I needed to get my 30,000 mile scheduled service and called the dealer to get a price. It was going to be $780.00. The transmission service alone was goiung to be $320.00 not the $99.00 they had sent me a coupon for service. Contacted an independent and they wanted $344.00 for the 30,000 mile warranty. Anyone seen this kind of price descrepancy before?

 

Well, the dealership where I come from charges $350 for a 30,000 service. Includes:
Change oil/filter
Install MOC Oil Conditioner
Perform MOC Fuel System Cleaning Service
Perform MOC Decarbonization Service
Service front and rear brakes
Replace air filter
Perform 14 point inspection
Wash exterior of vehicle
Test battery
Check washer fluid & adjust
Reset life indicator
Road test vehicle
Replace cabin air filter (if equipped)
Rotate tires
Inspect: Tire pressure, Coolant hoses & clamps, exhaust system & hangers, suspension components, exterior lights, tire condition, belts, drivetrain, HVAC system, windhsield washer, fluid level, brake fluid, steering equipment, battery terminals.
Lube as required: hingers, locks.

That dealership chargers $150 for a MOC Automatic Tranny Flush Service, and $200 with filter replacement. (Synthetic extra)

My $0.02 - Change the oil yourself, run some SeaFoam engine treatment (to decarbonize it), replace your own air filter, wash your own car, check your own fluids, rotate your own tires, walk around your own car to make sure the lights still work, and you can take if to a shop to get the tranny fluid AND FILTER replaced, and save ... over $600 from the dealer, or somewheres about $200 from the independent shop.
Plus, you'll know the job was done right, and not by some punk-*** 18 year old kid. (All the while, this is coming from a 19 year old)

 

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I have 32000 miles on my durango. I took my truck into a local shop for service as I refuse to pay the dealer for it. The local shop said at 30000 I only needed an oil change, tire rotation, and a check of all my fluids, and to change some If needed.. it cost me $30... I do need to get my spark plugs changed... and that's about $200 they said.

 

OMFG! $200 for plugs wow I hope you know how to do that. I think they must be trying to get you on that. Are they gonna replace the wires cap and rotor or just the plugs? I did my plugs a few weeks back myself and it only took me 30 min.

 

Haha... yea. I have this funny ability to make an all day event out of any maintenance task.
When I drained and refilled my rear diff. I overtorqued the bottom most bolt., and broke part of the threaded part off flush. That was fun to correct, let me tell you.
When I was doing a tune up, I broke one of the screws that hold the distrbutor cap onto the housing. Had to take the whole distrbutor and shaft off (which was easy) and easy-out the screw. (None-the-less I made damn sure I didn't over-tighten them screws in!) (I blame the idiot that did the tune-up the truck had before I bought it, because I thought I was gonna break 2 of the spark plugs off, they were so hard to get out! Someone didn't put anti-seize on the threads.)
And than there was my ordeal with when I was doing (trying to, at least) a tire rotation, and the last time the lugs were tightened with a impact wrench. (Yea, the lugs stripped right off, had to torch the wheel studs off! At least, after b!tching enough, the dealer I bought my wonderful truck from re-imbursed me) No impact wrench will come into contact with my truck again. (Well, of course not, no-one is allowed to work on my truck but me, and I don't own an impact wrench)
... Anyways, yea. With the prices some of these places are charging for, esentially, a baisc tune up, they better be including a free steak dinner or something.

 

Replacing plugs on a hemi is very laborous. Remember there is a high and low plug for each cylindar totaling 16 plugs. Plus last time I checked there are not many choices of plugs that will work in the hemi. Just stick with the OEM plugs and they will be your best bet. In my 04 it will require taking off most of the air intake to be able to reach the plugs on the left side of the engine and just a long reach for the back right.

 

If you have a gapping tool, socket set (with small & large extension & angle joints) and & the correct sized plug socket, you could do this or give somebody reasonably handy a case of beer to knock this out in an hour or so if they drink all the beer while doing it. On my 99, 5.9 with AC, a couple of plugs were in tight places so it took like an hour & a half with about every socket extension & angle joint imagineable. Having somebody with small hands available might be necessary for the more crowded plug areas.

Also, I thought the OEM plugs were good for 50 to 75K miles. That's mine but I don't know about yours. At 32K mine just needed regapped & as long as you use a boot puller to remove the wires & don't damage them, the wires should be fine too. A torque wrench should be used when installing plugs especially if its inch pounds as opposed to foot pounds. I don't know the torque values on yours but you can strip the plug holes out pretty easy dependin on design. Get a $12 Haynes manual for the torque & simple instructions on most routine maintenance. Keep it for future projects.

Example of a bad experience: Let's say the torque is 60 inch pounds. That's 5 foot pound (which a ft pound torqe wrench can't even accurately apply). Somebody applying 60 foot pounds (because they think it's the same) would be applying 12 times the amount of torque needed & would strip the plug mount.

If the torque is in inch pounds, one of those cheap inch pound wrenches from autozone that works from a dial should be okay. It's not like the plugs are moving parts. Again: do not over-torque because then the plugs can strip & have to have a helicoil installed & it has to be perfect or your plug(s) won't be firing at the right time. If a person doesn't appear to understand torque, don't use them.

Also, if after the job is done, your vehicle misses & runs horribly, they probably put the wires on the wrong plug or internally broke a plug wire by not removing it with a boot puller. Boot pullers are a cheap investment. Anybody who just grabs the plug wires by the thin wire part & yanks is a gorrilla & should not work with any tools smaller than a jack hammer. Plug boot lubricant should be used for future easy removal. If you buy the manual, open it in the store, all the steps & accessory items you might need should be in there.

Good luck & shop around for the best price if you pay somebody. Ask for your old plugs if you are going to replace them. Autozones SUV plugs worked great on mine & I thought I noticed a slight power increase. Most people just go with original equipment which should also be available at Autozone or other local parts store. Dealerships always over charge. I stay away from platinums that you don't gap as they have caused problems in some of my friends vehicles. Had to be removed & replaced with conventionals after a couple of months. Ran fine at first.