Transmission history, how should I proceed?

[PaulW]

Thanks for all the feedback guys! Your take on the friction modifiers of MaxLife is interesting, I never thought that the fluid itself could case slippage.

I think I'll take your advice on the Pennzoil and the Lubegard Red.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[PaulW]

Also there is no way I'm going to take my car to any questionable places! All recommendations in my area are pointing me to the same specialty Mercedes Benz only shop in the area.

PaulW

 

[RF Overlord]

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Both the owner and the dealership indicated that all service had been performed on the factory schedule.

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He dug and found that the transmission had not been service since 130k miles!!

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I wonder what else they lied to you about?

Thread hijack, but related:

My buddy bought a '98 Crown Vic from his father-in-law a couple of years ago. The FIL had the car from new..it was his company car and saw a lot of highway miles. The FIL assured my friend that ALL maintenance had been done by the book. Well, when I looked at the raw sewage in the coolant tank, I began to be suspicious. I pulled the transmission dipstick and saw brown there, too. My buddy called the FIL to ask when the ATF had last been changed...the FIL said he didn't even know ATF needed changing...

I told my buddy this car should be gone over with a fine-tooth comb as the FIL obviously had NO idea what service had ever been done.

The moral of this story is: never believe anyone when they tell you "all service was done by the book"...in my experience, that means they had the oil changed at Jiffy Lube every 3k, and nothing else.

 

[PaulW]

Yes I should have known better. I asked the previous owner for the service records to support what he said, he indicated he would get them together and send them to me.

The Benz dealership said that all service had been done and they could not provide me the records as they had customer info on them. So I took them both at their word. Obviously they didn't look at things closely enough or completely lied to me.

Ah well the car still drives awesome for it's age and it looks great too. Most people can't believe it's 13 years old.

PaulW

 

[Trav]

Half a pint of Seafoam Trans Tune a few hundred miles before changing the fluid will clean the valve body and governor.I have used this method many times and found the valve operation to be greatly improved.

 

[PaulW]

Any of you know who carries Pennzoil High-Mileage Vehicle ATF? Wal-Mart and Checker don't appear to carry it.

Thanks,
PaulW

 

[unDummy]

I find the Pennzoil High Mileage ATF only at Pepboys.
Anyone that sells pennzoil products should be able to order a case if they don't have it in stock. Talk to the auto parts store manager. Quaker State High Mileage ATF is the same as the Pennzoil(same MSDS and same spec sheet). Another option is to use the yellow pages and buy it from an oil distributor.