New member-need tune up info
 

I'm new to the Dodge Forum. My ex is a mechanic & always took care of vehicle, Now, it is mine, YAY, it is a 2002 Dodge Durango V8-287 4.7L SOHC and it only has 68,000 miles n it. I need to do some maintenance, oil change, tune-up, etc. I am getting different information as to what consist of a tune up. One shop tells me $300.00 for tune up and another quoted a price of $1,350.00. Yes, I'm a girl & do not know much about this stuff. I just do not want to g to a shop blind & taken advantage off. Thanks, in advance, for your help.

Do you have an owners manual? I highly suggest picking one up. Probably eBay. That will list the manufacturers recommended maintenance and intervals. Shops will ALWAYS try to sell you unneeded services. Armed with the manufacturers recommendations, you have the upper hand on what needs to be done. Welcome to the forum.

The shop that quoted you 1350? Never go back there. They are trying to rape you.

300 bucks actually seems reasonable..... on yours, I think I tune-up consists of spark plugs, PCV valve, (if there even is one on the 4.7?) and an air filter..... Parts are cheap. Labor is not. I don't recall if yours has 8, or 16 spark plugs.... Are you mechanically inclined at all? You could likely do it yourself in a few hours, and save yourself some money.

2002 will have 8 plugs.

And that makes the 1350 even MORE outrageous. :D

Thanks jkeaton for your response. I'll hit e-bay, but for now I'm going to try to find manual through Google. Have a good one!

HeyYou,

I may not know about engines, etc. on a vehicle...but know when I'm getting screwed. I'm doing my research & even talked to my mechanic, who I've known for years, about what a tune up consist of. They have always looked out after me, but my ex-jerk husband is a mechanic & always did any work. Thanks for replying & have a good one!

Hey jkeaton,

I haven't looked at the link you gave me for the manual - THANK YOU by the way. My mechanic is saying it has 16 spark plugs & 8 coils.
16 sure sounds like a lot. However, I only have 68,000 miles on it, so may not have to do much right now.

Yeah, and I don't think I was even getting a kiss!

Interesting. On the Dakota's, the 16 plug version of the 4.7 did not come into play until 2008. My 2005 4.7 only had 8. I've read that the 16 plug engines use a combination of copper core plugs in the normal spot which need to be changed every 30k miles and platinum in the hard to reach spot that need to be changed every 100k. If you really do have 16 plugs, only change the 8 easy ones as you are past due on those. If you only have 8, they need to be changed. I removed the link to the service manual above because it didn't work. Could not find any to download on the ol interweebs. Might have to order yourself one from ebay. I've seen them as low as $8.