cgseanp

Hey guys, I just recently bought my car and would like to take it in for an oil change, get the transmission flushed out, and also my car pulls slightly to the right on the highway.. so to my questions:

Can I take my car to a reputable oil change/transmission fluid place or do you reccommend I only go to the dealer? How much would a dealer charge for these services?
and, Would I be fine getting my car aligned anywhere other than the dealer?
Sorry if these questions sound dumb, this is my first time owning a newer car so in the past I would just take my cars anywhere I felt like it without having to worry about it being done right.

Im_DANomite

iTrader: (1)

well...you said the car pulls to the right. are you holding the steering wheel straight or letting go of it? the crowns on the road will also cause a pull on a perfectly aligned vehicle. tire pressure is another factor.

i recommend going to the dealer. if anything happens at an independent shop, you're asking for headaches. plus, it's a mazda dealership...so certified mazda technicians will be working on your mazda. do you want to change your tranny fluid b/c you read about it or b/c you feel that it is absolutly necessary?

it's ok to ask questions...that's what this forum is for.

cgseanp

My car doesnt pull while I am holding the steering wheel, but I think I may be keeping my steering wheel turned slighty to the left as to compensate for my car pulling right. when i let go of the steering wheel, after about 3-4 seconds, my car will be pulling pretty good to the right. I have not checked my tire pressure, I will do that.

And the reason I want to change the fluids is because I have recently bought my car used from a Honda Dealer, and I do not know when the last time it was done. They said it was just done, but I dont know if i believe them or not. I dont see any papers saying it was done, so I would like to do it just so I feel better. It is also a little notchy from the 1st to 2nd shift, which seems to be pretty common around this place, so I thought I could try some synthetic transmission oil.

I am thinking I should take it into the dealer anyways to see if any of the flashes or recalls were performed on my car.

Thanks for the help.

Im_DANomite

iTrader: (1)

no problem...sounds like you have already done research and know exactly what you're looking for. as for the honda dealer doing the oil change, simply pull out your dipstick and change the color of the oil. but, if you still feel the need to do an oil change for the sake of your assurance...do it. the reason why i ask the questions about the alignment is b/c many people believe that a slight pull automatically means bad alignment. alignments aren't cheap, so if you really don't need it, don't waste your money. otherwise, you're going to be paying a full alignment cost for just checking it out. also...i recommend taking the car to an alignment specialist. normally, dealership technicians just do a quick alignment and aren't really thorough. an alignment specialist will weigh the car down to the exact specs using sand bags and go through the alignment procedure properly. ask the service writers if the shop has guys who just do alignments.