My beater '89 Tempo has 201k miles on it. While in for warranty alignment #x, I asked them to change the manual transaxle oil, having last done it at 150k. They refused, citing the possibility of causing leaks or something.
Why? I watched the Jiffy Lube guy do it 50k ago, and used a hose to get all the dirty gear oil out of it, then just re-filled it to the plug level. What do they usually do? I have never done a FWD clutch or trans R&R job.
These don't have a drain plug? Well, if sucking the oil out with a hose and then refilling it is the only way, there is nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that is has only 50K on the new oil-does it look that bad? BTW, what is a "warranty alignment" at over 200K?
They're stupid. The high mileage concern is only an issue on automatics, not manual tra nsmissions.
CJB
It was just the way they did it. He seemed sure of himself, and checked the level. He knew I was watching, and said "few people actually ask for that".
I honestly forget from my oil changes and crap where *exactly* that plug is, I don't usually look there. I don't remember seeing a plug on the bottom, though.
I don't know what the fluid looks like, but my synchros are wearing ever further down, and I thought it might be a good "while it's in there, been 50k more" thing.
I am trying to get as many miles outta this sucker as I can, so I can put all the $ I'd send to a bank on a newer car into my '67 Mustang. Thought it might be cheap insurance.
BTW,
HA! Good question. It's a lifetime alignment Firestone foolishly offered to this Tempo owner six years ago. And one they have done 5 or
6 of them by now... BANG, hit a pothole, get it checked!
Yeah, he mentioned that as an equivalent - "like an automatic". I thought, "but it's a stick" and was late to get back to work so I left, a bit confused. I have also only owned two automatics in the past 17 years, both as "one-year" cars. And they were up in the 125 - 150k range so I didn't even think of it as long as the level was full hot.
I bet they just didn't want to bother doing the job. Maybe their equipment was not available to suck it out or whatever. You got the equivalent of the mechanic's shrug.
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