Hey Scotty, got a 2000 Mercedes SLK230 with around 172,000 miles. I bought it two years ago back when it had 155,000 miles. The car is running great with no problems, but I was thinking about changing the transmission fluid because I have not done it yet. I do not know the previous time it has been changed, but when I first bought it I had a mechanic check the color of the fluid and it was still good. Should I change the fluid? Also online people say to just drain instead of flushing? Will draining be okay with that kind of mileage?
Thanks everyone, just wanted to give a quick update on changing the atf fluid. We’ve known our mechanic for many years now. He’s very familiar with Benzes. Anyways, the transmission was running fine so I went ahead with just a atf drain and fill. I’ve driven the car for several weeks now and it’s been solid. I even took a 400 mile trip across states and the transmission was smooth. No problems whatsoever.
See the FAQ section or just do a forum search for high mileage transmission fluid changes. This question gets asked several times a week sometimes. https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/atf/
- I wouldn't change it and if for some reason you do change it don't flush it just drain it
I heard some say the reason why people think changing the atf ruins it because the transmission was already slipping and changing it made it worse.
This is exactly what's covered in the FAQ. Did you read it yet?
If you want Scotty's opinion on the matter, all the videos are there.
I just wanted some feedback to see if anyone has a similar experience.
Be careful taking advice from people. Every situation is different. Don't assume their experience will be the same as yours. Do your own investigation, and use the signs and clues for YOUR vehicle.
I plan to just bring it to my mechanic
It's best to take it to a transmission specialist. Unless your mechanic is experienced or trained with transmissions, he won't know what to look for.
Thanks for the info. Yes, it’s an automatic. Sorry I didn’t specify earlier. I’ve done research online and some say as long as the transmission has been shifting good, then a drain wouldn’t hurt. I heard some say the reason why people think changing the atf ruins it because the transmission was already slipping and changing it made it worse. I just wanted some feedback to see if anyone has a similar experience.
I plan to just bring it to my mechanic and have him check the fluid again and see what he thinks. I’m assuming the fluid has been changed at some point because the car was almost 20 years old when I bought it and the fluid was still bright the last time I looked at it.
I wanna try to drive this car to over 200,000 miles so I want the transmission to last as long as possible.