Yesterday I got the oil changed and LuAnn's car serviced. I notice the transmission fluid needs attention, it is now getting dark and I imagine there are some filings in the screen filter setup on that Rendezvous.
My oil changed tech's recommended a transmission flush of course and I succumbed to that on the Dakota to try and save it. It's a risky proposition, if you have too much wear, it flushes all the metal out and the worn parts cannot adjust properly and the transmission dies. If it doesn't have that much wear yet, it can save the transmission. I have seen it go both ways with flushes.
I decided to pull pan, replace the filter and clean the screen and put the 3 quarts or so of Dextron transmission fluid it takes to fill it back up rather than flushing the whole system. We will see if that works or not. While I was there, I drove across the street to Tire Discounters to get the tires rotated "for free" that comes with a new set of tires.
The line was short, so I had them rotate the tires. When the tech handed me the keys, he said he put the two "hoppy" tires on the back and I said in my loud teacher voice, what hoppy tires? They only have 15,000 miles on them! I had complained about these BFG's ever since they sold them to me in October. I told them I wanted them adjusted but they never did.
There was a whole new crew in this store so the guy that took my order said, let me call BFG/Michelin. He did, and they offered me a new set of Michelin Defenders for $16 per tire! I said put them on. I posted my comments on Tire Discounters last night and got an email back fast:
"Ed, Thank you for taking the time to comment on the way Cary handled your ongoing tire challenges. Yes we did make some needed changes at the Wilmington store and I am pleased with the results. Yours is not the first compliment we have received on the store recently. What makes this especially personal is I managed that store from 2001-2003 and it’s success is personal to me. I have already passed on your compliments to Cary and the store staff. Although I have not heard back yet, I know they will appreciate the recognition. We look forward to serving you in the future with your tire and under car service needs. Thank you again for taking the time to write. Jim Egeland Regional Manager Tire Discounters"
Now that is the kind of service I expect! It's sometimes hard to find today! Now, the spark plugs have 135,000 on them. Isn't the new ignition systems amazing? It is until you have to take a front wheel off to replace them all! I think I better put a new set of plugs in it while I am at it.
Better yet, maybe I should just trade it in for a Jeep like we had in Hawaii. She looks good in a Jeep!
Ed
Today I got the new plugs installed! You have to take the front wheels off and own special tools to do it! No wonder they wanted so much just to change plugs! I hope that adds another MPG or two. The new tires have added one or two already!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your car had to go through an overhaul! But I think it’s an excellent move. Since you are doing a lot of traveling and moving around, you have to guarantee that your vehicle is in top condition, capable of delivering optimum performance on the road. Also, it is good to take calculated risks when you are doing some upgrades on your vehicle. Switching brands on your vehicle fluids can be a good thing for your car. And I think the end-results did just fine!
ReplyDeleteMichelina, I think every overhaul is a good move because it cleans the engine and its compartment. Well, congrats to a successful and safe engine overhaul. I'm pretty sure that you really had a well thought-out plan for that. Cheers! :) - [Patrick Gauer]
ReplyDeleteI think cars need a great attention for the maintenance work and these must be carried to automotive repairs Vancouver.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that you have the time for fixing and inspecting the car. It can certainly help you get familiarized with all the parts. And it would be pretty handy if you have to do some emergency fixing on the road. Anyway, I hope all the problems have been fixed. But if you find it expensive keeping up with all of it, maybe your plan of getting a Jeep isn’t such a bad idea.
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