VW tiptronic servicing

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Tue 18 Jul 2006 23:54
VW tiptronic servicing - L.Cleaver1
Car is 99 PD Passat (AJM engine 115 bhp). 140K miles so far.

I want to get the AT fluid and filter changed - it's never been done as far as I can tell. I'm sure its a ZF unit and I have contacted a number of different companies with bizarre results:

Official VW tell me it's "sealed for life" and should only ever need topping up.

One independent VW specialist told me I was lucky to get to 140K as in his experience they start to break down at around 100K and even then I should just continue driving it or look to part-ex if it becomes a problem which it not so far.

The usual independent VW specialist I use told me to "see a firm down the road" as they pass all their auto box work to them. I have contacted this "firm down the road" and they said £100-all in to do fluid/filter change, interrogate software/recode as necessary and refill using Dexron III and specified additives - they have done this before on these tiptronic units and never had any come back. When I asked about Dexron III vs the liquid gold VW no doubt want to use I was told it's basically the same but far cheaper - but I could have what I wanted if I wanted to pay for it.

Questions

1 Is the AT unit really sealed for life (can't believe it myself!)

2 Is Dexron III OK or should I go for VW own spec liquid gold?

3 Is there a cheap alternative to the VW liquid gold that I could specify?

There must be thousands of these units on the road by now - confusion reigns!!!

Cheers



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Wed 19 Jul 2006 00:09
VW tiptronic servicing - bell boy
why not go with your local independant advice?
the only link i can find but not sure if its your gearbox is that the fluid should have first been changed at 120,000 km
maybe a dedicated vw site may help?
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