Tune-up Cost - Buyer Experiences and Price Information

just wanted you do-it-yourself people to know that as a mechanic,doing a tune-up can cost you very much for repairs if its not done correct. for example; on a 2004-o8 f150 the spark plugs are known to break in the head and the repairs could cost as much as $4000. to repair. all spark plugs can be cross threaded very easy,changing the wires can also be crossed easy,and parts you really didn't need can get broken in the process. the cost you are out for a shop to do your repairs might seem high but they know what they are doing and it will be done correctly. i get autos in all the time from people that have tried the simple repairs and failed. results in costing much more to get it done correct. we have been hands on trained or ASE certified to preform whatever it takes and paid the high cost for tools needed. newer autos in most cases have to be run on a computer to track down the problem. its not all that easy to work on todays autos. compaired to a doctor or lawer cost,auto repairs are sooooo cheep,and they never break a sweet,rip their skin and bleed for you,nor will they get greese and grime on their clothes. they are paid far more than a mechanic for just a mere talking session than most normal tune-ups. if your willing to get dirty,bring blood,ruin your clothes, or break something you shouldn't have, feel free to take my job. for all the rest of you making some $100000. a year or even more, take a long look at us mechanics making much less and doing a very hard job to keep you on the roads. i get $40. a hour to check your auto, find the problem,repair them at the cost of the parts, and stand behind my work 100%. make sure you have priced everything you need to work on a auto before you take on the job we are trained to do and have already paid the high cost for tools needed. have a blessed day! Ted.

Tune up 140 dollars
Ignition wires 125 dollars
Fuel injection 70 dollars

2001 Ford Windstar Sport minivan...Engine light on, van shaking and hesitating. Service center did diagnostic with 3 error points. They said the spark plugs were never changed. They suggested a complete tune-up. *sigh of relief* Ford minivans are known to have transmission problems and I was relieved it was not that. I was happy to hear it cost under 500.00. Part, labour and tax!

Was shopping around for the best price but everywhere I go it seems kind of expensive until I finally just decided to do it, since my truck really needs it, so after checking out some of the other prices you guys have posted here I guess I feel like I'm paying a reasonable price

I just want every non-mechanic person to know that you dont need a degree to work on a "new" car."New" car,"old" car-it's all the same, ladies and gentlemen- style's have changed alot but engine technology has not. Anyways, this lady called me and said she wanted her plugs changed,(she had an 10' Jeep liberty)- but then she decided to question me,did i have a degree? No,I said- thats why i charge so cheap and realistically($30 for 6cyl.engine). She said "oh i probably dont need someone like you to work on my car". and hung up. How rude. what a dumbass. why would you need your plugs replaced after only bout 1 year(plugs are good for bout 100k. She probably took it somewhere else and got ripped off ooohhhh say bout $200+. That's what she gets. I have no problem doing the job right in front of you. That way you see that the job is actually getting done. Well anyways I want to tell everyone out there- trust that guy that charges cheap and has no degree- cause you dont know where or who he acquired his skills from. By the way Im a lead technician at a shop getting $20 an hour, without a degree. You think they'd pay that much if i didnt know what i was doing. Didnt think so.

Paying RETAIL for materials, and doing the labor yourself, you can do the following for about $50.
Replace Engine Oil and Filter
Rotate Tires
Replace Sparkplugs
Replace Air Filter
Top off fluids
You may spend up to about $100 for tools and equipment to be able to do this yourself, but most of the tools you already have like screwdriver and socket wrench, tire iron, etc. A set of carbon ramps, maybe an oil filter wrench (although I've found I can usually budge it by hand).
All of these fixes are very simple to do, and several places have free oil recycling, so don't let anyone charge you a hazardous waste disposal fee.
Don't think you have to replace the wires every time you replace the plugs - you just don't. Think about it, how often do you replace the power cord to any of your appliances? The wireset is almost always the most expensive part of a tune-up (excluding transmission), and the only reason it wears out is from environment, not from use. Just check the insulation on the wires, if its good and the engine fires normally, the wires are fine.
A 30K service interval should also include a brake inspection, and a lot of places will do that for free.
Learn to do it yourself and save time, money and peace of mind - you'll know it was done by someone you trust.

I went into a local shop and the guy made me a great deal he fixed all of this stuff for only $65.00! I stayed there and talked too him while he was doing the work. He gave me a major discount all he wanted in return was one date nothing more! Hey how bad could it be too spend a couple hours with this guy for a major discount its not like I wouldn't of went if I didnt get the discount, Went on date and long story short the date went great we are not engaged and all my repairs are FREE! LOL
New fan belt,6 spark plugs, Spark plug wires
New Air filter

This also included replacing a coil. I may have been able to get it done cheaper but I didn't have the time to try to find a better price and had already waited 'til it was almost too late.

Maybe my car is so old that it's easier to get to the guts, but it only took an hour. Basic tune-up with platinum plugs, filters, blah blah blah. no oil change.

I was later told by a friend of mine that I could have found a better deal for about $90.00 less =(

Includes: change of oil, air filter, spark plugs, spark plug wires, pvc- valve, fuel filter, transmission flush, replace the gasket, filter, and transmission oil.

From what I was told I thought this was reasonable but now im not sure

Spent most of the money on tools that I didn't have...spark plugs came to about $25. Couldn't have been easier to replace these. I have gotten ripped off before for a tune-up...never again! Car runs great now with the new plugs!

Spark Plugs(6) and (6)wires
no filter, nothing else, just labor

I was in waiting area of office for at least 5 or 6 hours, however I am sure they were not working on my car the whole time.

wires, fuel filter and plugs included

My car needed a tuneup, and I was quoted $320 by a guy I usually get my car worked on when needed. I think he's maybe in the mid-range on pricing on most things, but I think he's reliable and does good work. Also said needed EGR valve work and I'd save $100 getting it done now, since he'll already have removed things to get to it. So, total cost: $520. REALLY didn't want to spend that money, but it's a 2001 and my job depends on travel, so I need it done.

Shop claims that six spark plugs, rotor, plug wires and labor to get to rear plugs is what makes this expensive. Does not include fuel filter, air filter. I think it's way over the top.

I just received a quote for a tune up that includes belts, fluids, oil change, rotate and balance all four tires for lifetime.

NTB is the company I received the quote from

Spark plugs performance air filter and distribiter cap wires and fuel injector cleaner

My car wasn't firing correctly and sounded like it was going to stall out.

Shop changed my spark plugs and some of my plugs and wires (I believe 2 of the 6). Was done while I wait and didn't take that long.

Wow everyone on this site has over payed quite a bit. I'm no mechanicbut I was quoted ~250 for a "tune up" and decided to google how to change sparks plugs. It's quite easy, and I suggest anyone to try it themselves. Just google instructions for your car. Total parts cost $35 and the work was much much easier than putting a desk together, for example. Next I'm going to change the oil myself. Also air filter change is a HUGE joke.

Vehicle is loosing and gaining power. Had a mobile mechanic look at it and checked codes. He stated it was a misfire code and he checked out the plugs and said they were bad. If I pay for plugs and wires he'll change for $100. Has to take part of the engine off to get to 3 of the plugs and wires. Is this a good price or should he be doing more for that. NO replacing of fluid, or belts at least he didn't state he would. Just replacing plugs and wires.

I recently done a job for a coworker. Drives a VW and the dealer ship wanted about $800 which include:cleaning throttle body, plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor button, fuel filter, air filter, cabin filter, and oil change, also check engine light that could not be fixed. I took on the job and had all of this done drove his car back 12 miles within 3 hours. I even took the manifold off to c/out plugs. He paid $134 parts and $150 for labor and check engine light fixed, which I was gonna do this for cheap, but he insisted and knew I did not rip him off. Its very easy to do, don't let all those components scare you. Buy yourself the basic tools $30 worth and it will be easier than you thought. Everything is a turn of a wrench and watching. Trust yourself before you trust someone else. I repair all my vehicles if I have the equipment, never went to college for auto, just picked it up watching videos on youtube and other forums. If your car is telling you something. Goggle (why is my car making this noise or why is ????? happening or sounding like this. It's all there, just look and you'll see. Keep in mind I work for Bosch and most of the oxygen sensors are the same and can be used in many different cars. they differ in color and length. We make ford $100+ that fit VW $140+ or GM $70+ but they are the same.

This cost was at Super Lube Super Service Center, in Tallahassee, FL, and was JUST for the diagnosis (supposedly w/ a 10% discount because I'm a AAA member). The QOUTE for the tune-up... he said it would take $366.00 to get me back on the road...I called AAA and had her hauled to my regular mechanic who is now trying to figure out what is really wrong...new spark plug has not caused the cylinder to fire. I KNOW I was ripped off, even the $88.00. They even included a "hazardous waste removal" charge, despite the fact that nothing was removed. Cheaters!

In addition to a tune up, I had a new fan belt installed.
New fan belt - $71.55
6 spark plugs - $81.84
Spark plug wires - $136.50
Tune up and labor - $220.00
New Air filter - 24.86
Tax - $42.78

Standard tune up includes:
Spark plugs - $15
Air filter - $20
Oil/filter change - $30
Seafoam through PCV Valve - $2

That's all you need to do preventivly, for a 50k mile tune-up. Don't fix anything unless it's broken. Do it yourself!!

Spark plugs, air filter, oil change, radiator fluid, transmission and brake fluid, windshieldwiper fluid and engine was washed. Was this post helpful?

complete 60,000 mile at my local mechanic.

Four platium spark plugs along with the wire boots, replacing a fuse for my cigarette lighter, and the charge to diagnose the problem.

I thought the price was a little too much but from the post here, I guess it's about average.

Plugs, wires + cap rotor .