I specifically asked for NGK plugs when I got new ones yesterday. Thanks for the tip on spark plug wires, I will get my ohm meter and and do a quick test today. They shouldn't be bad as this engine is only at 85K, but I will test the anyhow.

Mine are at 80k also. Let me know what you come up with I'd be interested to know the results

I wish my Saturn was only at 85k. Unfortunately, 2 years of 1 - 1.5 hour (one way) commutes have it at 113k. Bleh.

Ouch, you will hit 200k in no time at all Jim. I have a good 22 mile one way commute, however I only have to go up there 3-4 times a week. Which saves a lot.

I just tested my wires. Farthest plug was at .6 m ohms (Do you know what the m stands for?). Other three were 4-5 k ohms (Assuming the k is thousand). I did not see a brand name on the plug wires, just said high heat resistant wires. So I guess they aren't OEM.

I was thinking about having Oreilly's get both the in-house brand and the ones that cost twice as much (Borg-Warner) on the counter and I could just run a quick ohm test. Would that be smart or should I just go for the expensive ones?

I could also get them at rockauto.com (bosch brand) for 23 shipped. I don't usually buy auto parts online as I usually need them immediately. However in this case I could wait a week.

Congrats Fourthbean! I'm surprised that you are surprised at the excess power. Mine has been nicknamed the gutless wonder. These Saturns are horribly under-powered, probably why they get good MPG. Of course I am biased, I went from a 260 horsepower Honda Civic Si that would shred it's tires in the first 3 gears and topped out at over 160mph.

Take care of it and change the oil! :D

I haven't been spoiled by excessively overpowered cars. I am sure I would "realize" how underpowered it is if I ever got in and drove something "real" ha ha.

What would American's do if we suddenly only had 20HP to run around on! :)

I would order some OEM wires online. I do not buy wires from the parts stores, they don't seem to last as well. It sounds like your getting 6000 ohms from your longest wire. That would be about 2500ohms a foot. I wouldn't change them yet. I would order a new set of "packards" and store them until the current wires were unsatisfactory. I think the next time I'm at the pick and pull I'm going to find a good extra set for a $1.00

As for underpowered I don't think so. Theres plenty of underpowered cars that are dogs. 0-60 in 10 seconds is livable. My brothers 3.5 maxima is very quick but I can drive them back to back and still like my car just as well.

I bought the wires before seeing your next post. After doing another test of the wires the .6m (600 thousand ohms) was false. I was getting 7500 or so out of that one. The 1foot long short cable was getting 4500.

I got oreilly auto parts to get both boxes out, the in house brand and the "platinum" brand. The in house measured 4500 or so for the long cable, 800 for the platinum ones. 500 for the short cable of platinums.

I went ahead and replaced them with the platinum (20 instead of 15 dollars or something like that) as I thought that was a pretty big difference.