Just wondering what other manual 380 owners are paying for the 75,000k service.

It's a fairly basic service, all 'inspect' or 'check', other than the usual replace engine oil & filter. The only exxy extra is replace the MTF.

I ask because I just did my own, only took a couple of hours, with the following costs:

Oil - Mobil 1 5W-50 $65 (purchased about three months ago)
Filter - Ryco Z456 from SCA $18.49
MTF - Nulon 'Smooth Shift' 4l from SCA $41.95
Nulon G70 manual gearbox treatment 125ml from SCA $13.98.

Total $139.42.

Also topped up the power steering fluid from a bottle I had, cleaned & oiled the K&N air filter, checked all hoses, lines & fluids etc.

So did I save much or what?

Also considering I used Mobil 1 plus the Nulon gearbox treatment which are better than or extra compared to what a dealer would supply.

And please, no flaming about 'but you could have voided your warranty'. I'd rather do this sort of basic stuff myself and know it's done right than trust it to some snotty nosed apprentice at the dealership. I have all receipts and have entered all the details in the service book.

KJ.

Just looking on the Nulon website there's 2 different types of "Smooth Shift" manual transmission oil. One is a 75W-85 GL4 and one is a 75W-90 GL5. Just hoping you used the GL4 oil as the Mitsubishi gearboxes use brass syncros and the additives in GL5/6 oils will eat the brass.

Other than that, looks like you did pretty well.

Well here is a guide that can be found here on pricing etc > http://www.carservice.com.au/car-service-servicing-guide-2.aspx?sid=53999

Looks like you saved a bit mate :)

Just looking on the Nulon website there's 2 different types of "Smooth Shift" manual transmission oil. One is a 75W-85 GL4 and one is a 75W-90 GL5. Just hoping you used the GL4 oil as the Mitsubishi gearboxes use brass syncros and the additives in GL5/6 oils will eat the brass.

Other than that, looks like you did pretty well.

Yep, I knew about the Mitsu brass synchro problems with GL5 so I used the GL4.

Well here is a guide that can be found here on pricing etc > http://www.carservice.com.au/car-service-servicing-guide-2.aspx?sid=53999

Looks like you saved a bit mate :)

According to that web page it's $170 to $246 without replacing the MTF.

Maybe the upper end ($246) includes replacing the MTF but I doubt it, as it doesn't show any cost for the MTF.

So I'm guessing it's more like $250 - $350 including replacement of the MTF.

$170 to $246 seems pretty steep to me if it's just an oil & filter change and a few 'inspect' and 'check', which I suspect really means 'don't do anything except look for the bleeding obvious, if it drives OK then all is good'.

KJ.

DIY saves you money? Now there's a thought! lol You never now, it might catch on . . . . .

I have owned Mitsus since the Galant GB came into the family, I have been to a Mitsu dealer for a service once, with my wife's Lancer when it was new, to keep the warrant going.

Don't forget though the head of the Mitsu service department has his eye on a brand new BMW, and he has to pay for it somehow . . . . . .

DIY saves you money? Now there's a thought! lol You never now, it might catch on . . . . .

I have owned Mitsus since the Galant GB came into the family, I have been to a Mitsu dealer for a service once, with my wife's Lancer when it was new, to keep the warrant going.

Don't forget though the head of the Mitsu service department has his eye on a brand new BMW, and he has to pay for it somehow . . . . . .

I'm with you mate.

I had my previous TE for nearly 10 years (bought in Jan 1999 with 23,000k on it) and never once took it to a dealer for a service (other than 2 x timing belt changes), did it all myself, including brake pads, rotors, coolant, MTF etc etc. Ran like a charm with no problems right up until I sold it with 212,000k on the clock

With my current 380 the dealer gave it a full service for free including all fluids renewed when I bought it with 17,xxxk on the clock. Since then I took it to the dealer for the 30,000k service, and again for the 45,000k service, but I did my own oil & filter change for that one. Haven't been back since, now done both the 60,000k and 75,000k services myself at (I think) a fraction of the cost a dealer would have charged. Also renewed all six spark plugs a couple of months ago. But no way I can get around the timing belt change at 100,000k, that's out of my league!

I felt like that when the belt on my TS V6 needed doing, but its the big one that is the most expensive at the dealer, so I did it myself. With most of these bigger jobs, you need to be able to give yourself enough time to be able to walk away and think about things. Planning to do it on sunday afternoon when you need the car the next day, is not a good way of doing it, too much pressure. With these jobs the first time you do them, takes the longest. Once you have all the steps mapped out in your mind it is easy. The second time is much faster and less stressful. I don't mind investing money in tools, as these are a once off spend. You can also shop around for the best price on parts, rather than being forced to pay dealer part prices. The belt change on the TS cost me $40 for the belt and $20 for the 3 seals. Ask a dealer to replace the belt, and they might charge slightly more. lol The most valuable part for me though, is the last bit, "out of my league" can be turned into "I can do that!". When I get around to buying a 3rd gen, I intend to buy one near the 100,000 or 200,000 km mark, as these go cheaply. The owner has discovered the belt change will cost him $1,000 to $1,500 and the price of the car usually reflects this, or if it doesn't it becomes a good haggling point.

I felt like that when the belt on my TS V6 needed doing, but its the big one that is the most expensive at the dealer, so I did it myself. With most of these bigger jobs, you need to be able to give yourself enough time to be able to walk away and think about things. Planning to do it on sunday afternoon when you need the car the next day, is not a good way of doing it, too much pressure. With these jobs the first time you do them, takes the longest. Once you have all the steps mapped out in your mind it is easy. The second time is much faster and less stressful. I don't mind investing money in tools, as these are a once off spend. You can also shop around for the best price on parts, rather than being forced to pay dealer part prices. The belt change on the TS cost me $40 for the belt and $20 for the 3 seals. Ask a dealer to replace the belt, and they might charge slightly more. lol The most valuable part for me though, is the last bit, "out of my league" can be turned into "I can do that!". When I get around to buying a 3rd gen, I intend to buy one near the 100,000 or 200,000 km mark, as these go cheaply. The owner has discovered the belt change will cost him $1,000 to $1,500 and the price of the car usually reflects this, or if it doesn't it becomes a good haggling point.

Hey Max, any chance you can help me do the timing belt change when the time comes?

Should be pretty much the same as a 2nd gen, same basic steps. You may have even done a 3rd gen by then.

A slab / bottle or two of your favourite beverage in it for you.

PS - don't know if it was the oil change or the filter clean, but it seems to have a bit more go now, like 10% better throttle response.

KJ.

Hey Max, any chance you can help me do the timing belt change when the time comes?

Should be pretty much the same as a 2nd gen, same basic steps. You may have even done a 3rd gen by then.

A slab / bottle or two of your favourite beverage in it for you.

PS - don't know if it was the oil change or the filter clean, but it seems to have a bit more go now, like 10% better throttle response.

KJ.


Sorry bud. Me doing it for you isn't going to teach you anything. And I don't want to be used as a free mechanic. That's what I tell all of my relatives. Especially the ones who start complaining half way through a job that its taking too long. lol