Mixed fabrication spark plugs

[Hasse]

Hi guys,

At the last service, which was made at the dealer (BMW Kungsbacka Sweden), I recently (after I had driven about ten thousand miles) discovered that they had equipped my car with four spark plugs from Bosch and two from Ngk (I do say). I haven´t noticed any change in the motor though (it has been running as smooth as ever but this summer, in high way speed (means 110 - 120 km in Sweden) the Engine light has come on twice due to misfire in several cylinders (my OBD-instrument tell me this) which misfire I could notice both times. The misfire though has disapperand both times as quickly as it came and after erasing the Engine light it hasn´t come back again for now (that the Engine light came on was the reason why I had a look at my spark plugs and discovered that thay were of two different fabrications).

Do you think that driving around with spark plugs of two fabrications could have done my Engine any harm?


Thanks in advance for any comments.

Hasse

 

[Mike6]

Hi
Cannot think it will have done any real harm. The spark characteristics may have been slightly different but as Bosch and NGK are both recommended plugs you should be fine. Bad form from a dealership however.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Seems pretty gash, if they can't be bothered to get a matching set of plugs I wonder if they managed to change the air filter!

 

[Mike6]

Judging by the dealer servicing on my car, they must think air filters are a sealed for life part!

 

[Hasse]

Thanks for your comments. Was at the dealer this morning and they gave me the explaination that bmw can change the serviceinstructions and the consequence of that could be that this happens. I said that I found it hard to beleive that these means that you go from one fabrication to another in the middle of a motor instead of changing from car to car.
I find their arguments a bit on the thin side (in other words I suspect that they just say this to save their faces.

Hasse

 

[Mike6]

They have just spun you a load of cobblers which would seriously make me doubt the quality of any other work they have done - pop the air filter cover and see if they have changed that!
You can just imagine that half way through changing your plugs a directive came in that from that moment a different plug should be used!!

 

[cappo]

Man, how could a man trust these BMW dealerships anymore...
The quality of their customer care is falling like a meteorite!

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Not as good as when I went into National Tyres because a local mechanic couldn't get me on his ramp. They came up with the following reasons why they couldn't do a diff oil change:
1. We can only use our own parts/fluids so we can warrant the work.
2. We don't touch gearboxes or anything like that.
3. It's a different type of oil so we can't dispose of it with the engine oil.

They could have had £20 to put it on a ramp and leave it to drain, I'd have even filled it myself! And they had one other car in...
For the utter BS that is spouted and the lack of trust that causes I do as much myself as I can.

Do your own plugs next time and then if you choose to order 3 of each brand you can alternate them neatly!

 

[Mike6]

Ah 3 of each plug, that might be ok but they used 4 and 2.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Pick a pattern you like then, I bet they didn't!

XOXXOX would be my favourite