I have a 1999 GMC Jimmy LST 4WD 4 door with just over 100,000 miles on it. No trailer and mostly highway miles. No oil use, Mobil 1 changed frequently.

It runs great and has no problems. New transmission at 80,000 and all servicing (radiator, transfer case, etc.) up to date.

I know I should go into the plugs and wires soon and wonder what else I should do and what cost(ballpark) I should expect. I know parts and labor do cost something and am not interested in being cheap.

Because I have had no trouble, I have not had to find a shop to deal with that gives you good information. All I have seen and heard about is places where there are commissions for order writers based on add-ons (at standard individual list price)that are done when they are not needed or are done in the process of doing what they are already doing. My son's friend just quit as a manager of a national tire/repair chain because he could not handle what he was expected and told to do, especially for the poor woman that just came in for an oil change that became over $1500 because of required "suggestions".

I need the information to find/evaluate a good local shop I can have some confidence in since, my wife's Blazer is just behind mine with about 75,000 miles on it.

 

If you have had the transfer case fluid, differential fluids, and coolant changed and they are not due again I would not change them now. What I would focus on is The fuel filter, belt, hoses ect..
GM does not have an interval for brake fluid service, but I believe in changing it ever 2 years. My wifes honda specifies it as well as other (usually foreign) manufactures. Brake fluid is hydroscopic and over time the moisture that the fluid absorbs lowers the boiling pint of the fluid and corrodes the system. The warning here is if the brake fluid has never been changed the bleeders may all be stuck. It may just be better to leave it alone if thats the case.
The s series trucks of that vintage are notorious for ball joint, idler and pitman arm problems,I would have the ball joints checked for sure, esp. if they are original.
Engine Oil cooler lines seem to leak often on them as well, and I have seen one get bad enough that it blew off, but they leak really bad before they get to that point. Intake manifold gaskets usually leak on those motors, but you would be loosing antifreeze and smelling it if that were the case.
I would definately have the plugs done as well as cap,rotor and wires.

The best thing I always say is follow the manufactures suggested maintainance interval. I would avoid national chains. There are some good chains out there but many times meeting daily sales numbers seems more important than what the customer actually needs. I would recommend using a local garage, if you find a good one stick with them. Go to cartalk.com and check the mechanix files to find a local shop if you do not have one now. I would also recomend a gm dealer if you can find a good one. Some dealers are good, some bad, I have worked at both. Same for the chains and local repair shops. If you find a local shop where the owner is on site or at least is there all the time they seem to be better.

Good luck!

 

Thanx for the comments.

I forget to mention that my son-in-law is very good at mechanical repairs. He is about 30 miles away and has his own work (business) and things to do, so I do not want to tie him up. Especially important when it is not a week-end or below zero since he does not have a dedicated garage (but does have a compressor, air tools, etc.).

He does good work, but it is not his profession and he does not have all the electronics, but does like mechanical toys and tools. He has replaced all the "toy" suspension components and brake sytem since he is comfortable and can buy the best parts at a reasonable price through his business.

I am looking to elminate any time and pressure on him for some things that can be done in advance closer to me, so he can spend his time better. - My daughter does not want me to get ripped off when he can do it (although maybe not at the right time and conditions).

 

Any ballpark reasonable figure should I expect for plugs, wires, cap, etc.

I just want to get a reasonable number so I don't run around and nickle & dime people and just start with one that seems local, good and reasonable.

I am just looking for a reliable local shop that I can count on for all future work on this and the "twin" SUV/blazer that I have. I would rather find a decent place and stick with it.

Thanx - Dick

 

A cap should run about 40, a rotor 15, wires list for almost 150 bucks at a gm dealer. You can call a local napa dealer and see what aftermarket would cost. Plugs probably run 8-10 bucks for a platinum plug. I think napa parts would run about 150-180.
S-10s arent the easiest vehicle to tune up, I am not sure the labor cost on that, The plugs are a pain. Some guys like to recomend cleaning the egr passage and valve, they tend to get carboned up over time and its not a bad idea to clean it.

Here is another scenario to be aware of, The distributor on your vehicle is made of plastic, sometimes the ears where the screws screw into can crack when removing or installing the cap. The mechanic must be very careful when removing and installing the cap, I would always remove all of the antiseize on the screws before reinstalling the cap. A broken distributor will cost 270 bucks for the part. Sometimes they break, sometimes its unavoidable, the plastic gets brittle sitting in the hot engine compartment over time.

I would imagine anywhere from 350 to 450 parts and labor to do plugs,wires,cap,rotor,airfilter,fuel filter,pvc at a gm dealer. I may be off, its been a while since I worked at the dealer. and a few years since I have been in the auto business.

If your truck has all of the original front end components they probably all need replacement. Usually ball joints last 60k on s-10s, I have seen them last as little at 35k. Blazers eat ball joints.

Word of mouth is a good way to find a good shop, cartalk.com's mechanix files may help, Do you live in a small town or a big city? I actually think its easier to find a good shop in a small town due to the fact if there is a bad shop evyone tells everyone.
Good luck!

 

Does this vehicle even have a distributor ? Newer GM cars and trucks do not have a distributor any more , ignition is computer controlled the have one coil pack per cylinder and no you don't need to change them unless they fail.

 

Thanks for the freed-back.

I will call the dealer to get the top end price (high labor rate and factory parts). Then I will check a couple of local shops to see if their price looks reasonable.

Dick

 

Yep the 4.3L vortecs have distributors, the motors were used in s-10 blazers until they quit making them in 2003, I believe they continued on with distributors until 2005 in the astro vans. The 4.2L straight six in the trail blazers and gmc envoys have coil on plug.

 

I actually looked on chevys website and the new express cargo vans still have the old tried and true 4.3 vortec and it still has a distributor! I actually want to find out if there are any other curent production vehicles that still have a distributor. The 4.3 motor is a bit of a dinosoar, but it works and provides great torque and decent HP, kind of like the old 4.0 inline 6 in jeeps.

 

Where are you buying plugs for $8-10, Civic???? Standard platinums for the vehicle should run about $3 a pop.

 

You have a point on the plugs Towguy, I would imagine at the dealership they would charge more. I paid 8 bucks a plug for ngk plugs for our civic at the honda dealer, but I think we charged 6 bucks a plug at the dealership I worked at for ac delco platinums, markup was probably 40% though like anything else.

 

Yikes! I think ngk's generally retail for about $3-3.50. Guess the dealer needs the big markups to pay for the cappucino machine and big screen plasma in the waiting room.