Well I just took my Jeep in for the FREE Automate refresher.  Now for those of you in the dark this is the after market paint sealer they try to sell with every Jeep.  I refused it and said take it off.  They don't and won't.  Main reason for it is past Jeeps had so many defective paint jobs that cost Jeep millions to repaint they came up with this little con.  If you don't come in for the annual refresh of the Automate your paint job is no longer covered.  

Nice little con there.  But I digress from me real question.

While I was in there I took advantage of their wonderful oil/filter change tire rotation check and 23 point inspection for only $24.  Actually, a fair deal.  No problems yet.  And the car has 15,000 miles on it.

Here is where it gets interesting.  According to some brochure they handed me I am supposed to get the differentials and tranny or something serviced using synthetic lube in them.  Cost - $270.

Excuse me.  Are they telling me that the effing thing needs TRANNY and DIFFERENTIAL maintenance after 15000 miles?  WTF.   And they want $270 for some "special" synthetic lubricant?

I call




Any Jeep people here with comments?

take mine in for servicing (had several jeep grand cherokees), and the only big money servicing is the 80k service. prolly your dealer is hosing you . never heard of the clear coat thingy either.

If you don't take your Jeep off-road don't worry about it yet.  The price is about on par with what they will charge at any of the quick lube places $90/per unit.  Lots of the quick lubes will offer a buy two get one free which will obviously save you a nice chunk of money.  I would think about having it done around 3/36000 unless it is a lease (don't worry about it).


ETA I have never heard of the clear coat protector either and I've owned a couple Jeeps myself.

I got a good deal on muffler grease when I took my truck in for service, but they tried to make me buy a new canuter valve at the same time!

Thanks guys.  I am surprised about no one hearing about the Automate deal.  Maybe they only do it in areas with fierce sun that fades paint.  Whatever.

Yeah, I do go offroad.  About once a month and I am NOT killing the thing when I do.  Slow and easy to where I can shoot in peace and then back out.  otherwise I baby it.  I think the dealer is on drugs or something.

I've heard that the Geo Storm requires the engine to be removed just to change the plugs, if that makes you feel any better.

Quoted: I got a good deal on muffler grease when I took my truck in for service, but they tried to make me buy a new canuter valve at the same time!

Every time I go in for an oil change they say I need to change my turn signal fluid too. Man that stuff gets expensive at $75 a bottle.

to be fair, its a Geo Storm. The engine can be removed with one hand.

Yes, Jeeps need synthetic differential fluid
Yes, it's expensive

I've got a 97 GC with 125k, and the tranny is now on it's way out after completing all scheduled maintenance...guess that's what I get for buying a "quality" American vehicle

Most Jeep auto trans service intervals are recommended every 12k. Although it doesn't take a synthetic, it will take Chrysler +4. You can get a bottle of converter to turn regular ATF into +4, or you can just buy the expensive fluid.

Quadratrac? Your differentials will require a synthetic. If you tow I would have them done every 12k, if not, then you should be fine with every 30k.

Make sure you stay on top of the trans up keep though.

Quoted: Quoted: I got a good deal on muffler grease when I took my truck in for service, but they tried to make me buy a new canuter valve at the same time! Every time I go in for an oil change they say I need to change my turn signal fluid too. Man that stuff gets expensive at $75 a bottle.

I thought you were still too young to drive?

Paint sealent= really expensive car wax. Wax several times a year and you are all set. I probably would have the axle gear oil changed. After 10 or 15K on a new vehicle I go strictly to synthetic fluids. By that time all parts are wore in, and you want to get out all the metal bits that are mixed in the oil. As most vehicles made in America, dodge, jeep cheby, and ford no longer put in drain plugs for axles, you need to crack the cover. Thats where they get you, LABOR for taking off a bunch of bolts and resealing. I just run it til axles are warm, pop the fill plug [usually a rubber plug], use a 4 dollar suction pump you fit on an electric drill and voila! Emptied in about 1 minute. Clean the hose and reverse, pump in the new 80-90 synthetic. I will have the dealer do the tranny fluid every 30K as it is worth it to me to be able to pitch a bitch if it goes out prematurely.  There are some jeep x-fers that take a special oil or additive, and some take just plain ATF [[dextron].[usually the ones that are not AWD] What you need to do is use the maint schedule BOOK that came with the vehicle, if it's not in the book, they are BSing you, and thats where the cash is.

We have a '97 Jeep cherokee.  It has 247,000 miles on it.  At about 125,000 I thought about changing the tranny fluid, but my mechanic said if you haven't in this long don't.  The diff's have been 'topped' off a couple of times.

I guess I am just a slacker, but we do religously change the oil of 10,000 or so miles.....

The way I see it, all the money I save will make a good down payment on the next vehicle.  That and an engineer from Trenton engine told me 3000 miles was a scam now.  According to him, on the old engines it would make them last about forever or at least until you had overbored them and replaced the rings too much.  According to him on the newer engines it is irrelevantand not  to do it that often b/c too many of the other compenents they use now won't last that long and before you saw the return you would have replaced everything but the block.

Oh yeah, we did all the schedule service until 36,000.  If you don't you can get the shaft on a true warranty issue (ie Berretta with 22,000 miles and a bent cam - not warranty b/c one oil change was late).

Dan

They don't call em STEALERSHIPS for nothin'!! Do what the other poster said...change the differential fluid yourself.

The last time I did mine. I used a turkey baster bulb with about 18 inches of tubing on the nozzle. Just keep sucking it out until you can'rt get any more. Then fill it up with Mobile-1 90 weight.

You can have your auto tranny flushed and filled at Auto-zone or Pep-boys for about $90.00. They have a special unit to do it which exchanges all the fluid in the torque converter too. You can do it yourself,  but it's a pain in the ass. Don't forget to add the Chrysler friction additive to the ATF or your tranny will slip.

Have fun!

Did you have your muffler bearings changed too?
Or did they just rotate the air in your tires?

if you dont follow the manufactuers suggested maintance requirments you could void your warrenty. if you do it yourself keep all reciepts of materials bought.

Quoted: Well I just took my Jeep in for the FREE Automate refresher.

Is this a Wrangler, Cherokee, Liberty or what??????

Last I checked, Wranglers didn't require syn oil in the diffs? Dunno about Cherokees or Liberty's?

What does your owner's manual say it requires? Not recommended, requires?

Personally, I run syn fluid in both my diffs just for shit & giggles but I bought the fluid at Autozone to save $$$$$.

It is a Cherokee.  I think they figure I just fell off the turnip truck last night.  Hey, I got news for them, I done fell off months ago

I don't abuse the thing, tow, or do radical offroad.  There just ain't no way it needs dif fluid change at 15K.  

Quoted: I don't abuse the thing, tow, or do radical offroad.  There just ain't no way it needs dif fluid change at 15K.

What it needs & what the factory requires are two totally different things. Should you ever need warranty work on the diffs, the first thing they'll look for or ask you about is service schedule! Been there, done that, bought the tee-shirt.

What does your owners manual say about what fluid to use? Syn or regular?

You could always buy the fluid at Autozone, zerox the receipt & take the fluid back unopened for a refund. You still have the zerox to show the dealer you indeed bought syn fluid on such-and-such a date & did the change yourself should a warranty issue ever arise?    

Bob

Good advice.  I will readd the manual tonight to see what it says.

It is only necessary to adhere to the REQUIRED service schedules if you want to keep your WARRANTY in effect. Maybe you'll get lucky and never need that 7/70 thing

Mopar part numbers:

ATF+4 5013457AA
Synthetic Gear Lube 70W140 4874469AA
80W90 Gear lube 5010320AA

I believe that Jeep recommends the synthetic gear lube in a Cherokee only if you tow a trailer.

If you have a trac-lok rear diff make sure you add 4318060AB friction modifier

Your Tranny and T-Case use the ATF+4

There are no gaskets on the diff covers use RTV silicone 82300234 its gray in color

15K is premature but check your manual for the recommended service intervals your warranty depends on it.

yup, every 12-15k miles on manual boxes.  And if Jeep calls for synthetic fluid than that is what you must use for warranty.

But you DO NOT have to have it done at the dealership.

Most garages will do it for about $30 per box.

SGatr15

You can do it yourself, but it's a pain in the ass.

Roger that!  I just changed my YJ's tranny fluid for the first time in 153K miles.  That was a fucking bitch!  Sure looks easy, just a big square plate.  Except the exhaust is in the way.  And that plate that supports the XFer case.  Next time (at 300K ) I might have a jiffy lube type place do it.  When you do it, get that gasket 'glue'.  That makes all the difference putting that gasket on with one hand while hefting that 10 pound plate up with the other....then using The Force to start the damn bolts!!

I use synthetic fluids in my diffs and XFer case just cause I rarely change them out, and I (used to) off-road alot.