remember your maintenence schedule!

I regularly get postcards from my local Saturn dealer trying to sell me service like oil changes. I do the oil changes myself in the driveway so I ignore them. It could be that the reason that I get those notices is that I registered on the Saturn web site. I noticed recently that the estimated mileage that they had on the postcard was way off so I updated the current mileage on the web site. They'd been estimating my current mileage from the mileage I entered when I registered.

I just changed the transmission fluid on my '97 SL2 with Mobil-1 ATF. No one stocks it locally so I had to order it through Amazon.com. It brought a remarkable change in the transmission. Smoother than I've ever known. And it looks like I've picked up as much as 10% in gas mileage, though my mileage sample size is too small right now to be sure. I hope it turns out to be true, 35 mpg around town would be great and I can only speculate what it might do on the highway. I didn't really know how many miles the old fill had on it since I bought the car used from the Saturn dealer but I figured it was time.

One thing that bothers me about repair shops, including Saturn, is that they ALWAYS overfill the automatic transmission. ALWAYS! When I get the car home, I wait until the foam in the fluid settles and then siphon out some of the excess fluid. I suspect two different scenarios:

1. The mechanic checks fluid by shifting the transmission into drive with the engine running. This always makes the fluid seem low. If you add fluid then you'll be overfilling. I've observed mechanics doing this so I know it happens. Of course you can never tell a mechanic he's doing anything wrong, even if the procedure is stamped right on the dipstick. They'll just get huffy and do it their way anyway. I remember that decades ago that some Fords asked you to shift into drive to check fluid but now GM says to check it in park. Maybe the check in drive is a holdover from ancient times.
2. The mechanic doesn't drive the car far enough to get the transmission hot. If you fill to the top line on the dipstick you'll be overfilling if the transmission is cold.

When I bought the Saturn, I had to siphon out some excess fluid. When my mother bought a Cadillac I had to siphon out excess fluid on that car too--it was full of foam.

I've wondered if this might be why so many people seem to have trouble with Automatic Transmissions. I've always found them to be much more reliable than manuals, which require regular clutch replacement.

RK Henry

My dealer e-mails me when a service point is due. They must have worked out my average distance driven because the message arrives about the time my odometer says I need an oil change. I suppose each dealer is an independent business and I guess some employ customer retention practices and some do not.

But, you're right. One should never rely solely on the dealer for reminders. The time they slip up will be the time something major goes and you're on your own.

Well what's the Saturn experience all about then ? If it's just like any other car, why should i pay extra for that vaporous saturn experience ? Saturns were sold as cars for non-car people. I'm a non-car people, meaning I know next to nothing about cars. Tell me what I need to do to keep it running and I'll do it; but beyond that I just don't have the time to screw around with all that maintence stuff for our car.

Laz

When and where did you pay extra?

Two very simple words to remember "Owners Manual". Everything that needs to be maintained will be in there.

but beyond that I just don't have the time to screw

Heres some simple advice to follow. If everything has been kept up look at your current mileage, look in the owners manual at the next service or services closest to your current mileage or cars age. Jot the next service mileage and/or date down on a piece of paper and stick it on your dash. When you reach that mileage or date have the service done. Then repeat what you just done for the next service.

Huh? There is no "transmission oil" life monitor that I know of. The new Dexron Mercon IV fluid has no service life but it wasnt around during the S-series. Dip sticks on transmissions are going to be phased out by all auto makers eventually if i'm not mistaken. Kinda stupid IMO.

"Service Advisors" should catch this kind of stuff when a cars brought in, it would be a legit upsale, but Service Advisors are pretty useless... Technicians/mechanics dont have service history available to them.

IMHO the VB should of never been replaced...

The only service they'll find on my car since I owned it is a recalled Fuel pressure regulator. Since then they tried to get me in for an oil change that wasnt even close to being due. Everything I do I write down onto a sheet of paper.

The mechanics know that, they shouldn't assume that you know that. Thats the problem.

quote ""Service Advisors" should catch this kind of stuff when a cars brought in, it would be a legit upsale, but Service Advisors are pretty useless... Technicians/mechanics dont have service history available to them. "

I agree with what you say. Pity, I originally applied to be a Service Advisor and instead was offered a position in sales instead. I hate "grocery lists" and am very pro-customer assistance. Perhaps they saw that when they denied me the Service position, lol.

Oh well, I (and my entire family) are still customers and it still gets my goat that we were told we needed expensive transmission work instead of regular scheduled maintenance.

marx404

Well part of the problem with service advisors is they have no or little background in cars. (How some of them have jobs is beyond me) When a customer has a complaint about something the service advisor should know what kind of questions to ask the customer to help narrow things down for the Tech and then they should relay the customers answeres to the tech. Problem is...most SA's dont give a $#it about the problem and some are arrogant to techs when you try to ask them something they should of known to ask. Its kinda like when someone comes in here and says my white car doesnt run right... Often you dont get anymore info about it than that on the service sheet. This is where some independant shops usually do better because you often get to talk to a real mechanic for anything more than an oil change.

Blah Blah, you paint with a rather broad brush. The Service Advisors at the dealership from which I purchased both my Saturns and where I have all my work done (I'm not a DYI for *anything* :) )are not only pretty knowledgeable about Saturns themselves but when they recognize they have gaps in their knowledge, they go ask a tech.