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Date:         Sat, 12 Jun 2004 19:58:03 +0100
Reply-To:     Anthony Polson <acpolson@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Anthony Polson <acpolson@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: vanagon single electrode plugs
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Sorry Bruce,

We will have to disagree.

The Bosch, Beru and NGK multi-electrode plugs have a service life of 20,000 miles. I don't know where you get 100,000 miles from, but here in Europe, no-one in their right mind would wait that long to replace their plugs.

I do high mileages in my vehicles and can assure you that the Bosch and NGK multi-electrode plugs definitely need replacing by 20,000 miles. By then, the electrode gaps are begiining to get noticeably bigger, and poor starting, misfiring and increased fuel consumptionare beginning to show . There is no way those plugs would last 100,000 miles and still work.

Tony

---- Original Message ----- >Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2004 11:54:41 -0500 >From: Bruce Nadig <motorbruce@HOTMAIL.COM> >Subject: Re: vanagon single electrode plugs > >Poor logic. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but this is driven by the >vehicle >manufacturers. I've been in the business, both inside and outside >dealerships, for nearly ten years. > >In any dealership, you have 3 profit centers - vehicle sale, service, and >parts. Most manufacturers (domestic and foreign) have a dedicated regional >parts manager that will visit each dealership on, more or less, a monthly >basis. They meet with dealership's parts manager to review sales totals and >goals. They also review programs to promote additional sales. In some >cases, >parts managers are lavishly rewarded for producing high sales numbers. > >Manufacturers want to sell parts. That is how they make some of their >money. >Dealerships owners, likewise, want to sell parts. I have seen situations >where dealership owners/GMs place tremendous pressure on the parts >department to meet parts sales goals that may or may not (more often not) >be >realistic. Frequently, the pay of the parts department staff is based, in >part, on the total sales volume. > >You are saying that consumers want less frequent maintenance. I suggest you >read the archive and see some of the arguments about oil change intervals. >There is no way around it, oil must be changed every so often. Whether dyno >or synthetic, it has to be changed. There are people on this list >(consumers) that rabidly change their oil more frequently than called for >by >the manufacturer. This isn't just list members either. > >Manufacturers don't care about how often the vehicles come in for service. >In fact, each time a care comes in there is an opportunity for an upsell. >The consumer demand you say is there for less maintenance is actually >manifested elsewhere. People just don't want to have to pay for the >service. >What we are seeing many manufacturers doing now is paying for the required >scheduled maintenance of the car for the first X number of miles and Y >number of years. Service departments love this because they have a customer >locked in for a given time period. In addition, if they do a good job in >building a relationship, that customer will continue to come back after the >free period is over. > >Consumers, or at least the ones that buy the new cars, just don't want the >perceived cost of the service. Thus it is hidden in the selling price of >the >car. > >Go to any new car dealership. Check on the emissions warranty. What do you >see? 100,000 miles. That is why manufacturers are making plugs that last >that long. They have to. Is everything warranted to 100,000 miles? On the >vast majority of cars, the answer is no. However, with emissions components >it is mandated by the government. Manufacturers have strong incentive to >sell parts at retail prices to the general public. This is how they make >their money. > >By the way, it would be very interesting to hear how often Vanagon owners >on >this list change their spark plugs, regardless of what type is used. I'd be >shocked if anyone is waiting to do it every 100,000 miles. > >Cheers, >Bruce >motorbruce


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