2019 Mirage: Severe Maintenance Schedule (@ 48,000KM) question

[Marc999]

You can do the filters the next time around after your 1st drain and fill. Hell I'm guessing you could do the filters just once and have a good chance of hitting 350kms?

350k km? Cool - I think we can wait then. It's got ~ 55,000 km now - she does allot of driving.

My independent mechanic didn't even mention transmission filters, but I will ask him.

[Fummins]

Thanks for the reply.
It simply says a transmission 'flush' on the email quote. Could inquire further.
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Since then, I have received another quote from an independent mechanic.

$~200 Cdn for a drain & fill (1 hr. labor + 3 quarts fluids). I highly doubt that would include filters, but don't know.

Is a drain & fill good enough for a car with ~ 55,000 km?

If it's a drain and fill for $200 I'd still do it yourself. Pull the drain plug, and 2.5Liters will normally come out, jack up the back end of the car and usually get another 1/2 liter out. There's a how-to vijeo that wangdoodle posted on the lubetube.

To put it mildly - this dealership is next level bizarre with their suggestions, so frankly I don't trust them.
Suggesting things for this car that don't even exist on this vehicle. So I'm not entirely sure (outside of recalls, or the parts counter), the car should ever see their service bay again.
At this point in time, prefer not to get into details - but would like to take it further at some point with the appropriate channels.

In other words, I wouldn't believe a word they say.
I just wanted to get a feel for whether ~ $300 Cdn. would be a fair 'dealership' price, perhaps at a different shop.


But - if a drain & fill is good enough for a 2019 car with 55,000 km, then it's likely the route to take.

Dealers can be pretty hit and miss as far being scamy, regardless of the brand. Many will recommend services that aren't required to maintain warranty.

I'm pretty sure the generic service schedule that covers all mitsubishi models just says fluid change. BUT...When we had a cvt crap out at just over 100,000kms (that was{never} serviced by an independent shop) I changed the fluid before taking it to the dealer and it turned black within minutes. The dealer asked for proof that the transmission was "flushed" at 50 and 100,000 kms. I assume they are just retarded. But who knows maybe they actually do have the proper adapters to flush these things.. I'll never bother asking. In the end I had to install a used cvt since nobody ever serviced the transmission other than me when it started having problems.
The only other warranty cvt I've dealt with had far less miles(around 60,000kms iirc). Sounded like the differential was making noise. It was covered under warranty with no questions asked.

Even my engine was recently replaced at 50,000kms with no questions asked and I'm the third owner.

[Marc999]

If it's a drain and fill for $200 I'd still do it yourself. Pull the drain plug, and 2.5Liters will normally come out, jack up the back end of the car and usually get another 1/2 liter out. There's a how-to vijeo that wangdoodle posted on the lubetube.



Dealers can be pretty hit and miss as far being scamy, regardless of the brand. Many will recommend services that aren't required to maintain warranty.

I'm pretty sure the generic service schedule that covers all mitsubishi models just says fluid change. BUT...When we had a cvt crap out at just over 100,000kms (that was{never} serviced by an independent shop) I changed the fluid before taking it to the dealer and it turned black within minutes. The dealer asked for proof that the transmission was "flushed" at 50 and 100,000 kms. I assume they are just retarded. But who knows maybe they actually do have the proper adapters to flush these things.. I'll never bother asking. In the end I had to install a used cvt since nobody ever serviced the transmission other than me when it started having problems.
The only other warranty cvt I've dealt with had far less miles(around 60,000kms iirc). Sounded like the differential was making noise. It was covered under warranty with no questions asked.

Even my engine was recently replaced at 50,000kms with no questions asked and I'm the third owner.

Well - crap. That's a horror story.
Yeah, I think the route of having it done at a shop (with invoice), just in case - is the best course of action.
So what you're saying is, these CVT's definitely need transmission service.

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On that note: I called a different mechanic that I've gone to before for simple stuff and he told me a story about how he's never changed his trucks transmission fluid and doesn't bother unless there are issues.
Damn - I mean, I appreciate the honesty - but seriously man, that's not good for a car with a warranty. Almost as if he didn't want to bother and also wouldn't comment on whether a drain/fill was sufficient for warranty vs. flush.

[Fummins]

IMO these cvt's are far more finicky than a conventional automatic. Especially the ones in these cars. I change the fluid in the Mirages far more than the Nissan's we have. I let the Nissans go to at least 100,000kms(60,000miles) and the fluid always looks like new, always transparent. When I change the mitsu fluid it's usually 10000x darker even though it looks fine on the dipstick.

Unless you hate your nearest dealer as much as I do, are able to replace anything in your car yourself, and can source out parts on the cheap(car-part.com) then I'd do what you can to keep warranty valid.

As far as flush vs drain and fill. I doubt the dealer would actually do a real flush. The warranty & maintenance manual I have here just says change, not flush. So the book says one thing and my nearby ****bag dealer and yours dealer is saying flush.

[Marc999]

IMO these cvt's are far more finicky than a conventional automatic. Especially the ones in these cars. I change the fluid in the Mirages far more than the Nissan's we have. I let the Nissans go to at least 100,000kms(60,000miles) and the fluid always looks like new, always transparent. When I change the mitsu fluid it's usually 10000x darker even though it looks fine on the dipstick.

Unless you hate your nearest dealer as much as I do, are able to replace anything in your car yourself, and can source out parts on the cheap(car-part.com) then I'd do what you can to keep warranty valid.

As far as flush vs drain and fill. I doubt the dealer would actually do a real flush. The warranty & maintenance manual I have here just says change, not flush. So the book says one thing and my nearby ****bag dealer and yours dealer is saying flush.

Yeah, so - according to the nearest dealer - a fluid 'change' is a flush.... His words.
Agreed on the wording of the manual, 'Change' is vague but perhaps intended as such.

Boy, you almost want to go through Service Schedules, just for fun, before buying a car.

[Fummins]

I'd recommend finding out how much it cost's to change a headlight bulb before buying a car. I've replaced the headlights in a newer Fusion twice in the last 2 years. You gotta pull the front bumper off then unbolt the headlight and remove it from the header panel. Then.....remove the dust caps, and it's still a pita! The headlight bulbs aren't directly behind the access holes, they're offset to one side for some sick reason. You gotta unplug the bulb with a screwdriver then remove it.

If you're on a road trip and burn out a headlight you're looking at at a min 1.5hr job at a shop charging what, $140/hr? to change a light bulb....
Other turds like chevy traverse and buick enclave require pulling the inner fender partially off and gogogadget reaching up to get to the back of the housings, at least the low beams. Iirc the highs might require the bumper come off?

Regardless, they're making things that should be able to be changed in a 7-11 parking lot in the dark with a screw driver into something that'll cost about the same as 7 tanks of fuel. Sorry, gotta cut our roadtrip short...got a burnt out headlight and am now broke lol

Mirage takes 2 mins if you've never done it before.

[Marc999]

I have heard of that - overly complex access to lightbulbs yes.

I had a late 80s Camry that literally took a couple minutes to replace and the bulb itself was cheap.
I suppose all cars were like that then and earlier.

[Griff151]

My moms HHR was like that had to take the inner fender off. I just undid part of it and would slide my hand up in it and fish around. By the time she traded it in I could change the headlights in about 15 minutes.

[Fummins]

Not on a fusion though. It's literally impossible to get to all the headlight bulbs. The first time I changed them in this car I managed to get at least one bulb done without tearing the car apart. But there was no way to do the same on opposite side. Ended up pulling the bumper in the end, would have saved a lot of time just doing it in the first place. It's not hard, just a pita that's harder than it needs to be.

[Griff151]

Not on a fusion though. It's literally impossible to get to all the headlight bulbs. The first time I changed them in this car I managed to get at least one bulb done without tearing the car apart. But there was no way to do the same on opposite side. Ended up pulling the bumper in the end, would have saved a lot of time just doing it in the first place. It's not hard, just a pita that's harder than it needs to be.

This is why designers should be forced to work on the things they come up with.