Am I getting ripped off? (Mechanic Tips Thread)

[Hopey]

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Not too hijack, but what about transmission fluid?

On my last oil change, I was told I need to get this changed because it is black and dirty or something.

How often does this need to be done? How much should it cost?

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I had a Jiffy Lube guy tell me that my transmission fluid needed changing. He showed it to me and told me that it was the wrong colour. He said that if I didn't get it changed, my transmission wouldn't last more than a few months. It was going to cost me a fortune to have them change it. I told him that I would get a second opinion. He got angry with me, and basically acted like I was calling him a liar (ie "Why do you need a second opinion? I showed you the colour of the fluid, what more do you want?") and he was trying to pressure me into giving in. I stood my ground and told him to finish changing my oil and I'd be leaving. He acted like a dick for the rest of my visit there.

A few weeks later something unrelated went wrong with my car, so I brought it into a local mechanic. I told him to check the transmission fluid and to let me know if it needed to be changed. He called me later that day and was puzzled over why I thought the transmission fluid needed changing -- he told me it was like new.

Ever since, he's been the only mechanic I've used. And I've been sure to tell this story to every last person who asks about "honest mechanics". I'm sure I've cost Jiffy Lube quite a bit of business over the years and gained the honest mechanic tons of repeat business.