When did you/will you change your spark plugs?

[jbillion]

The owners manual recommends 100K miles. Is this too late to change them. Have any of the NICO user changed spark plugs earlier then that, if so, how did you determine that they were ready to be changed.

[auditech10]

I did mine around 50K and will do again at 100K, if I still have the car. I would never recommend to leave spark plugs, or for that matter any other wearable maintenance item for that long of period of time. For as cheap as it is to replace them yourself, I would recommend the same as well as all your filters.Cheers

[yosM45]

If I'm not mistaken, they are platinum plugs which can do 100 miles easily.

And tey aren't cheap if your using OEM. I believe they are about $11 a piece x 6 or 8, so $66 or $88 dollars.

I'll change mine at at 100 miles or when i start to see a difference in performance.

[jbillion]

$88 is pretty cheap to me. Especially if it improves gas milage/performance or engine life. I am going to take a look at the service manual and see if it looks like something easy enough to do. I am a pretty good home mechanics. I do my own brakes and I have done tune-ups in the past on previous cars. FWIW you can get the OEM spark plugs from this website fr $5.75 each. I was told that my car (2004 M45) would use the PFR5G, can anyone confirm this?

[auditech10]

They are as simple as removing the 10mm bolt holding each ign coil pack then removing the plug.Cheers

[maxnix]

And tey aren't cheap if your using OEM. I believe they are about $11 a piece x 6 or 8, so $66 or $88 dollars.

I'll change mine at at 100 miles or when i start to see a difference in performance.

Joe has them on special this month for $5.75 each and KS at half price!

The real danger is galling. Don't know how the VK are (periodic valve shim adjustments?), but you will need VC gaskets before 100K.

5 is a good range, S of the Mason Dixon line, 6 may be better. Alaska could use 4, I guess.

Always RTFSM!

[saeedakobiakov]

not the ones that are next to firewall.i did mine at 60k, car felt better for sure. it was not my emagination.

[yosM45]

Could you chime in on this one?

[saeedakobiakov]

are you talking to me?

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,Caug, I believe he was asking for the advice of StevetheTech. Good to know that changing the plugs on your M yielded some improvement. My car is at 40,000 miles and I am starting to contemplate doing the plugs and struts/shocks soon.ML

[lfj2025]

auditech10 replaced mine at 62k, He also did the BK44 treatment. I have seen 1.5 mpg increase over the past six months since he did the work. Over time you lose mileage and pep so slowly you don't notice until you have a tune up.

[saeedakobiakov]

Don't need to change struts unless they not working right, but if you change them soon, i will buy them from you, if they in working condition of course.caug.

[maxnix]

i will buy them from you, if they in working condition of course.caug.

All struts wear, so if they are not leaking, then it is only the state of degradation the dirver/owner will tolerate that is the question.

[saeedakobiakov]

so struts could be bad without any leakage?it will depend on driving style for all 40k.plus when they out of the car they could be easily checked.caug.

[szh]

so struts could be bad without any leakage?it will depend on driving style for all 40k.plus when they out of the car they could be easily checked.caug.

Struts for our cars should last about 60k miles or so - gently degrading during that period. They may not leak, but are certainly not performing up to par.

I am at 67k miles and about to replace mine - the handling has degraded to the point where I am not happy about it. So, time for replacement ...

Z

[jbillion]

Struts for our cars should last about 60k miles or so - gently degrading during that period. They may not leak, but are certainly not performing up to par.

I am at 67k miles and about to replace mine - the handling has degraded to the point where I am not happy about it. So, time for replacement ...

Z

szhosain, are you just going to replace the struts in the front, or are you also going to replaces the shocks in the rear? I purchased the car with 55K miles and haven't noticed a huge difference in the handling. What degredation have you noticed, since you have been driving the car a lot longer than I have. How much do you estimate this will cost, just for the struts, it looks like $350 for parts alone.