A bit of research on the ATF +3 ATF +4 issue

Let's see now, Bill Putney already posted that DC: Equilon (makers of Havoline and Shell oil products in the US) is one of the two manufacturers of it for Chrysler.

So it appears that all you have done is go to Havolines site and chase down to the MSDS and located the MSDS for the oem products, which of course include ATF+4.

I guess you still haven't read the ilma article here:

You claim that you can get it for 10 quarts for $59.99 Well, that's $10 a quart which is higher than what it costs to buy it at the Chrysler dealership. In fact, double the cost according to some people here. Obviously it is cheaper for the manufacturer that makes ATF+4 to sell it directly than to sell it to Chrysler who has to spend money handling it, then resell it. Since according to you the price is higher directly from Havoline, obviously Chrysler is forcing Havoline to price it above cost if Havoline tries to sell it directly.

If your still convinced that it's available through Havoline, then post the instructions on who to call to purchase it. I''m sure that the ILMA legal staff would be most interested.

Ted

No, Dan, this is not MY conspiracy theory. It is the ILMA's conspiracy theory. Please read the article:

Uh - 60÷10 = ? 8^)

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

:-) That was just to provoke a response from Chuck. The actual price per quart at that is $6 but still that's at best only $2 cheaper than the gouging dealerships out there, and pretty even compared to the non-gouging dealerships. And of course even if the general public could get an auto parts place to order it, for someone who only needs a single quart to top off a transmission, they are going to have to go to the dealer.

I think that Neil Nelson really had it summed up with the comment about the Ford trannies. It seems that some transmission designers out there have a long term plan to seal off transmission fluid additions from the general public. In short they want it so that the average person cannot add transmission fluid to their vehicle. For this to work of course they gotta make the fluid last the life of the transmission, thus the move to synthetic ATF. Next is going to come a subtle campaign to convince people that trans fluid lasts the life of the car and never needs changing. Then last they are going to take away the dipstick.

It makes me wonder if perhaps Chrysler has seen a lot of warranty claims paid out over the years on transmission damage caused by use of the wrong fluid, and they want to put an end to that.

When it comes down to it I don't disagree with the idea of pricing transmission fluid in the $10-a-quart range if it's never going to need to be changed for the life of the vehicle. I just feel that it's rediculous to think that you can design a completely sealed lubrication system and have it run indefinitely. And I also find the claims that synthetic fluid is so much more fantastic than regular fluid that it removes the need for regular fluid changes, to be pretty undigestible.

Ted