OT: Sticker shock.... spark plugs?!

[chrisroph]

At my first job, I earned $1.75/hr.

[Talrand]

Originally Posted by chrisroph

At my first job, I earned $1.75/hr.

At the time houses were $50

[Permanent socks]

VAG wanted $565 for a replacement trunk latch for my vw. The part has been in use on various vehicles since the early 2000s.

Amazon sourced part was $39 and came with the tools to replace it.. buying the triple square wrenches would have cost $40 alone.

[dddd]

I bought the double-irridium plugs from Rock Auto, SKP brand out of China.

All I can say is that the 2010 Toyota then passed smog prior to my selling it, and that the plugs were only around $4.50 each as I recall.

I've pulled plugs from a Ford Expedition 5.4L which is a difficult extraction, so better plugs make sense in terms of their service interval.

Plugs either spark or they don't, and the main variables are temperature, voltage rise (as realized at the electrodes), compression pressure, and plug gap.
Setting the plug gaps on the narrow end of spec (or narrower) not only allows them to go on sparking for a longer service interval, but also extends the life of the secondary windings in the coils.