Taken for a ride by the mechanic today.

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N J

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So I go into the local "Auto Spa" (Valvoline) place for an oil change and within minutes they start telling me about all the "problems" with my Trac and how I should flush this and flush that. So i figured that i'd run this buy a few of you and get your opinions on it:



background inf: 2003 Trac 2x4 w/ 75,000 kms



1) he opens up the cap for the oil and notices some dust/dirt whatever it was "residue" and tells me I should get an oil flush, to flush out all the dirty oil and put in clean oil. I told him that I thought that was what an oil change is. He's like no, they run new oil through it to clean everything out. cost was only 13 bucks (canadian) so i fall for it. Fine



2) tranny flush (130 bucks). He actually had a point on this, the fuild looked like sh*t. But i said no, cause i'd rather go to the dealer for this (i'm going next week, relax, lol)



3) Rear Axle Differential flush. he shows me some screw with debris on it and says that it needs to be flushed and put synthetic oil in there for it cause i've got so many kms on it (cost is like 80 bucks - i said no)



4) Rad coolent needs to be flushed (cost 79 bucks, I said no)



5) then he said that the RAP CAP is faulty. He hooks it up to some little hand-held pressure machine and shows me that it looses its pressure. He then puts a new one on and shows me out it keeps 16 lbs of pressure. Cost of this new cap 20 bucks. I say no



Basically, what do you think of all this (mainly the "oil flush" that I did pay for and the "rad cap"? I'm sure that if the rad cap was loosing pressure, something would have gotten majorily screwed up by now don't you think?



anyways, i appreciate you taking the time to hear me out and look forward to any thoughts you might have.



P.S. I can now officially say that I do NOT trust these scum bags at all.
 
I'm pretty sure you can get and install a rad cap for far less than $20 canadian even if that is only like $0.50 :)
 
I think motor flushes are a scam. As long as you've been maintaining a vehicle properly, it isn't necessary. The other stuff, depending on the miles, oops km, might need done but just go by the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual. Dealer tried to scam my wife on some stuff for her car, she calls my cell, I said "No, the fuel filter does NOT need changed at 45k because they did it at 30k and it isn't due again until 60k, so tell 'em to stuff it". Just one example.
 
I had an '01 Trac. Cool truck. I'm ordering an '07 as soon as Bill Utter in Denton will take my order....Anyway, since my '01 had approx. 40,000 miles on it, the Firestone shop that changed my oil every 4000 miles would put a little strip into the brake master cylinder, pull it out, show it to me and say I needed complete brake flush because my brake fluid was old and 'acidy'. $80. I always said no. Does brake fluid get old and need flushing out?? Thanks.
 
Don't do the "oil flush". Changing oil every 3-5k miles (what's the conversion to km?) is all you need. Tranny Flush is something you may want to consider if you haven't done it yet. I did one around 40k miles. I also get my antifreeze changed every year or two, usually in the Fall. ANd I agree with the above posts on the Rad. cap. Buy one adn put it on yourself. Cost is probably $5-10 CAN.
 
Oil every 5000 miles.

Tranny flush every 30,000 (on most Fords).

Air and fuel filters at 30,000.

Brake fluid does not have a recommended interval, but should be done every few years as it absorbs moisture.

Coolant at 45,000 and every 30,000 after unless you have the gold long-life stuff.

Transfer case lube (it's ATF) every 60,000.

Axles, unless they go under water, never....but I'd do it around 60,000 anyway.



That's the book anyway. Don't know what those are in km.
 
Reminds me a mechanic telling my sister that the K&N Filter in her Taurus was not working since there were bugs in the airbox.



She looked at him and said something along these lines, Those are on the dirty side of the box before the filter. I am not stupid. Get away from my car.





Tom
 
I like that one Tom but how about this. Several years back my Mom took her Acura Legend to the local quickie lube place and they told her she needed a new air filter @ $50 and a new serpentine belt (which was worn) @ $200. My Dad picked up the filter for $15 and the belt fo $20 at the local Napa and changed both in about 15 minutes.
 
I took my 97 Mountaineer to one of those Jiffy places before and the guy showed me the antifreeze, which was brackish, and told me either the upper main head gasket was leaking or there was a problem with the block. I took it home, flushed the coolant, and drove it another 80,000 miles before getting rid of it with no other discoloration of the coolant.



If the guy had really known what he was talking about, he wouldn't be working at Jiffy Lube.
 
I do my oild changes at Jiffy (believe it or not) and hadn't have a problem, if the regular attendant isn't there (he knows me) and someone asks or says anything like that I just keep staring blankly at them and ask:

"Did you do what I asked for?, thanks, how much I owe you?"



Why should I bother even acknowledging their blabber?

:lol:
 
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I just got hit up for that engine flush too. Must be a company policy or something. I was shown the inside of the filler cap and told that there was sludge and water in the engine because there was a slight amount of sludge on the cap. I asked how that got there and was told that they see this on Fords all the time. :wacko:



Since it was 20 degrees out, I let him finish changing my oil... and NOTHING else...



BTY, I do have the gold antifreeze. Of course, he wanted to change it. How long is it really supposed to be good for?
 
What bugs me about oil change places is the little list they check off that says they checked this and that. They almost always have "rear axle" listed there, and it is always checked off. However, I just got curious one day, and checked the rear axle plug. It wasn't any cleaner than the rest of the rear axle, and looked like it had never been touched! I stopped going to those places after that. I mean it's ok if you don't do something I didn't ask you to do, but don't lie to me and say you did it anyway.
 
Antifreeze.



I does need to be changed out every 2 years or so. It is not the fact that the antifreeze will not do it's job as far as cooling goes. It will for many years, 10 to 20 years in fact. As well as keep the engine protected from freezing issues.



The Antifreeze has lubricant in it that lubricates and coats all internal water cooled parts. If you do not change the fluid every 2 or 3 years it will contribute to an earlier failure of water pumps and metal head gaskets. Metal head gaskets were very common on performance on low tolerance, (clearance between the piston(s) and the head).



Like the Cavalier Type 10 that GM had many issues with the metal head gaskets. In most cases it came down to the coolant being the real problem. It would be old and broken down. The gasket lost it's protective film from the antifreeze and literally rust. Once it rusted it lost it's ability to keep compression in the cyclinder....
 
most of the stuff is just a money maker and not needed but as far as the tranny flush DO IT @ the dealer I have read and heard alot of horror after tranny flushes(tranny slippage)
 
Those quick lube places are notorious for trying to "increase their ticket" by upselling needless services. I've used them many times and hate having to go thru their bs. When you say no.. they try to make you feel like an idiot as if you don't care about fixing your vehicle. The employees are pressured into doing this and it's a game to them. I feel sorry for liitle old ladies and anyone who doesn't realize they are scammers. I especially love the old pull the dip stick and show how dirty the oil is to you. OH.. THIS IS REALLY DIRTY.. YOU NEED AN OIL FLUSH! Unless you change your oil every 20 miles.. it supposed to be that color?
 
What makes me mad is I have taken my vehicle there and told them "only oil, filter, and chassis lube" and the dumbasses still take out the air filter and bring it to me and try to sell another one or the wiper blades, etc. One time they didn't snap the air filter box shut and i didn't see that for a few weeks. I wonder how much dirt got sucked in or how much dirt got dumped into the clean side by taking the filter in and out.



I do all my maintenance work now. I have had bad service from both Jiffy Lube and dealers.



My dealer does the free 36-point inspection but most of it is just checked off and they don't inspect anything.
 

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