$600.00 bucks to replace spark plugs on a 2000 Toyota Sienna

[OutHouse]

lol, so i took my van to a local repair shop thats across the street from my office to get the A/C charged and decided while its in may as well replace the plugs. this is a NAPA certified shop and ive had no problems with them in the past. I have always felt that they dealt square and charged me a fair price (compared to haveing the same work done at other places).

So the lady said the plugs will be $600 bucks.... I laugh and say your kidding right? nope she wasnt. she said the book says its a 3 hour job and the plugs are platinum... oooookkkk well we wont do that today just charge my A/C.

so as im walking to my office im thinking about this and im getting mad. I talk to my co-worker who used to be a ASE mechanic before he became a UNIX guy and he was floored. So i call the toyota dealer i take my camry to and ask them how much would they charge to replace the plugs on a 2000 sienna.

$198.00.

When i go get my van this afternoon, im thinking we are going to have some words and i will tell them im never coming back.

600 bucks to replace plugs??? seriously they can go fuck themselves. I really want to know why they would even attempt to charge that much.


Moved from OT

ATOT Moderator ElFenix

 

[DingDingDao]

Just change the plugs yourself. 6 plugs + a spark plug socket shouldn't be more than $50 total, and you can do it in like 15 minutes.

 

[Lean L]

you could just buy the spark plug bit for $10 and it it yourself.

 

[JS80]

You were smart enough to WTF it, but imagine all the noobs that actually pay $600.

 

[OutHouse]

the back plugs on these vans with the tilted transverse engines are a total BITCH to get at much less remove without special tools.

i changed the plugs on my GMC truck all the time and that was a 30 min job. champion plugs, ratchet, extention and plug socket and i was good to go.

 

[Wheezer]

lol, so i took my van to a local repair shop thats across the street from my office to get the A/C charged and decided while its in may as well replace the plugs. this is a NAPA certified shop and ive had no problems with them in the past. I have always felt that they dealt square and charged me a fair price (compared to haveing the same work done at other places).

So the lady said the plugs will be $600 bucks.... I laugh and say your kidding right? nope she wasnt. she said the book says its a 3 hour job and the plugs are platinum... oooookkkk well we wont do that today just charge my A/C.

so as im walking to my office im thinking about this and im getting mad. I talk to my co-worker who used to be a ASE mechanic before he became a UNIX guy and he was floored. So i call the toyota dealer i take my camry to and ask them how much would they charge to replace the plugs on a 2000 sienna.

$198.00.

When i go get my van this afternoon, im thinking we are going to have some words and i will tell them im never coming back.

600 bucks to replace plugs??? seriously they can go fuck themselves. I really want to know why they would even attempt to charge that much.

makes you wonder what else they have fucked you on?

Of course if you didn't shop around...well you kinda fucked yourself.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Yeah, spark plugs are something you should be able to do yourself. Like, even if you need to buy a socket and ratchet to do it, it would STILL only come out to maybe $75 for the socket, ratchet, and spark plugs...

 

[Homerboy]

Similar experience.
My mechanic said $700 for plugs/wires in a 2004 Grand Caravan.
Upon looking at it, I see why its more difficult (not $700 difficult mind you) but in these side mounted engines, the back 3 plugs are a bitch to get to. I've been putting it off doing it myself for this reason, though I think if you remove the washer blade cowling (at the very base of the windshield) it should be way easier to get at those 3 plugs.

 

[OutHouse]

Just change the plugs yourself. 6 plugs + a spark plug socket shouldn't be more than $50 total, and you can do it in like 15 minutes.

ummm no. try several hours.

 

[Homerboy]

the back plugs on these vans with the tilted transverse engines are a total BITCH to get at much less remove without special tools.

Exactly. But not $600+ bitchness is it?
Not to mention they have likely done these 100 times. I'm sure, at this point it's damned easy for them to get out.

 

[kranky]

Maybe she read the book wrong.
Maybe the book is wrong (it happens).
Maybe the Toyota dealer quoted you wrong.

Even if none of those things happened, why would you quit using a business who has a track record of treating you well just because they quoted you a price you think is too high on one occasion? People sure are quick to launch a lifetime boycott of a business over one issue. And in this case, it was only a quote, not an actual problem!

 

[Zedtom]

the back plugs on these vans with the tilted transverse engines are a total BITCH to get at much less remove without special tools.

The front plugs you can probably reach, the back ones will make you wish you had taken it to the shop. Call around for a lower quote.

 

[OutHouse]

The front plugs you can probably reach, the back ones will make you wish you had taken it to the shop. Call around for a lower quote.

i did. dealer $198 bucks. sounds like a plan to me.

but you are right the front 3 are easy they are right in front of you.

 

[Homerboy]

The front plugs you can probably reach, the back ones will make you wish you had taken it to the shop. Call around for a lower quote.

I'm telling you... I think removing that wiper cowl will let you get in there... that's the route I'm taking. I just can not stomach paying $700 for such a stupid thing.

 

[ShawnD1]

Did anyone else read this and immediately question how their own car's engine is mounted?

 

[rivan]

I've heard of cars where the exhaust header had to be loosened to get at the plugs.

Still, what mechanics charge $175/hour (3 hours and the rest for the plugs)?

 

[Zedtom]

Some of those transverse engines need to be unbolted from the mounts and tilted forward.

Uh, maybe somebody in The Garage forum has some advice.

 

[SP33Demon]

Maybe she read the book wrong.
Maybe the book is wrong (it happens).
Maybe the Toyota dealer quoted you wrong.

Even if none of those things happened, why would you quit using a business who has a track record of treating you well just because they quoted you a price you think is too high on one occasion? People sure are quick to launch a lifetime boycott of a business over one issue. And in this case, it was only a quote, not an actual problem!

I used to go to a Subway that always treated me right. Then I ate a meatball sub there that made me so sick my stomach was spasming for 8 hours straight. Even if a noob had messed up and forgot to turn the cooker on for the meatballs, I'm still never going back. In the service industry, all it takes is one bad experience before customers take their business elsewhere.

 

[ShawnD1]

Some of those transverse engines need to be unbolted from the mounts and tilted forward.

Uh, maybe somebody in The Garage forum has some advice.

They'll probably tell you to throw it out and buy a car that isn't retarded.

I remember hearing a similar tale about a certain Jaguar where the clutch was virtually impossible to get to. The part itself was like $400 but the book price to put the clutch in was more like $12,000 and it took many many many hours to do it.

 

[Homerboy]

Some of those transverse engines need to be unbolted from the mounts and tilted forward.

Uh, maybe somebody in The Garage forum has some advice.

This too.
Some you literally can not get to the back plugs without unbolting from the mounts.
Its the shittiest design ever.

 

[Homerboy]

FWIW:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Toyota-Repair-832/2000-Sienna-spark-plugs.htm

Answer
There are no special tools required, a 5/8" swivel type spark plug socket and a few different length extensions and another swivel extension and a ractchet, with just the right combination of extensions it's possible to get the end of the extensions a little higher than the intake chamber so that you can attach a ratchet.
It may help to remove the wipers completely and remove the plastic cowling below the windshield. The dealer will probably charge somewhere around $80.00.

 

[Hecubus28]

From what I have read I'm going to be dreading changing my plugs in the mustang. I have an 06GT and they use a two piece plug that is really bad about breaking off in the head.

The dealership said that if they break off the plugs the cost to remove them is also on me.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

What about plugs on a 93-98 V6 Camaro? The engines always looked like they were damn near in the cabin. Seems like you'd have to unmount the motor and bring it forward to change them.

 

[OutHouse]

from here

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef0c1cf/20

Just replaced ours about a month ago from under the hood. Took some doing but I only removed the plastic engine cover (two allen bolts) and managed to reach behind the intake with a 3/8 inch rachet and extension and a couple of bruised knuckels. Do this when you have nothing to do for a few hours. You can reach the sparkplugs by reaching under the part of the intake that is connected to the throttle body. You won't see what you are doing but you can trace the wires. Remove them one at a time and then remove each plug. I did all 3 back plugs one at a time by reaching under the back of the intake by the throttle body (enough room to swing a rachet back there ). As for the sparkplugs Autozone has the same ND plugs that were in our van (double ground electrode platinum) for about $6.00 each. On a 2000 you don't need to remove any of the engine compartment cowl. I don't know about the later ones (2001+)with the VVT if there is enough room. Good Luck!

no thanks...

 

[OutHouse]

Maybe she read the book wrong.
Maybe the book is wrong (it happens).
Maybe the Toyota dealer quoted you wrong.

Even if none of those things happened, why would you quit using a business who has a track record of treating you well just because they quoted you a price you think is too high on one occasion? People sure are quick to launch a lifetime boycott of a business over one issue. And in this case, it was only a quote, not an actual problem!

ummm maybe because of trying to rip me off? they charge 600 but a dealer is 198? fuck them.