...?

Just got estimate for my car which was running "rough". I had taken it to local dealer which I had just praised in a recent post. Head guy said I need plugs thatwere 26 dollars a piece??? 6 x 26 = 156 if I am not mistaken. Can this be right? He said that the plugs that I have installed in past (bosch something or others) were "too hot" and I shouldn't have used them. I didn't know what to say as they have my car hostage so I said just do it but now I am pissed.

What the F? Is this right? (if it is not just laugh to yourself, don't post)

[This message has been edited by joehahn (edited 05-15-2001).]

Sounds like it ought to be $26 dollars total - worth asking your shop to clarify.

------------------
Christian Stewart
'87 Carrera Cabriolet

christian.stewart@dmstewart.com

[This message has been edited by Christian Stewart (edited 05-15-2001).]

Did he charge you $26/ea plus labor?

------------------
Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

Joe,

Well, I guess your dealer still sees every customer as a target with $S$ painted ('S' for SUCKER) on the forehead, and isn't the least bid interested in actually competing in the marketplace for service costs!

I will wager that a set of $1.79 NGKs can be found that are just as cold as the $26 'magic' plugs your dealer wants to stick you with! And you won't be able to tell the difference in the way it runs, either!

And, while some people may not be aware of the price range that the Bosch 'DP0' plugs list at, even Pelican's $18.50 price could be met by any dealer really trying to 'compete' with alternative service options! And, though Pelican's price of $2.05 for NGKs can be beaten by some local motorcycle shops, if you are planning ahead on parts orders, it wouldn't hurt to have a couple of sets on hand at all times!
------------------
Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 05-15-2001).]

NO, I swear he said 26 bucks each! , I'll call back and ask, I am about to rip my eyes out!!! I wont even BEGIN to tell you the total for the whole thing, you guys will think I never serviced the car EVER.

....thanks a lot Warren. Could someone help me remove this oak tree from my ass?

Are you trying to say you got "PLUGED"?

...that's PLUGGED funny guy. I just called shop, he is checking and will call me back... stay tuned, I can hear the wind whistling through my tailpipe.....

Hey Joehahn make sure and ask the dealer if you're gonna get a free jar of vaseline with them plugs...hehe

it must be a 930. if you're at the track all the time, always on boost, the cold plugs would be good, but street cars that get the boost for only short periods really can live with a slightly hotter, normal plug. bosch platinum WR5DP or NGK equivilent work fine.

Which NGK plug should I use in my 70 E

Woody, on my 72 E I run BPR6ES plugs. Some people say that is too hot, but my car runs rich. You can go up one step cooler to BPR7ES, which is the recommended plug. Remember NGK heat ranges are opposite other plugs, higher number, cooler plug.

Kurt V
72 911E

Joe, you must have the same Porsche dealer that we have here. My dealer wanted $23 a piece for Bosch plugs. This is crazy! You can pick up a set of NGKs (which is what I did) for $1.79 each at your local Checker, Autozone, Carquest, etc. Bosch can be had for around $3.00 to $5.00 a piece. Another alternative is to order them off of the Internet for comparable prices.

I will scan and post my papers when I pick up car so everyone can critique and laugh at my experience... Of course parts wont be in until Monday...It's the dam dealer, aren't they the SOURCE of parts for everybody else. I Told the guy that I know of at least 4 places that have parts and overnight mail for nominal fee. Response was "we get our parts from Atlanta" and that's it. Like the mother ****** state of Atlanta itself is sending him parts and it takes 5 days? Oh well, it's Friday. I'm off to see the proctologist about having the $26 plug removed from my ass.

Have a good weekend everybody!

Joe (aka "26")

Joe:

I guess a $26 plug is better than having a 26-inch plug removed from your ass!

Eric
83SC

Woody etc I'm running the NGK BPR7ES on my 70E. Mostly stock, slightly higher compression (9.5 vs 9.1).

I have a set of 8's (colder) on hand in case I ever do some serious track driving or long high speed cruising across the desert or something. So far the 7's are perfect.

Cars that do a lot of around town driving, have lower compression, and/or are older (burning oil) can use 6's or even 5's. I'd start with the 7's and change to 6's if it seems necessary.

Dr. Porsche says:
Be careful about experimenting with spark plug heat ranges.
You can burn a piston from *pre-ignition* and/or detonation caused by using too hot a plug. If you take the plugs out after a hard run up a long hill, and the tip is very white and glazed-looking, you are putting the motor at risk. I still have a piston from my BSA Lightning (m/c) that suffered this fate from the PO. Has a hole in the crown about the size of a penny.

------------------
Doug
'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
members.home.net/zielke/911SC.htm

What is your posting-per-day ratio now?

------------------
John Forcier
69 911T

Joe,

Why don't you make a hardcopy of Pelican's spark plug page (with price), plus a copy of this BB dialog and then visit your wrench/dealer (or is that "wretched" dealer!). Tell him you don't like getting ripped off, and if he won't do anything about it then tell him that it leaves you no recourse but to deliver the same evidence to the BBB. At the very least, he'll have to officially respond to the BBB to maintain anything close to a good standing... what's THAT worth to him?!!

Why don't you tell us who this dealer is so we all can AVOID a similar disaster?

CW