Hi all!

Okay, this morning I was going to do a partial tune-up, basically just changing the spark plugs. The car runs beautifully, starts up every time, and idles smoothly. When I got the car about 5k miles ago, the first thing I did was give it a "peace of mind" service (the usual stuff, ATF w/ filter, oil w/ filter, new thermostat). I have been giving it an oil change consistently since then, and about two months ago I changed the air filter with an OEM one. (I did the air filter all by myself *takes a bow*.) But I have not changed the plugs and don't know the state they are in. The car runs great, but I'd like to change it just to know that area has been taken care of. I don't want to take it to a dealer or an indie because they tend to charge an arm and a leg just for a tune-up. They assume most people think that a tune-up is a "big" thing and that's how they justify their price when basically the only big thing about a tune-up is changing the plugs. I don't want to take it to one of those $30-shops (e.g., Econo-Lube and the like) and have monkeys working on my car and using generic parts. I figured I can change the spark plugs myself and save a fortune and take my sweet time to do everything right, plus get the satisfaction of doing something on my own. After all, I did this before on my '83 245GL, and I was amazed how easy it was.

I recently posted a question about what plugs to buy for my '89 245DL. Thanks guys for the advice and suggestions. I decided to go with OEM plugs and bought a set at the Volvo dealership for a decent price of $14.40 after tax. They're all pre-gapped. If I remember correctly, the Bosch Super WR7DC were about $0.99 each and the Platinums were about $1.99 each last time I went to AutoZone for plugs. I completely wasted $8.00 on plats that were crap for my '83 245, so I spent another $4.00 for the the Supers that made it run much better. I can't seem to find any NKG plugs at Pep Boys or AutoZone.I know many people here use and recommend them. Anyhow, I guess you can't go wrong with the Volvo plugs.

Now, here is my question. This morning I woke up and thought changing the plugs would be a breeze. Wrong. I have the Boug...something cords attached to each plug. I tugged at the first one, and it did not detached from the plug; it seems pretty secure and attached tightly to the plug. What do I do? On my '83 245 with the Bosch cords, I effortlessly tugged at the cords and they became detached from the plugs. With this Boug...something cord, it won't, and I'm afraid to yank on it. I'm pretty sure I can pull it out, but I'm not that daring on this car. Learning from my DIY experience on my 83 245, I have learned never (or try not) to yank on anything that I don't know what is holding it down. Do I need to twist the Boug. cord or do I just give it a big gorrila-like yank on it to get at the plug? Also, is there a torque spec. to tighten the new plugs in?

Okay,that's about it for the plug-related questions. About the sheepskin seat covers, how do you wash them? Can I just throw them in the washer with regular detergent? Thanks all!