[BadCowboy0716]

Ok so besides the $15 or better OEM spark plugs. What other options are good. I know advance auto will say all that are listed for the car so I can put the $2 ones in it and it'll run fine. Whatever. I want some more experienced opinions.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

NGK is much preferred. platinum or Iridium will last the longest. NGK copper should work and is probably what the car came with. They come pre-gapped. Be careful if you decide to check the gap as the tiny iridium tip can be damaged. You don't have to shop at the local dealer for these.

On-line dealers or RockAuto or NAPA or Amazon.com , etc.


from rockauto;

NGK Part # 2382 More Information About this Part {#BKR5ES11} Standard
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$1.54
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NGK Part # 6953 More Information About this Part {#BKR5E11} V-Power One of our most popular parts
[Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the US Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] [Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the Canadian Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] .044

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$1.54
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and platinum;

NGK Part # 7090 More Information About this Part {#BKR5EGP} G-Power One of our most popular parts
[Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the US Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] [Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the Canadian Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] .044

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$2.29
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and iridium ;

NGK Part # 5464 More Information About this Part {#7964, BKR5EIX11, BKR5EVXA11} Iridium IX One of our most popular parts
[Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the US Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] [Flag indicates this part fits vehicles sold in the Canadian Market. It does not indicate where the part was made -- manufacturers produce parts in multiple factories worldwide.] .044

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$6.10
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(this was a quick search - PLEASE confirm all part numbers before ordering anything I posted OK? )

 

[RobLog]

In my 97OBW, I used to run the low end platinum plugs (NGK 7090 BKR5EGP G-Power) and the engine ran just fine with them ... about $2.50 each. At the last change, I switched back to the SOA recommended NGK 2300 PFR5B11 Laser Platinum Spark Plug (about $10 each ) as from the factory and couldn't tell any difference in performance.

The more expensive plugs should last longer (60k miles vs 30k miles) and the job is difficult enough to warrant the additional cost, IMO.

If you're considering replacing wires, use only Subaru or NGK ones ... other brands have been hit-or-miss with a lot of miss.

 

[AWDFTW]

The OEM NGK plats and NGK or Subaru wires are really the way to go.

Our cars can be picky about other plugs and wires.

 

[ChromeDomeAl]

Tried and true, use NGK's. I have my *unfounded* doubts about a 100K mile plug. I use the 60K on my subies.

I've heard of some bad stories with other plugs. STICK WITH NGK. haha

 

[subiesailor]

my 2001 I changed them at 99K first time. **** if the plugs that came out looked almost as good as the new identical plugs I put back in it. Never saw any sort of change with the new plugs.

Each engine can be a different story based on the fuel system and timing etc etc. We did the plugs on my buddy's 03 at 70K and the plugs for sure looked pretty tired. No idea why the difference between the two cars was so big regarding condition of the plugs? We both drive our cars in the same region - we pretty much ran the same fuel in them. Only thing we could come up with is that his engine had enough tolerances that were just off enough to create conditions that were harder on the plugs.

 

[Scooba Steve]

when it takes me 30 minutes plus to change each plug, i consider buying the step up in the spark plug world. just MO
i run iridium plugs with no problem's and never plan on changing them.

 

[johnson]

While I used NGK (V-Power, which is the cheapest or 2nd to the cheapest NGK plug) in mine when I changed the plugs at 70k, the Champions that I removed looked fine and the car ran the same (fine, no problems) after the change. The Champions may have been OEM, I think I remember seeing in the owners manual the Champion part #'s listed for plug changes. I'm still running those NGK plugs at 105k miles and figure I'll leave them in there till around 130k or so (unless performance or fuel efficiency starts to drop).

By the way, I tried the Napa Belden Premium plug wires (the blue ones) and they work great. If I remember right, they were only around $40. If you haven't changed your wires in awhile, it's worth doing. My mother-in-law's Forester had a weird misfire-like symptom that I couldn't figure out. Guess what - new plug wires fixed it (even though the ones in there looked okay).