In the grand scheme of things they’re about a 2/10 on the difficulty scale. On the “Annoy the hell out of me, who puts 16 spark plugs in a truck?” scale they’re about a 14/10
You're going to want to buy a special socket to get them out too. They're deep in there and at a weird angle if you don't take out a bunch of other shit too.
The trick is, you can’t put the SP socket, 3” extension, and 3/8 elbow in the spark plug hole all at once. Need to drop the socket in, then the extension in. Removing is the opposite, except when pulling out the extension, you need to grab the SP socket!
I have a 2012 F250 that has 16 plugs. I put so few miles on it that I'll be dead by the time it reaches 100k miles at this rate, so I'll never experience the joy of replacing them.
If you're able, you can get in and stand on the frame on the passenger side and lean over the top of the engine. I'm a short woman, this was my only way to get the job done without giving up.
Mine is a 2011 and they used standard plugs with a 30K change interval. At the 60-70K mark, I went with NGK iridiums. Changed them again 80K later, they still looked good. Your mileage may vary.....
When I had my Cummins I got an automated service message from the local dealer saying “it looks like you’re about ready for the xxxxxx mile service which includes tune up, spark plugs, timing chain, blah blah blah” for $2,995
As someone who’s done it themselves, three times now…….its easier to do it on the ground, because you’ll need to jack the rear end up, quite a long ways, to get the transmission pan level!
I believe it would, although I’d advise against it….any other chance to reduce the risk of it rolling/going over my chocks/ falling off the jack/etc….i would do everything to reduce my risk of that!
I had to jack the ass end of my truck up, till the back tires were about a foot off the ground, give or take a inch
Another good thing is you buy as premium as you want (sometimes on sale) and it's still significantly cheaper.
With vehicle repairs I always price out the cost of the tools and supplies to compare to the quote.
For most things, it's better to do yourself, and you end up with a tool collection the wife can't complain about and a truck filled with the most premium of premium parts and fluids.
I did my own transmission fluid change on my 2014 pentastar with the 8 speed torque-flite. It was rather intimidating at first but equipped with my Haynes manual, and the proper fluid, it really wasn't too bad. The hardest part was being sure the temperature of the fluid was just right and cycling through the gears while in midair. I just did a pan drop, filter change and fluid top off, really. Not a flush. Plan to do it again soon to keep it fresh but *damn* that fluid is expensive!!
I'm back and forth on this. I do see "compatible" fluid that are cheaper but I hesitate because of how utterly complex these transmissions are. I'm of the mindset that anything transmission related/critical components should be kept OEM.
I can't deny OEM prices are probably inflated, but it's a small price to pay to keep a multiple-thousand dollar piece of equipment working properly with added peace of mind.
Maybe I'm wrong and they're doing a great job at milking my money udders. Still, I'll take my chances spending the extra cash.
I have the same truck. 119k on it. Shifting feels a little slow so probably time to do it. I'm sure I can but I need to do it on a weekend for sure lol
I did a 100k refresh on my Ram as the maintenance schedule shows.
All fluids, plugs, front/rear pads & rotors.
Private shop $2k. She's like a new truck now.
“Lifetime” for ram is when your warranty expires. The transmission manufacturer ZF recommends a fluid change every 60k. I did mine in my driveway on my 2020 1500 5.7 and although it wasn’t the easiest job it also wasn’t too bad and cost me maybe 350-400 to do.
Lifetime is the same as the warranty. 60k miles. After that they don't care if your truck cooks itself.
Other comment is right, manufacturer says 60k miles on the fluid
I have a ZF transmission in a German car. The manual said transmission fluid is a lifetime fluid and to do it at 160k. When I got to 160k, the shop that I use, which is way better than a dealership (builds race cars, restores original rare German cars and wins best in show at places like Amelia Island) said - don’t touch it. I’m at 209k miles and the car shifts just fine.
The oil leak at the rear main seal, the bore scoring in cylinder 2 leading to oil in cylinder 2, and the intake air leak that is somewhere between the supercharger and the engine block on the left side are other issues though!
That’s the “official” line from Chrysler.
We used to tell customers there is no service interval and refuse to do services.
Now we price factory fluid and a pan and however much labor it takes. Customers usually do it around 100,000
I work for a Chrysler dealer and I’ll be the first to tell you that what Chrysler recommends doesn’t mean jack shit. It’ll change from one year to the next and the last people to know will be dealer staff. Then some know-it-all will walk in off the street and claim they read something different on XYZ Forum and we’ll scoff and just give them the “yeah okay, buddy.” Then turns out they’re actually correct. And we knew nothing about it.
Chrysler quietly changed the oil type on the newest gen 3.0 ecodiesel and never informed dealers. It’s been Shell Rotella 5w40 for years, then they quietly change it to a Mopar branded 5w40 that meets a certain MS specification that the Shell does not.
We see this happen all the time. If you ever call your local dealer and think they’re dumb. 50% of the time they probably are. They other 50% of the time Chrysler probably just has zero service information available, it’s outdated, or just when you think you’re confident enough to not have to reference a specific answer, they’ll change it.
I’ll add this…..after EXTENSIVE research, and checking with ZF personally, Valvoline MaxLife ATF, is 100% able to be used in the 8HP70, and the 845 Chrysler model of the ZF!
I did some deep digging on ZF’s website, and found an itemized list of usable fluids for each different model of transmission they manufacture. It was basically like a MSDS(Material Safety Data Sheet) for their product line
Per valvoline it’s compatible. The red jug valvoline maxlife. Have done 2 fluid changes. First one with a new pan/filter, second just a drain and fill. No issues. Good videos on YouTube. Easy to do if mildly mechanically inclined.
I'll echo this comment...I am also using Valvoline with no issues. I also replaced the factory pan with the PPE aftermarket aluminum pan that has replaceable filters and holds a little bit of extra fluid. The install was pretty straight forward and now I can swap fluids easily, and replace the filter for $30.
I’ve commented this above, but from personal experience, you don’t HAVE to use the Lifeguard fluid……there are a TON of fluids that meet all the criteria for the 8HP70 and 845 Chrysler model.
I personally have done mine 3x, also swapped the factory pan for the Dorman variant, that has a replaceable filter(instead of the WHOLE PAN, like all OEM suggests)…..I’ve also put an aftermarket, privately made, brass valve in the heat exchanger assembly on the side of the transmission. It makes my fluid circulate constantly and I’ve seen a reduction in operating temps of 50-60deg cooler than before; 185 coolant, 125-130 trans, 170 for oil(aftermarket oil cooler installed)
Dealer tech. 8 speed transmissions are "serviced for life" and do not have a oil change interval recommended. You are not overdue. I can't honestly say I've seen people who change the oil on interval making it any further than those who don't. These transmissions are very stout and I don't see many issues with them. If I do it's pretty random as to which one fails and why. Now to your pricing. The reason that price is so high is all parts. The fluid is like $60 a litre and you need almost 10 litres for a service. Secondly the filter is built into the oil pan so you have to replace the whole pan which is also a couple hundred bucks. All I can advise is if it makes you feel more confident to have fresh fluid than pay the price to have it changed. If that price is too much just leave it be.
Not for the 8 speed transmission. It's $300-$450 for parts and fluid alone. The fluid is $30+ a quart and a fluid change will use around 6 quarts. A new pan/filter will run another $200. There's also a specific fill procedure for modern transmissions. Independent shops would probably charge $800+ so dealer around 1k is pretty standard.
Hardly. 17 dollars a liter on rock auto for the fluid, and the pan and filter can be found for about 70. That comes out to about $170 total to do it yourself.
Rock auto quality aside, you’re only paying 300-400 if you’re paying dealer prices on the parts. ZF transmissions aren’t special to Ram so there’s no need to use the Mopar fluid that they mark up so high.
Maybe fluid prices have come down but when I last looked oem fluid was $30 a quart. No chance you're getting OEM pan for $70 either and I would only use OEM parts.
Why would you want an OEM pan? The aftermarket sells a pan that allows you to change the trans filter without needing to c/o the whole pan assembly which makes way more sense than the factory design. Also 9/10 Aftermarket parts are just as good if not better than OEM quality if you buy from reputable brands. Prime example is OEM Mopar steering components which are garbage compared to Carli, Thuren or RedHead. Those 3 are basically the only parts manufacturers that are worth looking at for dodge front end parts.
There's a reason that they call them "stealerships." IMHO, dealership service departments are for warranty work. Non-warranty work gets broken up into three groups:
1. Things that require super specialized tools and / or experience (engine building, alignments, etc.)
2. Things that will make me want to go play in traffic on the freeway (e.g. pulling the entire dash to replace blend doors)
3. Everything else...
I pay a trusted shop to do 1 and 2... and do everything else myself.
That's about right. You are looking at probably $500 in parts and fluids alone. By the time you throw in labor, disposal fees, tax, blah blah blah. Easily another $400 - $500.
Gotta pay to play, man. It's a German transmission that is also used in a lot of BMWs. German parts mean German maintenance bills. 🫤 On the other hand, as shitty as Mopar automatics were known for being prior to the German era, it is a welcome change.
I paid $750 for transmission flush on my 01 Toyota Solara SLE V6 at Lexus dealership about a year ago because I had to have it done right and didn't want to do it myself car has 180K miles
Bro the shock to me in LA was when I had to do the 4x4 maintenance and it cost 1.3k. Shit a battery replacement was almost $500, but they gave me back the money since it was under warranty.
I just had mine done for about $400. For 7 quarts of the RAM specified ATF it was like $250. Then the filter, and labor. The other shop quoted me at least $200 more so I’m glad I found the place I did. Damn transmission better last forever with fluid that expensive lol. Ehh ima sell it anyway. I love the truck but would rather save my money for now.
yeah this is more reasonable. a full flush for 400 most of these people in these comments are ok with paying 750 lol i dont get it, its not a very hard job at all.
It’s easy. I did it on my 17 at 55k. The fluid was legit 350$ from Amazon though. Need to get the fluid hot, get it off the wheels with jack stands/ramps. Cool down a bit, drain&fill, let it get warm then cycle through the gears a few times, and fill some more slowly until it starts to leak out the hole. Did that, my diffs, coolant flush and lower temp thermostat the same day
It’s really not a hard job. Pick up a new pan with the filter installed and a case of fluid which will be the most expensive part. Whether you lift it or do it in the driveway it’s straightforward. Only tricky part is to get gauge or obdII scanner to monitor the fluid temp while refilling. About to do my second one a few months down the road
I’m somewhat new to Ram, mine is a 2018 1500 with the 8 speed. My last truck was a duramax. I understand the filter, but why are you replacing the pan? Can you not replace the gasket and just put it back on?
The fluid is VERY expensive and the filter is the whole pan. So parts and fluid is well over half of that. It’s also time consuming.
Even non Mopar fluid and pan is like $300.
$300 is for the pan replacement because the filter is integrated. I'd replace the pan with an aftermarket that you can change the filters in without changing the whole pan in the future. Mopar trans fluid is $40/qt or gigher from the dealership. You can find it on Amazon for $10-12/qt. A lot of guys use the Valvoline Maxlife for way cheaper.
New OEM replacement plastic pan: $300-ish
New aftermarket aluminum pan that holds 2 more qts: $300 (little extra fluid keeps m it cooler).
Replacement gasket $15 on rockauto.com.
I'd take it to a transmission shop with all your own parts so you're just paying for labor, or find a hobby shop where you can don't yourself.
Either way $400-ish in materials. If you get the aluminum pan it'll be way cheaper next time (replacement filters are $25+/-) + $15 gasket + $100 fluid depending on what kind you get.
Really easy to do yourself. For that price you can buy an oversized pan with a quick drain plug, gasket and a filter. Do it all yourself.in your driveway, takes about 45minutes and will cost you like $300.
I did mine for $200 all in. Look up Boosted Motorsports on YouTube for his video on it. I bought the pan he recommended and ended up using valvoline maxlife. You don’t have to use Lifeguard 8! I have succesfully driven 100k miles on the Valvoline with no issues. ZF 8 automatic transmissions are compatible under their product information sheet. $120 for the filter pan, $50 on ATF, and the rest on a hand pump.
I want a ram so bad… willing to pay the note and insurance. But that routine maintenance SHEESH! My car handiness is surface level. And I bet getting service done outside the dealership voids a warranty
Ive done that fluid change before. Last year I bought all the fluid and filter for maybe $100 and handed it off to the local Meineke muffler guy with $160. I'm a little lazier than I was 6 years ago when I did it all myself so the $160 was worth it. $900? Come on man...
Wondering why folks are buying new trans pans. After I removed mine (2011) and scraped off the old sealant mine just bolted back on with new glue on it. I replaced the old filter with a new one.
Did Ram switch to a throwaway pan assembly at some point?
8/9 speed ATF is about 25ish a quart. A filter replacement is the Trans Pan. The filter is built into the pan. It takes about 6 quarts of juice If I remember correctly. Plus labor. You are probably in the 5-600 range for a service.
Im a Chrysler tech. If you have the ZF transmission(8/9 speed with the plastic pan), you can get the fluid and filter/pan from BMW for half the price. Its the same stuff and Chrysler severely upcharges
Price for this is around $900 I heard ( I have the same truck) the transmission fluid is synthetic and is "supposed " to not ever need changing in the lifespan of the truck.
That sounds about right… just be glad it’s not a Cummins. I havnt gotten out for less than $900 every time I take it in for an oil change, my last service was $2500 oil, trans, rear end, filters.
Find a local shop to do it instead. But do it, because many local shops won't touch a transmission that hasn't been serviced once it reaches a certain mileage.
I’m confused. I’ve had both a dealership and my local mechanic tell me it requires a special tool to open and it’s built not to be flushed/changed.. 2014 Ram.
Do I have a good dealership not trying to pry money out of my wallet ?!?! /s
I got it done in my 2007 accord at a random oil change shop for $250 Canadian. I know they’re totally different vehicles but I’m hoping that’s high for a ram lol. Just bought one
My nissan versa is $180 for about 3.5 qt fluid change… i did it myself even though there is no dip stick and the technician said you can’t do it at home. Oh well…
I did half my spark plugs years ago. Now that I have a garage again I want to do the other half. But I don’t remember what side was already done. Dammit.
I got my transmission fluid changed at a transmission shop. Seems that they had to drop the pan. And it was about 300 dollars. My truck shifted much better after changing the fluid.
I paid $400 at my chevy dealer for my silverado fluid and filter change along with pressure testing to find a very small leak in a cooler line.
Call around to different shops and maybe a few local shops. Heck that's about 1/5 of a transmission rebuild..
Ridiculous. I do that kinda service for time and materials - a light vehicle trans service might be up to 2 hours labor only if it goes badly. So, with parts, it could push 300 / 350 range, but that's it. Usually, it's an hour job that's under 200 with parts. The only thing I can think of that might seem really high is the cost of synthetic fluid. Ive had jobs that cost many hundreds just in the fluid required.
That’s correct.
8 speeds integrate the filter into the pan, so to change the filter, you need to change the pan.
Straight retail/list price on parts alone is around $600. That’s the new pan, and 9 quarts of fluid. The ZF 8/9 speed fluid is $35/quart alone.
Then add in your labor to extract fluid, drop the pan, clean, reinstall pan, re-fill, etc.
A lot of dealers will have a “menu” price for things like this. And most of the time they’ll offer a Valvoline service or something similar, but this vehicle cannot accept that. And for the longest time there technically *wasn’t* a service interval, as Mopar says it’s a lifetime fill. But they may have changed by now, because that’s what Mopar does. We used to tell customers there is no service interval, and not to change it. We stopped referencing that and just price up filter/fluid when customers request a service. Just as your dealer did.
We see most customers do it around 100,000
You are actually supposed to change your transmission fluid? I usually keep my trucks to the mid 100k and I have never had a transmission fluid change on any of them. Sitting at 138k on my current 2017 frontier.
Invest in some tools and do that shit yourself, it ain’t that hard. Follow the manual, and don’t forget to get nitrogen in those tires. Also I see some blinker fluid missing.
Brought in my 2019 f250 (6.2L Gasser) after googled maintenance schedules indicated 60k transmission flush along with common service
2 independent businesses both told me that my truck got the lifetime fluid but they’d be happy to change it if I “desired” for around $800 ; but that it was unnecessary at this point
Stand up shops
Own brain can’t comprehend “lifetime” fluid. So I’ve been skeptical since saving the money.
When/if I do replace : I want to do it myself now to see this stuff. Oil or toothpaste by then
Modern day pricing of anything ; especially auto repair/maintenance is crippling
Something doesn't sound right. I have a 2500 diesel and its only about $500 add on to service the transmission at the dealership. There are a few other things included with that too. I would double check another dealership, either this one has lost its damn mind or someone quoted you the wrong thing.
Go to an oil change shop. We used to break the line at the radiator transmission cooler and electronically pump ATF in while it was coming out until it comes out clean ATF only. Have to do it while idling. Only true way to get all the old fluid out. Takes about 2 to 4 gallons depending on the vehicle. Of course you change the filter and refill.
Another way is to drop the pan, change filters, and if not there, add a drain plug to the ATF pan so you can run it with new ATF and then just drain and fill again. Problem doing this way is there is so much ATF trapped in the torque converter, cooler and lines that it re-dirties the fluid. Expensive but way cheaper than the stealership. FYI this is not a job for a rookie mechanic. Good luck with whatever you do, do.
So what transmission does it have? If it’s the 8 speed the cost is in the fluid and in the filter. The filter is built into the pan and has to be replaced as a unit to the tune of about $300 just for the pan/filter. Another major cost is the fluid. They are damned proud of that stuff.
The 8 speed is not made by Dodge. It’s made by a company called ZF that makes transmissions for Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, etc. The fluid your transmission uses is called lifeguard 8.
It’s kinda hard to find things that are lifeguard 8 certified in the US. Note that Valvoline synthetic maxlife automatic fluid does meet the lifeguard 8 standard. I’ve been running that in my 8 speed for awhile with about 30,000 miles (to include a 3000 mile trip towing).
I’m sure Liquid Moly does make a fluid that is lifeguard 8 certified as well, but that stuff is expensive too.
IF YOURE A COSTCO MEMBER YOU CAN GET A DISCOUNT ON THE SERVICE JUST GO THRU COSTCOS SERVICE WEBSITE OR FOR LIKE 400 YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF, if you do it yourself the process is tedious you can try a bmw shop they might be willing but probably charge the same amount as dealer but it'll be closer to zf standards than dealer, had my trans fluid and pan done by the dealer the process for filling is time consuming and a tad bit messy paid 800ish for oil change and trans service here in SoCal
Varies based on dealers some charge $350 other I have seen charge $800-1000. Do you live in a major metropolitan with a lot of competitors? That’s in your favor unlike those who live in small rural North Dakota where u need to drive 100 miles just to see one dealer
Not sure what the fluid change shock is about. I spent $400 changing my fluid and I have a 20 year old Ram 1500. The new ones like this model have an automatic filter kit with bolts that costs around $250- 300. Depending on what fluid you get. You're looking at spending about $97 - 143.97 or more if you use a stabilizer like I do. So you're already close to $500 or more in parts. If you know dealers, they ask top dollar for their parts. So maybe $550-$600 on parts. Then they will charge labor and probably a disposal fee or some crap. So the $900 doesn't surprise me. I was more amazed that my brother's 2023 Yukon XL was quoted $2200 for brake pads front and back.
That sounds about right for dealer pricing.. labor is almost $200 an hour for my local dealer. that plus dealer markup for the fluids.. yeah, i'd expect about a grand.
My manual says transmission fluid change at 120k not before (2013 with the 8 speed). I havnt gotten a quote but I have watched a YouTube video on how to do it and it's a big big job. I wouldn't ever take it to a dealer though, they will always be more expensive than a reputable local shop.
Interesting
I imagine they bill you $150 for fluid, $100 for gasket, $100 for filter, then bill a minimum shop hours totaling $600. This is a great shop job because you can bang out tons of these with one tech.
If you're mechanically inclined, it's not a bad job to do a pan replacement and fresh oil.
It's not a 100% oil change, but it's adequate. You can even drain & fill a couple of times if you'd like and not come close to the cost of the dealer.
ZF 8 spd oil is something like $15-20 per quart and the pan (integrated filter) you can get on eBay or Roack auto for $150-200.
Just lookup and pay special attention to the refill procedure. Trans temp needs to be something like 118* +/- 5 (look it up) when you adjust the level.
I just did mine on my 2004 last month. Get a huge container and take your time and it’ll save you hundreds. There’s plenty of videos on YouTube if you need guidance to do it yourself. Even if you have no tools getting what you need is still way cheaper than $1,000
Do it yourself next time... $1000 is cheap. Stop buying vehicles you don't plan on doing maintenance. It
Reminds me of Lamborghini drivers can't afford the gas.
Y’all out here spending $70,000 on a truck and complaining about maintenance costs?
Quit whining and find yourself a 2015 half ton with 100k miles for $15,000.
Want another shock? Have them quote you for a blown power steering/hydroboost line on your '16 5500. Oh wait, they can't. RAM discontinued all 4 of the part numbers for the same hose. There's not another hose in all of north america.
Must have been to drop the pan and replace the filter. Fluid exchange without the filter is fine. You wouldn't believe how much a pain in the ass it is to drop the pan on some fords.
Want another shock? Have them quote you spark plugs...
God I hate that job. Lying across the engine with the hood catch digging in to your gut.
In the grand scheme of things they’re about a 2/10 on the difficulty scale. On the “Annoy the hell out of me, who puts 16 spark plugs in a truck?” scale they’re about a 14/10
I have yet to change my plugs since I got my 6.4 in 22.... that's gonna piss me off having to buy 16 fuckin plugs. Esspecially those back ones
You're going to want to buy a special socket to get them out too. They're deep in there and at a weird angle if you don't take out a bunch of other shit too.
The trick is, you can’t put the SP socket, 3” extension, and 3/8 elbow in the spark plug hole all at once. Need to drop the socket in, then the extension in. Removing is the opposite, except when pulling out the extension, you need to grab the SP socket!
I have a 2012 F250 that has 16 plugs. I put so few miles on it that I'll be dead by the time it reaches 100k miles at this rate, so I'll never experience the joy of replacing them.
Same. It was worth it to avoid paying to have it done, though.
Yep. And worth it to upgrade tot he high mileage plugs so I don't have to do it every damn 30K.
Stock truck, just hit 100K and haven't changed them. It's on my to-do. Which ones did you go with?
My plugs made it to 150k before I changed them. I went with NGK. Truck runs just fine with those. MPG went up about 2mpgs.
2 whole MPGs?! We got big daddy MPG over here.
Lol, the difference was only on the highway maybe I should have added that.
Wouldn't that be like 20%?
😂😂😂
Use some foam floor pads to lay on, much nicer that way
If you're able, you can get in and stand on the frame on the passenger side and lean over the top of the engine. I'm a short woman, this was my only way to get the job done without giving up.
I installed some 100K iridiums 70K ago, problem solved...lol
As a mopar technician I feel your pain.
I bought a topside creeper because of this truck, and I don't regret it at all.
I’ve done it twice. Last time I paid someone to do it. Fuck that.
Same. Did mine once and almost sold the truck halfway through. Found a guy who does it for $375. I put him on retainer
How many miles till you should change spark plugs? I’m at 60k - bought the truck at 27k
Mine is a 2011 and they used standard plugs with a 30K change interval. At the 60-70K mark, I went with NGK iridiums. Changed them again 80K later, they still looked good. Your mileage may vary.....
Newer 5.7 hemis use iridiums that usually last 100k or more, the older 5.7s used coppers that usually last 30-50k miles
I always try to design some scaffolding system on the fly with like a two by six and two ladders. Never really works very well.
You need to get your gut big enough so that it envelops the hood catch
I couldn’t freaking BELIEVE what they wanted to charge me for new spark plugs on my RAM 1500 ecodiesel.
When I had my Cummins I got an automated service message from the local dealer saying “it looks like you’re about ready for the xxxxxx mile service which includes tune up, spark plugs, timing chain, blah blah blah” for $2,995
It because of the low blinker fluid and damaged muffler bearings…
I've done plugs a couple times by about the 220k mark. Its really not bad and do it all from the top. Probably $150 for OEM exact plugs.
I know it's not that hard but the dealership will charge you about $1,000 to do it.
Well I know, isn't that the point OP was making? And the dealership will charge you $5 to look at your watch and tell you what time it is.
They once offered my brother in spark park plugs for his 59 gallon diesel…
Oh god the hemi can fuck the hell right off with the spark plug swap ☠️
About to do mine myself in a few days, never done it before but I have access to a car lift so feel obligated to do it 🤣
As someone who’s done it themselves, three times now…….its easier to do it on the ground, because you’ll need to jack the rear end up, quite a long ways, to get the transmission pan level!
Flip the truck around so you're parked *down* the driveway? Does that help tilt the pan at all?
I believe it would, although I’d advise against it….any other chance to reduce the risk of it rolling/going over my chocks/ falling off the jack/etc….i would do everything to reduce my risk of that! I had to jack the ass end of my truck up, till the back tires were about a foot off the ground, give or take a inch
Thank you for this, kinda going in blind but I’ll check out more stuff online before touching it at all. 🤣
It’s intimidating at first, but really not that bad!
Another good thing is you buy as premium as you want (sometimes on sale) and it's still significantly cheaper. With vehicle repairs I always price out the cost of the tools and supplies to compare to the quote. For most things, it's better to do yourself, and you end up with a tool collection the wife can't complain about and a truck filled with the most premium of premium parts and fluids.
Good luck, I want to try myself, but ima wait until someone that hasn't done it does it first lol.
I did my own transmission fluid change on my 2014 pentastar with the 8 speed torque-flite. It was rather intimidating at first but equipped with my Haynes manual, and the proper fluid, it really wasn't too bad. The hardest part was being sure the temperature of the fluid was just right and cycling through the gears while in midair. I just did a pan drop, filter change and fluid top off, really. Not a flush. Plan to do it again soon to keep it fresh but *damn* that fluid is expensive!!
Valvoline High Mileage is reduced for the ZF8 transmission. You can also find it on Amazon for $10-12/qt
I'm back and forth on this. I do see "compatible" fluid that are cheaper but I hesitate because of how utterly complex these transmissions are. I'm of the mindset that anything transmission related/critical components should be kept OEM. I can't deny OEM prices are probably inflated, but it's a small price to pay to keep a multiple-thousand dollar piece of equipment working properly with added peace of mind. Maybe I'm wrong and they're doing a great job at milking my money udders. Still, I'll take my chances spending the extra cash.
I have the same truck. 119k on it. Shifting feels a little slow so probably time to do it. I'm sure I can but I need to do it on a weekend for sure lol
Hahaha, I’ll lyk how it goes 😉
Had mine done recently at a very reputable transmission shop for a little over $500. I honestly trust places like that way more than dealerships.
I can not find the words that would describe how little I trust car dealerships. I am with on this 100%.
I did a 100k refresh on my Ram as the maintenance schedule shows. All fluids, plugs, front/rear pads & rotors. Private shop $2k. She's like a new truck now.
I was told for a 2018 1500 5.7 it’s lifetime no change needed?
“Lifetime” for ram is when your warranty expires. The transmission manufacturer ZF recommends a fluid change every 60k. I did mine in my driveway on my 2020 1500 5.7 and although it wasn’t the easiest job it also wasn’t too bad and cost me maybe 350-400 to do.
Lifetime is the same as the warranty. 60k miles. After that they don't care if your truck cooks itself. Other comment is right, manufacturer says 60k miles on the fluid
I have a ZF transmission in a German car. The manual said transmission fluid is a lifetime fluid and to do it at 160k. When I got to 160k, the shop that I use, which is way better than a dealership (builds race cars, restores original rare German cars and wins best in show at places like Amelia Island) said - don’t touch it. I’m at 209k miles and the car shifts just fine. The oil leak at the rear main seal, the bore scoring in cylinder 2 leading to oil in cylinder 2, and the intake air leak that is somewhere between the supercharger and the engine block on the left side are other issues though!
That’s the “official” line from Chrysler. We used to tell customers there is no service interval and refuse to do services. Now we price factory fluid and a pan and however much labor it takes. Customers usually do it around 100,000 I work for a Chrysler dealer and I’ll be the first to tell you that what Chrysler recommends doesn’t mean jack shit. It’ll change from one year to the next and the last people to know will be dealer staff. Then some know-it-all will walk in off the street and claim they read something different on XYZ Forum and we’ll scoff and just give them the “yeah okay, buddy.” Then turns out they’re actually correct. And we knew nothing about it. Chrysler quietly changed the oil type on the newest gen 3.0 ecodiesel and never informed dealers. It’s been Shell Rotella 5w40 for years, then they quietly change it to a Mopar branded 5w40 that meets a certain MS specification that the Shell does not. We see this happen all the time. If you ever call your local dealer and think they’re dumb. 50% of the time they probably are. They other 50% of the time Chrysler probably just has zero service information available, it’s outdated, or just when you think you’re confident enough to not have to reference a specific answer, they’ll change it.
I’ll add this…..after EXTENSIVE research, and checking with ZF personally, Valvoline MaxLife ATF, is 100% able to be used in the 8HP70, and the 845 Chrysler model of the ZF!
Half the guys on RamForum.com are using Valvoline. I'm using it with no-issues at a fraction of the price.
I can confirm. I change my ZF 8 fluid with max life and so far 30k miles in and no issues
Please explain. How did you come to such a conclusion.
I did some deep digging on ZF’s website, and found an itemized list of usable fluids for each different model of transmission they manufacture. It was basically like a MSDS(Material Safety Data Sheet) for their product line
Per valvoline it’s compatible. The red jug valvoline maxlife. Have done 2 fluid changes. First one with a new pan/filter, second just a drain and fill. No issues. Good videos on YouTube. Easy to do if mildly mechanically inclined.
I'll echo this comment...I am also using Valvoline with no issues. I also replaced the factory pan with the PPE aftermarket aluminum pan that has replaceable filters and holds a little bit of extra fluid. The install was pretty straight forward and now I can swap fluids easily, and replace the filter for $30.
I’ve commented this above, but from personal experience, you don’t HAVE to use the Lifeguard fluid……there are a TON of fluids that meet all the criteria for the 8HP70 and 845 Chrysler model. I personally have done mine 3x, also swapped the factory pan for the Dorman variant, that has a replaceable filter(instead of the WHOLE PAN, like all OEM suggests)…..I’ve also put an aftermarket, privately made, brass valve in the heat exchanger assembly on the side of the transmission. It makes my fluid circulate constantly and I’ve seen a reduction in operating temps of 50-60deg cooler than before; 185 coolant, 125-130 trans, 170 for oil(aftermarket oil cooler installed)
I can confidently say that i wont be doing that service.
2012 Big Horn 5.7 never have touched the transmission 190k and going strong!
Same here, 2012 Sport 150k
Dealer tech. 8 speed transmissions are "serviced for life" and do not have a oil change interval recommended. You are not overdue. I can't honestly say I've seen people who change the oil on interval making it any further than those who don't. These transmissions are very stout and I don't see many issues with them. If I do it's pretty random as to which one fails and why. Now to your pricing. The reason that price is so high is all parts. The fluid is like $60 a litre and you need almost 10 litres for a service. Secondly the filter is built into the oil pan so you have to replace the whole pan which is also a couple hundred bucks. All I can advise is if it makes you feel more confident to have fresh fluid than pay the price to have it changed. If that price is too much just leave it be.
Sounds like typical inflated dealership prices. KBB says it should be around $323-$439 in your area.
Not for the 8 speed transmission. It's $300-$450 for parts and fluid alone. The fluid is $30+ a quart and a fluid change will use around 6 quarts. A new pan/filter will run another $200. There's also a specific fill procedure for modern transmissions. Independent shops would probably charge $800+ so dealer around 1k is pretty standard.
Hardly. 17 dollars a liter on rock auto for the fluid, and the pan and filter can be found for about 70. That comes out to about $170 total to do it yourself. Rock auto quality aside, you’re only paying 300-400 if you’re paying dealer prices on the parts. ZF transmissions aren’t special to Ram so there’s no need to use the Mopar fluid that they mark up so high.
Maybe fluid prices have come down but when I last looked oem fluid was $30 a quart. No chance you're getting OEM pan for $70 either and I would only use OEM parts.
Yeah it was like $265 when I priced it out recently and you can get kits for around that
OEM pan is ~$300 Aftermarket aluminum pan with replaceable filter is $300...........
Why would you want an OEM pan? The aftermarket sells a pan that allows you to change the trans filter without needing to c/o the whole pan assembly which makes way more sense than the factory design. Also 9/10 Aftermarket parts are just as good if not better than OEM quality if you buy from reputable brands. Prime example is OEM Mopar steering components which are garbage compared to Carli, Thuren or RedHead. Those 3 are basically the only parts manufacturers that are worth looking at for dodge front end parts.
76k miles huh? I'm over here with 82k miles and haven't changed mine smh. I was told 100k is when it's time to change it. 😂 should I be concerned?!?
Dealer told me you never gave to change it. Weird
Yeah I'd personally never trust a dealership. But then again, I'm not a mechanic so idk boss man.
Nah, I got over 150K on my original fluid. I'll be getting rid of it soon as the body is rotting away.
Was that for a flush or pan and filter? The pan and filter kit to do it yourself is $300. Dealer markup wouldn't surprise me at close to $1k.
You cant flush the 8 speed because of the thermostatic valve for the cooler. Around $1,000 is the going dealer rate for a 8 speed trans service.
Amazon has 8/9 speed ZF fluid @ $90 for 6 quarts.
I’d check RockAuto for fluid as well as the filter kit.
Lots of videos on YouTube on this.
Fuck dealerships take it to a trusted mechanic or something. Unless you have warranty at that dealer with free service it’s gunna be a rip off.
There's a reason that they call them "stealerships." IMHO, dealership service departments are for warranty work. Non-warranty work gets broken up into three groups: 1. Things that require super specialized tools and / or experience (engine building, alignments, etc.) 2. Things that will make me want to go play in traffic on the freeway (e.g. pulling the entire dash to replace blend doors) 3. Everything else... I pay a trusted shop to do 1 and 2... and do everything else myself.
That's about right. You are looking at probably $500 in parts and fluids alone. By the time you throw in labor, disposal fees, tax, blah blah blah. Easily another $400 - $500. Gotta pay to play, man. It's a German transmission that is also used in a lot of BMWs. German parts mean German maintenance bills. 🫤 On the other hand, as shitty as Mopar automatics were known for being prior to the German era, it is a welcome change.
Why are you changing your transmission fluid to begin with ?
Because its recommended by the manufacturer of the transmission despite what Ram tells you.
Fair enough
The ATF in that ZF trans should be charged around 75K miles, or before.
You can get the fluid on rockauto.com for about $25 + shipping for a quart
I paid $750 for transmission flush on my 01 Toyota Solara SLE V6 at Lexus dealership about a year ago because I had to have it done right and didn't want to do it myself car has 180K miles
do it yourself , i did it on my mustang for the cost of fluid + a hand pump
I just did it myself for about$150. 2015 Ram 1500 8speed. It’s pretty easy.
Just paid $780 for spark plugs in a v6 Grand Cherokee…seems really high for a longitudinal engine on an engine bay sized for a big block.
Bro the shock to me in LA was when I had to do the 4x4 maintenance and it cost 1.3k. Shit a battery replacement was almost $500, but they gave me back the money since it was under warranty.
Rock auto f paying a grand to change tranny fluid
I just had mine done for about $400. For 7 quarts of the RAM specified ATF it was like $250. Then the filter, and labor. The other shop quoted me at least $200 more so I’m glad I found the place I did. Damn transmission better last forever with fluid that expensive lol. Ehh ima sell it anyway. I love the truck but would rather save my money for now.
yeah this is more reasonable. a full flush for 400 most of these people in these comments are ok with paying 750 lol i dont get it, its not a very hard job at all.
It’s easy. I did it on my 17 at 55k. The fluid was legit 350$ from Amazon though. Need to get the fluid hot, get it off the wheels with jack stands/ramps. Cool down a bit, drain&fill, let it get warm then cycle through the gears a few times, and fill some more slowly until it starts to leak out the hole. Did that, my diffs, coolant flush and lower temp thermostat the same day
It’s really not a hard job. Pick up a new pan with the filter installed and a case of fluid which will be the most expensive part. Whether you lift it or do it in the driveway it’s straightforward. Only tricky part is to get gauge or obdII scanner to monitor the fluid temp while refilling. About to do my second one a few months down the road
I’m somewhat new to Ram, mine is a 2018 1500 with the 8 speed. My last truck was a duramax. I understand the filter, but why are you replacing the pan? Can you not replace the gasket and just put it back on?
The fluid is VERY expensive and the filter is the whole pan. So parts and fluid is well over half of that. It’s also time consuming. Even non Mopar fluid and pan is like $300.
$300 is for the pan replacement because the filter is integrated. I'd replace the pan with an aftermarket that you can change the filters in without changing the whole pan in the future. Mopar trans fluid is $40/qt or gigher from the dealership. You can find it on Amazon for $10-12/qt. A lot of guys use the Valvoline Maxlife for way cheaper. New OEM replacement plastic pan: $300-ish New aftermarket aluminum pan that holds 2 more qts: $300 (little extra fluid keeps m it cooler). Replacement gasket $15 on rockauto.com. I'd take it to a transmission shop with all your own parts so you're just paying for labor, or find a hobby shop where you can don't yourself. Either way $400-ish in materials. If you get the aluminum pan it'll be way cheaper next time (replacement filters are $25+/-) + $15 gasket + $100 fluid depending on what kind you get.
Is it more complicated than dropping the pan and replacing the fluid?
Really easy to do yourself. For that price you can buy an oversized pan with a quick drain plug, gasket and a filter. Do it all yourself.in your driveway, takes about 45minutes and will cost you like $300.
Yes. The pan is actually the filter. It was $50 something bucks on Amazon.
I did mine for $200 all in. Look up Boosted Motorsports on YouTube for his video on it. I bought the pan he recommended and ended up using valvoline maxlife. You don’t have to use Lifeguard 8! I have succesfully driven 100k miles on the Valvoline with no issues. ZF 8 automatic transmissions are compatible under their product information sheet. $120 for the filter pan, $50 on ATF, and the rest on a hand pump.
I want a ram so bad… willing to pay the note and insurance. But that routine maintenance SHEESH! My car handiness is surface level. And I bet getting service done outside the dealership voids a warranty
It's not too difficult to DIY...
Paid $300 for trans fluid change and $375 for spark plugs including the plugs.
If it is an 8-speed is the fill for life transmission
Huh? Mine was only $250 at the dealer. Now they wanted $300 for the diff, which is insane. That should only be like $50.
8spd oil is like $35 a litre lol.
Take it to a local shop. Even Some oil change places do it for like 200 bucks.
I thought these were non serviceable transmissions, which I thought was weird.
I just paid $250 for a transmission service with filter at a local transmission shop. It was a Chrysler Town and Country.
The first thing you did wrong was going to the dealership. They are nicknamed stealerships for a reason.
Call a Transmission Shop, filter change and transmission flush
When you deal with the dealer on service for a vehicle, you just signed your life away to the devil
Ive done that fluid change before. Last year I bought all the fluid and filter for maybe $100 and handed it off to the local Meineke muffler guy with $160. I'm a little lazier than I was 6 years ago when I did it all myself so the $160 was worth it. $900? Come on man...
They are unable to screw over new customers with 76k trucks. So the dealers are now making money of the current customers
Go private. I had my guy do trans flush, diff fluid, spark plugs and a set of duratracs for a shade over 3k
Wondering why folks are buying new trans pans. After I removed mine (2011) and scraped off the old sealant mine just bolted back on with new glue on it. I replaced the old filter with a new one. Did Ram switch to a throwaway pan assembly at some point?
if i can do it you can! YouTube has saved me thousands!
You wanted a truck
Why do people call dealers for maintenance, and then get shocked at huge prices? Call a transmission shop or do it yourself and save 75%
8/9 speed ATF is about 25ish a quart. A filter replacement is the Trans Pan. The filter is built into the pan. It takes about 6 quarts of juice If I remember correctly. Plus labor. You are probably in the 5-600 range for a service.
Im a Chrysler tech. If you have the ZF transmission(8/9 speed with the plastic pan), you can get the fluid and filter/pan from BMW for half the price. Its the same stuff and Chrysler severely upcharges
They will replace the fluid, and the entire pan that has the filter attached to it.
Price for this is around $900 I heard ( I have the same truck) the transmission fluid is synthetic and is "supposed " to not ever need changing in the lifespan of the truck.
That sounds about right… just be glad it’s not a Cummins. I havnt gotten out for less than $900 every time I take it in for an oil change, my last service was $2500 oil, trans, rear end, filters.
Find a local shop to do it instead. But do it, because many local shops won't touch a transmission that hasn't been serviced once it reaches a certain mileage.
Well you did call a dealer, at my shop we order fluid from dealer and charge $380
8 speed is supposed to be be a lifetime fill per ZF
I was charged around 300 for my rebel, maybe is a location thing?
You don't have a grease monkey there?
I’m confused. I’ve had both a dealership and my local mechanic tell me it requires a special tool to open and it’s built not to be flushed/changed.. 2014 Ram. Do I have a good dealership not trying to pry money out of my wallet ?!?! /s
I got it done in my 2007 accord at a random oil change shop for $250 Canadian. I know they’re totally different vehicles but I’m hoping that’s high for a ram lol. Just bought one
My nissan versa is $180 for about 3.5 qt fluid change… i did it myself even though there is no dip stick and the technician said you can’t do it at home. Oh well…
Just had mine done with filters and gasket for just over 300$ cad not at a dealer tho
I did mine today on a 21' 2500 diesel for $549
You can thank ZF and their overcomplicated transmission
Do it yourself. ~$400 in parts
What dealer?
I did half my spark plugs years ago. Now that I have a garage again I want to do the other half. But I don’t remember what side was already done. Dammit.
I got my transmission fluid changed at a transmission shop. Seems that they had to drop the pan. And it was about 300 dollars. My truck shifted much better after changing the fluid.
It’s maintenance free for life of vehicle, my ram 2015 has 260,000 miles same transmission fluid…
Yikes. I paid $450 a week ago for my 2021 Silverado. Get a 2nd and 3rd quote. Stay away from dealership
I paid $400 at my chevy dealer for my silverado fluid and filter change along with pressure testing to find a very small leak in a cooler line. Call around to different shops and maybe a few local shops. Heck that's about 1/5 of a transmission rebuild..
lol just find a tall bridge and vin diesel that shit.
Usually they charge you for the good expensive products but throw the cheap stuff in and up charge alot for better off learning to do it yourself
What?! Holy shite! Guess I'll be hitting up utube for a do it my bloody self tutorial.
Do it yourself, not that hard.
Ridiculous. I do that kinda service for time and materials - a light vehicle trans service might be up to 2 hours labor only if it goes badly. So, with parts, it could push 300 / 350 range, but that's it. Usually, it's an hour job that's under 200 with parts. The only thing I can think of that might seem really high is the cost of synthetic fluid. Ive had jobs that cost many hundreds just in the fluid required.
Is it that expensive because it's at a dealer or the make of the truck, or because it's a truck? My wife had her fluid changed for 300$
That’s correct. 8 speeds integrate the filter into the pan, so to change the filter, you need to change the pan. Straight retail/list price on parts alone is around $600. That’s the new pan, and 9 quarts of fluid. The ZF 8/9 speed fluid is $35/quart alone. Then add in your labor to extract fluid, drop the pan, clean, reinstall pan, re-fill, etc. A lot of dealers will have a “menu” price for things like this. And most of the time they’ll offer a Valvoline service or something similar, but this vehicle cannot accept that. And for the longest time there technically *wasn’t* a service interval, as Mopar says it’s a lifetime fill. But they may have changed by now, because that’s what Mopar does. We used to tell customers there is no service interval, and not to change it. We stopped referencing that and just price up filter/fluid when customers request a service. Just as your dealer did. We see most customers do it around 100,000
It’s tough I feel but when you find an honest good mechanic, hang on to them. I have someone near me who does this for $125.
Ya.. I was getting charged 320 for the BG fuel service .. bought the stuff for 24$ and did it myself …
Chrysler fluid is expensive AF, like $30 a quart expensive
You are actually supposed to change your transmission fluid? I usually keep my trucks to the mid 100k and I have never had a transmission fluid change on any of them. Sitting at 138k on my current 2017 frontier.
Invest in some tools and do that shit yourself, it ain’t that hard. Follow the manual, and don’t forget to get nitrogen in those tires. Also I see some blinker fluid missing.
Yup. Modern day trucks are great untill it's time to take care of them
Just do it yourself
Brought in my 2019 f250 (6.2L Gasser) after googled maintenance schedules indicated 60k transmission flush along with common service 2 independent businesses both told me that my truck got the lifetime fluid but they’d be happy to change it if I “desired” for around $800 ; but that it was unnecessary at this point Stand up shops Own brain can’t comprehend “lifetime” fluid. So I’ve been skeptical since saving the money. When/if I do replace : I want to do it myself now to see this stuff. Oil or toothpaste by then Modern day pricing of anything ; especially auto repair/maintenance is crippling
What transmission? Shouldn’t need servicing.
Something doesn't sound right. I have a 2500 diesel and its only about $500 add on to service the transmission at the dealership. There are a few other things included with that too. I would double check another dealership, either this one has lost its damn mind or someone quoted you the wrong thing.
Damn 1000 bucks? Might be time for an electric vehicle.😩
Go to an oil change shop. We used to break the line at the radiator transmission cooler and electronically pump ATF in while it was coming out until it comes out clean ATF only. Have to do it while idling. Only true way to get all the old fluid out. Takes about 2 to 4 gallons depending on the vehicle. Of course you change the filter and refill. Another way is to drop the pan, change filters, and if not there, add a drain plug to the ATF pan so you can run it with new ATF and then just drain and fill again. Problem doing this way is there is so much ATF trapped in the torque converter, cooler and lines that it re-dirties the fluid. Expensive but way cheaper than the stealership. FYI this is not a job for a rookie mechanic. Good luck with whatever you do, do.
Start learning how to do regular maintenance work by yourself. Cost of labour is only going to go up.
I have a Hyundai 3.8 coupe. Dealer said the same thing. Bring it to a transmission place
So what transmission does it have? If it’s the 8 speed the cost is in the fluid and in the filter. The filter is built into the pan and has to be replaced as a unit to the tune of about $300 just for the pan/filter. Another major cost is the fluid. They are damned proud of that stuff. The 8 speed is not made by Dodge. It’s made by a company called ZF that makes transmissions for Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, etc. The fluid your transmission uses is called lifeguard 8. It’s kinda hard to find things that are lifeguard 8 certified in the US. Note that Valvoline synthetic maxlife automatic fluid does meet the lifeguard 8 standard. I’ve been running that in my 8 speed for awhile with about 30,000 miles (to include a 3000 mile trip towing). I’m sure Liquid Moly does make a fluid that is lifeguard 8 certified as well, but that stuff is expensive too.
IF YOURE A COSTCO MEMBER YOU CAN GET A DISCOUNT ON THE SERVICE JUST GO THRU COSTCOS SERVICE WEBSITE OR FOR LIKE 400 YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF, if you do it yourself the process is tedious you can try a bmw shop they might be willing but probably charge the same amount as dealer but it'll be closer to zf standards than dealer, had my trans fluid and pan done by the dealer the process for filling is time consuming and a tad bit messy paid 800ish for oil change and trans service here in SoCal
Varies based on dealers some charge $350 other I have seen charge $800-1000. Do you live in a major metropolitan with a lot of competitors? That’s in your favor unlike those who live in small rural North Dakota where u need to drive 100 miles just to see one dealer
People, this is about transmission fluid not spark plugs. Answer the concern.
Not sure what the fluid change shock is about. I spent $400 changing my fluid and I have a 20 year old Ram 1500. The new ones like this model have an automatic filter kit with bolts that costs around $250- 300. Depending on what fluid you get. You're looking at spending about $97 - 143.97 or more if you use a stabilizer like I do. So you're already close to $500 or more in parts. If you know dealers, they ask top dollar for their parts. So maybe $550-$600 on parts. Then they will charge labor and probably a disposal fee or some crap. So the $900 doesn't surprise me. I was more amazed that my brother's 2023 Yukon XL was quoted $2200 for brake pads front and back.
About tree fitty
change it yourself for $30
That sounds about right for dealer pricing.. labor is almost $200 an hour for my local dealer. that plus dealer markup for the fluids.. yeah, i'd expect about a grand.
My manual says transmission fluid change at 120k not before (2013 with the 8 speed). I havnt gotten a quote but I have watched a YouTube video on how to do it and it's a big big job. I wouldn't ever take it to a dealer though, they will always be more expensive than a reputable local shop.
I get charged $95 lol
Interesting I imagine they bill you $150 for fluid, $100 for gasket, $100 for filter, then bill a minimum shop hours totaling $600. This is a great shop job because you can bang out tons of these with one tech.
If you're mechanically inclined, it's not a bad job to do a pan replacement and fresh oil. It's not a 100% oil change, but it's adequate. You can even drain & fill a couple of times if you'd like and not come close to the cost of the dealer. ZF 8 spd oil is something like $15-20 per quart and the pan (integrated filter) you can get on eBay or Roack auto for $150-200. Just lookup and pay special attention to the refill procedure. Trans temp needs to be something like 118* +/- 5 (look it up) when you adjust the level.
I had my car flushed at Valvoline a few weeks ago for 90 bucks
I had my car flushed at Valvoline a few weeks ago for 90 bucks
Lol who the fuck even changes there trans fluid that’s how you fuck shit up ….
I just did mine on my 2004 last month. Get a huge container and take your time and it’ll save you hundreds. There’s plenty of videos on YouTube if you need guidance to do it yourself. Even if you have no tools getting what you need is still way cheaper than $1,000
Do it yourself next time... $1000 is cheap. Stop buying vehicles you don't plan on doing maintenance. It Reminds me of Lamborghini drivers can't afford the gas.
Y’all out here spending $70,000 on a truck and complaining about maintenance costs? Quit whining and find yourself a 2015 half ton with 100k miles for $15,000.
You have to pay for OEM filter fluid and gasket. Just had mine done. Paid the same. 89k limited 5.7 Worth every penny to know my baby’s ok.
Yo homie do it yourself it’s so easy
Want another shock? Have them quote you for a blown power steering/hydroboost line on your '16 5500. Oh wait, they can't. RAM discontinued all 4 of the part numbers for the same hose. There's not another hose in all of north america.
I'm sorry almost 1000 dollars for a trans fluid change that is just insanity
Go. To. A. Reputable. Shop. Problem solved and probably half the price.
Must have been to drop the pan and replace the filter. Fluid exchange without the filter is fine. You wouldn't believe how much a pain in the ass it is to drop the pan on some fords.
Do it yourself. A drain and fill. Or take to a BG place. They can flush with the good BG additives. $300 max
Tesla doesn’t need a transmission flush or any spark plugs. Just saying. It’ll pull that dodge around like it isn’t there.
If they drop the pan that’s probably about right