We’ve got an old Saab we use for quick errands, but it’s showing its age. A mechanic said we need to replace the spark plugs and coils, which would cost $900. The car shudders a bit, but we’re not sure if it’s worth fixing since we only use it for small trips. Is this something I should do, or can I let it go as long as it’s still running?
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It’s probably not all the coils or plugs that are bad, but shops often replace everything because they don’t want to spend time figuring out which ones are causing the problem. If you aren’t doing these small repairs yourself, owning older cars can get expensive fast.
The person might be getting quotes from a dealership or a high-cost shop. They might not realize they have other options.
At least pull the spark plugs out to check them. Even cleaning them and putting them back can help. If you leave them in too long, they might get stuck, and removing them could damage the threads.
You should fix it. Driving with a misfire can lead to bigger problems over time. If you’re a little handy, you could do it yourself for under $100.
What kind of Saab is it? A 900? 9-3? 9-5? Sonett? The price sounds way too high to me. If you’re even a little comfortable with DIY, you could do this for much less. If it’s a DIC-type coil, OEM ones might be hard to find, but you’ll get something that works.
@Remi
It’s a 2010 9-3 with 150k miles. The price does feel high to me too.
If it’s a newer 9-3 (2003 or later), the coils are a common issue. I had a 2006 9-3, and the coils went bad more than once.
You can try replacing one coil at a time to figure out which one is faulty. Drive the car after each swap to see if it stops shuddering. Or just replace all four coils at once if it’s an inline-4 engine (most common). You could also check with a Saab owners club for used coils.
Watch out for counterfeit coils if you’re buying replacements. Saabnet has a guide on spotting fakes if you need help.
If you’re doing it yourself, it should cost way less than $900—more like $150. Go for it!
Mark your old coils before bringing it to a shop. If the marked ones are still there after the repair, they didn’t replace them. Report them if they try to scam you.
No way it should cost $900 for this. Spark plugs are cheap, and even coils aren’t super pricey. Replace the plugs first, and if it’s still shuddering, look into replacing the coils.