Change of iridium plugs on NB SE after 60 months

[wozzah1975]

Just took my car in for its 60k service at Tom Kerr. It’s a 2004 SE. They ended up changing the iridium plugs. When I asked why, they said that was appropriate change the plugs every 60 months or so and given the car is now 7 years old probably a good thing. I queried the assistant service manager and advised that that was the case for the non turbo NB but not the SE with the iridium plugs. The owners manual only makes reference to change over at 120k and no time period. Is the dealer correct to change the plugs in an SE at 60000km? He did offer to remove the plugs and replace the old ones; probably should have done so but declined putting this down to 'lesson learnt' big time and never ever again.

There is no way I'd leave Iridium or Platinum plugs in any longer than 80,000klm regardless of what the service manual recommends. They are worn out anything over that, leaving these sorts of spark plugs in over that creates premature coil/ignition system failure because of the extra load on the system with the worn plug. They've done you a favour, and I wouldn't question it at all.

Cheers
Woz

[Silvia]

In lengthy debates it generally comes down to using normal NGK BKR5E's and changing at 30000km. You can keep an eye on them that way.There's no advantage to using others - they are for new engines that are a pain to reach the plugs.

[wozzah1975]

thanks for that. Damn expensive though!

They're cheaper than coil packs and ignition modules.........
you don't have to replace them with Iridiums or Platinums either.......

Cheers
Woz

[Charlie Brown]

Changed mine on the NC at 120,000 kilometres. They were still fine.

Price to buy 4 here in AU $98!!!!!

Price off Amazon delivered to my door - $24

[project.r.racing]

every mazda owners manual i have seen has iridium plugs change at 100,000km or 60 months for turbo models, and 120,000km or 72 months for non tubro models. i don't see why the MX5 would be any different.

[93_Clubman]

shite! I was charged $215 just for the plugs.

Shite indeed if the 4 Iridiums alone cost you $215!

Is it possible they also changed the plug leads?

[project.r.racing]

shite! I was charged $215 just for the plugs.

Shite indeed if the 4 Iridiums alone cost you $215!

Is it possible they also changed the plug leads?

nope, he went to a dealership for servicing. examples the high costs.

[93_Clubman]

nope, he went to a dealership for servicing.

Yeah, seen - used to use them [dealers] myself from '90-'00, but level of service & competence didn't match cost.

[Silvia]

Dealer rant begins
Not entirely unjustified either ......

[de Bounce]

no, the leads were not changed. Each plug cost $53.91. If you want an extra laugh, the cost to replace the high beam bulb in labour only was $21.00. I dont know what you call that one.

Since they don't make a lot out of selling cars they make up for it in the service and spares area's
Someone has to pay for their flash showroom, sales people, mechanics, service area and spare parts.

Appears you where selected as that someone.

[eskimo]

From my personal previous experience working as a tech in a T**8*a and briefly a K*a dealership, find yourself a decent private workshop to look
after ALL your cars, theres no value, honesty or loyalty to be found at your average dealership. They just want to take your money and have you
leave.

[93_Clubman]

If you want an extra laugh, the cost to replace the high beam bulb in labour only was $21.00.

Hate to think what the globe cost.

[Caffeine]

find yourself a decent private workshop to look after ALL your cars

Indeed, after many stuff ups by various un-named dealers, I now take my cars to an independent workshop.

Examples:

• Dealer forgets to tighten diff bolts after warranty repair on clutch, diff bolts proceed to fall out a few weeks later. Diff bolts are longer than the ground clearance of the car = hell of a noise and quite a mess.
  
• Dealer charges $30ish dollars to replace wiper blades, dealer cuts off wrong end of blades when trimming to suit (the end that has the clip to hold it in) = major rain storm, turn on wipers, blades fling off into the middle distance somewhere, leaving the wiper frames to scrape across the windshield
  
• Dealer 'fixes' damaged headlight connector by cutting connector off and electrical taping wires into the back of the globe
  
• Dealer charges $40 or so on 3 occasions to repair punctures, when tyres are later removed for replacement, no evidence of punctures or repairs is present

and so on...

The independent workshop charges slightly more than the dealer, but they take photos of all work, before, during and after. They keep all replaced parts to show you when you pick up the car, explaining what was changed and why. They also source quality parts, and charge me less than I could buy the parts myself. Their labour charges are acceptable and there is certainly no padding going on.

On one occasion where I did have a problem (newly installed timing belt jumped 2 teeth, causing major power loss and poor performance) the independent workshop took the car back, replaced all affected parts, and also contacted all other recent timing belt customers and replaced their timing belts too (one other owner had a similar problem, very soon after mine). They also stopped using that supplier for all replacement belts, and moved to a higher end supplier.

tl:dr? Dealer bad, independent workshop slightly dearer, but confidence that work has been done properly.

[93_Clubman]

Yeah, have heard some horror stories, so I always do a visual inspection of areas of vehicle where work has been carried out - not that it will reveal all, but better than taking it on trust.

[Caffeine]

Yeah, have heard some horror stories, so I always do a visual inspection of areas of vehicle where work has been carried out - not that it will reveal all, but better than taking it on trust.

Yeah unfortunately you can't see everything. My 100000km service was done by the dealer, and the 200000km done by the independent workshop. From the condition of some of the parts, it was obvious that they had not been replaced at the 100000km service as they should have been.