Hi all,

It is time for me to do tune-up and I am debating whether I should get the NGK platinium plugs or iridium IX. I found the iridium plug for $36 on ebay. If I order from courtesy Nissan, it will be around $50. So, not a big difference. I have a few questions.

1. I read our Max is very sensitive to non-NGK plugs. There are good and bad comments on Bosch plugs. So, the very first question is should I or shold I not go for iridium?

2. How long I should change the iridium? Is it same as platinium?

Thanks!

 

Get NGK coppers BKR5E-11. . .why pay that much a plug when you can have even better perf. with the coppers. . . ..the Ir plugs just last longer . . .yada yada . . .

Come on man, you've been here almost 4yrs, you should know these things. . . .

 

True, I have been here for a while, but I didn't keep up with the posts that much in the last couple years and I am wondering if there are more feedbacks on the iridium plugs.

Too bad the search feature is disabled.

 

Iridium wont provide as good a spark as coppers due to copper being a better conductor, though they will outlast the coppers, ~30k fro the coppers vs 100+k for the Iridium' s but the NGK coppers I mentioned are $1.68 per plug at Pep Boys. If you have the money to spend, sure go for it, but the majority of the people I know around here run with the coppers, I have for the last 110k(working on my fourth set of course) , and have no complaints.

I would recommend the Copper NGK's. Already gapped, check them before of course, and are Nissan Genuine parts.

 

I understand the NGK Coppers are not already gapped. They have to be gapped to 0.044 or something like that. If they are so great, why have three dealerships steered me away from them. They maintain the engine was designed to run on NGK Platinums and that is what should be used.

I was under the impression the colder spark only helps if you are boosted.

 

Dealerships suck for advice, they just want your $ $ $ all my three sets were pre-gapped, which were in spec at .039-.044 "

errrmm . . .6 is a step colder plug . .

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinf...000&country=US

 

Well I am going to follow this debate re: Copper vs Platinum for awhile as I don't need plugs just yet. You may have a point - if the dealerships don't carry copper they can't sell them to you.

 

Yeah, I went with plats the first time I replaced, but found no difference in the performance, but the first time I went with a one step colder plug (6), and the second time with the hotter plug (5), and noticed a bit better gas mileage with the hotter plugs.

 

I'm currently using NGK Iridium IX plugs and notice no benefits. Save yourself some money and stick with the Coppers.

 

ive always used coppers, i got them at napa for .98 a plug for my 2k

 

0.98 cents! i got ripped off at 1.69!

i did the change to coppers a little while ago at 105k and my performance is much much much better. it could have been because the previous owners never changed them out.

i'm sticking to the coppers from now on. cheaper + better performance.

 

you dont always get what you paid for.... hehe
cheap copper = a lil better perf.

 

yeah... but almost anything i stick in there is better than the plats that were in there giving me 16mpg! well... maybe except bosch stuff.

 

u shure u wanna stick with bosch, i had bosch plugs in my contour svt and i melted one, ive never had a problem with ngk plugs or wires

 

here's some added info in the debate:
http://www.se-r.net/engine/platinum_copper_ngk.html

does the 04 use the same part # as the 03?

 

The article doesn't tell me anything useful.

 

Actually it is suggested to change out Iridium plugs after 30K miles. So you don't really see an added benefit of longer plug life with Iridium.