Tune up

Why do you think you need a "TUNE UP",. It's an archaic term!

Fist get it scanned by one of the auto parts stores for the set code or codes set. The blower if working and you can not feel it may be a flapper door not opening. As far as tune up this can vary depending on what has been done lately or not done lately. Air filter, Oil & filter change, Radiator flush, spark plugs & wires & cap rotor button if it has it, Trans fluid & filter if auto, Check & replace as needed, hoses, vacuum lines, Thermostat, Top off power steering & brake fluid, If very dirty use a turkey baster to remove some and then top off. Fuel filter, Clean or replace PCV valve, Clean MAF sensor in air intake just after filter with MAF cleaner, Remove Throttle body & IACV and clean with throttle body cleaner and install new gaskets, Check all electrical connections make sure all are on tight, Check/clean your battery terminal & terminal wires for corrosion and are on tight, Check your ground wires, check all lights are working, check your tires air pressure its going into winter and may need more air check side wall for tire pressure specs. Check all fuses. let us know the scanner details before you buy the sensor its code is set for as this can be another set of items to check/fix and sensor can actually be good. Check for vacuum leaks.

I have a 2005grand am Pontiac what parts do I need to do a tune do it myself

You want look/check/test all mentioned above. Check your owners manual (can download one via online). Check/do all the required maintenance per age/mileage including hard driven criteria as car may not have had any of the required maintenance or raced or driven dirt roads, all this should be taken into account when setting a time frame to do required maintenance. At very least it means spark plugs & plug wires to filters (Air/Oil/Fuel filters) and any others that are time for per the maintenance section of your owners manual per the suggested intervals.

Each shop has their own rates per hour, half hour ect, Each shop has their own guide lines as how long it takes to do specific repairs which need to be defined as-well, Some shops charge a set fee for tune up and may not include all item you believe should be included and charge extra for those so that needs to be defined if using those shops, Also each shop charges for the parts as if your buying those parts from them even tho the parts store next door is where they buy those parts and mark them up just for you and shops may or may not have a set amount of mark up. Even if you buy your own parts they still add this fee in with their original charge and you save little and in some cases pay more but you can buy buy your preferred brand of part instead of taking a made in china part or a returned part that the service center gets deep discounts on. Shop around and know whats included and what brand replacements are you getting, if you buy your own parts is the tune up charge the same or a full deduction of those parts they would have charged you not the amount they would have paid themselves if this is the case then your still paying the charge for them to get your parts for you and to decide for you which part brands to use which should not be added to your bill since you are providing your own parts and deciding which brands yourself. This is the normal way they profit off of you needlessly and its extra money in their pocket because the hour rate and time allowed to do the tune up is always in favor of the shop when applied to the public, knowing that I also should mention that there is a rate of pay for tech contractors that work at these shops including dealerships that use a similar work rate/time chart which leans hard in favor of the shop/dealership, and make it hard for honest tech mechanics to do a great job without skipping steps or improvising or guessing and make money too. One reason so many cars get work done and the issue still exist afterwards with the shop pointing to some high cost repairs in-which they then diagnose the issue with the extra time and if its a $40 fix they do it and show you some parts they keep in a bin full of junk to say these are yours when they did nothing else and charged you $1500. Happens everyday.

When i take my car for a tune up can i pay the people after

Thats the way most do, just get quotes before having any work done, so you know what the charge will be, and call around for quotes from other shops.