A car tune up includes the replacing of the fuel filter, the spark plugs if you have them on hand, and the distributor cap and rotor.
Around the local scene, Calling and checking for a ballpark figure is easy and you will notice some rather dramatic price differences. On the other hand, most of the larger shops and service dealers charge per hour for each task listed in the shop’s hourly manual of services available.
A car tune up cost varies according to whose services you acquire. Aside from those who charge an hourly rate, there are but some that just present a low estimate to lure you in. Your actual location is an additional determining factor for charges. Prices of a car tunes up also vary depending on the make/model of your vehicle and what parts need to be changed. Most tune ups are new spark plugs, spark plug wires, new distributor cap, and changing the oil/other fluids such as transmission and power steering.
How much does a tune up cost on average?
- For a basic “tune-up,” rates can go for as low as $30-$50 usually in areas with somehow a low cost of living, to as much as $100 or more in extra costly places where in tune-up includes additional services as oppose to most places that charge for such parts and labor separately.
- Tune-up parts like spark plugs, air filters and fuel filters will regularly quotes at a $20-$60. Common hourly labor runs at a $40 hourly rate, to over $110-$150 per hour at popularly named dealerships in urban areas. There are ordinary repair shops with price ranges from $55-$80 an hour, and ordinary dealerships with charge estimates of $80-$90.
- Dealer 30k, 60k or 90k mile tune-ups can start at $250 for 3-4 hours of labor and basic maintenance and go from there to over $1,000 at places with high labor costs and extra maintenance services like timing belt replacement perhaps. If the mechanic determines needed repairs, a significant amount can further be added to your total.
You may want to look around to see if there are any promos on car tune ups. Some small auto repair shops and gas stations frequently advertise specials and offer coupons on tune-ups in local newspapers. These small auto shops sometimes even offer a nice one time deal to get you to come into their shop in the hopes that you become a loyal customer in the future.
Overall, a car tune up is usually done every few years at around 50,000 miles. It may cost you a lot, but it can increase the life span of your car by years if you fix and replace any bad parts.



