Dealer Service good deal?

Terrible deal. RTFM and DIY or go to the local quick lube.

Fred did pass the time by typing:

IMHO, pure ripoff

Unless you have limited slip there is very little reason to change diff fluids. The main reason for changing fluid is if you have had the axles under water (over the vent tubes if they are there) or do some serious off-roading. Splish-splash daily driving is not "severe driving conditions."

I have about 124,000 miles and change the fluid every 60,000 miles. Other than that it's just sticking a finger in there to check levels every 10,000. It's fairly easy to pump out the lube from a warm diff and squeeze in fresh lube.

I was quoted $200 JUST for doing the diffs at a Canadian Tire. Crooks and clutzes!

Anyhow, I'm pretty good for sticking to what my warranty specifies....when my warranty runs out, then I'll do things a bit differently...but I don't want to give them a reason to give me a hard time if I have issues!

service writers are pure commision.... as stated above diffs dont need changed unless youve been creek crossing

Do you have your owners manuals?

The manuals have the service recommendations in them.

If the manual says it is time, it is, if it doesn't, I would take the manual right to that service writer and call him a liar and a thief to his face, then get his boss involved. The more public the better.

My CJ7 calls for a diff oil change every 30,000 miles.....

And 2 hours for 15 minutes work isn't a 'deal', except for the service writers commission....

Mike

Fred wrote:

Indeed, Schedule A for the Wrangler (normal driving conditions) doesn't require you to change the axle oil at all in the first 45K miles. Schedule B (hard driving) recommends it at 18K miles.

I changed mine at 14K.

Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

That's what I figure. No point in spending thousands on a vehicle and then risk it for a few 10s worth of oil.

Yep, I change mine every year in all my vehicles and use synthetic. Knock on wood I have never had a differential or seal problem. Penny wise and pound foolish (Thomas Jefferson) still holds true today.

I think his question was should he pay the dealer $144 to change the fluid. Perhaps he needs to be told no, this is a horrendous overcharge, and then the procedure explained to him.

If he was a friend or neighbor I would offer to show him. I would not object if he provided a pizza afterward.

Some people, however, refuse to get their hands dirty and that is okay. I might suggest then that he shop around for a better price.

The quicklube joints want a huge pile for changing antifreeze too. What's news?