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Question for Car Mechanics

cardinal03

cardinal03

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Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Location
SF
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I dropped my car off this morning ('97 Ford Explorer, 87K miles) for a 90K mile service. When I get there in addition to the 90K service, the service guy recommends, without even looking at the car:
- Transfer Case Fluid Change ($178.55)
- Service of Differential ($201.83)
- Rear Axle Service ($201.83)

The car has never been off-roaded, used the 4X4 two or three times in the snow. I'm about to drive cross-country so I want the car in tip-top shape, but I don't want to pay an unnecessary $600.

Advice please?
 
Thats alot of money to have them "service" your truck. But they are right it needs to be done. But all of those you can do with a jack and a $5 tranny pump from kragen. Drain the fluids and replace them like you do your oil. Spend $30 on service manual for your specific vehicle and get to work.
 
Jiffy Lube will do xfer case and diff oil changes for $30/each.
 
Ditto. The shop is wanting to give you a major hosing. I change differential and transfer case (when I had one) about every 100K miles, but I sure don't pay someone $200 for the "service"
 
Your maintenance manual tells you what services your vehicle needs, not the generic service schedule the dealer has posted on the wall. I'll bet your guide doesn't even mention any of those services at 90k miles.
 
ditto all of the above with one caveat:

make sure that "service" just means changing the fluid for the diffrential and rear axle. the service writer person will tell you if asked, might take some prodding though.
 
ExplicitZX7R said:
$5 tranny pump from kragen. Drain the fluids
Click to expand...


What's tranny pump do? Is this a short cut of replacing your tranny fluid without replacing the filter? Just curious.
 
Preventative maintenance is your friend, but this guy seems over priced. Shop around. Those Jiffy Lube style joints are a major hazzard though, find someone with a good reputation.
 
Last edited:
Eldritch said:
Preventative maintenance is your friend, but this guy seems over priced. Shop around. Those Jiffy Lube style joints are a major hazzard though, find someone with a good reputation.
Click to expand...

Yea be carefull about jiffy lubes and cherry pits.... they seem to hire any reject high school kid. Either do it yourself or find a reputable shop to do it that dosent rip you off.
 
adamsix said:
What's tranny pump do? Is this a short cut of replacing your tranny fluid without replacing the filter? Just curious.
Click to expand...

Transmission fluid change wasn't on the list.

The pump has a hose the fluid comes out of, it allows you to put the fluid in the hole on the side of the items you're draining the fluid from. It's kind of hard to pour sideways. :)
 
cardinal03 said:
I dropped my car off this morning ('97 Ford Explorer, 87K miles) for a 90K mile service. When I get there in addition to the 90K service, the service guy recommends, without even looking at the car:
- Transfer Case Fluid Change ($178.55)
- Service of Differential ($201.83)
- Rear Axle Service ($201.83)

The car has never been off-roaded, used the 4X4 two or three times in the snow. I'm about to drive cross-country so I want the car in tip-top shape, but I don't want to pay an unnecessary $600.

Advice please?
Click to expand...

90k Service SHOULD include....

Oil change, Transmission fluid change, Coolant change, Power steering fluid change, and rear axle fluid change. if they are listing the words SERVICE, they should be replacing seals. Now on the ford explorers it IS quite common to see the front axle seals leaking. If the price quoted is including those seals, thats not too bad.

All in all I'd say if your paying OVER $450 for a 90k service your getting SCREWED, unless of course there are items needed repair/replace.

I could recommend you MANY different shops in the santa clara to monterey area.
 
thanks for all the info everyone. unfortunately i'm in ny right now, and i've been out of town for 2 years, so i don't have a good mechanic here. i'll definitely be looking for recommendations when i get out to cali. thanks again.
 
Wolf said:
Jiffy Lube will do xfer case and diff oil changes for $30/each.
Click to expand...

Jiffy Lube is also responsible for a bunch of blown motors (forgotten oil filter gaskets, loose drain plugs etc.) The one in Walnut Creek (back when I was working in the auto repair busines) was ordering 1 motor a month from the Mercedes dealership I worked next door to.

Double check those plugs.
 
Sharky said:
Jiffy Lube is also responsible for a bunch of blown motors (forgotten oil filter gaskets, loose drain plugs etc.) The one in Walnut Creek (back when I was working in the auto repair busines) was ordering 1 motor a month from the Mercedes dealership I worked next door to.

Double check those plugs.
Click to expand...

Yep! They only put one quart of oil in my Corolla. I spun a main bearing two days later. Lukily, the car was still under waranty and I got a new motor from Toyota and a rental.
 
Toyota left the oil cap off my car after an oil change. They cleaned everything after I returned with a smoking car, but they wouldn't even apologize for their error. I've never been back there, even though their price was cheaper then doing it myself.
 
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