I was thinking to get a F3-T, not anymore!

[Rohaianan]

I was thinking to get a F3-T, not anymore! I saw this video on what it takes to replace the spark plugs. This is not easy to do. Won’t be getting one now. The fuel filter isn’t any easier. Check this out!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yYDgsSbMPLQ#

 

[nhoj]

Its not that bad. Takes about 30 minutes to remove the necessary panels. He's a dealer and his job is to scare you. Don't be afraid

 

[JS3535]

I have done them on a F3S and it’s not that bad at all. Granted a T or L will be slight more to remove but shouldn’t be that bad. Just more time consuming than anything.

 

[JayBros]

Once every 28K miles? Let a dealership do it if you don't want to try. If you have two thumbs, eight fingers and a few tools you can easily do everything else on the maintenance schedule except perhaps the biennial brake fluid exchange for which you need B.U.D.S. to trigger the ABS module.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

He is not one of my favorite people because he tends to pass BS off as truth. Don’t believe everything you see on the internet.

 

[BajaRon]

Amazing! Someone would pass on owning one of the finest, most exhilarating rides on the planet because of 3 spark plugs! I understand 'To Each His Own'. But sometimes people blow me away.

There are people out there that will change them for you every 28,000 miles.

 

[al0vely]

That is the best reason I can think of for not getting an F3.

 

[ARtraveler]

Can I go a little bit off topic?

When Spyders first came out, the cycle magazine reviews were also very bad. Tough to handle, jerky, all over the road, the test vehicles given to the mags had a tendency to break down also.

It was almost a year or more until the reviews were considered as "take with a grain of salt."

Driving a Spyder had to be learned. They do not drive or handle like a two or even a traditional three wheeler from that time period. We called it the "learning curve" here. Most were good after 500 miles or so.

Had I listened to the reviews, I would never have purchased a Spyder. Instead, I put my money down, no test drive, waited about eight months and became the first customer to have one in AK. Five spyders and 145,000 miles later, I am glad I did.

Also not mechanical. I have not even performed an oil change on any of mine. I let the dealer do it all for me.

There are many choices out there. Do what you think is best. Hope you are not missing the boat by letting a video scare you off.

 

[PW2013STL]

I was thinking to get a F3-T, not anymore! I saw this video on what it takes to replace the spark plugs. This is not easy to do. Won’t be getting one now. The fuel filter isn’t any easier. Check this out!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yYDgsSbMPLQ#

I see you have a 2015 RT. Have you changed spark on it? The F3 is no harder then that.

 

[JackSA]

Why would you want to replace it yourself. We have different trades and professions. I am an accountant and will not allow a carpenter to do my tax returns. Leave the technical stuff to the technical people.

 

[Chupaca]

Wow...!!

That is a sad excuse for not getting an F3.... bet it didn't stop you when you bought your other motorized vehicles... come on say the seating is wrong, the ryde is not comfortable, the mileage is not to your liking, your wife don't like it....but if you do all your own work then this would not even be a problem and if you don't then even less of a problem.... Me it just doesn't suit me and I really love the RS sm5...:thumbup:

 

[RICZ]

Geez, I'm 82 and would not let the specter of buried spark plugs deny me the pleasures that my F3L will bring me. That's a good mid winter project, when there's snow on the ground and no riding. That is also a great time for other maintenance tasks. If you know which end of the screwdriver is the handle, you can do it. There's a lot of help here and YouTube has helpful videos too.

 

[Tango]

WOW! That's sad. :hun: Tom :spyder:

 

[dondje]

Why would you want to replace it yourself. We have different trades and professions. I am an accountant and will not allow a carpenter to do my tax returns. Leave the technical stuff to the technical people.

I'm a CAD 3D modeler. I do all my own work on motorcycles, cars, boats, trailer, etc. I have been since old enough to help my dad wrench and for me to work on my motorcycle I got when I was 7yo. Its a hobby, its part of the joy of riding or driving. Knowing that you built the kick butt engine roaring under the hood or installed or even made, the cool lift kit on your now up high 4x4, its part of the fun. And knowing all the maintenance work has be done right, is comforting.

Regards,

Don

 

[RICZ]

Don hit that nail squarely on its head in that last post. I had a machine repair biz for over 40 years and learned that there are a lot of guys out there who are dangerous with tools in their hands. Worse, they charge a lot to mess up your stuff. I can't count all the "I took it to the shop" horror stories I have read in MC forums.
When I was buying my F3, the floorboards had to be moved forward a notch and had I not been allowed to stand by, the guy doing it would have really messed thing up. Even though I was new to Spyders, I knew he was doing something he had never done before, or was very inept, and I had to coach him. It was scary to watch him, the way he was using tools.
Do it yourself and you'll know it's done right!

 

[bluewoo]

A lot of the v6 in cars have to remove the upper intake manifold for just three plugs. Spyder is not a big deal.......vs........... an air filter on a 2006 honda goldwing?? (Still bought one) then a spyer:clap:

 

[Grandpaspeed]

It's great that some of you have the ability to do your own maintenance, however not everyone has that ability or desire to. I watched that video and was also setback by what it looked like to change the plugs and started doing the math of what it would cost to have them changed out based on almost 2 days labor which would be well over $1000 "outrageous". So I went to my local dealer and asked what they charge to change the plugs, they said for a RT it was 5 hours and the F3 was 3 hours, well that is a lot less than what that video made me think. I then watched his second video and he stated he took a lot more off of the F3 because he had to find a leak in the cooling system. I am still going to buy a F3T and I would not if I had to pay over $1000 just to replace spark plugs, now I know some of you that's not a problem for you but remember everyone has different thresholds of pain and $1000 plus would have been over mine. So the Original poster please realize it isn't as bad as that video made it out to be in fact there is a lot BS out there that would have you only walking if you believed it. Lots of haters. I don't know why people have to put down things that they don't want or like, so sad.

 

[ARtraveler]

Most dealers charge around $130 per hour as the shop rate...plus parts.

I have found that an oil change/check over service costs around $300 with parts.

More detailed services require a bit more. There are not many services these days that should cost more than $1,000. It does not hurt to get an estimate up front. They use the shop rate book...so everything is there in black and white.

 

[GaryinWI]

It’s not like you do it every day or even annually. I think they recommend at 28,000 miles. For me that’s 4-5 years. Probably hire it done anyway.

 

[JayBros]

The BRP flat rate manuals for the '14 RTS is 1.5 hr for "Spark Plug, singular." I doubt it's 4.5 hr for three plugs. My 28K service in 2017 was $300 in labor for the oil change, HCM (trans) filter change, and new spark plugs.