Folks, don't be so hard on the guy.... Even if he had read the manual it might have not done jack for him...

In my case I asked the dealer right there, why was his invoice missing such items as changing r/diff and xmission fluids... he said it is not necessary, and is not part of their 30K "service menu". I said owners manual requires it, and he kept saying it's not necessary. I called Mazda and they said the dealer should do what's in the manual and I should bring the car back to him...

Now, tell me WHY should I bring the car back to him? I don't trust him any more... they can leave it there for a few hrs and say everything was done... they can do or not do whatever they feel like... At this point it's probably smarter to look for business elsewhere, whether you've read owner's manual or not.

 

I had the dealer service package for early '04 buyers, and the dealer totally blew off changing the trans and Diff oils.

I took it to my local mechanic who changed them both with Royal Purple for me. My mechanica told me that at 50K miles, the trans oil was very silvery sheened from metal particles meaning that it should probably have been done long before I did it. The diff he said looked fine.

Having changed both to Royal Purple, the car shifts much more easily than it was before the change, and the car accelerates with less resistance than it used to. I like the Royal Purple fluid, and it costs functionally the same as any other lubricant. It's good stuff.

 

$400 to change the differential fluid is nuts. Even if they gave you a reach-around, it wouldn't be worth it.

 

At the dealership in Tustin, I got both my dif and transmittion changed, I can't remember the cost but it was round 100$, I do this every 10,000 miles, because I drive hard. Anyone who drifts or races should change the dif fluid bout every other oil change or so. The dealerships don't have manditory changes till later because they figure the target market (old men with a couple kids) buys the cars not 20-30 yr olds.

 

funny, if they say u should enevr change it why r there drain/fill plugs? hmmmm?


i just changed my trans/diff at 20k myself and the trans was clear and fine but the diff fluid was like black...i was like wtf im not a drifter....

redline fluid.....not too shabby!

 

Let me tell you something (i didnt know that until this past month), diff fluid takes more abuse than your transmission fluid! Change it every 10-20K