Careful, you'll be accused of being a dinosaur stuck in the 50s admitting that on here.

Not by you or i or a whole host of others he won't, and his car will still be running like a sewing machine years after the usual neglected stuff has starred on car forums with owners asking why their gearbox is failing and indignant that some of us Luddites might suggest servicing the poor thing.

30k does seem a bit low i would have thought unless the gearbox gets hard work like heavy city use or towing, recommended interval should be in the handbook.

Some German cars are now suggested @ 40k miles...whereas a few years ago those same boxes were filled for life apparently...ho ho bang rattle kerching.

Toyota/Lexus have never been daft enough to suggest their auto boxes should be neglected, sorry sealed for life, thats probably part of the reason that replacement Lexus boxes are never needed.

he's talking about changing the atf at just 6500, Gord.

Ah i misunderstood thanks for reading the OP properly..;), no even i wouldn't consider that unless i subjected the car to severe abuse.

The way i read it is that the car had currently covered 6500 on its present engine oil, i didn't realise it was 6500 miles from new, and you are quite correct as its the first service.

Edited by gordonbennet on 09/07/2013 at 08:38

Thanks to you all, every one is right in their own way. If the car wasn,t' going to have a good run down to Spain I would have probably left it a bit longer, but this box does have the odd problem it seems. Personally I think a change would be good, like the engine, it has now run in, so it would get rid of any potential build debris and keep any possible sludge out of the bearings. As I said, I am a bit old fashioned , but 40 years of aircraft maintenance has made me cautious. Oil is like blood, keep it fresh.