Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

My car is getting it's 30,000 maintenance checkup at the dealer where I bought it. They just called me recommending I replace the transmission fluid, which they say is dirty. They recommend a "total fluid exchange" which is $190. They recommend something similar for the brake fluid, $119. I like my dealer, and have trusted them so far, but this just struck me as sounding a little absurd. Then again, I don't know much about cars.

How standard does this sound to you? Advice appreciated.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

I don't know squat about cars, but I'm gonna put it at 90% that it's BS. I'd say "Thanks for the suggestion. Please do the work I approved earlier only please."

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Where do you live?

What kind of driving do you do? (lots of hwy miles, lots of city miles, mixed?)

What kind of car is it?

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Mazda 3, DC metropolitan area, most miles are on highway

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

If it's a manual transmission, they are really screwing you (manuals don't have tranny fluid).

If it's an automatic, I doubt it's necessary. You're not in a dry, dusty climate and with most highway miles, the car isn't shifting gears as much as with city driving.

I can't imagine you would need the brake fluid changed yet.

If you can afford the work and you plan on keeping that car for a long time, it can't hurt.

If money is tight and/or it's a lease, I wouldn't bother.

I'm not a mechanic though...

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Pulled this off a Canadian Mazda dealer website:
This is the 48,000 Km maintenance schedule. I think your dealer is trying to screw you.

Schedule 3

Replace engine oil
Replace oil filter
Inspect function of all lights
Inspect brake and clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid and coolant level
Inspect tire inflation and tire wear
Lubricate all locks and hinges
Inspect disc brakes (front and rear) and lubricate caliper slide pins/rails
Inspect A/C operation
Inspect cooling system, pressure test cap and system for leaks
Inspect fuel lines and hoses
Inspect brake lines, hoses and connections
Inspect steering operation and linkage
Inspect suspension components front and rear including ball joints and driveshafts
Inspect driveshaft dust boots

Schedule 4

Replace engine oil
Replace oil filter
Inspect function of all lights
Inspect brake and clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid and coolant level
Inspect tire inflation and tire wear
Lubricate all locks and hinges
Inspect disc brakes (front and rear) and lubricate caliper slide pins/rails
Inspect A/C operation
Inspect cooling system, pressure test cap and system for leaks
Inspect fuel lines and hoses
Inspect brake lines, hoses and connections
Inspect steering operation and linkage
Inspect suspension components front and rear including ball joints and driveshafts
Inspect driveshaft dust boots
Inspect emission hoses and tubes

Additional operations

Every 56,000 km: Inspect drive belts tension
Every 56,000 km: Replace air cleaner element
Every 60 months / 72,000 km: Inspect exhaust system and heat shields
48 months / 96,000 km then every 24 months thereafter: Replace engine coolant
Every 120,000 km: Inspect valve clearance audibly, adjust if noisy

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Mine's an automatic. I'm reading an article now that says it's normal to do the transmission fluid at 30,000, but says that brake fluid normally shouldn't need to be done unless your factory manual calls for it.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Ya, theres nothing wrong with changing the transmission fluid, usually thats done at about 50k, but personally I do mine at every 30k, as transmission fluid gets dirty (it is really burnt), fairly quickly. 190$ is outrageous though.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

[ QUOTE ]
If it's a manual transmission, they are really screwing you (manuals don't have tranny fluid).


[/ QUOTE ]
Yes they do, most use the same hypoid oil that a differential uses. Some transmissions will use a closed system without oil exchange, if it's a front wheel drive the transmission and differential are linked and they'll use the same oil.

But this is an automatic. Personally I wouldn't mind changing the automatic transmission fluid but I'd never have a dealer do something this stupid.

Changing brake fluid is retarded.

Keep in mind dealers make their money by a roughly 100% markup on services any car place will provide. They do a "checkup" on the car and although they do a very thorough inspection and will find problems a shop likely wouldn't, they also are very likely to find "problems" that cost you a lot and don't make much difference as to how long the car will last. ie, doing a $2500 axle swap on an 80k mile vehicle that will need a new clutch and transmission in another 30k miles or little stuff like this.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

[ QUOTE ]
Ya, theres nothing wrong with changing the transmission fluid, usually thats done at about 50k, but personally I do mine at every 30k, as transmission fluid gets dirty (it is really burnt), fairly quickly. 190$ is outrageous though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I found a Mazda3 forum where a lot of people seem to be saying that the transmission fluid gets dirty quick on the 3s. No one talks about the brake fluid though.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

to the person who said manuals don't have tranny fluid isn't correct. they still use the lubricant, and the norm for my car would be to change it out for redline. as for the OP, i don't plan on doing anything till 100k. i had a honda that went to 300k before i donated it (still running) on just a clutch, belt, and mobile 1 oil changes every 10k.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

[ QUOTE ]
Pulled this off a Canadian Mazda dealer website:
This is the 48,000 Km maintenance schedule. I think your dealer is trying to screw you.

Schedule 3

Replace engine oil
Replace oil filter
Inspect function of all lights
Inspect brake and clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid and coolant level
Inspect tire inflation and tire wear
Lubricate all locks and hinges
Inspect disc brakes (front and rear) and lubricate caliper slide pins/rails
Inspect A/C operation
Inspect cooling system, pressure test cap and system for leaks
Inspect fuel lines and hoses
Inspect brake lines, hoses and connections
Inspect steering operation and linkage
Inspect suspension components front and rear including ball joints and driveshafts
Inspect driveshaft dust boots

Schedule 4

Replace engine oil
Replace oil filter
Inspect function of all lights
Inspect brake and clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid and coolant level
Inspect tire inflation and tire wear
Lubricate all locks and hinges
Inspect disc brakes (front and rear) and lubricate caliper slide pins/rails
Inspect A/C operation
Inspect cooling system, pressure test cap and system for leaks
Inspect fuel lines and hoses
Inspect brake lines, hoses and connections
Inspect steering operation and linkage
Inspect suspension components front and rear including ball joints and driveshafts
Inspect driveshaft dust boots
Inspect emission hoses and tubes

Additional operations

Every 56,000 km: Inspect drive belts tension
Every 56,000 km: Replace air cleaner element
Every 60 months / 72,000 km: Inspect exhaust system and heat shields
48 months / 96,000 km then every 24 months thereafter: Replace engine coolant
Every 120,000 km: Inspect valve clearance audibly, adjust if noisy

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks I was able to find a manual online that had similarly different schedules - the non North American schedule suggests replacing the brake fluid, but the North American schedule "1" that would seem most applicable to me doesn't even list it. Schedule 2 has it listed for inspecting the level.

I wound up telling the dealer to go ahead with the transmission fluid exchange but to skip the brake fluid.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

I really recommend finding a non-dealer mechanic you can trust. I've got a great one in Austin, and they don't work by rote, i.e. "30K miles we have to do all these things". They check it out and only work on what needs to be worked on. Much better deal.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

Won't they void your warranty if you don't come into the dealer?

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

[ QUOTE ]
Won't they void your warranty if you don't come into the dealer?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, unless things have changed in the past few years, as long as yo have documentation of the service from an authorized(licensed) repair facility, you should be fine, they like to give you crap about seeing the dealer. I have a repair guy that does all3 of my cars, and he inspects everything(except oil changes) then calls me tells me what needs replacing and we do it, he said following the manual is fine if you dont want to check wear(here in California, if you goto a "oil change" place, you will leave with a new air filter every time if you let them) justa small example of items getting done that dont need it. This also assumes you take your car in regularly.

tobdog

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

FYI all the 'inspect' stuff is bs until the miles get up there. It's a way to manufacture a higher bill.

What I do is follow the owners manual and ask specifically for the things scheduled to be 'replaced'. I do not do the 5k maintenance, 10k maintenance... I read what the manufacturer recommends be 'replaced' at those intervals and request those services.

When the miles start getting up there a bit doing an inspect breaks (make sure you do it when they are rotating tires already) and things like that.

basically the 'inspect' is a bunch of bs and they mostly don't do it anyway on cars with low miles.

Re: Question about Car - 30,000 mile maintenance
 

I thought they had to prove you didn't have the service performed to void the warranty? Not that you had to prove you did have it done. Either way, I've never provided a single piece of paper showing I had any maintenance done when I took a vehicle in for a warranty repair.