# Expensive spark plugs **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036 "2014-07-16T03:48:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/61 "2024-10-16T20:30:24Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > Oem spark plugs parts cost probably about $15 each. So figuring $300/hour for the labor, Total = 2 X $300 + $15 X 4 == $660. Not exactly. Spark plugs are $120, plus shop supplies, plus sales tax. The oil change was quoted @ $109, did that include waste disposal fee, shop supplies and sales tax? ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/62 "2024-10-17T14:16:47Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > The shop was in poor condition ( as expected ) and the waiting chairs were awful for my back problem. And on top of that, they quoted me $600 + tax for the spark plug alone ( not very far from what the dealer was charging. And that shop wasn’t the only Indy shop I went to and was quoted very similar price. Yeah, then I understand! I was looking at the original quoted post where you indicated this- > Across the street from Toyota is an independent shop, so I asked them for a quote: $336 for spark plug ( using OEM spark plugs ) > [@Nevada\_545](#): > > The hourly rate is half of what dealers charge. > The small shop charges 4.0 hours labor @ $125/hour. > The dealer charges 2.0 hours labor @ $250/hour. > With the money saved, you can go for a swim in the ocean. Well, I was going on the actual $ reported in the posts. $336 versus $700 would be an expensive swim session in my book. And an Uber back and forth doesn’t put a huge dent in that savings either. But that’s why both businesses exist and are operating- everyone has their preferences… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/63 "2024-10-17T14:20:08Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > And a shuttle bus so you are not sitting in the customer lounge all day asking “how much longer?” Hopefully, his dealership provides free loaner cars in addition to a shuttle bus. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/64 "2024-10-17T14:44:01Z")
Nice waiting rooms with good snacks, nice chairs and free loaners need to paid for by, guess who? You! Our local Audi dealer service has all those things. Plus lattes, expresso or just really good coffee, free wifi and a big screen TV. My local indie shop doesn’t have those. Wanna guess which is cheaper? ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/65 "2024-10-17T16:41:38Z")
They probably have a nice cushy couch too, someplace you can lay down to recover after they present you with their laundry list of recommended repairs and maintenance items 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/66 "2024-10-17T17:40:28Z")
The shop across Toyota that quoted me $336 didn’t feel right, and Nevada felt the same way. If I remember correctly, Nevada believed the shop misunderstood my car model and thought my car was the non-v6 model. It was the only shop around here that quoted me such a low price compared to the many I went to. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/67 "2024-10-17T18:19:53Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > the shop misunderstood my car model and thought my car was the non-v6 model. Doubling the cost for two spark plugs doesn’t make sense. I looked at RepIrPal and the cost estimate in NYC to change plugs was much more like the Toyota cost than the Lexus cost. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/68 "2024-10-17T18:27:04Z")
The Lexus IS300 rear-wheel-drive has a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, IS300 AWD has a 3.5L V-6. I suspect most people would be unfamiliar with the difference in powertrains. ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/69 "2024-10-17T18:37:16Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Our local Audi dealer service has all those things. Plus lattes, expresso or just really good coffee, free wifi and a big screen TV. My local indie shop doesn’t have those. I don’t understand why many indie shops don’t at least provide free wi-fi, a big TV , coffee/espresso, and water (hey, they’re cheap and tax-deductible!). Even chains like Discount Tire in my area don’t have comfortable seats, a TV, or wi-fi. I get that space is an issue for many shops. I grew up working in our family shop in the 80’s/90’s and we had couches, coffee, water, and an oversized tube TV. You had a better chance of throwing your back out moving the TV than you did working on customer cars. 😂 ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/70 "2024-10-17T20:08:40Z")
If I had to guess… and the pros here can confirm or deny… It seems to me auto service shops don’t want their customers hanging around and rubbernecking and maybe bothering the mechanics. And asking the service writer when it will be done. The dealerships want you hanging around and looking at the pretty new cars (or test driving a loaner) to get you thinking about a new buying a new car from them. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/71 "2024-10-17T20:11:30Z")
> [@Rainflurry](#): > > I don’t understand why many indie shops don’t at least provide free wi-fi, a big TV , coffee/espresso, and water The only indy mechanic’s shop that I would use is still located in the building that the family erected 76 years ago. The “customer waiting area” consists of three old chairs that are sandwiched into their tiny office. ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/72 "2024-10-17T20:22:15Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > The “customer waiting area” consists of three old chairs that are sandwiched into their tiny office. With my luck, I’d be the second customer to go into the waiting area to find the other customer sitting in the middle chair. Kinda like walking into the men’s room with 3 urinals and only one guy is there - using the middle one! ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/73 "2024-10-17T20:31:20Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > It seems to me auto setvice shops don’t want their customers hanbing around and rubbernecking and maybe bothering the mechanics. And asking the service writer when it will be done. You’re probably right but any shop that wants to inconvenience their customer for their own benefit could use a refresher on good customer service. Easy enough to tell the customer that insurance prohibits customers in the shop area. > [@Mustangman](#): > > The dealerships want you hanging around and looking at the pretty new cars (or test driving a loaner) to get you thinking about a new buying a new car from them. It would be interesting to know how frequently that happens. Maybe more than I suspect. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/74 "2024-10-17T20:58:51Z")
There are two shops our family uses. The one we use has a comfortable waiting area with coffee. It is separated from the garage by the front office and parts storage. I think the building was built to the owner’s design wishes. The one my daughter and her husband’s family use is shop only with no waiting area. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/75 "2024-10-17T21:34:17Z")
The dealership that i currently use has a service facility that isn’t adjacent to the showroom. There are a couple of other dealerships in the area that have a similar arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/76 "2024-10-17T22:20:50Z")
Our local Ford dealer is like that. The waiting room is large but not fancy. I have used them for recalls only. I can easily walk home from there so no need to wait. Many dealers I have frequented… mostly the parts depts… the showroom is quite close to the service waiting room. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/77 "2024-10-19T22:31:47Z")
> [@Rainflurry](#): > > > [@Mustangman](#): > > > > The dealerships want you hanging around and looking at the pretty new cars (or test driving a loaner) to get you thinking about a new buying a new car from them. > > It would be interesting to know how frequently that happens. Maybe more than I suspect. Back when I worked in a dealership, at least once a month a salesperson would come out to the shop floor and tell me to stop after I finished up just the repairs I had started. This was because the customer got talked into buying a new car. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/78 "2024-10-19T22:41:36Z")
> [@JoeMario](#): > > This was because the customer got talked into buying a new car. Folks who have worked in sales know it usually possible to sell almost anything, just a matter of finding the right customer. I sometimes sell stuff at the local flea market, and always find it amazing what sort of stuff folks will buy. It’s unpredictable though, the stuff I think will sell fast often doesn’t sell at all , and the stuff I think has no chance is the first to go. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/79 "2024-10-20T02:17:26Z")
I have seen new car salesmen standing outside the entrance to the shop as customers were lined up waiting to check in (write up work order), offering them deals for a new car… lol ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036/80 "2024-10-20T02:52:53Z")
Those are lazy salesmen [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expensive-spark-plugs/86036.md?page=5)