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Re: [Spridgets] No LBC - Honda Dealer Service Ripoff

To: Billy Zoom <billyzoom@billyzoom.com>
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] No LBC - Honda Dealer Service Ripoff
From: "rrengineer @dslextreme.com" <rrengineer@dslextreme.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 22:49:58 -0700
The plugs for the 2004 Honda Accord are NGK Laser Iridium (I don't know why
they are called Laser Iridium) and cost $9.99 each at Pep Boys.  I found
them on line at 36 bucks for all four needed for my Accord engine.  I just
changed the plugs (also Iridium, but a cheaper NGK version) on the 2004
Civic (also needs the 100K service) I drive at the other end (Barstow) of my
railroad run.  The Accord goes back and forth from San Bernardino to Los
Angeles and the Civic runs from between San Bernardino and Barstow.  I go
home on both ends of the run.  Some guys stay in the Super 8 motel provided
by the railroad in Barstow at that end of the run.  I prefer to stay home on
both ends.(I live right in the middle)  Besides, the railroad pays me about
40 bucks instead of the motel stay which easily pays for the Civic.  Anyway,
I digress.  The plug change for the Civic was easy.  Just had to figure out
where they were hiding them.  I had to remove a rectangular plastic cover,
then four acorn nuts that hold down the combination coil/plug wire end that
goes down a deep hole to the spark plug.  You have to unplug a connector
from the coil to pull this arrangement out and put a spark plug socket on an
extension and socket wrench to swap out plugs.  They came out rather easily
considering they looked to be the OEM Denso plugs probably from the
factory.  The fine wire iridium center electrode was somewhat eroded and
there was a brown coating starting to creep up the ceramic insulator where
it meets the metal hex part of the plug.  In other words, they looked like
they may have been in there the whole 118,000 miles.  Even though they did
come out with no problems, I put a little anti-seize on the threads before
installing them.  Put it all back together and it started right up.  I know
I could probably do the 100,000 mile service myself, I just don't have the
time.  I can actually save money by paying the labor cost at the dealer for
all the other things they did to my Accord.  If I take a day off from the
railroad to do it myself, it would cost $40-50 bucks for the fluids, at
least $20 more in filters.  I would lose a days work ($300-$400)  I would
have to make a trip to the recycling place to dump the old chemicals (gas
money).  All told it would cost me at least $400 to do it myself, maybe
more.  The Honda dealer I go to gives credit for past service you have done
at their dealership.  The Accord was supposed to cost $299 for the 100K
service.  Due to credits, it was only $215.  I was told the Civic would be
similar.  I paid $34 with tax for the Civic's plugs and the service will be
about $225 for a total of $259.  Quite a savings off $400+ if I did it
myself.  Besides, my back doesn't hurt when they do it.
Mike MacLean
60 Sprite
56 BN2

On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 10:16 PM, Billy Zoom <billyzoom@billyzoom.com> wrote:

> Hondas will run forever...provided you never let the dealer touch it.
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