First time I have ever done this. My civic has about 33K miles. I have always had the oil changed at Jiffy Lube but now it;s due again and I am gogin to bring it to Honda to get the oil & tranny fluid changed and tires rotated. Should I be certain they do something pertaining to either the tranny fluid change or tire rotation( should they be balanced if rotated etc.??) Thanks a lot!!!
If you aren’t experiencing vibration, the tires shouldn’t need to be balanced.
Tiz a good idea not having the transmission fluid changed at Jiffy Lube; they probably don’t have the proper Honda transmission fluid, which is absolutely vital to the continued health of the transaxle. I wouldn’t go to JL for regular oil changes either.
Have you looked through your owners manual and made a list of all the things your car needs?
Concerning the tire balancing . . .
Out of balance tires on the rear axle aren’t generally noticeable by the driver
So, if the rear tires are out of balance, and they’re rotated to the front . . .
I’m not going to recommend Jiffy, period but suit yourself but don’t complain when the oil plug falls out or the filter blows off and the engine is ruined. End of lecture.
You don’t have to balance and they will just have a checklist for you of things like brakes, battery, wipers, etc. and if everything is ok. They may have additional items to suggest though like an air filter, cabin filter, etc. Prolly should have been done at 20K and rotation at 5-10K. The tires don’t need balancing unless you are noticing a vibration.
Be ready for sticker shock for the prices you pay at a dealership. I am not recommending you don’t go, but for general maintenance like this READ the maintenance manual and order up only what should be done at these regular intervals. Order them individually and do not get roped in to 30 or 60k service regiments that dealers put together as packages to hide their over charges. They do things like, charge labor for a Miriad of checks they list in these service packages just to increase the cost when they check everything for nothing all the time any way. It’s just good business for them regardless. Be proactive and read the manual and tell them what to do…not the other way around. Be an informed car owner not a reactionary one.
Just in case you’ve missed it so far:
- Follow the service recommendations in the manual
- stop using Jiffy Lube.
Def will stop using Jiffy Lube…thanks again.
@tiznow0621…glad you got the message. In case anyone missed it…never use Jiffy Lube or any similar type business to work on your vehicle. A good independent mechanic is your best bet.
Get transmission serviced at dealer. They use only Honda fluid and do it right. My main concer is that they use the correct fluid with the correct additives for the tranny. My Camry was $85 at the Toyota dealer. I did not think that was outrageous. Honda drains the fluid, refills, runs the car and drains it again and then they replace the filter then refills. This is the correct way to do it.
Assuming this is the scheduled “30,000 mile” service, the dealer will have a lengthy list of items to service and inspect. You should have them explained to you ahead of time. I’m not sure that transmission fluid change is on that list.
Also make sure that what the dealer wants to do is what the manufacturer recommends. Dealers are infamous for adding unnecessary “fuel system flushes” and “decarboning additives” which do nothing but increase their profits.
At 33k miles, the transmission only needs one drain and refill, and it may not have an accessible filter to change. It will need an air filter and a cabin air filter, both are generally way overpriced at a dealer and you can do yourself very easily, especially the cabin air filter.
If the Civic is using regular copper core spark plugs, they will need to be changed as well, check your owners manual to see if they are on the schedule. Platinum and Iridium plugs last 60 to 120k miles. Ask the service writer if there is a package deal for this service, sometimes you have to ask for it and it can save you a lot of money.
You may also be due for a cooling system drain and refill, but that might be on the 60k instead of the 30k, again check your owners manual for the schedule.
A brake system flush may be on the schedule if you have ABS, this is the only flush that you should allow them to do if it is on the schedule. Even if its not, this is one that would still be a good idea. Your transmission ATF change may not be on the schedule either but still should be done.
Do not let the dealer add anything to the recommended package and absolutely do not let them flush your transmission, they are not supposed to do that, Honda advises against that but some dealers try to sell it anyway.
Again thanks so much everyone. We’ll just has the oil and tranny fluid changed and the tires rotated at Honda…$185 later…OUCH…$99 just for the tranny fluid change.
Painful, yes, but like a flu shot it’ll pay dividends. Transmission failure is very expensive, while fluid changes greatly increase the odds (but don’t guarantee) that your transmission will last the life of the car.
$99 for a tranny fluid change sounds very reasonable to me
$99 for an ATF change sounds a little high to me. It should be about the cost of the oil change. No filter, only 2.5 qts of ATF at $8.95/qt and a drain plug washer. Compare to an oil change, filter and 4 qts oil. But at least it is done right and its a small cost when spread out over 30k miles, about 3/10ths of a cent per mile. Cheap compared to gas, tires, insurance and the cost of the car itself.
Thanks guys.
As others have noted, it is a good idea to avoid ANY Fast oil change place.
I suggest you stick to a local shop that has been recommended to you by someone you know.
If you are a do it yourself type doing your own oil changes is something most drivers are capable of doing.
Thanks Joe. BTW this car is a lease but I am going to buy it out…hopefully the buyout $$$ is right
Again thanks everyone. Ok had an oil change, tranny fluid change and tires rotated…$185.00 later…ouch. $99 just for the tranny fluid change