Repair/Service: New coil, plugs, fuel filter

Hourly Rate: $95

Total Cost: $504

Atchinson Ford in Belleville, MI charged my girlfriend $504 to replace the ignition coil and spark plugs and fuel filter on her 2003 Ford Taurus (v6). My girlfriend brought it in for service because it was running rough and had reduced power. The service manager called her and said the problem was a bad ignition coil and it could also use a set of sparkplugs. My girlfriend already had a new fuel filter in the car (I was going to put in on this weekend) so she told them to go ahead and put that on too. When she told me the bill I couldn't believe it - $504!!!!!!!!!

The charge included $105 to troubleshoot (what did that take - about 2 minutes to plug into the diagnostic port and read the code????) and almost $40 parts costs for the SPARK PLUGS!!!!

The $504 charge was just to diagnose a bad coil, and replace the coil, plugs and fuel filter. There was NO other work involved, and no towing, storage, or anything else.

Incidently, they also told her she needed a new air filter. That's a complete lie since I already put a new one in a couple months ago and just checked it last week - still clean and white. Luckily she did not authorize the air filter!!!!

If you want to get totally screwed then take your car to Atchinson Ford!!!

by Joe on June 12, 2012