Talk me out of NGK V power.
 

V Powers are copper and copper has the best conductivity. Yes the NGK Irridium and Platinum last 100k but Im not planning to keep my 5th gen anywhere near that long after plug swap. maybe just another 30k which is good for 3 years and the life of the copper v powers.

so tell me again why i should spend $60+ on Irridum/Platinum instead of $15 on V powers.......... Irridum IX is a close second choice...

get the coppers.
less$$$ (I think it was $15 when I got mine?)

the better plugs do perform better, but you wouldn't care to drop the money if you were aiming for that.

Got them in mine and no problems so far. The way I see it I'll likely be in there every 30-35K just to keep an eye on things anyway.

I put some AZ cheapo platinum plugs in mine and no issues.

NGK Platinums last longer but coppers will work jus fine. 30k is 2 yrs jus about.

Cheap enough to replace every year, (my car sits a lot, so they go bad faster) and they perform well. You wont see a performance difference vs platinums/iridiums/whatever

So i went ahead and bought the V powers @ 2.09 each. All 6 costed less than a single platinum/iridium.

At this price, I dont even mind tossing them out once a year for fresh ones. that would be 10k on a set.

Overkill, but it's your ride.

Not really sure why people make such a big fuss about how long spark plugs last for. They are not that difficult to change (at least not on the 4th gen). It's as labor intensive as an oil change, so I really don't see why you would spend more money to only have to do it every five years instead of every two years. Either way, it's less than an hour job.

I dont understand how ppl are saying that. THis is like the third time someone has sd this. On a 4 cylinder, i can see plugs taking a hr. But on the max, its gonna take at least 1.5 hrs. The firewall side plugs are a pain.

Not trying to stir the pot but my ngk iridium's were not $12/each. I got 6 shipped for $52. That's like $8 and change a piece. I understand that's still 4x the cost of yours but they'll be the last set of plugs I buy for at least 5-7 years mileage wise, so I don't see that as a huge investment.

Erm? You have to reach a little farther to get at them, but otherwise they're the same as the front. Unclip the coilpacks, undo the two screws on each coilpack, then take the plug out. Just need a spark plug socket (with the rubber grommet in it) and some extension, and it's easy. The hardest part for me was when I dropped one of the coil pack screws, and had to go hunting for it under the UIM with needlenose pliers.

you stirred it :D
I changed my coppers out a couple of months ago. they were about two and a half years old. They were also perfectly fine.
so, for 1/4 the price (as you say), mine will last approx 1/2 to 1/3 as long, based on your est.
copper sounds like the better bargain, again.

The plugs on my 95SE were replaced 2-1/4 years ago after 12.5 years and 67,000 miles with OEM NGK laser platinum plugs. For my money, I couldn't be bothered with copper plugs. The existing plugs will probably be in place for at least another 10 years.

That "guess-timation" was based on the fact that I drive 15-20K/year so obvously theyll last longer (time-wise) for someone who drives less. If I spend $52 for 100K and you spend $12 for 50K (to go on the high side and make the math easy), so you'll be spending $24, saving $28 per your 100K vs. my 100K. That's over the course of what 5-7 years? Woop-tee-doo...

I mean if youre excited about saving $5/year. Have at it.;) I'll spend the extra money and do it half as often.

again everyone missed the key point in this thread....

i will have the car for no more than 30,000....

That's why.
The last year driving will be at the very end of the life of the plugs.

it is good practice to inspect your plugs once a year to head off any potential engine problems (blown head gasket, sticky fuel injector, bad O2 sensor, etc). as long as you have the plugs out you might as well replace them with coppers. this advice may not apply to those who can't access their back bank plugs (5th gens?). mine is an easy access 4th gen.

you do not own a 3.5

Use the coppers

which means this thread is done, right everyone?

........

if you are putting plugs in your car that you expect to drive for awhile, these are imo the best option

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...GRPTUNEAMS____

:snap:

thats what it is!!!!

I dont have a socket head with the rubber grommet. Ok makes sense now.

only takes me a half hour to change my plugs :gotme:

really ? with a 3.5 engine ? while taking part if the intake off ? You do it in a very good time !

A few of us that wrench regularly can remove the 5.5 gen IM in 15 minutes, but that's because we don't leave all the gagetry on there that need not be on there, and we've done it a few times.

For clarification on the subject, the 5.5 gens difference in spark plugs (Ir/Pt/Cu) price is negligible. For the 5.5 gen, there is like a 1 or 2 dollar difference from Cu to Ir. So I went with Ir because of that, and also the Cu's were still 7$ a pop.

The 3.0, that's a different story. They range from like $1.98 for Cu to 15$ for Ir or even Pt sometimes. I've always used Cu for my VQ30 because 6 plugs went for like 12$ total.

Finally got around to changing the plugs last night......

Here are the Laser Plats....... Im no expert in analzying used plugs but they seem pretty clean to me and the tips still seem to be in the same sharpness thanks to laser cutting.

Do they look like they have 83k on them??

For what its worth....... this is after a full tank with 16oz chevron techron followed by a full tank with a full 16oz bottle of sea foam....

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/1007/001wd.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/2686/002lh.jpg

Are the treads supposed to be coated in oil?

hmmmm Perhaps i need new valve cover gasket...... there is def a drop or two of oil on each plug.... cant be rings on all 6 now...

spark plugs on a 4 cyl should take no longer than 10-15 minutes.

I recently did spark plugs, transmission fluid drain and fill, coolant drain and fill, cabin filter, engine filter, engine oil and filter change on a 2008 hyundai elantra 4 cyl in 45 minutes total for everything on rhino ramps with a basic socket set. first i pulled the coolant pepcock, while that was draining i replaced the spark plugs, then changed the air filters, then crawled under and closed the pepcock, drained the oil from the engine and trans, changed the oil filter. back up top and filled the coolant, trans, and oil. ran the engine, shifted through the gears to cycle the trans fluid and fill the oil filter and burp the coolant. topped everything off and done.

Just get whatever is OEM grade

And the reason you bumped a thread from 2010 is because?...

And your response has nothing to do with the original question asked...

And your rambling on about maintenance on a 4 banger Hyundai...

Triple FAIL :o

This Post is overkill. Iridium is beneficial on three things, they last long as Platinum 100k miles also unlike Platinum there no gap errosion, as Platinum and copper would do and lastly Iridium has more powerful spark. It would save you time if you don't like to change out copper frequently as per life of it every 10k-15k miles vs 100K miles on Platinum and Irdium. Currently on my car I had my plugs changed at 60k, went from OEM Platinum to Iridium Plustar plugs, worth every money and seen some gain on MPG by 1-2miles cleaner burn.

:wall: :Popcorn: