Can we talk about the phrase 'just needs a tune-up' from a customer in Phoenix

I heard a guy at a parts counter yesterday tell the clerk his truck 'just needs a tune-up' while buying a single spark plug for a 2005 F-150 with a misfire, and it made me wonder how many times we've all heard that before opening a real can of worms.

4 comments

4 Comments

clairep101mo ago

What's the worst "just needs a tune-up" story you've actually seen turn into?

charlieh743d ago

Wait, isn't coolant in the head more of a head gasket thing than just stripped threads? Like @garcia.riley's story, that sounds way past a simple tune-up.

andrew_coleman1mo ago

That phrase is basically a red flag at this point. It usually means they've ignored basic maintenance for years and now have a serious problem. You just know that single spark plug is going in cylinder 3, which is also dumping coolant.

garcia.riley1mo ago

My buddy bought a truck listed as "just needs a tune-up." The seller swore it only needed plugs and wires. Got it home, pulled the first plug and the threads came out with it, stripped clean. The whole head was full of coolant.