So today, I drive my car to Maxon Hyundai to have the spark plugs changed.

Jan 30, 2026 at 1:45pm

The appointment was set two weeks ago, for 9:30. 

"How long will this take?"

"about 1 1/2 hours. Will you wait for it?" 

"Yes." 

So I go in the waiting room. The waiting room always plays some kind of music with a disco sounding kind of beat and it is not my favorite thing to listen to. But ok, I put the air pod thingies on noise cancellation and proceed to veg out with the iPad. 

Next, in comes a screaming infant in a carriage. But ok. It's supposed to be only an hour more

20 minutes later,  the service writer comes in to tell me that they only have three spark plugs.

HOW DA "F" DO THEY ONLY HAVE 3 SPARK PLUGS when cars have 4, 6 or 8 cylinders?

So they offer to get me an UBER to my house while the 4th plug is being driven up from Linden. I accept.

Two minutes later, she comes out, the Uber is right outside, waiting for me. I get in and offer better directions than Waze and save him the Parkway toll. 

He accepts.

Two minutes into the ride ---"Are you Patricia?"

Da "F"? ! Unless I am in transition, I clearly am not Patricia,


So now he has to stop the car, cancel the ride with Uber and arrange with Maxon to drive me, with me paying him and hope that Maxon takes it off the bill. 


1:45 p.m., the car still ain't ready.

Unfortunate. Although, I don't lease from them, I get serviced there and have had positive experiences.  I've never taken them up on there offer of a ride to and from home so don't know about that.


Is there any reason you went to the dealership for spark plugs?  Any good local shop can do that and save you some money.


DanDietrich said:

Is there any reason you went to the dealership for spark plugs?  Any good local shop can do that and save you some money.

Only because it is a hybrid.


I had my hybrid Toyota serviced by A and J for 12 years.  Any mechanic can work on a hybrid.


“ …the 4th plug is being driven up from Linden

Someone from Maxon could have walked to Pep Boys in two and a half minutes.

And passed AutoZone on the way. 



dickf3 said:

“ …the 4th plug is being driven up from Linden

Someone from Maxon could have walked to Pep Boys in two and a half minutes.

And passed AutoZone on the way. 

But then they couldn't charge $12 for it.



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