Transmission flushes have been around for 25-30 years. Completely unnecessary in the majority of cases, but takes about the same amount of time as a drain/refill and they have to 'hook it up to the machine' so the service is more expensive. It's just an up-sell for increasing profits.

But it's an easy sell...a normal drain/refill only replaces 50%-70% of the fluid (depending on model and type). Don't you want to get ALL of the dirty fluid out? Of course you do...sign here.

But ATF is not engine oil. It's not critical to get every drop out, particularly if regular maintenance is done.

As I mentioned in my first post on this, sometimes issues appear after a service. But rarely due to lack of service, assuming the proper fluid level is maintained.

Re: Leaks after service
If it leaks after service, that's 100% on the tech doing the work. No magical leaks appear if pan gasket is installed correctly.

Took a trip into Central PA yesterday to scavenge some Tercel parts

2 bucket seats $26
2 left side door hinges $8
1 left side window molding $1
1 19mm lug wrench $1
1 timing cover bolt - free
1 lug nut - free

Seats should steam clean nicely and are better than what is currently in the car, will also solve my issue with driver's side broken seat belt clip

New lower hinge needed as the pivot pin/bushing has rounded out allowing door to sag

Yes I know you can buy new window molding but nothing easier to install than factory precut and the price was right

Toyota uses 13/16 lugs but my Accords use 19mm and somehow a tire iron was misplaced. Cant get one any cheaper than $1

Plan on going past 300k with this car

My 2015 MDX got flooded. Nobody is picking up the whole at GEICO. App says an adjuster has been assigned. <sigh>

I’ve heard mixed reviews on Geico.

I'm not surprised. That's probably true of all the major car insurers.

I'm just hoping the adjuster says it's a total loss. I want nothing to do with a waterlogged car.

So should I purchase the extended warranty for a used car or only for new cars?

I just took my car in to get the brake fluid taken care of (not really sure what is involved, but my car has an indicator that says it's time for brake fluid, so I took it in for that). I was looking through my records and it appears I have been getting this done every 2 yrs. Is that standard? I drive about 8k miles/yr.

Extended warranties are scams.

Neither.
Sucker bets.

Y'all were supposed to play along.

None gets my jokes....

Noone

No one.

Nobody

How old is your car?
How many total miles?

As brake pads wear away, the caliper needs more fluid to keep the (now skinnier) pads against the rotor. More fluid at the caliper means less in the reservoir. The reservoir has a sensor/float in it so when the level drops too much you get the warning light.

2 years (~16k miles) sounds about right between warnings. If the car is 5 years or older it may be time for a brake job. The tech (shop) refilling the brake fluid for you should also be doing a brake inspection and should let you know the condition.

Are your memories of the classics that short

or is it that

noone gets my jokes

13yrs old, 105K miles

I'd have to check the records but I'm pretty sure I got the brake job (whatever that is) last time (i.e. ~2 yrs ago).

Just registered the new car I got in July. It's been ~18 years since I had something new, had forgotten how expensive that is. Just under 10x what I paid with the old beater.

But, it's a much better experience. I'm going to go with the rationalization that's enough value.

I got it and I'm not noone

That sounds pretty standard. An average car with a modern braking system should go 80k-100k miles between brake jobs.

I'd only be concerned if you were being charged anything substantial for adding brake fluid. If you happen to be getting an oil change or recommended service, checking & topping off brake fluid should be included.

It's also something that is an easy DIY...spending a few minutes on Google/YouTube will show you where your model's brake reservoir is located (or it will be shown in the owners manual). It's typically under the hood, driver's side, near or at the top of the firewall (the wall that separates the passenger/engine compartments).

I'm elite at getting ripped off, so that definitely happened. They actually "flushed" the brake fluid. Was that necessary? How different is that?

When I googled the price of a brake fluid flush for a 2008 5-series, the price I saw was about $100-150, and I that's what I was charged.

Lol me, I guess.

No, a brake system flush is not necessary. When the brake pads/rotors are replaced (& sometimes calipers, too) during a standard brake service, enough of the fluid is replaced so that a flush is never needed. Between services, just adding a little fluid to the reservoir is all that is needed. Most (good) shops will check and fill all fluids during an oil change service, so rarely should brake fluid be a service on its own...unless you're doing it yourself.

I had a 2016 Kia Soul with ~30k miles involved in a flood last summer while vacationing at the Beach. There was a big storm and the whole block got flooded because of blocked storm drains. My car seemed fine but there was a tiny bit of water coming up when I pressed on the floor mats so I had a local auto shop tow it and check it out/try to clean it. GEICO came out a day or two later and said it was totaled. Any water(*might be any saltwater, can't recall) in the body of the car at all and it's considered a total loss by insurance companies.

It took a few weeks to get through the whole process+ get paid, but their adjuster's awarded value was about $1k over what we paid for it. We had actually bought the car used from a BMW dealership ~1 month before the flooding, at what I thought was a pretty good price. So while the experience is annoying, it can work out ok. Hopefully, it does for you.

This is how I hope it plays out. Sales tax + $500 deductible is still really annoying.

Thanks. Maybe next time I'll post first before taking my car in.

In most states isn't the insurance company obligated to reimburse you for the sales tax of a new vehicle?