Service and maintenance schedule

Donstar · May 15, 2020

Our manuals contain two maintenance schedules; normal and severe. I received a reminder from my dealerships that I was due for a transmission and transfer case service. I appreciate having a well serviced vehicle but these maintenance items are found on the "severe" schedule. I have 72k kms (45k mi) and my truck is used as a car. Is my dealer simply upselling me or should I get these services done? I would not normally question and have the recommended service performed but money is a concern. Again, I am all for preventative maintenance but don't want to spend the money unnecessarily. I have the knowledge but not the physical ability so I'd be paying shop prices.

Grumpy Bear · May 15, 2020

That's a tough one sir. Personally I consider all vehicles in severe service. They just run them to hot anymore. Remember the old Fram commercial? Pay me now or pay me later! If you plan on keeping this truck for a long time I'd do what I could. I did my service at 50K and you know how I drive, right? The transmission was past due. Not total ugly but past due. That first one is the most important service you will ever do. IMHO.

JimCost2014 · May 15, 2020

I think it is really personal choice.

You will get as many opinions on this as you would choice of oil and how often to change it.

We did the Tcase, transmission, and rear end on the Tahoe at 50000 miles, kind of the schedule I have always adhered too, just because we try to take care of our rigs and not run the wheels off of them.

All fluids looked good, and have no problems before or since. Also had the brake fluid changed around the same time, filters get replaced every 20000 miles.

You could always charge it, right after the end of a billing cycle, would give you two months to come up with the money to pay it off.

KARNUT · May 15, 2020

I’ve always been on the end of the maintenance schedule. Changing fluids to synthetic and going extended. Only running 150K miles in a couple three years. Then trading in. Otherwise I’d be changing fluids often because I drove so many miles. Lo and behold I buy an 19 year old Avalanche by the looks of the grill it never saw the hwy. Running less than 10K miles a year. The only fluid changed was the oil and by the light. I changed the rest of the fluids when I bought it at 167K. The water pump went out at 160K so that’s when the antifreeze got changed. The brakes shortly before that. So probably the brake fluid then. Just an example, not saying anything about what you will experience. I expect probably putting a transmission in some day. Going by the fluid I pulled out and the smell. It was in good shape. This truck was babied no doubt. Even the door jams sparkle.

Donstar · May 15, 2020

I just saved $50 by changing my cab air filter. (Also on my service reminder). It was an easy task but kind of a silly setup. GM could probably sell a lot more filters if they made changing them more user friendly! I imagine changing the transmission fluid and filter must be ridiculous judging by the dealer's $249 price for this service!

Grumpy Bear · May 15, 2020

One of the things I love about machines is that they don't respond to you beliefs, your religion, your politics, your philosophies, your education or your station in life. They respond to your habits. The mean of your inputs. Every second of time you interact with a machine is an instruction given, an input received that is met by physics in a very direct way. It has no choice in the matter. You receive from it EXACTLY what you put into it.

When people share anecdotal results they are sharing how that machine, their machine, responded to their very specific set of inputs and it's ambient environment. A set of instruction you can't duplicate even if you use the same products and routines.

There are literally hundreds of thousand experiences that will get that machine to 150 K. The factory manual will take you that far. Those numbers, methods, drop considerably if your goal is a million. That will rely heavy on the science and less on the anecdotal.

JimCost2014 · May 15, 2020

Kind of subliminal...…

The 150K might give it away

Grumpy Bear · May 16, 2020

3 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

Kind of subliminal...…

The 150K might give it away

Tell ya what's a give away. Advice from those who never keep one longer than that.

Donstar · May 16, 2020

I prefer to be one of those who get a new vehicle well before 150k (km). I know that maintaining an older vehicle is less expensive than regularly buying new. I mentioned once before that I ran into a man my age with a truck similar to one I purchased in '85. His truck has continued to be his daily driver and I've been through eight new trucks since then. I can imagine the money he has spent on transportation over the past 30+ years pales in comparison to my costs. The frustrating part of this is he still has an exceptionally nice truck and would sell for triple what he originally paid!

ftwhite · May 16, 2020

The transfer case oil is a simple service: drain plug, fill plug, done. Shouldn't cost more than a cheap oil change.

Transmission fluid can be checked on some. If so, you could see if there are strong signs it its burned up and needs service, or if this really is just preventive maintenance and you can go longer.

My experience with GM trucks, they like transmission fluid changes. Which is unfortunate because they are not easy. Like someone above said, the first one is the most important.

If you can, check price with a transmission shop too.

JimCost2014 · May 16, 2020

19 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Tell ya what's a give away. Advice from those who never keep one longer than that.

That is a pretty bold statement, assuming anyone who does not keep a vehicle for over 150k will not treat it correctly and keep it maintained as it should be.

Once again, how I perceive the words in front of me, maybe it was a jab at Stan, or myself, but who knows.....

Grumpy Bear · May 17, 2020

6 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

That is a pretty bold statement, assuming anyone who does not keep a vehicle for over 150k will not treat it correctly and keep it maintained as it should be.

Once again, how I perceive the words in front of me, maybe it was a jab at Stan, or myself, but who knows.....

You two. You're so wound up in the fight you miss the point.

Donstar · May 17, 2020

20 hours ago, ftwhite said:

If you can, check price with a transmission shop too.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give a transmission shop a try. I inquired at our local auto service store (Canadian Tire) and they were slightly less expensive but not enough to keep me from my trusted GM dealership. I also visited a quick oil change type store and their prices were favourable. I have no problem with a quick lube place doing an oil change as this is pretty basic. You're there while its being performed, and it's easy to spot a leak or improper fill level. Is transmission service expensive because of the knowledge and skill required or is it more an issue of special equipment? The quick lube's website talks about equipment capable of extracting all of the old ATF. I picture draining your transmission in the driveway and using a turkey baster to assist in the process as being labor intensive but not high on the skill level chart However if it is a many step process with lots of opportunity for mistakes, then I would want to go to a place that specializes in transmissions!

KARNUT · May 17, 2020

20 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

That is a pretty bold statement, assuming anyone who does not keep a vehicle for over 150k will not treat it correctly and keep it maintained as it should be.

Once again, how I perceive the words in front of me, maybe it was a jab at Stan, or myself, but who knows.....

Well! I was giving the maintenance schedule of a 19 year old truck I bought. My 31 year old truck pretty much followed the same schedule since I’ve owned it. The same with our 05 Elantra, 01 Acura and 11 Genesis. My work trucks had accelerated mileage with my job. So synthetic and extended was the rule. The cylinder deactivation engines probably are better served with more frequent oil changes. My brother still runs Amsoil extended in his two Rams. One going over 200K miles, the other 100K. One salesman a high mileage driver is going extended on his 15 Denali. 4 oil changes at 100K miles. There’s probably at least 30 of his employees doing the same. As well as the many hundreds of his company’s customers. When he finds something that works he shares. That Frankenstein GM engine I’d probably go sooner rather than later. I have no real hands on experience other than 40 years in the equipment business. So take it for what’s it worth.

ftwhite · May 17, 2020

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

Is transmission service expensive because of the knowledge and skill required or is it more an issue of special equipment?

depends. Yes, the challenge is getting all the old fluid out of not only the pan, but also the torque converter and other places that don't drain into pan directly. Also, to get really clean, you drop the pan (hard) and replace filter and clean the magnet. At dealer and quick lube, the ygenerally hook up a machine that replaces the oil by pumping in clean on on cooler hose and sucking out dirty on the other. Until its all clean. Gets most of the fluid swapped, but only the dirt that is suspended in the fluid. Not the filter, magnet, or bottom of pan. Good enough though for most cases under 150k miles. I think quick lubes are fine, but you could ask dealer to price match.