Hi guys,

Ive just had my major service done today. Costing me a total of $911 including steering fluid + wiper blades + engine flush and other stuff.

He suggested that new fluid needs to be put into steering and transmission oil. I gave him the go ahead for the steering fluid, and he mentioned that there has also been an oil leak which he guessed it could be the transmission oil, which is why i didnt get it changed.

WHen i went to the workshop he suggested that i might need a transmission rebuild "thats why your car dosent change gears as well, feels a bit jerky" I totally disagreed with what he said. I reckon the transmission on my car is the fastest, tightest, smoothest gear changing car ive ever been in even up to now when i took the car for the service.

Transmission rebuilds are costly and cant believe it already needs a rebuild at 95,000kms young when the car isnt even triptronic and never been thrashed. Should i be getting this rebuild or should i wait it out to see if my transmission fails. Just dont see why i need to pour large sums of money that seems to drive fine.. Or is this a way for mechanics to make money? Just like i dont think my steering fluid needed changing even though the steering was fine?

Would I muck up any other internal parts of the car if i continued driving the car without the transmission rebuild?

Any thoughts and opinions please share!

Thanks!

Get a second opinion mate, sounds like he's pulling your leg. If there is nothing untoward happening in the actions of the transmission, then there is nothing to worry about int he immediate future. If anything, its probably due for a transmission flush.
Take it to an auto transmission specialist for piece of mind, if you have one available to you.

And he guessed it was a transmission fluid leak? Reconsider your mechanic, mate, he should be able to tell - if not by visual inspection (as it is a different colour to engine oil, even it it is old, it has a different viscosity also, so it would feel different to the touch), the smell of the oil should also be able to determine it.


Just like i dont think my steering fluid needed changing even though the steering was fine?
Like any oil, power steering oil still needs to be changed periodically - I think its every 45k..

I wouldn't rebuild an auto until it actually blew.

Change the fluid anyway, the Magna gearboxes are weak, and they certainly benefit from regular fluid changes.

Also, there's no difference between standard and triptronic boxes - it's all in the software and computers. Gearboxes are the same.

Thanks guys,

Very helpful!

I'd say get another mechanic, not another gearbox! Do a fluid change/relearn (search this forum), might be a lot cheaper. Also, $911 sounds like way too much for a service. Wiper blades, steering fluid, etc, should be cheap.
I'm getting mine serviced at K-Mart now, they seem to be doing a good job and are much cheaper than lots of other people out there.

Watch Kmart a Mate Of Mine got Trapped They Did everything with out his ok and Wanted thousands but Alot of it was Just Money Grabbing. and finaly got sorted.
Midas is Just Money Hungry for Little work and Don't Stand by their work like they say. I am going to a new mechanic now that is reconmended by work mates and has a lot of work from this guy because of his work ethics.

I'd say get another mechanic, not another gearbox! Do a fluid change/relearn (search this forum), might be a lot cheaper. Also, $911 sounds like way too much for a service. Wiper blades, steering fluid, etc, should be cheap.
I'm getting mine serviced at K-Mart now, they seem to be doing a good job and are much cheaper than lots of other people out there.

$911 for a MAJOR service seems pretty decent to me... depending what was actually done, I expect a lot more than what the OP mentioned.


Watch Kmart a Mate Of Mine got Trapped They Did everything with out his ok and Wanted thousands but Alot of it was Just Money Grabbing. and finaly got sorted.
Midas is Just Money Hungry for Little work and Don't Stand by their work like they say. I am going to a new mechanic now that is reconmended by work mates and has a lot of work from this guy because of his work ethics.

Don't go slagging mechanics without some base of relevant proof that they are dodgy mate. Both K-mart and Midas are franchises, meaning every branch is run by a completely independent group of people... what one store does has nothing to do with what another store does.

I guess 'Major service' you also mean the timing belt and plugs right? That would be that bulk of the $911. I agree, you don't need a rebuild, just service and reset the auto and it should be good! Just make sure they use the right transmission fluid in it. After you get that done, you could always run a bottle of this through it:
http://www.nulon.com.au/products/Specialty_Products/Auto_Transmission_Treatment/

I just go to Mitsubishi. They always charge fairly. If it goes in for a service and they identify Problem A and B, they call, give you an upfront price and you can decide to do it then or at a later stage. Plus any work you get done by them is backed by a 12 month warrarnty. I've been taking my car there for 2 years now and happy with all thats done.

Also, when my trans was due for a flush at 100,000 I said no thanks, I got a trans speciailist that looks after the gear box solely. They were like no probs, all good.