That is insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the $250-$300 range at most dealers!

 

Try this: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-plug-tsb.html

Also:
^^^Great observation---do it right once and pay what its worth--otherwise who knows what damage the bargain prices get you too?


HTH

 

Yes, the early plugs are one piece and these normally come out just fine. Carefully blowing the debris out of the holes before removal and maybe a shot of penetrating oil is about all you need. The 2 valve engines do have fewer threads in the head and this can lead to stripped threads. Proper torque is crucial, too tight and you can damage the threads. Not tight enough and the plug works its way loose, a combination of the loose plug moving around and hot gasses leaking past the threads damages the threads to the point the plug blows out.

I sure would not assume that just because the price is $500 that it is going to be any better of a job! It doesn't mean anything unless you know the mechanic personally and you know that he is highly qualified and cares enough to put forth the extra time and effort to do this job with the utmost care.

New plugs and boots run about $75, that means $425 is for labor alone, all this for a job that even when done meticulously takes less than 2 hours.

Even at $500 don't believe for a second that they are going to assume any liability for a stripped hole, if they find one, or possibly even if they cause one, you would be paying extra for that too. Try to go back on them 2 years down the road when a plug blows out, good luck with that!

 

Well, you can pay list price plus 20% for a 2012 shelby mustang too, but that doesn't make it any better or worse than a shelby mustang that someone else paid just the list price for................
and that is exactly what is going on here.......
The wholesale cost of the spark plugs are $3 each....depending on shipping and volume, could be as high as $4 each.....
Materials: $40
This allows 6 hours at $85 per hour for changing plugs......
Now, even if you allow time for soaking, etc, you do not charge a customer for "Standby time", actual working time is 2 to 2.5 hours, even if we bumped that up to 3.5 hours,
or at $85 per hour, that would be around $297....that would be allowing on a V10, 21 minutes per spark plug to change/install..that is resonable, when in reality, it takes about 15 minutes per plug (unless you are talking about the 1978 Monza V8, that you have to pull the engine to get to the back two spark plugs- grin)

So as you can see, to charge $500+ is absolutely excessive, assuming again $40 for parts, leaving $460 for customer charged labor (that includes dealer profit), that allows 32 minutes per plug to remove & install....as you can see when you go through the numbers, it really is very, very excessive.

 

They have a weld seam on them so I wouldn't assume they are all one piece. They just don't have that long extended piece below the threads.

The dealers going to charge you around $8 each for a single platinum MC plug you can buy from Rock Auto for a little over $2.

 

For those who can not DIY yes it is excessive---most of us here wouldn't let anyone do this for us. Whether that's a matter of trust or simply a cost concern we have to acknowledge we're not the typical vehicle owners. Perhaps the issue of what's fair as far as a gross profit could be debated but that's not for this thread.

Not defending any sort of retail pricing because I too am in vehicle service but if someone compares my cost of parts only plus the time they see me completing any job they'd feel they're being ripped off. $250 for 15 minutes of work? Well......

I'm performing a service which is far, far different from just buying a part whether at full retail or wholesale discount. I pick up and pay for the part, take it to the customer, install and guarantee it for a period of time. If I break or damage that part anywhere along the way its 100% my responsibility to still provide a new and usable part. Any damage I cause or create to their vehicle is also 100% my responsibility.

Add in common or specialized tools required or sometimes absolutely necessary for the job and my investment becomes larger. Like a stealership I make such investments in learning my job, buying proper tools as well as somewhat expensive materials in order to give a trouble-free quality finished job. (It can be argued what quality stealerships really provide but that's for another thread! )

I myself would NEVER spend $500 for plugs BUT I also realize and accept there is a risk of sorts, that anything I do or don't do is all on me. I don't mind accepting that risk but there are many who have no interest in doing the same. Its fair to say any mechanical repair operation charges such people what they will pay regardless how excessive it seems to we who don't mind the work it entails.

BTW first time I owned a modular motor and was told of the plug change charge I also rebelled----wasn't gonna pay it and never have but again I'm not the typical vehicle owner these days!

 

The point....dealers such as the nationally renoun Ralph Williams Ford In San Fernando Valley (Ca) went to prison for fraud for amongst many other things...overcharging.

But most importantly, we are not talking "ROcket Science" here......we are talking....changing spark plugs....requiring the purchase of.....
1. a 3/8 drive ratchet (Snap-on) cost $50, life expectancy 10 years+ (so my IRS depreciation is about $5 per year)
2. A spark plug socket/extension(Snap-on) cost $25, life expectancy 10+ years (my IRS deduction is $2.50 per year)
3. A socket to remove the COPS or if not, a spark plug wire puller.....OMG, $10
4. Anti-Seize (if I choose to use) $8 retail, prbably use about 50 cents worth on a V10
5. Disposal of old plugs.....Hmmm, finding a trash can
6. Cleaning my hands......prbably $2 worth of rangs and cleaner

Regards to training, I thing we could all agree, that if we took any high school kid who was a responsible type and wanted to learn, In about 1 hour could be taught to effectively, responsibly and with professional diligence, remove & replace spark plugs in a vehicle. I am not down-playing the quality of Techs & their skills that exist, but again, its almost like marketing "Carpet Cleaning" as a science at this point.

Oh, the resonsibility for damage? If you are talking about asthetic, yes, but check out that just about every "Mechanic"/Dealer states if they break a plug off, cross thread it, etc....they are not responsible. Yes, there are many conditions that makes this appropriate, but it is really being over-used & abused by many.

 

i own a 2005 f150 with the5.4 two pice plugs they are junk. all but 2 broke off in the block took two days to do it. but the ones in my excursion were no problem took like 20-30min for the v10

 

I replaced my plugs and boots in my V-10, took me 3 hours and 45 minutes standing on a 6 gallon bucket. I took my time (because I'm an old man) but I used anti seize compound on the plugs and silicone grease on the boots. I also used anti-seize compound on the bolts that hold the COP's down and checked the gap on the plugs.
Total expense was a little less than 90.00 including tax. But I am satified the job was done right.