I had posted this elsewhere today but I think it rightfully belongs here.

I'm a 63 year old retiree and my Subaru dealer said they would charge about $110 to replace four sparkplugs on my Forrester, leading me to think they must really be hard to change. It turned out to be far easier than I thought. After going to my local Harbor Freight store in Daytona Beach and picking up an extended spark plug socket, then my local auto store and picking up a Haynes manual, I proceeded to follow the instructions from the manual and elsewhere on this website.

The two plugs on the drivers side only required the removal of the windshield washer tank, not the battery (my Forrester is non-turbo). From start to finish replacing these two plugs took about an hour because I work slow, first reading the manual and then proceeding with caution. The following morning I decided to do the two plugs on the passenger side and it was equally as easy. Once the air intake parts were removed, the plugs were very easy to get to and extract. Again, replacing those two plugs took about an hour.

I think I could do all four plugs in a little over an hour if I decide to do it in one shot. I really thought the extended spark plug socket was a great suggestion.

 

Honestly, the pricing sounds about right.

Our shop (see my location) charges $125/hr. for labor, and you say you could do all four in ~an hour. You saved, definitely, and congratulations to you!!

www.subaruforester.org for anything you still need help with.

BTW, Forester has ONE "R" in the middle

 

I know on the Impreza the plug closest to the driver is a complete PITA but other than that its pretty easy, just time consuming

 

At our shop we charge $90 in labor for the plug install, in my opinion I think that is pretty darn cheap, adding in the cost of the plugs which your car has the expensive ones (apprx $12.50 a plug) it would be $143.88 (out the door price).

All in all I don't think they were a rip off to be honest. But anytime you can do it yourself, you will always save as its just your time (which when your not a business is worth $0 per hour, he he).

Glad to see it worked out for you. Welcome to I-Club!

-Noah

 

Look here:

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3017

I have some info and pics