I had been told in the past by my dealer that I needed my rear diff serviced so last week I took it to a shop that my parents always use. As far as I know, the guy seems pretty honest. He charged me $70 to drain and replace the fluid.
This week, I took my car to Infiniti to get my next service done and in the recommendations, the tech says that he checked the fluid and its dirty and needs to be replaced. Who do I believe?

Did my mechanic not do it and just say that he did OR did the infiniti tech trying to save time just assumed that it was not done and stated that he checked and the fluid was dirty.

Should i confront both or the one that most likely is lying.

 

Well I've had the same type of issue when I had my new tires put on, they said I needed new wipers, a coolant flush and a couple other things that I did myself within the last week of that time. If you don't know what to check you can always have someone else look at it, rear diff fluid replacement is an easy thing to do, if you can change your own oil you can do it yourself for around $10 in fluid.

 

Or make him show you how dirty it is. Then you know he checked it at least once.

 

^^ That's the ticket. Call his bluff. I'd bet the local guy did his job and the stealership just says you need it whether they've checked it or not. In fact, you can check it by taking out the top plug and sticking your pinkie down into the oil. It should come out a goldish/clear colour.

 

If it comes out a dark black color most likely it was not changed.

 

Stealership told me the same thing one...I needed the diffs serviced. Funny thing was I did it a week earlier. I actually marked with the drain/fill plugs were with a sharpie and the lines were still intact. They never removed the plugs.

I do my own work anyway...so they weren't touching it from the beginning anyway, but nice to know they just tell people stuff needs to be serviced without actually checking.

 

^ In retrospect, they check your service history on the computer, and they see it has not been done yet.

Thus they tell you it needs to be done and make some story up " I checked and its dirty" rather then oh you need this maintenance item done, if they tell the average customer that its dirty and needs to be changed they will change it.

 

Exactly why I don't let them do anything. If I do it, I know when and how it was done along with what fluids were used.

 

Yeah, the service manager actually gave me a raised eyebrow look one time when i stated I had performed the 4WD service myself as if to imply that was the first time he's seen a customer do his own work.

In his defense, the dealership is located in a fairly affluent area and i tend to see people in their 30's and older every time i'm there. Every time i go to the dealership, i feel like the youngest customer there..and i'm 29.

I bet not many 50-year business execs are climbing under the car on the weekends to change diff fluid. One day...i'll be there

 

I just did my diffs and I can understand why someone wouldn't want to crawl under there to do them. It smells bad, it's a PITA to get fluid back into the diffs, you're in and out several times waiting for the fluid to settle in place ... but I'll do it again next time myself (hopefully) because I know it's done right.

BTW Mustang, as you get older (I'm 44 and in decent shape), it's not the climbing under the car that's the problem, it's the getting back up that sucks! I tell ya, the idea of a lift in my garage just sounds better and better every time I think about it.

 

Careful, there, young feller. I can see 50 from here and do all my own maintenance. I don't think it's an age thing so much as enthusiasts (us) versus those who see their cars as a shiny appliance.

 

I didn't say anything wrong with being 50!


But the idea of a full lift in my garage sounded great! Then i can turn wrenched til i'm 80!

 

I'd love a lift, too. Looked at one in a garage specialty store the other day.

 

Old guys that do their own work are the ****!!

I should know, I am one. Buckeye, you're spot on about getting up. And sometimes the next day is a bitch, but it's the satisfaction that I did it myself that I enjoy.

I do like the idea of a personal lift as well. Someday....

 

Ha, I'm 25 and rotating my tires the other day about killed me. The passenger rear was seized to the rotor and took a good 30 minutes of laying on my back kicking the s*** out of it before it would budge. My back was cramping up all weekend.

No matter how much it hurts or how many f-bombs are dropped...I will probably always do my own maintenance. It gives you a sense of pride in your vehicle and you always know it's done correctly. It also keeps you from being the jacka** who doesn't even know where his oil filter is, much less how to change it.