Cracking Coils

I finally had the time to remove the rest of my coils having replaced a faulty one last week. On removing the other 5, all showed hairline cracks in the main body insulation, no misfires are currently occurring but I have ordered replacements anyway. My main issue is that I had replaced number 2 coil only last September and that too is showing the cracks. If they are breaking down within 1 year, they should surely be a service item, or are we replacing coils showing cracks when they may be ok for 1000's more miles? Or have I got a problem that's cracking my coils prematurely? :dont know: I had all Beru coils and wonder if I would get better wear from Bosche?

I had 3 coils replaced at last service after rolling road showed a loss of power. They were original and no misfires beforehand but the car is much smoother on tickover and power back to normal. As I understand it they are Beru from the factory, but I'll let someone else confirm that.

I too had 3 coils replaced at a recent OPC during a 45k major service. They were probably the 8 year old originals but I don't know what make they were. The OPC told me that they were cracking and would probably misfire in the wet so I said "OK, do it". Obviously I don't know how much was down to the new plugs/service and how much was down to the new coils but the car is so much more responsive / crisper / nicer to drive now. It would be interesting to hear how often coils have been replaced on other cars and at what ages. IMO it will be an age thing rather than a mileage thing.

I had a misfire problem last winter which turned out to be a coil. Having been through a ghastly 6 months with a previous Audi where they all went one by one (and I started getting frequent flyer miles from the AA), I decided to change all six while it was at the OPC and have done. The car would have been just under 6 years old at that point. I can't be sure they hadn't been changed before by the previous owner, but I doubt it.

They specified Bosch and Beru plugs, so I expect they used whichever coil packs were the best buy at the time.

I'd really like to hear if someone has replaced their coils in the last 12-18 months & whether any of their coils are already showing cracks. Perhaps it's simply due to temperature/weather extremes down here in Sussex!

In my minor service this month at Mid Sussex OPC, they reported my number 1 & 6 coils were cracked & quoted me £150.42 to fix. I told them to leave it and I've ordered 2 coils off Design911 for £58. The thieving OPC also quoted me £28.04 for an inoperative license plate bulb, that i bought from a Motor factors for £1.90! They also got the hump when I gave them my own 10 litres of OW-40 (£52 of ebay). OPC charge for 9 litres of the same oil £115, nuff said

Ahh, but they do give you free Nespresso coffee while you wait! they do have to make a profit and they charge a premium rate for premium products. That said, you can always save money if you don't need the posh box or the coffee, I just bought a £40 Beru coil from them, didn't stay long enough for the coffee and threw away the box, but it did mean I had the coil and was back on the road the same day. I don't begrudge them a bit of a mark up, although the bulb you mentioned is pushing it, the price quoted for 2 coils is £70 labour and would take them an hour by the time they got it on and off the ramp, walked slowly to the parts shelf, phoned the Mrs, had some lunch, went for a pee and opened the boxes. I'm surprised they let you supply your own oil! You don't take your own steak into Gordon Ramsey's and ask him to take the price off the bill! I guess you had them do the minor service for the stamp in the book.....ink costs!

Just to restore some balance for the OPCs. I was charged £120.94 (incl vat) for my 3 coils and they were fitted at no extra cost during my fixed price major service and plug change. I would say that it sounds like you'd be better off travelling to Tonbridge BUT they charged me £117 + VAT (£20.48) for my 9 litres of Mobil 1.

I too would like to commend my OPC (Cambridge). Happy that I supplied my own oil (fixed price servicing down from £360 to £235) they supplied and fitted ALL six coil packs for £233.21 and gave me a nice Boxster S for 24 hours. I bought my oil from Matt Lewis Motorsport at £52 for 10L delivered. This year I was fortunate enough to grab a few Tesco discount Mobil One packs at £32 for 10L. So this November's service is sorted.

coil packs. Hi All, Just had my four year major service done on my 21k C4S (56 reg) at Glasgow OPC. Negotiated discount down to £780 vat inc, was phoned half way through service and advised I needed two coils @ £38 plus vat, no labor charge because they were changing plugs anyway. Also advised low tone horn u/s which was also priced @ £38 plus vat but told it would be £177 plus vat to remove bumper, needless to say I declined the horn change. I believe these coils were original and was told they would misfire when wet? The car was running brilliantly on the way to the OPC. Total cost £860. :sad:

beautiful stuff - when will you 'enthusiasts' realise that it'a only nuts and bolts, and we've more than enough experience between us to sort ot 95% of the problems we face, and to advise us to go to respected Indie's such as Hartech when we really need to

To my shame, I actually paid my OPC £28 to fit a new indicator side-repeater bulb when it was in for service (it was one of those off the cuff "yeah, fine go ahead" sort of conversations). When I came to remove the bumper to bespoke fit my radiator grills, I was annoyed to find out the units actually just pop out (held in by a retaining spring) and one screw to get bulb out! :evil: Of well, I have eaten/drunk/destryoyed more than £28 of complimentary biscuits and buffets/coffee and champagne/tyres and splitters over the period of my OPC relationship. :driving: