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Hello everyone ! So I know nothing about cars. While driving to work , my car started shaking and the check engine light came on and was flashing. After work I got it towed to a mechanic who said it would be $1,500 for 4 ignition coils and 4 spark plugs to be replaced. I just feel like this is so much money. They must charge a lot for labor. How can I make sure this is an accurate quote/estimate ? I have a 2010 nissan sentra with 180,000 miles.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Your coil packs can be found at Amazon 4 under $50/set of 4, or as much as $70 apiece at a dealership, and plugs are cheap, maybe $20/set. Based on the time involved, unless there is something particularly trick about that car, I would say that's about 3 times what it should cost. I would call around, it's a straightforward job and you should be given costs without seeing it in person. Of course, that is if your mechanic did diagnose the problem correctly.
Changing plugs on this engine is not for most DIYer's. There's a lot that has to come off and then be put back on. It's not a direct remove and install. The price of $1500. is so far out in left field that it's pure BS. You're looking at about $350 labor. Using Nissan parts, IF parts required, COPs and plugs will be another $300.00. I'd be real careful when it comes to COPs. Most commonly the after market units don't last long and you'll be right back at the shop getting the right parts. For this reason, I'd strongly suggest Denso COPs as Denso is the COPs supplier to Nissan for a 2010 Nissan 2.5 4 cylinder. You can buy Denso for about 55 bucks each. FWIW, the COPs have to come off of the plug to change the spark plugs. There's really NO extra labor involved in replacing the COPs with new ones. A good shop is going to charge you for replacing the spark plugs in regards to labor. A crappy shop will charge labor for the plugs and then charge again for the COPs. Most shops use manual labor rates and don't charge for actual time to do the job. A shop that charges you twice to do the same work doesn't have a clue and you need to avoid those. I'd get estimates from ASE shops, preferably independent shops, not chains like Firestone or Pep Boys, etc.
Hello everyone ! So I know nothing about cars. While driving to work , my car started shaking and the check engine light came on and was flashing. After work I got it towed to a mechanic who said it would be $1,500 for 4 ignition coils and 4 spark plugs to be replaced. I just feel like this is so much money. They must charge a lot for labor. How can I make sure this is an accurate quote/estimate ? I have a 2010 nissan sentra with 180,000 miles.
Welcome to the forum safiyyahmuh
Great advice has been posted, My advise would be either research automotive maintenance
or upgrade your vehicle
In the real world 180k on a 2010 Sentra is ' Nickle & Dime ' time, meaning for what
you have to put into it you'll never get back
Hello everyone ! So I know nothing about cars. While driving to work , my car started shaking and the check engine light came on and was flashing. After work I got it towed to a mechanic who said it would be $1,500 for 4 ignition coils and 4 spark plugs to be replaced. I just feel like this is so much money. They must charge a lot for labor. How can I make sure this is an accurate quote/estimate ? I have a 2010 nissan sentra with 180,000 miles.
Some people simply are clueless when it comes to things mechanical. If that is you, you need to find a mechanic you can trust and, when he tells you something, go with it and have the car fixed. That rate might seem high to some, so get a second quote, then you will know.
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