I just picked up my '02 Sebring last Friday with 11,500 miles. The shifting wasn't as "crisp" as my '01, and not knowing a THING about the previous driver:

I drained and then put Mobil1 10w30 in the crankcase w/BG Fluids MOA...

I drained and then put Honda MTF in the tranny...

I drained and then put Castrol Gear Oil in the diff...


And I noticed an IMMEDIATE response (oh - also put BGs 44K in the Amoco 93 Ultimate fuel today). My question is - I have a short trip Sunday (200 miles) and am thinking about draining and refilling the tranny and diff Monday, as well as flushing and draining the coolant (and installing an engine block heater while I'm at it). The diff fluid was MUCK! The tranny looked pretty good, engine oil too.

Thoughts?

 

The tranny fluid should actually be good for a couple of years although many of us change it every year (just 'cause it's easy to do).
Diff fluid will look like this if it was its first change. No need for alarm.
As for the above two fluids, no need to go dumping it out. It's fine. Do the diff next year and leave the tranny fluid for another year if it's working well for you. If it's acting up, then change it again in a year or sooner.
Oh, was the Castrol gear lube a GL-5?

The coolant in your year of car is supposedly good for 10 years. However, I would leave it in there for longer than about 5 or 6 years. If you're putting in a block heater, you may as well put new stuff in. Make sure you use Type II Honda fluid as it is a long life type. Don't use "normal" antifreeze as it isn't compatible with long life.

 

Geronimo, why would you want an engine block heater in Virginia? Just curious.

 

Yes, GL-5...

I have Long Life antifreeze...not Honda, though...

Engine block heater...2 reasons:
1) The car will be outside (under a cover) at least 2 or 3 days a week and where I am located near the mountains we often get temps in the teens.
2) I will also have the car in Bradford, PA a couple times a year, and it gets D@#$ cold up there!!!

 

OK, well, I think that's overkill, but it can't hurt either, I guess. My car has always fired right up in the teens. Sub zero temps might be another story though.

Best of luck, and welcome to S ownership! If you're driving in the chilly stuff, be sure to mount snow tires.