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Lying mechanic?

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  • 16-09-2007 6:46pm
    #1
    Balfa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,709 ✭✭✭


    In early summer I got a service and they recommended changing the automatic transmission fluid. He showed me the fluid and it looked dark, but what do I know? Anyway, I went ahead and got it done and then a few weeks back I took it to another place for another regular oil change. And THEY recommended I get the auto transmission fluid changed as well.

    Is it possible the first lads charged me for it but just didn't bother doing it?
    Is it possible the second place is just making the recommendation up chancing their arm?

    How long should the automatic transmissions fluid remain bright red before turning brownish?

    Is there a likelihood that both places are telling the truth and my car just killed the hell out of the fluid that was just put in it? It runs fine so I doubt that's the case.

    What should I do? Do I have any comeback on the first place if they didn't do the work?


Comments

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    #2
    cantdecide
    Registered Users Posts: 11,465 ✭✭✭✭cantdecide


    did you tell the second place that the first place supposedly did the job?


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    #3
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,815 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    cantdecide wrote:
    did you tell the second place that the first place supposedly did the job?
    My thoughts exactly.


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    #4
    ~~SKYHIGH~~
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭~~SKYHIGH~~


    new oil soils relatively quickly so it may be hard to prove they didnt change it first time round


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    #5
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    ATF should keep its lighter tone for a most of its life.

    Mike.


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    #6
    Balfa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,709 ✭✭✭Balfa


    cantdecide wrote:
    did you tell the second place that the first place supposedly did the job?
    Unfortunately not. I probably should have, but I wasn't too impressed overall with the place and English wasn't the guy's first language and I was in a bit of a hurry :/

    Should I confront the first place with what the second place said and show them that the ATF is a bit brown (I'll check it myself tomorrow or something, to make sure)?


    Thanks for that info, Mike.


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    #7
    richie_rvf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭richie_rvf


    What is the car?

    The oil could get dark pretty quickly, especially if there is higher mileage on the car, and, unless the first garage flushed the system there would have been some old oil remaining which also would darken the new oil.

    It sounds possible to me that the first place did change the oil.

    Richie.


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    #8
    ~~SKYHIGH~~
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭~~SKYHIGH~~


    Dont go throwing knives until your seriously sure they did not do it.....


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    #9
    Balfa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,709 ✭✭✭Balfa


    It's a 93,000 mile '99 Mazda Protege (323).

    I wasn't thinking of throwing knives, just mentioning it...


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    #10
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    mike65 wrote:
    ATF should keep its lighter tone for a most of its life.

    Mike.

    I'll 2nd this. I changed my ATF at 51,000 miles and the new stuff was identical in colour.


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    #11
    Hifive
    Registered Users Posts: 495 ✭✭Hifive


    I changed the old, discoloured power steering fluid (ATF) in my car, due to a leak and the new stuff became discoloured very quickly, presumably due to contamination from residue left by the old stuff. so maybe the job was done.


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    #12
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Hifive wrote:
    I changed the old, discoloured power steering fluid (ATF) in my car, due to a leak and the new stuff became discoloured very quickly, presumably due to contamination from residue left by the old stuff. so maybe the job was done.
    That will happen with ATF when used in power steering as it's much more exposed to the air. Not so when it's in a gearbox... it's pretty much sealed.


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    #13
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,281 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    I know I wouldn't buy or recommend an auto in which the ATF wasn't red. Does it smell burnt? Was the filter changed at the same time? It should have been.

    Not your ornery onager



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    #14
    Fey!
    Registered Users Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭Fey!


    It could be that the first garage recommended doing it one service ahead of the recommended schedule (or maybe the car wasn't being serviced spot on the recommended mileage), and the second garage won't have been able to see that it was done and therefore also, correctly, recommended it.

    Both garages are possibly right to recommend it, as the second may not have been able to see that it was done and should have been told.

    Just my 2c.


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    #15
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,281 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    Fey! wrote:
    It could be that the first garage recommended doing it one service ahead of the recommended schedule (or maybe the car wasn't being serviced spot on the recommended mileage), and the second garage won't have been able to see that it was done and therefore also, correctly, recommended it.

    Both garages are possibly right to recommend it, as the second may not have been able to see that it was done and should have been told.

    Just my 2c.
    Sorry, Fey, but did you read the other posts in the thread? ATF should stay red.

    Not your ornery onager



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    #16
    michaelanthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 741 ✭✭✭michaelanthony


    It should stay red for a few 10's of thousands of miles, then brown and then black.


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    #17
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,281 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    michaelanthony wrote:
    It should stay red for a few 10's of thousands of miles, then brown and then black.
    Goes against everything I have read/learned.

    Not your ornery onager



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    #18
    Mr.Diagnostic
    Registered Users Posts: 937 ✭✭✭Mr.Diagnostic


    It is possible to flush a gearbox. If this was done and if there is no problem with the box then the fluid should still be red. If there is a problem with the box or if the gearbox was not flushed the fluid will loose its colour very quickly.
    Draining the box does not remove all the ATF. There is still a torque converter full in there.

    How many garages have the equipment to flush the gearbox and so leave the fluid red afterwards?


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