All of the little auto repair shops around me are really pushing the "trans flush" thing so I'm inclined to believe it's just a quick way for them to add more profit to their bottom line. Another way to separate the auto owners from their cash, like all of the "extended warranties" pushed by the retail outlets.

My problem is that "scheduled maintenance" with my car and tranny is leave the original fluid in for life, or until the tranny burns up or stops working. For Jag they feel that 70,000 miles is enough, but then they as well want to sell new tranny's.

I want to keep mine working for several hundred thousand miles and feel that changing the fluid from time to time (every 5 years or so?) will help.

Joe

I was flipping through the owner's manual to my Acura TL (2005), and noticed that auto tranny fluid flushes are recommended every 15K miles! And only the proper Honda-branded ATF is recommended. Doesn't that sound a little factory-scammish?

always a good idea. I have noticed dramatic improvements in my Grand Caravans after the flush. Maybe some are more sensitive than others to this, but it can't hurt.

Keep your car maintained like an airplane
 

If owners cared for their cars like an airplane (follow the maintenance list completely and on time) cars would run a very long time. People don't take care of cars like they would an airplane because if the car quits they would just park it and call for a tow truck ... with a plane they'd fall out of the sky.

Modern fluids have a much longer life than even ten years ago but they still wear down and gather foreign substances. I vote for getting it done by the book and then drive your van for a very long time.

Thanks for the replies guys...I think when the weather warms up I will do the fastpat trick and pump the old stuff out and replace, skipping a chem flush. Changing the fluid out doesn't seem like it could hurt at this point.

Do the full Monty ...
 

Make sure you buy the filter and drop the pan and clean everything out if you can.