Quote:
Originally Posted by ROFL it's Waffle
Perhaps I need to go check out the transmission threads, but isn't the OEM fluid good for the life of the car?
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Yes-ish. The way I've come to understand the definition of life is "Some amount of time that extends past the last listed service checkpoint in your manual."
That means if you're an average car owner who gets the car at 0 miles, the fluid will not need to be replaced before you replace your car. Average car ownership is just under 6 years, which equates to 90,000 miles given the average 15,000 miles per year driven.
Anecdotally, I've seen transmissions with 300,000 miles on the original fluid. It wasn't babied as a whole, but the drivetrain was not abused (Also had an original clutch that still held tight).
On the other hand, we all probably abuse our cars more than the average person. Track use definitely deserves more frequent fluid replacements just like brake fluid and oil. If you rev it out frequently, there's a lot of motion in the transmission that could degrade the fluid earlier than expected.
Long story short I personally consider any "lifetime fluid" to be a candidate for replacement after 120,000 miles. It's never the right color when it comes out after that long.