Tranny maintenance...

[DJay]

Any preferences out there as far as who should do my Legacy 2.2L automatic
75K miles tranny maintenance?

Do it myself - I'm not exactly a mechanical buffoon but I have NEVER done
anything except check/adjust fluid levels. Is it extremely complicated?

Take it to local Subaru dealer - had a bad experience with them trying to
recommend un-needed maintenance...

Take it to a third party Tranny place?

Thanks for any help you guys can give me!

DJay

 

[TG]

Non of the above. Shop around and see which quick lube type places do a
trans FLUSH service. A simple machine is spliced into the trans cooler lines
and replaces ALL of the fluid including the converter. Shop around as price
around here varies from $135 to $65....The $65 is the exact same service
with the same brand fluid. TG

 

[y_p_w]

Non of the above. Shop around and see which quick lube type places do a
trans FLUSH service. A simple machine is spliced into the trans cooler lines
and replaces ALL of the fluid including the converter. Shop around as price
around here varies from $135 to $65....The $65 is the exact same service
with the same brand fluid. TG

Does the Legacy 2.2 use a spin-on filter? My warranty manual says the
part is "maintenance free", but I wouldn't trust that. It's somewhere
around $25 for new filter. It might be worth replacing.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Non of the above. Shop around and see which quick lube type places do a
trans FLUSH service. A simple machine is spliced into the trans cooler lines

Agreed on the flush...

Not so sure if a quick lube place is the best choice. Any good
transmission shops in the area? Or even another Subie dealer to at least
talk to? My only auto's on a Toyota Camry, and there are enough dealers
around (SoCal) that a trustworthy one was located (too bad they're not
the closest!), and they charged about $75 last time they flushed the
trans, so the quickie place wasn't even a money saver.

My Subie dealer runs a bit higher (less volume, less competition?) but
I'd prefer someone who knows Subies worked on my car than most of the
"kids" I see at the local quickie places. That's just my opinion,
though. Also, another poster mentioned the possibility of a spin on
filter: if the OP's car uses one, I'd suggest getting a Subaru OEM unit
regardless of who does the work.

Rick

 

[y_p_w]

Agreed on the flush...

Not so sure if a quick lube place is the best choice. Any good
transmission shops in the area? Or even another Subie dealer to at least
talk to? My only auto's on a Toyota Camry, and there are enough dealers
around (SoCal) that a trustworthy one was located (too bad they're not
the closest!), and they charged about $75 last time they flushed the
trans, so the quickie place wasn't even a money saver.

There are several Japanese or import car specialists in my area. They
don't have the ripoff dealer service prices, and don't seem to hire
as many green kids as many dealers do. A lot of dealers seem to hire
inexperienced personnel on the premise that people are going to come
to them for service anyways.

My Subie dealer runs a bit higher (less volume, less competition?) but
I'd prefer someone who knows Subies worked on my car than most of the
"kids" I see at the local quickie places. That's just my opinion,
though. Also, another poster mentioned the possibility of a spin on
filter: if the OP's car uses one, I'd suggest getting a Subaru OEM unit
regardless of who does the work.

I don't have an automatic, but the my manual does mention it. Subaru
has thought this out thoroughly, to the point where they label their
OEM spin-on ATF filter with "TRANSMISSION", and their engine oil filters
with "ENGINE", to avoid confusion. However - something tells me that
the kid at the quickie lube place might still get it wrong. :-(

 

[DJay]

Thanks guys. I'll do my homework and make an "educated guess" as to who to
take it to. My problem is that the subie dealer that is close is an hour
away. Next closest one is two hours away. I will check about the spin down
filter too.

It doesn't seem to be just the kids at the quickie places that scare me with
subies though. I had "experienced" techs have trouble with my car - eg. not
knowing that venting the radiator when refilling it makes the job go quicker
etc...

I'll let you all know how it went.


Djay