Yearly Service, Flush All Fluids?

Well

Your radiator fluid should be changed once a year as should your gear box oil. The break fluid I would leave as is, unless you track the car, then change it.

Fluid changes are one of the EASIEST things to do, and you should do it yourself. You will save several hundreds of dollars, and learn something about your car. Look it your owners manual as to what the recomended service intervals are.

What are they quoting you for the job?

 

It's always a good idea to take a look at your owners manual. Although, with that being said, the manual has a tendency to be a bit over the top on maintenance. Fluid replacement is relatively cheap insurance to keep things operating properly. However, $1250 is a lot to pay a few hundred dollars worth of fluids.

With normal driving (track days don't count) -

Coolant will actually last several years but because of the lubrication provided to the water pump (in addition to the obvious freeze protection) and the relative cost of water pumps I would replace it every couple of years. Actually you can buy additives that supposidly replace the lubricants - don't know how well they work though.

Brake fluid is probably the most important (aside from oil) and should be done every couple of years. The problem with brake fluid is that it is hydroscopic and will absorb water which is a definate no no in braking systems.

Transmission fluid - probably the least critical - it shouldn't really deteriorate but there is a possibability of condensation building up in the tranny/dif that needs to be drained off(along with the fluid).

Oil (and filter) - obviously you can't change too often.

 

Gea box oil should be changed once a year??

Is that what it says to to in the owner's manual? That seems WAY too often.

 

That *does* seem way to often, but it *is* what it says in the owners manual. It's on the maintenance schedule chart. It says replace every 15,000 miles but a minimum of at least one change every year. Uh, that would be about 2000-3000 miles for me most years. But I've been doing the trans/diff oil about once every three years.

 

I think they are flushed to get rid of any metallic chips which gearboxes accumulate. I doubt the lub itself wears out. If even a small chip finds itself between two meshed gears, something will give.
Been there- done that.

Cheers
Warren

 

Chips that won't get between the gears are big enough you have a problem. Besides there is a magnet for that. That recomendation is due to accumulation of moisture primarily and you need to use some judgement there. In humid surroundings I have seen seldom driven cars rust OUT pieces in the gear box, to the point where the car will not go. In Arizona you can go for years but Seattle is different.

Ferrari also suggests replacement of the A/C reciever drier every 12 months. Stupid. Use judgement based on experience, humid climates are one thing, dry climates another, track driving another still. Hangar queens are the worst, replacement of all fluids every 12 months in one of those is probably not too much. Every car, every driver, every climate is different. This is something where one size does not fit all.

Also remember that a shop that makes a recomendation that is not in compliance with Ferrari service schedules is taking a certain amount of liability upon himself.

 

Mine is changed about 2-3X/year anyway but just because I change the oil, gear box, and brake fluids before AND AFTER each track event.

That's probably why my trans has lasted (so far) as long as it has since that little episode at Barber's back in Mar 04.

 

Flushing all fluids aren't the same as changing fluids. They should clean the system through out before replace with new fluids..., correct....???

But Ouch....!!!! for $1250,.............. bring the car over to Ferrari Thailand..... you can get same job for $800, that is top quality oil and fluid and certified mechanics.

 

I change the coolant at one year for a new car and put in 4 or 5 year coolant. Then I change it every 3 years thereafter. The power steering fluid is changed every 2 years and the brake fluid is changed every year. Oils should be changed every spring at a minimum.

People do not understand that most of the damage to Ferraris is from a lack of fluid changes. Corrosion occurs over time and for example, oil should be changed every year even if the car was not driven even once. If the car can be stored in a low humidity environment then you could go longer with the fluids but then the leather dries out.

aehaas

 

That is a TOTAL RIP OFF!!!! What a load.

You can change the engine oil in 15 minutes, and the gear oil in the same amount of time, an hour tops for both. The radiator fluid change would also take an hour to do, 2 hours absolute maximum. If they are charging $120 thats $360 labor for the job. Let's say they are total lazy butts, and it take them 4 hours. Even then that's still only $480. Are they trying to say that 12 quarts of motor oil, 4 quarts of gear box oil, and 2 & 1/2 gallons of coolant cost = $770 - $890? I don't think so. What a bunch of crooks.

You can get Mobile 1 at WalMart for about $6 a quart x 12 = $72. Then the gear box oil same difference $9 a quart at Pep Boys x 4 = $36. Let's say the coolant is $15 a gallon x 3 = $45.

Do the job yourself for $153, and save the $1,097 towards a set of Hyperflow cats.

Seriously, fluid changes are NOT hard.