I don't really see what all of you find so funny here. I think, personally, that the $2,400 total was eminently reasonable. My twice monthly tune up bill has exceeded that figure often, but it sure has been worth it. I take pride in my machine. I'm a life long American Motors fan. In my family, it's always been a Rambler or that easy, clean, always convenient public transportation, which I still feel is yesterday's solution to the problems of the future, now.
Nevertheless, here in rural Montana, having your own vehicle can be a definite plus at times . . . like, when you actually have to get somewhere. And that's why I like to adhere rigorously to my factory suggested, twice a month tune-up, even though there hasn't actually been an American Motors factory for quite some years now.
Still, results speak for themselves. I've had complete strangers tell me they think my Pacer looks and runs like BMW. I can tell they mean it by the HUGE grins on their faces. It's attention to detail that does it for me. That's why I always have the boys down at RIP-U-OFF rotate my front and rear cigarette lighters at each and every tune up. They say that the resultant gain in the aerodynamic ambivalence index more than makes up for the $100 cost.
In summation folks, it pays to buy quality. That's probably why my girl friend's vibrator has never been recalled.