I was just wondering how hard it is to change the spark plugs on the 6 cylinder Sonata? The dealer quoted me an outrageous price and I was thinking of just having my local mechanic doing it. I know some cars can be quite difficult. I've heard stories about having to remove motor mounts to get to the plugs. Any major difficulties on this 2004 Sonata? TYIA.....
Brian
I did it on a 2003 Soanata V6 and its not too terrbly dificult. Certainly something any local mechanic could do. There are tutorials on the web complete wth photos if you wanted to try it yourself.
I took it to the dealer for an oil change and was talking to the service rep about upcoming maintenance. He was telling me the price for the upcoming timing belt, which I knew about. He then said the plugs would be $225.00, which I thought was totally outrageous. He told me it was very labor intensive but they're the same dealer that tried to charge me well over $1200.00 for new brakes and rotors. They said that was labor intensive too but my local mechanic did the job for under $600.00. I just wonder what the real time hours are to see if the dealer is padding it too much.
After all that you still went back to the dealer? Shame on you.
Nothing major, but you'll need to remove the intake plenum. Whether this is hard for you depends on your level of experience.
If you have someone else do it, make sure you take it to a reputable mechanic. I've seen far too many that didn't have stuff properly bolted back up to the rear of the plenum.
Actually, $225 doesn't sound too bad, I had independent garages quote me over $300.
$1200 for brakes and rotors? Were they Brembos?
I just had the timing belt done on my wife's Infiniti J30- $930 which included water pump and tb tensioner. Not bad for an Infiniti dealership.
My Hyundai dealer knows that I used to wrench and I make it a point to let them exactly what I want. Next up- tranny flush, only because of the heat out here in AZ. Quoted price- $170
Steve in AZ
TY. Do you have a link to an online manual? I would like to show it to my mechanic so he knows what he's in for. I talked to him yesterday and he told me to go ahead and buy dealer plugs if I wanted them. I really don't want to void the warranty so I use stock parts whenever I can. Again, TY for taking the time to help everyone out.
Brian
"My Hyundai dealer knows that I used to wrench and I make it a point to let them exactly what I want. Next up- tranny flush, only because of the heat out here in AZ. Quoted price- $170 "
That one is actually pretty easy to do yourself. Did on a '99 Sonata a while back, took about an hour. Just pull the lines to the oil cooler in the radiator and start the engine. When the fluid stops coming out hook the lines back up and refill the transaxle.
Just make sure you get the fluid from the dealer....
Chris
I would find a new dealer, in my opinion $1200 for brakes and rotors is a complete and utter rip-off. Hell I don't even think the local "Brake Masters/Brakes Plus/We-Rip-U-Off Brakes" places would charge that much for a brake job. See below for a similar situation.....
Chris
You or your mechanic can register for an account at
You ran the Trans. until it was dry of fluid ??!!! Ummm... doesnt sound like a good idea to me.
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