GM pays for one service that includes oil & filter change and DCT flush and filter change. It has to be used within the first two years of owning the car. The discussion in this thread is when should you do this free service if you are a low mileage driver? At the time of the first oil change (1 year for low mileage vehicles) or or should you pay for the first oil change and do the free service at the end of the second year when there are more miles on the car? My argument is that GM says to wait for the DCT service until as close as you can to 7500 miles. Those on the other side believe that you should do it much sooner regardless of what GM says (or they don't believe GM says that).

I was pointing out in my last post that a Corvette mechanic claims that GM wants you to wait, in a video that is readily available for anyone to watch,

 

I'll repeat for the new viewers to the Thread! I like Chuck BUT IMO he's just repeating what folks said when GM said you could wait 2 years for a free DCT filter change. about 1 1/2 years ago. Looks like GM is smarter now! Chuck misses a key piece of logic IMO and the fact that at the recent BASH a poster said in a C8 maintenance seminar a GM rep said to change the DCT filter at the first engine oil change (a poster also recently said that is what his Tech advised.) My forum observations and roughness I felt in the 1st gear clutch for the first 500 to 800 miles as the multiple clutch plates were wearing in as the slipped when driving very slow were a key part of my reason about a year ago BEFORE I HAD GMs RECENT INSITE!

FIRST THE ILLOGIC CHUCK IS MISSING WITH THE WAIT 2 YEARS
Some don't realize that there is a 3 year change all DCT fluid requirement, That is not on GM and will cause another decision. READ NOTE 4 in the Maintenace Table re changing DCT fluid. So you waited and changed the filter year 2 at ~7000 miles and now a year later will pay to have all ~11 quarts of DCT Fluid changed. IMO foolish to replace all DCT fluid and not have a flush performed and change the ~8 oz of dirty old fluid in the filter housing and the filter. So year 3 I'll pay for a new filter with ~7000 miles on the first filter I changed. The labor required to change all the DCT fluid will include removing the aluminum aero panel to access the fill/check plug. That is the higher labor part. The filter is cheap. If you want to save money buy your own filter and bring it to the dealer. Just checked and several GM parts sellers have the kit with 4 bolts and "O" ring for $125!

SECOND SUGGEST YOU LOOK FOR THIS POST RE GM'S RECENT RECOMENADTION AT THE BASH, WHICH IS A HIGH LEVEL GM EVENT
In a recent post sdcnews stated: "I went to a maintenance seminar at the NCM Bash Guy said it was very important to change the tranny filer at the first service which is free."

MY LOGIC FOR HAVING MY DCT FILTER CHANGED AT THE 1ST REQUIRED ENGINE OIL CHANGE WITH ~3500 MILES PER THE OLM AT 12 MONTHS
My logic included a number of forum posters having the DCT flush required after getting a CEL. Flushing initial clutch wear etc material is prudent. IMO far more important to have the DCT flushed and filter changed than the engine oil changed early, which in prior 5 Vettes I did myself.

I crawl into my garage every time I come home to set the driver's mirror tip to wood door molding from 1 to 2 inches, so the passenger side has enough clearance without looking as it's much harder to monitor that side. I often stop and let the 1st gear clutch slip as it crawls in. The first gear clutch must slip below 4 to 5 mph, or the engine would stall AND every time you stop at a light etc. I felt a slightly jerk motion for the 1st 500 to 800 miles as the multiple clutch plates wore in. That would be excess clutch plate material in the system. After ~800 miles it was perfectly smooth as it is now. Good to get rid of whatever may have been stuck on one of the over 14 voles in the DCT IMO. That is what the flush, REQUIRED BY GM FOR A FILTER CHANGE does!

BOTTOM LINE

• SUGGEST CHUCK NEEDS TO GET HIMSELF UP TO DATE!
• No harm changing the DCT filter year 1 with the engine oil change all on GM's Dime. Then again Year 3 when you have all 11 quarts of DCT fluid changed! Foolish to wait until year 2 to have DCT filter changed free with whatever miles and change it again a year later! With the DCT issues posted more prudent to have a DCT flush and filter change at first year engine oil change than the engine oil changed early. Few engine issues posted.
• If you need to save a few bucks buy DCT filter kits for ~$125 and bring them to the dealer!

 

How did I know my last post would get an immediate reply from JerryU? (had a bet with my wife- stay tuned)

 

^^^
Because you made it sound like Chuck is the "last word!"

Funny since you mention your wife! Mine often doesn't listen to my advice! Just lucky in business for very many years that most customers did!

 

Engine Oil is 100%, transmission oil is 91%.

Is this right or do I need to go back?

 

The don't reset the trans oil if you just had the hydraulic system flush and trans filter change. The trans oil was not changed.

 

I was told it was. Let me check the work order.

 

Agree! My DCT fluid life did not and should not change with just my flush and filter change.

It will probably still show ~70% life left when I have all the fluid changed as required by GM at 3 years (Note 4 in Maintenance Table which says 45,000 MILES or 3 years WHICHEVER OCCURS 1ST.)

The DCT % Life does not consider time as does the engine OLM (Or after 1 year of 3 years required change would read 66% Life Left! So if I have ~12,000 miles at 3 years when the DCT fluid gets changed it will probably still read (45,000 -12,000)45,000 = 73% life left! We'll see.

 

Thanks all, you guys are the best no matter what they say about you.

 

Here is my rule of thumb on when to have the free service done:
If you put low enough miles on your car to make it two years before having 7500 miles on your car, do the first engine oil change yourself and have the free service done in two years.
If you won't make it two years before putting 7500 miles on your car, have the first service your free service.