If you have the time and help it may be worth doing yourself a KingoftheRoad1 stated. Good Luck Man!!

 

Hearing this type of stuff scares the crap out of me, good luck man...

Based on your previous posts you seem really mechanically inclined, I'd get a FSM and do it yourself. $1000 for a weekend's worth of work is more then I can afford.

 

I just changed my spark plugs about 2,000 miles ago...cost me about $75 to do it myself (just the cost of the plugs)....sounds like they are ripping you off to me. Its very un likely that they need to change your valve covers. If you tell them you will do it yourself then they porbably will break some other things just to cost you a few more dollars.

-sean

 

Come on! Get real. This is Infiniti. The valve covers cost around $480 a piece and I need two of them. I took the car in with my own sparkplugs that I had bought last summer for around $70.

 

What makes this so hard for me is that I had to replace all six coil overs on my wife's 2000 Maxima last month to the tune of $850. ARRRGGGGGGG These VQ engines are supposed to be cream of the crop, seem more like cream of the crap!

 

Where are you getting these prices from?

Here are prices from Riverside Infiniti's online parts dept.

VALVE COVER, G35, Right - VQ35DE - VQ35DE 03-05 Retail - $223.58 Actual - $154.27
VALVE COVER, G35, Left - VQ35DE - VQ35DE 03-05 Retail - $204.15 Actual - $140.86

I don't know what parts you need EXACTLY but you did say valve cover, correct?

 

A lot of DOHC engines have this problem. I can't believe the valve cover gaskets are an integral part of the valve cover, that just plain sucks. I would buy the valve covers online for a cheap price and bring them in to be installed to save some money. Or just screw it and replace the plugs and don't worry about the oil seeping through, if the car was running fine like that.

 

This reminds me that I need to inspect my spark plugs this weekend to make sure the valve cover seals aren't leaking and to loosen the plugs since they've never been removed (45K miles). The steel (plug) to aluminum (head) contact has a tendency to cause rust and may bind the threads if the plugs remain untouched for their effective use (about 70-80K miles).

I never had the valve cover/plug gasket leak issue on my VQ30, but I know that it is a somewhat rare problem on the VQ series. It's a simple fix though if you're mechanically inclined. I also have no idea why you'd need to replace the valve covers. I've never heard of that before. It's not like the cover is warped. The problem was caused during the factory assembly. Either the builder over or under torqued the cover bolts or didn't seat plug gasket correctly.

 

If you have basic skills you can change them yourself. I just changed one of mine because I messed up a thread on one of the coil packs mounts. I got the LH cover for $110 on my350z and changed it in about an hour.

 

I'll just post a picture.

 

Yeah, valve covers is what I need. Do you think they are trying to rip me off? That is what it sounds like. Or maybe the Stealership said $480 for both? I don't have a detailed price breakdown. Maybe I'm confused. A very good possibility!

 

It's not the valve cover gasket, its the seal around the spark plug tube in the valve cover that is an integral part of the valve cover.

 

Just buy them from Chad at Riverside then and do it yourself. I could picture the dealership charging you $480/each. The price doesn't sound too unusual (unfortunately) for work + parts done at the dealership.

 

Just be sure to tell the wife it really cost $1000 and pocket the rest for more mods or your favorite hooker...

 

Just talked with the Stealership about pricing:
2 valve covers with gaskets, $496.03
Labor and parts to replace, include spark plug swap with my spark plugs: $975
So with the $223.58 + $204.15 + $80 (gaskets), the stealership parts quote seems reasonable.
The 90K mile work to be done also includes $175 for a tranny drain and refill, all belts replaced and oil change. Total walk out price will be around $1300.
Damn Nissans