Originally Posted by REbornHONDAneer
You are partly correct and partly wrong in your judgement call.
Partly wrong how???
Originally Posted by REbornHONDAneer
If he has 125k miles on his car, the chance that it has had its ATF changed before is likely wouldn't you say?
I think your judgement is wrong here. How can you just assume that most people take care good care of their cars like we do? If I bought a car with 100k on it, should I also just assume that its timing belt & water pump were changed?
Most people do not change their ATF routinely. Same with coolant, differential fluids, Brake Fluid, and other things that are not routinely replaced like engine oil. If you have any doubt, just ask most people you know who arent into cars. See if they can recall every changing any of the things I mentioned.
Id examine the fluid in there, and try and guesstimate if you have no idea. See if it looks really burnt or used up. If you think it looks it does, Id leave it be. If it looks reasonable, change it. I'd also check the cars maintenance records if you have any, and use the rest of the car as a guide to see how well maintained it was.
Originally Posted by REbornHONDAneer
There's more of a chance that it HAS been changed than HASN'T been changed.
How can you just assume thinsg like that?
Originally Posted by REbornHONDAneer
I do admit I have never heard of your reason to not change the ATF before. I do respect your knowledge in this.
Check around on the internet. With my Acura's defective tranny, I did alot of online reading about it. MY new BMW has a sealed tranny, so do Mercedes and other makes. I did even more reading on it when I got it. On them its common knowledge that changing the ATF for the 1st time on a high mileage car is asking for trouble.
Originally Posted by REbornHONDAneer
Are you saying for us NOT to post any answers to a factual question if we haven't read it in an auto repair manual?
Reread what I said. I said if you post an answer based on your own reasoning or assumptions, just say so. Posting it as if you did read it somewhere is a disservice. What I posted is what I have found from reading online about the topic in regards to my cars. If it was just my opinion, I would preface it, and say so. Thats all I was saying. Reread your first line, sure doesnt sound like your opinion to me, same thing with accordvtec77's post.
P.S. I was a little strong with teh 100% correct comment. Some people debate about it of course, but the vast majority say that changing regular old ATF on a car with 100k+ on it for the 1st time is asking for trouble.