Iridium spark plugs...thoughts?

Hi peeps,
just been looking at new spark plugs.  The iridium ones are a bit more costly, but do look like they do a damn good job.  But is this just marketing?  Is anyone running them and what are people's thoughts?  Cheers

Do they last longer? That's probably where the advantage comes in, and why they cost more. With modern cars having extended service intervals, each service component needs its life extending. Air filters tend to last; oil filters and fuel filters now have higher quality, finer mesh and are oversized for the task; and oil is now thinner and (part) synthetic. So, spark plugs have had to keep pace.

One word of caution, if the spark plug isn't changed for ages, its possible for the working end to still be okay, but the body to corrode and get stuck into the head, and possibly snap on removal. Hence, worth changing them every 1 year/12000 miles??

Forgot to add, no actual performance gain.

That's one of the things they claim…better mpg and acceleration due to a more 'precise' and efficient spark with a smaller tip.  At £6 each +VAT, they may be worth an experiment.  Longer life seems pointless in them though with changing every year though.

Sounds like balaerics, them claims.

I thought it might be.  A spark's a spark surely?

A spark's a spark. Its quality is affected by voltage, current, gap and the air (substance) it goes through.

Cool.  Always learning from you  Cheers Paul

paul_c said

A spark's a spark. Its quality is affected by voltage, current, gap and the air (substance) it goes through.

and is also affected my the space it has to grow.
i run denso iridiums in my ex and they are sweet as long as everything else is clean and trouble free.

i know it sounds like hype i thought that when i had the sell from denso (i work in car parts so i see reps from every parts manufacturer) but i thought i would try them and they are great just make sure you use the correct torque setting and not the old fashion way

I've got a set of the Denso ones in the EX in the 'rocco… I was advised to get "hotter" plugs by a local "expert" when I had issues (filler neck rust and weber needle valve) which needless to say the plugs didn't fix. … After fixing the problems myself, I';m still running the plugs a couple of years later (not many miles though) They do work nicely… But I couldn't say they're significantly better than Bosch etc regulay plugs.

Just bought a set of regular bosch for £6 instead of £6 each for iridium.  Cheers for the feedback people