Learned an Expensive Lesson

A few years ago the 99 Intrigue 3.8 was running rough. I replaced the spark plugs with Platinum Champion and Bosh plug wires.The car had around 100,000KM or 60,000 miles when I replaced the pligs and wires. Just a few das ago the engine ran real rough, I now have around 143,000km. I figured I must be having real problems not thinking that the plugs and wire might be the problem. I replaced the suckers a few years ago, thinking the plugs and wires should have lasted at least 4 or 5 years. So I took it to the dealer. $700.00 later the Intrigue was running perfect. I talked to the mechanic and asked him what he did He said the 1st thing he does is he check which plugs are installed IF THEY ARE ANYTHING OTHER THE A/C PLUGS THAT IS THE 1ST THING HE CHANGES AND THAT will FIX 99% 0F THE ROUGH running ENGINE. HE ADDED NEVER NEVER INSTALL ANY-THING OTHER THE A/C PLUGS in a GM. HE ALSO ADDED THERE ARE PARTS STORES THAT WILL NEVER SELL YOU OTHER THEN A/C PLUGS FOR YOUR GM ENGINE. Live and learn

Wow, that dealership has a steep price for replacing plugs. Did that $700 buy you anything other than new spark plugs? I could see if they spent a long time diagnosing it, but the mechanic says he always checks the plugs first, right?

I'm thinking $50 in parts, then the other $650 was labor. At $85 an hour that would be a 7.5 hour job. I'd be back there for a little chat with the service manager. It seems like they owe you a little money. Good luck with that...

yeeeah you got reemed big time...I mean seriously that is horrendously overpriced.

And just so you know, changing the plugs is pretty darn easy, especially on the 3.8, so save yourself some serious serious cash and do it yourself next time.

I wouldnt put Bosch anything in any GM car, and Champion is more of a Dodge thing...I would agree the AC is usually the best, NGK is also good, theyre made by the same company. I also know several GM cars running Autolite plugs.

Wow, that dealership has a steep price for replacing plugs. Did that $700 buy you anything other than new spark plugs? I could see if they spent a long time diagnosing it, but the mechanic says he always checks the plugs first, right?

I'm thinking $50 in parts, then the other $650 was labor. At $85 an hour that would be a 7.5 hour job. I'd be back there for a little chat with the service manager. It seems like they owe you a little money. Good luck with that...

I just wanted to warn you all re: the plugs. Off course once they have your car in the shop re rcommend, Injector and intake cleaning, replace the air and fuel filter. I guess they call asuper tune-up I think they should call it a super rip-off. The up-side is the engine is running perfect and the other upside is I learned an expensive lesson, allways allways try the basic fixes at home 1st. This time I was caught off gaurd, not thinking that the champion plugs would go bad after a few years. It's also time to buy a code reader

By the way, I bought AC Delco original equipment plugs and opened the box they were NGK's. Also NGK's were the original plugs too.

Well I did bitch abought the $$$$ I spent on a so-called supper tune, But I will say this. I can't belive how nice the engine is running and the great improvement in gas milage. All I can say is if you have have not changed your plugs and wires in the last 5 years or so then do it and stick with orginal parts. Like one guy said it only hurts once when you buy orginal.