36K Tune up--any experiences

[Padre Dave]

Well, I'm at 31K miles and anticipating that 36K "tune-up" with the spark plug change. Has anyone else done this yet? What was the cost? Is this a "dealer only" warranty work deal? Are there any longer lasting plugs for the PT yet? I remember hearing the horror stories when I ordered the car last year but the boards have been silent since then.

I'm happy to report that the car is running great and have not visited the dealer for any warranty work at all. I'm regretting buying the extended warranty because at this rate I'll have my 60K miles in 2 years of a 6 year warranty, but am thankful for a well built car that has been a joy to drive and own.

[PTCruisingPA]

Yikes!!! Your mileage could be a whole lot less if you go directly to your destinations instead of circumventing the globe!!!

At the rate I'm going, I'll have the same "check-up" in 2008. I can honestly say that I don't know anyone who's had the work done yet. It looks like you can be our Guinea Pig?!

[Arne]

Just passed the 36,000 mile mark today and had that major tune up done about a month ago just in case they might have found something major about to cut loose. They didn’t find anything. I also haven’t had any warranty work done.

The tune up still cost 400 something bucks though. A lot of it was dealer BS – things like defogging the defragulator and crap like that. But I figured it was worth it this time. I don’t have an extended warranty; they don’t seem to pay off for high mileage guys like us, and I thought not quibbling over an extra couple hundred might encourage the dealer to give it a good look. Besides, if something does go pop a couple of months from now I can always go back to the dealer and say, “Look here, I paid you 400+ bucks to look for stuff like that. How come you didn’t catch it when it would have covered under the warranty?” Not that it would make that much difference, but it would make me feel better.

I don’t know about the spark plugs. I’ve heard that the Bosch platinums were good for 100,000 miles and were relatively safe, but I don’t know for sure. Give it another couple months when more people get close to the 36,000 mi. mark and there will probably be more discussion then.

HI, Im a high milage driver.I have almost 6,000 and will average about 23 to30,000 per year. The dealer wanted too much for the extended warranty. I researched outside warranty companys and went with 1source. I bought this warranty just before I picked up my car(zero miles). It cost me seven hundred and seventy somthing dollars. It s supposed to come extemly close if not mimic the dealers warranty. This was the top warranty level. I think it was the diamond something or another warranty. 5 years 100,000 mile. At the end of the warranty Ihave the option to extend to 50,000 more.

[orocruiser]

Hey, Padre, Bill here. Hate to tell you this, buddy, but your tune-up is due at 30K, not 36K. So, you're already late! Our good friends at Jim Pr, er, Click, will do a package deal for only $600. But you don't need an air filter, the book doesn't call for Transmission Fluid Exchange, Coolant System Service, Fuel Injection Service or Engine Oil Flush. Those items list for about $420, so you should be able to get away for $200 or so, which ain't bad. Let us know how it goes. See you at L.A.'s on the 21st?

[Padre Dave]

I got through it for $245. I waived the Lube/Oil change since I was current, waived the rotate and balance of the tires since mine are custom (and I don't trust the dealer with them), fell for the coolant service and transmission service, have my own air cleaner set-up, so I got 4 new plugs and some optional services for my $$$. At least I have an invoice for warranty evidence, but now realize that my neighborhood mechanic could have saved me lots for the same work. Such is the system, I reckon!

[PTCruisingPA]

Thanks Dave. You live... you learn. I went through the service log right after I read the post last time, and saw that 90% of the stuff is servicable through the local garage. I'm just glad that nothing computerish was wrong. But then, with your "connections", Chrysler had better have gotten yours right!!!