plugs and fuel filter on 2.5L? tips?

Howdy,

My heart just about stopped when I priced the 60k mi service at the dealer for my 01 outback wagon.

They want $510 here to replace plugs, fuel filter, oil change (which I do regularly myself), and do inspections on brakes (which I recently replaced), transmission (replace fluid, but only if needed), air filter (which I recently replaced), rotate the tires (I can handle this too).

The service schedule mentions two other items the dealer didn't mention-- replace brake fluid (i have an idea of what's involved here) coolant (does the dealer do any more than drain and refill?)

...which I assume they'd also do, and maybe the guy on teh phone was just rushed to make a service appointment.

Plugs I started to look at on this, and grabbed some NGK's from the parts stores (NGK V-power's) but some of those areas are kinda tight so I backed off...until I got this price today(!). Any tricks or tools to it to make it easier? Looks like removing the washer fluid reservoir would make the drivers side job easier, but how do those hoses come off--just clamp and yank and try to minimize spillage? And there's some black housing thing on the passenger side of a similar size to the washer reservoir (what is this?) that looks removeable to make getting to those two easier? Confirm or deny?

Fuel filter...never changed one of those before--any DIYers offer the nickel tour? Where is it for one? How do you minimize fuel spillage? Is it tough?

Is it worth taking tour of the service manual on these procedures? Am I better off just coughing up the $510?

Thanks again to all who've been down this road before for taking the time to share the info.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.