transmission fluid needs changed Options

[Terzin1]

I'm looking to do some regular maintenance on my 95 GT vert. The car runs fantastic. I just checked the tranny fluid stick and it's looking a littler more brown than I like. I've had the car nearly a decade and never had it changed, but I think my parents did at one point. Needless to say, it's pretty brown and needs it.

Is this something that I could do at home w/o a lift or is it something that is not worth the headache and I should get a garage to do it? If it's the garage route, what would a good price for the tranny fluid change be? First garage I called wanted $150.

This post has been edited by Terzin1: Dec 16, 2013 - 2:27 PM

[Terzin1]

ARGG!! I'm getting such mixed advice on changing my fluid!

I called a few repair shops around Indianapolis and got mixed quotes and commentary. One shop wanted $300. The other $150. The third told me that he has been in business 40 years and wouldn't swap out the fluid on a vehicle over 150k miles because the dirt and buildup from the old fluid is 'part of the engine now'. Literally, he would not give me a quote nor do the swap. He said putting in new fluid would probably get me 15 miles down the road until the tranny failed. He stressed that the new fluid would unseat old dirt that has built up and thus wreck the system.

My car runs just fine, I was just hoping to do some regular maintenance. So... Should I have the tranny fluid changed, whether by my hands or not?