Spark plugs and brakes are extremely easy do it yourself task that most of the group can help with for cost and a six pack of beer
Valve cover? If they are saying the whole cover needs to be replaced that means you likely have a leak at the vacuum hose, left rear, again very easy do it yourself
Cost of these parts are not to bad other than the Valve cover.
Thanks ladies for putting together a truely epic event. To include an epic rally, an epic lunch, two brewery's, and an epic thunderstorm to conclude the day.
The rally really captured the fun loving, care free spirit of the club.
Time for that friendly reminder charge you radios, fill you tanks, and look forward to seeing everyone in the morning.
Also I am looking for a sweeper for tomorrow.
R53NERD has nailed it all. you can definitely change a vcg if you own a socket set and know lefty loosy, righty tighty. I would say look closely at were the vacuum line comes off the valve cover (left rear) the oil leak is often at the molded neck, and them just following around the bottom of the cover and looks like a bad gasket. Fingers crossed it is just the valve gasket.
Overheating and coolant loss on that year is usually a bad thermostat. It is molded into the housing and needs to be replaced as I whole unit.
If the ticking is on the left side as you are facing it. It is a tell tale sign of the dreaded timing chain.
2008 R56, thermostat is molded into the housing and tends to go bad. the whole thing housing with thermostat has to be replace.
It is one of those right of passage fixes on a Gen2, like timing chain, and water pump.
I would say there is a 90 percent chance that is what it is. Who many miles?