| Tuan |
Some of you may have heard of Tom and Ray from Cartalk on the radio. They recommend changing the vtm fluid every 60-90k miles.
According to our MDX manual, it's recommended every 30k for Normal condition and every 15k for Severe.
Is the dealer trying to rip us off? |
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| SuperTech |
I've listened to those two clowns every now and then. They sure do like to shoot from the hip and never sound like they don't know what they're talking about. I hear listeners call in, and even though it could be a number of causes for their particular problem...they've somehow diagnosed the problem without ever having looked at the car themselves. And they already have estimates ready to go. Smart guys huh?
No. They take the most likely cause and say that's the problem every time. They take the average prices for particular items and call that the estimate. But they can be very far off sometimes. A fuel pump for a '92 Chevy pickup is probably around 100 bucks. The same part for a '98 Chevy Cavalier is more like 700 bucks. How'd you like to hear that they gave you a guess of a fuel pump was bad on your Cavalier and that it'd probably cost "around" 200 to replace it. You'd call quite a few shops thinking they're all highway robbers with their estimates. You'd finally settle for one willing to maybe do one for 600 plus labor. And if they were dumb enough to put the pump in without diagnosing themselves...it might not even fix it, and you pay even more now to really fix the problem.
Their recommendation of 60-90k is a general recomendation for replacing the rear differential fluid on most trucks today. Most manufacturers suggest inspecting the fluid at every service interval and replacing it when it's dirty. This usually happens between 60-90k miles.
The dealer is not trying to rip you off. We did not write your owner's manual and slip it in your car. All the service intervals in it were set by Honda. Who would you rather believe...a couple of blowhard know it alls on the radio who probably haven't turned a wrench on a modern car for a decade, or the engineers that actually designed your particular automobile? |
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| richkuan |
Follow your owner's manual. If you would, you can even shorten the interval for replacing the fluids.
My experience:
When I replaced my VTM-4 around 15000 and 30000, the old fluid is still fresh red, I can't tell the difference from new fluid. Thought I feel it's not necessary to replace at that interval, I would like to follow the manual (15000, 30000, then every 30k). I believe the Honda engineers must have a reason for specifying that interval.
Change the fluid costs about $90 at dealer. The fluid itself is about $16/gallon (you need about 3/4 gallon), if you DIY (not difficult at all), you don't have to worry being ripped off. |
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| Tuan |
Engineer's opinion is one story, but the big corporate guys' decision will supercede whatever they have to say about what is written in those manuals. I've been working in the coporate world for 12 yrs now, and there're too many corporate decisions that pissed me off. I'm trying to get out of it now. Even my manager can't make decisions on his own. He always has to consult with upper management.
Tom and Ray are engineers graduated from MIT. Although I respect their opinions, I do want a 2nd opinion. This is why I posted this here.
Thanks for the replies. |
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