I'm now due for the first plug change on my 05 Magnum HEMI.
Local parts stores all told me the plugs were "dealer only."
Dealer wanted $4.99 plus sales tax of 8.5% for 16 plugs = about $86.60. I was able to find some web sites which sell the right Champions for about half that price, plus shipping = about $54.
Bottom line -- don't buy plugs from the dealer, and don't believe the parts dummies who tell you the parts are "dealer only." What they really mean is that they don't stock them.
Dan
Really? How many miles on it? What's the recommended interval to change them?
Don't they come from the factory with platinum plugs that should go for (a really long time). How many miles have you managed to rack up on an 05?
On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 23:07:02 GMT, "Rick Brandt" was heard to say:
Seems to me that most cars made today will go a LONG time between plug changes. Back in '84 when I bought my first (and so far only) new car, I changed the plugs after the first year, as was my habit. During a recall repair visit, I mentioned that I had just changed plugs, and the dealer mechanic asked why. I told him I did it as a matter of routine. His response was that I probably wasted my money, and that I shouldn't change plugs until and unless the car started running poorly. He said that a new car (in 1984) should go nearly
100,000 miles on a single set of plugs.I've verified that now in several cars of mid 80's vintage and newer.
Raymond Sirois Sr. KU2S SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
Almost 30,000 miles on the car. Recommended interval is 30,000, for both "normal" and "heavy" service.
Dan
The new HEMI with multiple displacement system comes with good old copper core plugs. Nearly 30,000 miles so far -- and loved every mile of it. There aren't many cars on the road today which offer 340 HP.
Dan
Dan
OK, I saw your other post regarding the different kind of plugs. I thought everything today would go 100,000.
I bet it is fun indeed. Maybe not so fun pulling into the gas station these days, though, huh?
heres a magnum for ya
Its a multi displacement engine Dan, it gets better fuel mileage than my Durango with a 5.9, Im doing 13mpg and the 5.7 hemi is doing 20+
On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 13:39:22 -0500, Dan was heard to say:
I'll have to bow to your expertise in this matter. Never drove anything with a Hemi in it. I did at one time have a SuperBee with a
383 Magnum in it, but that's another beast altogether...Raymond Sirois Sr. KU2S SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
On my Charger, part of the scheduled maintenance is to check that damn 'cedes transmission fluid every 3000. How do you do that? It even says on the cap covering the missing dipstick, "for dealer use only".
You can either take it to the dealer, or you can buy a dipstick. To get the right dipstick, you need the number that's stamped into the edge of the transmission pan. You can buy one from places like JC Whitney, or from most tool places like Snap-On, who sell tools to transmission repair shops.
I've already had some seals replaced because my transmission was leaking.
Part of the story about "dealer use only" is that Mercedes uses a clear transmission fluid, and they don't want you mixing regular ATF. And the damn thing holds something like 17 quarts of fluid, so it has to leak a lot before it's really low. My buddy at the transmission shop said that all I really need to do is pay attention when I put it in gear when it's cold. If there is any delay going in to gear, it's low. Personally, I think I'm going to invest in a dipstick.
Dan
Good info, thanks.
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