How much would a dealer charge for a tranny fluid change?, and what kind of cheap-*** fluid brand do they use?

 

I really resent you tone of your post. I have a degree in engineering and have been taking cars apart for over thiry years. I have never voted for a tree hugger nor have I had a car which got over 20 mpg. So big hot flames to you. If there is a manual and if some of the guys who work at the dealership can handle it I'm sure I can. If you think about the physics of fulid dynamics there would be a limit on how much a fluid could expand when heated. So just how much of a difference between hot and really hot could there be. Checking the dipstick also allows to tell what color the fluid is which might indicate a problem, The dipstick also allows for a smell test. Has the fluid been overheated again a sign of other problems? If you simply and are forced to go to the dealer for any kind of tranny services I suspect a lot of tranny are going to fail from the ihability of the user checking things themselves.

Just my opinion.

 

Hey Mr. engineer, do you know you cannot tell anything from trans smell. If the fluid "smells" like the trans is toast, you would already know that. The difference is between hot/cold is huge. If you filled a car to full hot when it was stone cold, it would have shifting concerns within a day. The difference between full cold and full hot is over a quart.

I could say the same about your tone, because you went to college does mean you even have the abuility to check tire pressure.

You have to admit it seems quite arrogant to say; if a bunch factory trained techs with decades of experience can do this, so can I, a college graduate and shadetree mechanic.

If you just bring it in when you are supposed to (it's in the owners manual) then there will not be any failures as a result of lack of maintence.

 

My goodness... can't we discuss things civilly around here?! Be nice everyone please... no stressing me out, I'll kick all your butts!

~Amanda

 

whats the $$ charge for a tranny change/flush? just got the new magnum and think about the 1000 mile cleaning

 

Amanda. Was I right or what when I told you there were a lot of AH on this site?

 

Have not done the magnum yet but on my Impala SS my dealer charged $75. That is for a drop the pan, change the filter and refill. He also charged $75 for a complete fluid change. I alternated between the 2 types of changes every 25,000.

 

Not to disparage anyone with 'a degree in engineering' - but...

I have worked in and around and with some of the highest 'tech' stiuff there is on this planet for nigh on to 30 years now and
have met and worked with some of the brightest guys and gals with 'engineering' degrees.

Some of these folks were actually dangereous to themselves and others in their attempts to 'dabble' outside their chosen field.

Sorry, but having a degree doesn't give one any more common sense or abilities not in their chosen field. To me it means that someone paid enormous quantities of dollars to go to school for 4 (or more) years than the average joe. I'm always a tad concerned when someone starts a conversation with 'I have a degree..."

You may be a rocket scientist, and you may be a true giant in your profession, but that doesn't make you an expert in the complexities of command and control systems of whatever it may be, nuclear submarines, radar systems, OpenVMS Clusters
or todays cars.

I appreciate someone being trained and experienced on the platform I've chosen and I sure hope that my local dealer has someone like that. I won't claim to be an 'expert' or even 'competant' outside my chosen field, and I'm quite sure with some book-learning and hands-on time I could render qualified opinions on the Magnum R/T's innards as well.

But Dodge already has folks like that, so I don't need to.

Mike

"I've had lots of other cars and trucks - The R/T is cooler.."

 

Sorry Amanda,

I really have a problem with the generalizations.[sm=imsorry.gif]

 

My goodness... I understand your point Cal Jeff... I just think everyone needs to take stuff with a grain of salt. That's all.

Joseph - I'm sorry you think that. We really aren't a bunch of ******** here. I swear. I can't tell you why it seems you find the mean conversations somehow.

~Amanda