[shcisamax]

I have read all the horrible reviews of Tire Choice. That they look to find lots more wrong with your car when you take it in. My question is this: If I take it in to have them flush the transmission fluid, will they mess it up...inadvertently or on purpose? I can deal with them trying to scare me into doing more for the car but I don't want to mess up the transmission and have to then take it to Volvo to repair. I am trying to avoid going all the way to Ocala and it is significantly less espensive. But not if they mess it up. Help.

[dillywho]

They've been servicing my car for a couple of years now and I'm totally satisfied. I asked them about some service the dealer said that I needed and they agreed with other sources that does not. This last time, they also told me that my brakes were in great shape and not worn and that all I needed was an alignment. Drives and sounds great now. (This is the Tire Choice located across from the Golden Corral.)

[CaptJohn]

Does your car manual call for flushing transmission fluid on a regular basis?
I'm not familiar with that. Herv (CarGuys), where are you?

[shcisamax]

Thanks. Wonder how the one on 441 is comparatively.

[shcisamax]

I was at Volvo and they said the transmission fluid was black and needed to be changed. There was a list of things that needed to be done so I was hoping I could get some done down here at a lower cost. Honestly, the cost of the tires was equivalent with Tire Choice. The transmission fluid was lower. at Tire Choice. The timing belt was about the same and I wasn't going to mess about with that so Volvo did it. And the front brake pads was essentially the same so Volvo did it. So outside of the transmission fluid, Volvo was pretty much the same as Tire Choice. I was pretty surprised. I was just hoping to avoid going up there....again. It would be nice to find somewhere down here as an alternative to Volvo.

[shcisamax]

Yes, where is Carguys???

[Villages PL]

Search: "Should you change black automatic transmission fluid? Quora"

The answer: Color is not an indication of when it's time to change your transmission fluid.

[shcisamax]

Oh crap. I hate now not trusting Volvo.

[Realitybreak]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

I was at Volvo and they said the transmission fluid was black and needed to be changed. There was a list of things that needed to be done so I was hoping I could get some done down here at a lower cost. Honestly, the cost of the tires was equivalent with Tire Choice. The transmission fluid was lower. at Tire Choice. The timing belt was about the same and I wasn't going to mess about with that so Volvo did it. And the front brake pads was essentially the same so Volvo did it. So outside of the transmission fluid, Volvo was pretty much the same as Tire Choice. I was pretty surprised. I was just hoping to avoid going up there....again. It would be nice to find somewhere down here as an alternative to Volvo.

Volvo may be more expensive because they may be changing the transmission filter and Tire Choice may only be changing the fluid. It is more work to also change the transmission filer. You need to ask at both places exactly what work they will perform.

[CaptJohn]

To my knowledge, transmission fluid is something that hardly ever needs changing and I have read good arguments for never changing it except in extremely bad problem cases.
How many miles are on your car?

[chuckinca]

I have been having the transmission flushed on my cars every 60K miles - recommended by most mfgrs and seems to make them run better.

My former daily driver, '97 Merc Grand Marquis (love that car!), has about 210K miles and still runs very well.

.

[shcisamax]

According to my Volvo dealer in CT: Volvo, the manufacturer, says not to change it ever. But the dealership feels it doesn't hurt to change it every 50,000 miles or so. They feel nothing lasts forever so you should drain and fill versus flush. So now I need to find a reliable person nearby who will do that properly. Anyone think they have a person they trust?

[Tracker]

I agree that using the manual as a reference point is good common sense. My experience with transmission fluid or any vehicle fluid that is discolored or smells/feels funny is to change it. I think this also is in the common sense category.

Transmission fluid changes vary depending on the vehicle. Some flush the system without changing the filter. This tends to change all the fluid and can be a bit more expensive than dropping a pan, changing the filter, and replacing the fluid in the pan (which is not all of the fluid in the transmission system).

If your Volvo dealer has been good to you then I would follow through with having them do the work. I also appreciate wanting to find a closer, reliable source for some repairs. I haven't tried Tire Choice but a neighbor has been using them for years and has been very pleased. I intend to try them for just an oil change as I am finally at the point where I don't want to go through the hassle myself anymore.

I found a local repair shop that has been quite satisfactory, so far. For some items I will still go to the dealer, however.
Qualifiers - I used to manage a repair shop/quick lube and own an 11 yr. old vehicle.

[shcisamax]

Thank you Tracker. Clearly you know more than the average Joe.

[batman911]

Worth a read:

Transmission Fluid Change? - Volvo Forum : Volvo Forums

Transmission Fluid - Volvo Forums - Volvo Enthusiasts Forum

How often should the automatic transmission fluid... — Yahoo! Autos

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2713202/posts

Based on some of the comments on the Volvo Forum, I would be wary of letting anyone other than the dealer change the fluid.