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Date:         Sat, 12 Jun 2004 17:29:57 -0700
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA>
Subject:      Re: vanagon single electrode plugs
In-Reply-To:  <000301c450c3$5424d000$c55f480c@home>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

I've been using single electrode Bosch platinum for about 8 years now (since we bought the van), which is about 65k kms of driving. The engine now has 225k kms on a VW rebuild. I've looked at them a few times, and they seem fine, and the van runs well, so I've left them alone. The next time I plan to change them is when I install glow plugs (along with a diesel engine... ;-)

On 12 Jun 2004 at 14:22, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> wrote:

> Sorry Tony, but mine have - well over 100,000 miles. And when we > replaced them with new, there was no noticeable difference in fuel > economy or drivability. That's one of the reasons I swear by the > tri-tip plugs, which, incidentally are the plugs VW specifies for my '85 > Westy. > > Karl Wolz > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf > Of Anthony Polson > Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 11:58 AM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: vanagon single electrode plugs > > 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 >

-- Shawn Wright http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright ~This message sent by Pegasus Mail, the safe E-Mail alternative~ "Friends don't let friends use Outlook"


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