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Message: <blockquote data-quote="flybeech" data-source="post: 2081484" data-attributes="member: 7557">I tend to be a bit obsessive about fluid maintenance. I've seen 10 year/100,000 mile DexCool antifreeze turn to a gelatinous goo long before the recommended interval. I've also seen low-mileage transmission fluid stink to high heaven from being overheated. Personally, I view the manufacturer's recommended intervals as more a guide than a rule. Operating conditions can shorten or prolong the life of the component. Back in the day and as recent as the mid-2000's, many manufacturers provided a drain plug on the torque converter, enabling most of the fluid to be drained from the transmission. Those days are gone and the transmission fill tube and dipstick have gone the way of the torque convertor drain plug. Today, a thorough transmission fluid service must be performed using a running drain and fill procedure including the transmission cooler lines and many shops use the BG system of bladders to exchange the fluid through the cooler lines. Modern transmissions are terribly costly to overhaul and not field service friendly. Not only do I replace the coolant and transmission fluid long before the recommended interval, I do the same thing for the brake hydraulic system and the power steering. Manufacturers intend the vehicle to last as long as the warranty and prevailing loan duration, to encourage replacement.If I knew I was going to replace the vehicle at a certain time, my maintenance might be at longer intervals, than if I intended to run it hundreds of thousands of miles. I wouldn't expect most motorists to observe my obsessive/compulsive maintenance schedules, but I drive mine until the wheels fall off and when they do, I just glue them back on and keep going.</blockquote>

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