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Tune up for a 2007 $900. in dallas, Too Expensive, DIY?

Old Jun 21, 2010 | 09:33 AM
  #1  
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Tune up for a 2007 $900. in dallas, Too Expensive, DIY?

I was quoted $900.00 for a tune up from the dealer in Dallas.
I'm like Woa!!.
Is there a more reasonable alternative for a Tune up In the dallas area?
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 09:41 AM
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Yeah thats insane. You can do the work yourself if you think your up to the task. Will cost you about $300 for Ignition Coils, Spark Plugs, and wires. About 2 hours of your day.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 09:42 AM
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Whats on the list of things to have "tuned"? Thats quite expensive.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 09:48 AM
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I bet it has some like 1385770 points inspection!!!!!

Well seriously. 900 bux is overkill.

500 is more reasonable

Last edited by nycgps; Jun 21, 2010 at 09:51 AM.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 10:03 AM
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Tune up includes
plugs
air filter
cabin filter
coolant service
brake/trans/differentation/oil change
check belt
they said about 5hours@ @885
I'm like dude that's a rip off
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 10:11 AM
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DIY!!!!! Very easy....
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 10:13 AM
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You would be correct that is a rip off. Most of that stuff is super easy to do, if you are mechanically inclined. If not, take it to another shop that you trust, nothing on that list is rotorary specific so no need to go to the stealership. I sure there is a locall import tuning shop that would do it for around 500.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 12:48 PM
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Plugs and an air filter for 900 bucks.

I can fly there and back and still make a big profit.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 01:30 PM
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buy the parts from a vendor on here and then post in your local forum to see if there's anyone who can help you out. some pizza and beer should get some people to help you out, and then you'll have the knowledge to do it in the future and some new friends.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 01:32 PM
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All that work actualy adds up and gets expensive but can alsobe done for less or DIY.

Never done my cabin air filter but its easy to do.

Air filter is peace of cake, 10 minutes.

I flush my brake fluid every time I change my brakes for a track day, super easy.

Radiator drain and refill including the block takes an hour, if they use a flush machine its easy to do $100 at most shops.

I replaced my plugs and changed the engine/dif/trans oil on saturday in 2 hours, that included messing around with a bad gear oil pump and making sure I got all possible oil out of the engine.

I wouldnt replace the stock coils unless they are bad, you are going on a long trip or you are upgrading to the BHR kit (which I recommend $560 with oem plugs). And why are they not recommending the wires? Coils and wires take maybe 30-45 minutes.

If someone was local to me, I could buy all the parts and do all the work with BHR coils/wires redline gear oil for $800-$850 maybe less.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 02:54 PM
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OMG does that come with a bottle of KY Gel? Geeze.

http://www.oreillyauto.com has lifetime on coils. Keep the paperz.
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Old Jun 21, 2010 | 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by VashGS
OMG does that come with a bottle of KY Gel? Geeze.

http://www.oreillyauto.com has lifetime on coils. Keep the paperz.
OE coils are not very good to begin with, aftermarket OE style coils are probably even worse. Yes life life warrenty but I dont want a life time of crap parts. Not worth the time.

All the stuff the dealer suggested adds up. You figure $100 for the plugs, $160 for the coils. Add another $50 for wires. $20 for a cabin air filter, $30 for a regular air filter. Coolant, brake fluid,gear oil, regular oil and filter adds another $100 in parts. So you are looking at 400-$450 in parts alone. Yes the dealer is charging you 5.5 hours labor to do all this and it shouldnt take that long and its not that hard. But you can see how and why it gets expensive.

Alternative is to DIY or find someone who will. If I had to do all this I would go redline gear oils, BHR LS1 coils and wires and K&N Drop in filter. Cost in parts would be in the $700-$750 range with the cabin air filter and fluids. Give a friend $100 and you come out a little cheeper and with much better products.

Also, how many miles and how hard to you drive the vehicle? You may not even need the trans/diff/brake/coolant changed.

Last edited by Highway8; Jun 21, 2010 at 03:36 PM.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 12:22 AM
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I have about 85,000 Miles.
I drive about 150-200 miles a day.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 01:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Dirt_Nasty
You would be correct that is a rip off. Most of that stuff is super easy to do, if you are mechanically inclined. If not, take it to another shop that you trust, nothing on that list is rotorary specific so no need to go to the stealership. I sure there is a locall import tuning shop that would do it for around 500.
All of that stuff is super easy to do. Even someone who's not mechanically inclined can do it with proper instruction!
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 01:26 AM
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Originally Posted by RX8Lovah
All of that stuff is super easy to do. Even someone who's not mechanically inclined can do it with proper instruction!
And with proper tools.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 01:52 AM
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Originally Posted by yulandop
Tune up includes
plugs
air filter
cabin filter
coolant service
brake/trans/differentation/oil change
check belt
they said about 5hours@ @885
I'm like dude that's a rip off
I knew the list wouldn't even include ignition coils or plug wires.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 10:12 AM
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wow - that is a lot of miles for an '07 and if you haven't done any of this before, it's a very good time to do it. as i said before, hook up with some locals and have them talk to you about general maintenance and then buy the parts from a vendor to replace. if you really don't want to do it yourself, you can either pay one of them some money for their time or go to a shop. you'll definitely want to consider getting some coils too if you're already at 85K miles.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 01:22 PM
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I bet he has the quote wrong.

I have never seen a dealer change brake fluid, transmission oil rear differantial.

All they do is check it and fill it up if needed.

Show me in writing where they offer this.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 01:54 PM
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i went to a dealer that changed my trans and rear diff fluid. i even provided them with the fluid so that i knew what type was going in and they were kind enough to let me watch the process. of course, this dealer is a little further from me than my local one but is much better and worth the 40 minute drive.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Razz1
I bet he has the quote wrong.

I have never seen a dealer change brake fluid, transmission oil rear differantial.

All they do is check it and fill it up if needed.

Show me in writing where they offer this.

Just so you know Razz, this is true. I have had my 04 and about to have my 07 serviced and the 35k and the 60k service is Rear Diff, Gear Box, Coolant and Brake fluid replacement. On the 35k they also change the cabin and air filters. This is done here in South FL for $485 at Gunther Mazda. The 60k one does the same and changes the plugs and wires for $695. This does not include the coils. Trust me i know. SO the original of $900 .that yulandop stated.. I can believe it.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 04:36 PM
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The economy sucks.

I hired a guy (ASE licensed mechanic out of work) who is super intelligent and skilled and knows his way around rotary motors to tune up my car for less than $200, including plugs, new brake fluid, new transmission oil, new rear differential fluid and an oil change while he was at it.

Fluids were Redline purchased by me, oil was Castrol GTX and filter was Napa Gold (i.e. Wix Premium).

He had a full set of top quality tools and supplies in his garage.

I did a flush and refill of my coolant with Prestone last year for less than $12, so that was already taken care of, as was the air cabin filter.

The guy did meticulous work and I told him I will get him more work from friends and family.

Within a week, he already had 3 more brake jobs, tune ups and other work from people I know and he thanked me.
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by RotoRocket
The economy sucks.

I hired a guy (ASE licensed mechanic out of work) who is super intelligent and skilled and knows his way around rotary motors to tune up my car for less than $200, including plugs, new brake fluid, new transmission oil, new rear differential fluid and an oil change while he was at it.

Fluids were Redline purchased by me, oil was Castrol GTX and filter was Napa Gold (i.e. Wix Premium).

He had a full set of top quality tools and supplies in his garage.

I did a flush and refill of my coolant with Prestone last year for less than $12, so that was already taken care of, as was the air cabin filter.

The guy did meticulous work and I told him I will get him more work from friends and family.

Within a week, he already had 3 more brake jobs, tune ups and other work from people I know and he thanked me.
what are the odds he's in CT?
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Old Jun 22, 2010 | 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Highway8
OE coils are not very good to begin with, aftermarket OE style coils are probably even worse. Yes life life warrenty but I dont want a life time of crap parts. Not worth the time.

All the stuff the dealer suggested adds up. You figure $100 for the plugs, $160 for the coils. Add another $50 for wires. $20 for a cabin air filter, $30 for a regular air filter. Coolant, brake fluid,gear oil, regular oil and filter adds another $100 in parts. So you are looking at 400-$450 in parts alone. Yes the dealer is charging you 5.5 hours labor to do all this and it shouldnt take that long and its not that hard. But you can see how and why it gets expensive.

Alternative is to DIY or find someone who will. If I had to do all this I would go redline gear oils, BHR LS1 coils and wires and K&N Drop in filter. Cost in parts would be in the $700-$750 range with the cabin air filter and fluids. Give a friend $100 and you come out a little cheeper and with much better products.

Also, how many miles and how hard to you drive the vehicle? You may not even need the trans/diff/brake/coolant changed.
The coils from there are fine. If the guy was looking to save a few bucks he would not ask. Show a scientific test of how these coils burn quicker or else it's just blah. The coils cook up cause of where Mazda put them in a hot location.
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Old Jun 23, 2010 | 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by CTrx8
what are the odds he's in CT?
Michigan.

But I've had members here, as cool a group as they are, offer to do more involved work for a twelve pack if I brought all the parts over.

I didn't ask if they planned on drinking all the beer before or after doing the work.
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Old Jun 23, 2010 | 10:52 AM
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My aftermarket coils are great.
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