100k Trans Fluid Change?---Dealer just said

Your dealer is a tard, lol.

Under very light driving your fluid could last that long but that is not going to be pretty fluid at 100k.

Your best bet is to do a non-powered flush or just a drain/fill.

Nissan Corp released a memo stating the trans should never be powered flushed or reverse flushed but only a drain/fill.

The non-powered flush is a bit better then the drain/fill since it basically uses the transmission to push out the old fluid and draw in new at the same time. This way there is no outside pressure being put thru the trans.

Premium maintenance in my book says replace trans fluid at 30k and normal maintenance at 97k it still says inspect but change if towing etc. at 120k still says inspect. That fluid will look like crap in there that long.

How can there be such a huge difference between premium and regular maintenance.

I have no idea why such the disparity between the two schedules, I don't baby the truck and really don't have any intention on letting it go to 100k..but 50k? if the dealer is saying not until 100k, then I might go 50 before changing. With them charging so much for matic J/S fluid I don't want to throw money down a rat hole...they should at least cuddle with you after the sale for those prices!

I would suggest you asking if they use a powered flush or not. If it is powered, then forget them and just do the DIY drain/fill.

100k+ is ridiculous IMO, especially in vehicles not using synthetic. When I had my BMW shop trans were failing at 100k because the owners never had them maintained due to the 100k thing. That fluid came out black with lots of bad stuff in it. I just don't get it!

dubie2003 said:

I would suggest you asking if they use a powered flush or not. If it is powered, then forget them and just do the DIY drain/fill.

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AGREED, powered flushes cause more harm than good, the stuff it moves around in there is not good!

I am thinking about just doing a drain and fill...and using M1 Synthetic ATF. I know the debate regaring using the Nissan fluid...aside from that, do you think that having 4 quarts of the M1 and the rest factory fill will be a problem?

ttugrad said:

I am thinking about just doing a drain and fill...and using M1 Synthetic ATF. I know the debate regaring using the Nissan fluid...aside from that, do you think that having 4 quarts of the M1 and the rest factory fill will be a problem?

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I am running that current and there are no problems. I thought about Amsoil or OEM but the price was just too much.

Also, make sure you buy more then what you need just in case you need extra, ie buy 6 so you have extra if needed.

bimmernut318 said:

How can there be such a huge difference between premium and regular maintenance.

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That is interesting and I'm wondering the same thing. I'm doing all my services myself. I'm at 21k now, so I need a good weekend to do my diffs, and will do a drain/fill on my tranny around 30k and the transfer case.

I don't get it, There are different tiers of maintenance based on price you pay. So I want to pay less for maintaining my vehicle so I must also want to decrease its value and lifespan. That swing is pretty unreal. This thread just made me look at that book for the first time, what a joke

bimmernut318 said:

I don't get it, There are different tiers of maintenance based on price you pay. So I want to pay less for maintaining my vehicle so I must also want to decrease its value and lifespan. That swing is pretty unreal. This thread just made me look at that book for the first time, what a joke

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mileage difference gets me too, its not like 80k change with premium and then 100k for regular, 70k is a huge difference.

Maybe the truck doesn't need it that often, and they just gouge the people that pay for the better service... That can't be right either though?

I'm tempted to place a call to them and just inquire - however, I'm not quite that bored lol.

I say just drain and fill every 30k and be done with it. If it used conventional ATF I would do a drain and refill a couple of times at 30k over the course of a few days after running some trans x through it. But our fluid aint cheap so that may not be an option.

Well, if it helps, I just called the dealership down here to get a quote on a bunch of maintenance. (I'd like to do it myself but don't have the time or space) I'll post up the price and what all that'd include. I'm a manual trany, so I don't know if that'd affect cost compared to automatic


Pete called back.... Price made me sick to my stomach.

Plugs and wires, belts (minus serpentine), Timing and tensioners, all fluids and flush, water pump and gasket, clean and repack bearings, and clean fuel system would be a grand total of $2,679.83 at Hudiberg Nissan in OKC. FML.....

ouch! that is some serious cash. Have you tried to call an independent shop to see what they say about cost?

I just plan on doing a drain and fill now that I am at, or a little over, 30k...I will probably do it every 10k or so until I am sure that all of the original fluid has been washed through.

lane.mcpeak said:

Well, if it helps, I just called the dealership down here to get a quote on a bunch of maintenance. (I'd like to do it myself but don't have the time or space) I'll post up the price and what all that'd include. I'm a manual trany, so I don't know if that'd affect cost compared to automatic


Pete called back.... Price made me sick to my stomach.

Plugs and wires, belts (minus serpentine), Timing and tensioners, all fluids and flush, water pump and gasket, clean and repack bearings, and clean fuel system would be a grand total of $2,679.83 at Hudiberg Nissan in OKC. FML.....

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That sounds way high to me. Independent shop should be WAY less

I went ahead and cut back on some of the things I was going to have done. I do have to say that Hudiburg Nissan definitely takes care of customers WAY better than Bob Moore in Oklahoma. Before I even told them what all to do, one of the mechanics walks out and cleans the cloudiness off my headlights, cleaned some corrosion on the battery bracket, and they went ahead and replaced both license plate bulbs free of charge.

Commented on how good of shape my truck was Thanked me plenty of times, told me to come back, and wasn't afraid to shake a hand. Nice guy.



Edit: And they verified that they just do a drain and fill, no flushing, and replaced with synthetic.

What a disparity between maintenance plans! I have never even looked at anything but the premium maintenance. Then again, I go it all myself, so the cost isn't too much of an issue.

I just did my 30k service a couple of months ago and I was suprised. I thought 30k was a little early to change all of the fluids, but as far as what came out of the diffs and the transfer case, I'm glad I did. There wasn't anything in the fluid that alarmed me, but I was suprised at how nasty the fluid was at only 30k. The tranny fluid still looked good, but it's cheap insurance to change it.

After looking at the fluids after 30k, I told my mom that I'm doing the same to her jeep this summer when she gets close to 30k.

Hey guys. Just my two cents. I owned my 2007 le and changed trans fluid at 55k. It was as clean as the brand new j matic fluid I put back in. I have used the truck since day one towing a 2000lb trailer with 3000lb cars on it almost every weekend. I am highly impressed with the vq engine and transmission. I have checked the fluid level frequently and has always been very clean. I just bought my 2010 cc pro4x and hope to have the same experience. I would say do it at 60k to be safe but any earlier would be a waste. Every truck and personal driving habits are differant tho...

I do a drain and fill every 25k. Yes the J Matic fluid is expensive but a new transmission cost a heck of alot more.