4HP20 Auto Box

[Roylewaa]

Rang my local stealer this morning for a price to change the oil on my auto box, they quoted my £80.14 all in which for a dealer is cheaper than I thought

He started to give me the 'checking the old oil for impurites' jargon

I checked the oil myself, and from the dipstick it still looks clean, its green and it dosent smell burnt or anything

I'm in 2 minds wether or not to get it done??

[Welly]

I think it would always look ok as a thin film on the dipstick but what lurks at the bottom?

If you've no evidence of it being changed in the last, say, 4 years then I'd be inclined to do it. It all depends on how you think the box is doing, if you can afford it without causing too much trouble, and whether you want to keep it etc.

I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure that an auto box will display any faults better in warmer weather when the oil's really hot. So maybe wait a bit seeing as you've not had the car long?

Also be mindfull that the dealer is very likely to report on other issues about the car and go for the 'big sell' on you. You don't always end up paying exactly what they quoted and certainly not less than......

[Roylewaa]

Yes that is my worry with taking it to a main dealer, that they run diagnostics and tell me other things that need doing.
My initial thought was they will know what they are doing

I might try a few independent garages next, I will insist on supplying the oil to do it, my dealer took the vin number to make sure the right oil is going in, they say the box will only drain about 3 litres (even tho it holds nearly 8 ) and said the oil comes in 2 litre bottles, so I will still get the correct oil from them.

The box works fine and does not throw up any faults, I might leave it for a month or so and see how it goes