My 2003 has been sputtering at start up lately for a brief moment. It's about to hit 100,000 and I'm thinking it might be time for a little maintenance which will hopefully take care of the sputtering. My question is how thorough should I do this? For example, I'm thinking new spark plugs is a must, and maybe the wires as well. It seems difficult to get to the back plugs, and I'm no mechanic, so I wonder if I should be replacing any other parts while I have it in the shop. Distributor cap and rotor? New belt? (belt seems to be in good shape, but if it's easy enough to do while doing the plugs, then yes?)

Again, I'm not a mechanic. I do love my monte and want to keep her running!

 

well if there are any shops u really trust or any mechanics u know that wont try to sell u sumtin u dont need then take it there...the sputter in the beginnin is pretty a pretty non-descriptive discription lol so got anything else we can go on?

 

Well, you turn the key, and instead of a smooth start up like normal, the engine sputters. That is a universal word for doesn't run right, right? Seriously though, it gurgles and the rpm gauge jumps and twitches between 0 and 1000. Then a few seconds later it finally comes out of it and the rpm's raise quickly then go down like a normal start. There is no other time that the engine sputters, gurgles, burps.

Is there such thing as an honest mechanic? Few and far between. But I'm hoping that if I buy the parts and get quotes on labor I can choose my rip off artist. It's not like my car is broke down and I need it pronto. In fact I barely drive my car as it is. So time is on my side, and I think that will benefit me in my situation.

 

there is such a thing as an honest mechanic, thanx for callin me dishonest (i guess im only a mechanic in training) and there are plenty of honest mechanics, u have to find an honest garage/dealership...ill ask my mechanic advisor 2moro and post sumtime 2moro night after 9, as for the correct word i think u r lookin for engine stalls for a moment

 

Cool, I appreciate it.

But seriously, how do you find an honest mechanic? I know they're out there, but I've never had one myself. You'll never get anywhere asking them if they're honest. That would be an insult I would think. It doesn't help that I live in an area that I've only lived in briefly and I don't know many people. (hermit!) The only thing I can think of is going to a smaller garage, which there are a couple very close. I took my car to the dealer down the road last time cause I was in dire need of it being fixed to go on vacation and they used no lube, and I'm not talking about lube in the car.

 

Ok, why does this forum make an apostrophe into a quote?

 

the apostrophe thing is still from when the forum crashed a few months ago, as for finding an honest place to get ur car fixed my first suggestion would have been find a friend who knows a mechanic but u dont know many ppl where. Small garages are not that much different than dealerships but often charge less, however the mechanics might not b as qualified or have all the proper tools to do the job it really is hard to find a good garage sumtimes where do u live, a member may live near u and tell u of a good garage u can check out

 

I'm in the Cincinnati area. It would be nice if anyone knew of a good shop in my area. Good call.

I actaully thought of joining Angie's List but it seems to be directed more towards contractors and than mechanics.

 

crap dude i forgot the print off at ur problem and show it took the tech im sry dude it will b done 2moro

 

That's cool, no worries. No need to apologize for trying to help me out!