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How much does it cost to get a Tune-up for the maxima?

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Old Jul 28, 2004 | 05:55 PM
  #1  
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How much does it cost to get a Tune-up for the maxima?

I wanna know how much it costs to get a tune-up for the maxima because i just got a tune-up at MAXIMUM TUNING today and they charged me $225. Is that expensive or not? My parents were *****ing at me. They said they could've got it done for $90.


This is what was written on the invoice.

Tune engine. Replace spark plugs,PCV, air filter. Lube oil filter, check and adjust all fluids and tire pressures. Belt replacement needed.


He said my belts were dry and looks cracked so it needs to be replaced but that's an extra $90. Since i didnt have an extra $90, i didn't do the belt replacement.

Well i did this tune-up because my car was getting really bad gas mileage(only does 180 miles per tank) and i thought this would help get better gas mileage.
Old Jul 28, 2004 | 06:02 PM
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well different places charge different prices for their labor.

i'm unsure what "tune engine" means. But it seems you did get charged alot considering you only got a few items replaced such as air filter, oil change, spark plugs, etc. You also could have checked fluids and tire pressure yourself.

You probably could have gotten it done at the dealer for $75 without the spark plugs and PCV and everyone knows they charge way to much
Old Jul 28, 2004 | 06:19 PM
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seems like you did overpay. If whatever is written there all they changed/did, I say you overpaid a lot. Most of those things you could even do yourself... I mean, tire pressure?
Old Jul 28, 2004 | 06:23 PM
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you can buy some tire caps that shows pressure...what spark plugs they put on? i think iridium is newest and best?
Old Jul 28, 2004 | 06:34 PM
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Man, for the price he was charged I hope those plugs were iridium...Yikes!
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 08:11 AM
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all the stuff u had done u could have done it yourself and save on labor...but oh well hope everything works out..
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 08:24 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Bl_asd
you can buy some tire caps that shows pressure...what spark plugs they put on? i think iridium is newest and best?
Irodium is not too good on the maxima, it is what I am using. They are meant to work in higher temperature and are said to be "running cold" in my engine.
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Gennady7
Irodium is not too good on the maxima, it is what I am using. They are meant to work in higher temperature and are said to be "running cold" in my engine.
higher tempeture? you mean engine or enviroment? i live in fl....90F here.. but do they burn well? better than those nickle or copper?
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 01:28 PM
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Higher internal combustion temp is what is being refered to.

Oil change figure $35 including labor
air filter figure $25 (no labor to changing the air filter)
Figure maybe between $20 - 60 for the plugs & $5 for the PCV

& the rest was labor.
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 01:56 PM
  #10  
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poor you..got ripped off so badly.......
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 02:00 PM
  #11  
scopium
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if u get your owners manual
you can see that you can do your own tune up if u have enough knowledge of where everthing is..

do your own oil change.. , change air filter...

all together 100 bucks to change everything
spark plugs is a ***** to change but doable
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 02:40 PM
  #12  
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Spark plugs you can pay to have changed every 100K miles.
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 02:42 PM
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you could have done all that yourself for like $50....
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 08:58 PM
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Qmax03
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well spark plugs are better off being changed by professonals , you must gap them , i didnt 1ce and the car drove like CRAP ! so be careful , everything else is easy
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Qmax03
well spark plugs are better off being changed by professonals , you must gap them , i didnt 1ce and the car drove like CRAP ! so be careful , everything else is easy
huh? NGK's come "pregapped" and you could check the gap yourself. I mean if it takes a professional to change plugs, no wonder there were threads about how to install clear corners...
Old Jul 29, 2004 | 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by carabuser
huh? NGK's come "pregapped" and you could check the gap yourself. I mean if it takes a professional to change plugs, no wonder there were threads about how to install clear corners...
even bosch comes pregapped

but ngk > *
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by maniax

Tune engine. Replace spark plugs,PCV, air filter. Lube oil filter, check and adjust all fluids and tire pressures. Belt replacement needed.


He said my belts were dry and looks cracked so it needs to be replaced but that's an extra $90. Since i didnt have an extra $90, i didn't do the belt replacement.

Well i did this tune-up because my car was getting really bad gas mileage(only does 180 miles per tank) and i thought this would help get better gas mileage.
spark plugs - $1.56 each * 6
PCV - ~$14
air fitler - ~$12
oil change - $26 for 4 qt of mobil 1 and $6 for OEM
check and adjust all fluid - $10 dollars the most.
belt - $25

do it yourself - priceless

btw, doing a tune up might not be a solution to your fuel economy problem.
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 05:23 AM
  #18  
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sorry to say, you got ripped off on the labor... should have looked to the community for help as most all that stuff is definitely DIY (either that or RTFM!)

are you getting better than 180 miles per tank tho?
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 09:33 AM
  #19  
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At this point the best way to look at it and best thing to do is just keep the receipt and hold on to it as when you want to sell the car it will show that you are performing some maintenance.

There is nothing else you can do now, just dont go back to the same place.
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 09:56 AM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by MikeD95SE
At this point the best way to look at it and best thing to do is just keep the receipt and hold on to it as when you want to sell the car it will show that you are performing some maintenance.

There is nothing else you can do now, just dont go back to the same place.
You guys keep on bashing Maximum Tuning. I mean yes, maybe he got a little ripped off, but they really are a good and honest place. When changing my shocks, they charged me $150, and if I needed to they would replace the springs for the same price. The guys are pretty honest, and are cool to deal with! Keep in mind, its a BUSINESS, they have to make money somehow, if you aren't knowledgable that is where you go
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 10:50 AM
  #21  
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Depends in part on what parts he used (heh). Stock plugs for your car cost $75. A PCV valve is another $12 or so. Air filter I recall around $15. Oem filter $6 with some conventional oil costing $7. That's $115 just for parts. The "checking fluids and tire pressure" is just BS. Open the hood, check levels with your eye, you're done. Tire pressure can be done at a gas station with a $2 pressure gauge & five minutes.

He probably used cheaper plugs - let's say $25 for those, cheapy oil filter, etc. At a quick lube place you can get your oil done for $20. Even a monkey can change an air filter, so that leaves you with the PCV valve and plugs, which are about an hour labor at most places. I don't think you got screwed, but with a Haynes I've learned to do it all myself, and if I used the parts he's probably used I could have done it for:

$25 plugs
$12 PCV valve)
$10 junk air filter
$10 for cheapy oil filter and oil.

One hour of my time and $57 and I'm good to go.

I'd advise anybody to learn how to do basic maintenance like this on their car. It is really easy, there are tons of internet links/people willing to help, and it saves TONS of money.
well spark plugs are better off being changed by professonals , you must gap them , i didnt 1ce and the car drove like CRAP ! so be careful , everything else is easy
The OEM NGKs I bought from Nissan come pre-gapped. In fact, I didn't even bother gapping them. I probably should have done to be safe, but you technically don't need to. If you're bored and want to do it, it can be EASILY and quickly done with a $1 gapping tool you can get at the counter from Autozone!
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 11:57 AM
  #22  
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Did he change the oil with mobil 1? Did he use a mobil 1 oil filter? Did he replace the air filter with a K&N one? If he did then I could understand the price if not then well you know.
Old Jul 30, 2004 | 07:02 PM
  #23  
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Slightly OT..but any of you ever changed the plugs on a 3rd gen Taurus SHO (97+, the V8 ones?)

grin..talk about a PITA...it has to be one of the worst engines of all time to change plugs on..
mid 90s Mustang Cobras are no fun either (97, 98)

We charge $59.95 for a 6 cyl minor tune (spark plugs + pcv + labor) and $99.95 for a 6 cyl tune w/OEM plat plugs. $225 seems steep at any shop.

LOF (oil and filter change) here = $9.95
Air filter replace is $39.95 (with factory element)

Check and adjust all fluids/tire pressures = free and done with every LOF - excepting Coolant

PCV valve = usually about $2-$3 or maybe a bit more. included in tune-up price.
Old Nov 24, 2012 | 09:05 AM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by [maxi-overdose]
spark plugs - $1.56 each * 6
PCV - ~$14
air fitler - ~$12
oil change - $26 for 4 qt of mobil 1 and $6 for OEM
check and adjust all fluid - $10 dollars the most.
belt - $25

do it yourself - priceless

btw, doing a tune up might not be a solution to your fuel economy problem.

I got a 1999 Maxima SE Limited, 150K miles on it. Im spending
350$ bucks including the labor to get this car tuned up.
Last time I tuned it up was 2003 at Nissan in Phoenix Az.
they charged me 450$ !!
Im taking to Tony's AAA Service and Repair in Phx Az on 16th St.
Old Nov 24, 2012 | 09:35 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Mark Fleckenburger
I got a 1999 Maxima SE Limited, 150K miles on it. Im spending
350$ bucks including the labor to get this car tuned up.
Last time I tuned it up was 2003 at Nissan in Phoenix Az.
they charged me 450$ !!
Im taking to Tony's AAA Service and Repair in Phx Az on 16th St.
First off, your car actually falls into the 4th gen category. Second, this thread is eight and a half years old. But if you found this by searching, and read through the thread you'd know $350 is a gross over payment.

Even if this thread was originally for a VQ35, and you had to take off the upper intake manifold to access rear plugs. $350 would still be too high.

Go to Nissan or Napa and get original equipment plugs, air filter, oil and oil filter, at minimum the front valve cover gasket if it's never been done, (ideally the rear one too if you have a little extra money, as well as spark plug tube seals if they aren't included in the kit)

Call around to auto parts stores for trusted shops in area who'll let you use your own parts. You should easily be able to find someone who will do the job for $100. $150-250 if you do the valve covers.
Old Nov 24, 2012 | 11:01 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Mark Fleckenburger
I got a 1999 Maxima SE Limited, 150K miles on it. Im spending
350$ bucks including the labor to get this car tuned up.
Last time I tuned it up was 2003 at Nissan in Phoenix Az.
they charged me 450$ !!
Im taking to Tony's AAA Service and Repair in Phx Az on 16th St.
You must be Tony.
Old Nov 24, 2012 | 11:11 AM
  #27  
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As far as price that is on par, but....all of those things, including the belt replacement is easy stuff you can do on your own with a little bit of time and patience. The most challenging being the belt and spark plugs next. Everything else is cake...
Old Dec 24, 2012 | 09:52 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Qmax03
well spark plugs are better off being changed by professonals , you must gap them , i didnt 1ce and the car drove like CRAP ! so be careful , everything else is easy
Getting to the spark plugs is a PITA....

I need a good cheap tool set, I need to tune up my car.
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