Iridium plugs, how often to change?

[boxcarbill]

Looks like 100k miles but they don't say. Ya have to page through the idiot Service and Maintainance guide and hope it jumps out at you from the 100 pages of BS.

[Rockhound]

Supposedly they're good for 100k miles, but I'm a bit weary of that. Of course they'll still fire, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't have some deterioration by then. I'd be tempted to change them out around 60 - 75k miles just as preventative maintenance.

[boxcarbill]

how expensive are they?

[BBISHOPPCM]

I would recommend removing them at around 30-40k, to apply an anti-seize compound on the threads, if you don't, by the time they require replacement, they will be virtually impossible to remove.

[Rockhound]

I would recommend removing them at around 30-40k, to apply an anti-seize compound on the threads, if you don't, by the time they require replacement, they will be virtually impossible to remove.

True, true.

how expensive are they?

The Versa uses NGKs, right? I think NGK Iridiums go for something like $8-$10 a plug. After doing countless hours of research to determine which plugs were 'best' for my SR20, I decided to go with NGK V-Power Coppers, about $2 a pop.

The caveat of course is that I change them out at around 15k miles - so if you use Iridiums for 60k miles, then you've spent the same amount on plugs.

Supposedly copper plugs still offer the 'best' spark - due to the conductivity properties of the metal, but platinums and iridiums offer far better longevity - thus making them a far better choice for car manufacturers to use as OEM.

[NewToVersa]

+1 on copperplugs spcellialy if you drive a small amount of miles per year.

[RetiredTexans]

Iridium belongs to the same class of periodic table elments as platinum. Therefore, I would expect them to last just as long.

My 2001 Accord has platinum plugs by NKG and when checked at 95,000 miles earlier this year, I found no wear on the center, a minor amount on the tip and the gap still set at factory specs. Honda recommends changing at 105,000 miles.

[boxcarbill]

Donkey shane (thanks in German) for the replies.

[jspec603]

+1 on copperplugs

I personally won't use anything else.