ATF from dealer in coolant bottles?

[H8Rain]

So yesterday I went and picked up 6 qts of ATF from the dealer. $30 a quart! So the guy behind the counter says "I'll be right back". Comes back with (2) dirty coolant jugs and hands them to me. I said "whats this" he says "your ATF".

Is that normal. Almost $200 for ATF and it come like that???? He assured me that the inside of the containers were cleaned out before he filled them. I looked inside and they did look clean, no sign of blue coolant, thank GOD.

BTW - The guys at the parts counter all think I'm wasting my time changing the fluid at 30K miles. I said "better safe than sorry". They said "you may be sorry".

[youry]

I would not use that thing. Even $6 oil comes in a sealed bottle.

[mrbmwx5]

your ATF come in coolant jugs is about right. because dealer hardly sell ATF fluid in bottles ,the ATF fluid come in with BIG 50gallons berral so that why he hand you the fluid in coolant jugs

[X5 Meister]

I wouldn't use the ATF either. How much does your dealer charge for an ATF change? Considering the headache of doing it yourself and the time involved and the fact that you just paid a fortune for dirty ATF you should have just had them do it.

[dkl]

If they handed him the ATF fluids in coolant jugs, how do you know they won't do the same (use coolant jugs) to "cart" the fluids over from the 50 gallon drum to his car even if he had them do the change?

[X5 Meister]

The dealers I've seen at work, connect the drum to a pump and pump the fluid directly from the drum into the car. It's quicker, more efficient, cleaner and quite frankly smarter. The way you describe sounds like what Joe Blow mechanic might do.

[dkl]

You would think the dealer ought to bring him his ATF in the proper containers, but they didn't. All I'm saying is that getting things done at the dealer doesn't always guaranteed that it's done right. Why do you think the garage is in the back where you can't see their work?

[msammy]

Originally Posted by H8Rain

...He assured me that the inside of the containers were cleaned out before he filled them. I looked inside and they did look clean, no sign of blue coolant, thank GOD...

Cleaned out with what and how???

[X5 Meister]

Originally Posted by dkl

You would think the dealer ought to bring him his ATF in the proper containers, but they didn't. All I'm saying is that getting things done at the dealer doesn't always guaranteed that it's done right. Why do you think the garage is in the back where you can't see their work?

The garage is in the back for logistical and insurance reasons, but your main point is spot on... just b/c a dealer does it does not mean it's done right. I've seen some crazy sh_t in my day, particuarly from dealers, but at least with a dealer you have some kind of guarantee of workmanship and recourse. Most importantly, at least IMHO, is that the dealer can only employ factory certified techs. An independent guy I used to go to years ago always had a different high school kid working on the cars. Yeah, the owner was factory trained and a former BMW master tech, and oversaw the work, but he still had kids doing it while he watched.