TS_eXpeed

Dealer wanted to charge me something ridiculous for this service ("a big part, because of the transmission fluid change/flush?, and something else").


I've already done the engine oil change so I'm not worried about that anymore.

What else on a A1234 service can I relatively easily do myself? Keep in mind that I have never done work on my own car so I don't have any special tools (or too much knowledge, for that matter). I decided this would be a good time to get in there myself and learn how to do some of my own maintenance and avoid the dealership costs.

SoCaliTrojan

1 is for rotating tires and checking brakes.
2 is for inspecting drive belt and replacing your air filter and cabin pollen filter.
3 is for replacing your transmission fluid.
4 is for replacing spark plugs and inspecting valve clearances.

1 and 2 should be easy (jack up the car and swap the tires, and the filters can be replaced in 5 minutes each if you know what you're doing). I haven't done 3 myself since I only have 47k miles and the code hasn't come on for me yet. Spark plug replacement should be easy, but a little more work than spark plugs on an older car (we have coil packs).

Simba91102

Since the spark plug change interval and the valve adjustment come up at 110K miles, I hope you're not going to tell us that changing the oil is all that has been done to the car. Aside from the tire rotation, none of the other stuff is "relatively easy" for anyone that doesn't posses some car knowledge and the right tools. I would suggest having all of those things done (if not by a dealer, then by an independent shop). Don't forget the brake fluid (every three years independent of mileage and it doesn't have a MM code).

TS_eXpeed

No, oil change is not the only thing that has been done with the car.

It has been dealer serviced it's whole life on the proper intervals up until now. It has right around 105K. I'm saying that I have changed the oil for THIS interval period and was hoping that maybe some of the other things that come up with this service I'd be able to do myself. I'm not opposed to having the areas that are more advanced dealer serviced, but I was trying to avoid paying the ~$450 they quoted me for this A1234 service. Trying to cut that cost some.

I know some things are user serviceable with relative ease and didn't know which ones those were.

A-Mac

Changing spark plugs on these cars is super-simple, as long as you have a basic wrench/socket set, the proper spark-plug socket, an extension, and about 10-15 minutes.

I'd also recommend you do the plugs before the 110K miles - While my plugs looked OK at 80K, you could feel the difference with new plugs. Keep in mind that "100K miles +" spark plug change intervals is mainly for ease of service and advertising purposes, NOT for performance. Newer, cleaner plugs will ALWAYS make an engine happier.

Simba91102

OK, so you should be in pretty good shape and evidently should need only the things that the 1,2,3,4, codes represent. Tire rotation is up to you, air filter is easy as long as you have a fairly long #2 phillips head screwdriver (the inner corner one is down there pretty far). And don't worry, they're "captured" (the screws) meaning they won't come out of the air box top even though they've been loosened from the bottom piece. Loosen all four screws, pull the top of the air box up, then remove the filter (you'll see it in there and though it's a little tight coming out, it will). Reverse the process with the new one. The cabin filter is somewhat of a pain in the butt, but I think there are a couple of good DIY threads here, if you can find one, it would be a big help. I would suggest you not fool with the valve adjustment, spark plugs or transmission fluid change. None are particularly hard, but the potential for an ugly (read expensive) screwup is high if you don't know exactly what you're doing (for instance, the head's aluminum; strip a plug hole, and your talking major repair)(assuming it's done right).

I used to do this stuff for a living, and it concerns me a little how easily some guys here will claim "oh, it's a piece of cake, a cave man could do it". That may be true for some people, but it's relative. Tell a guy who's 7'6" who's never played basketball that it's easy to stuff a ball, and yeah, you're right, it is. Tell someone who's 5'6" the same thing and not so much.

Cars don't go forever without regular maintenance and service. Those of us that are lucky enough to be able to do much of it ourselves, are..... lucky. Others? Not so much. You want to dance, someone has to pay the band.

A-Mac

The bball/dunking reference is a bit different, but I agree with this part of what you're saying- Not everyone is mechanically inclined to do even what *is* (face it) simple stuff (My brother in law, for example!). Stripping a spark plug hole is a danger, but difficult to do if you're being careful. Aluminum is soft but not butter-soft! Let me put it this way: IF you're mechanically-inclined, plugs don't get any easier that on our cars! They're even accessible right there on top for us - it's not like we have to work around wheels, exhaust manifolds, or loosen engine mounts to do it.

Only he knows if he's mechanically-challenged. ;-)