Cam 2 CVT Trans fluid

[Bill Lewis]

Anyone know anything about Cam 2 CVT transmission fluid. I just saw it on EBAY for $6.99 a quart. I put in shipping for 6 quarts and it was $19. A lot cheaper than the stuff from the dealer at $20 a quart. the replacement chart on EBAY show that is good for a rogue/ Anyone got any info on it???

Thanks

Bill in NJ

[Bill Lewis]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1037083904

Heres the Ebay link

[kerrton]

Using that fluid will void your CVT warranty. The manual specifically states that there are no approved substitures for the Nissan NS-2 CVT fluids.

[ImStricken06]

Using that fluid will void your CVT warranty. The manual specifically states that there are no approved substitures for the Nissan NS-2 CVT fluids.

+1

[Bill Lewis]

Question,, so if I buy this stuff online and save some money, go to a reputable repair shop and have it put in, (BTW, Nissan themselves told me all they do is drain about 5 qts. and refill with new fluid) my warranty is no good? How does Nissan know if I got the fluid from them or not. As long as I have a reciept from a certified repair shop saying the work was done won't that cover me? BTW I don't think Nissan has a Trans fluid factory but buys it from the same place as the Cam 2 brand and quadruples the price.
any thoughts?
Thanks

Bill in NJ

[kerrton]

If you have CVT warranty issues in the future, the first thing they'll check is maintenance records and if you used an independant shop they'll check that they used the NS-2 CVT fluid.

Perhaps the Cam 2 can be proven to have the identical spec. and possibly even the same manufacturer source, I don't know, this may or may not be the case. Perhaps you should look into the details a little further, maybe even contact Nissan and ask if there has been any accepted substitues for NS-2 recently added, you may find out some new info that we aren't aware of. Or maybe you just gamble and go ahead with the fluid change, worry about it later if need be.

[ImStricken06]

If you have CVT warranty issues in the future, the first thing they'll check is maintenance records and if you used an independant shop they'll check that they used the NS-2 CVT fluid.

Perhaps the Cam 2 can be proven to have the identical spec. and possibly even the same manufacturer source, I don't know, this may or may not be the case. Perhaps you should look into the details a little further, maybe even contact Nissan and ask if there has been any accepted substitues for NS-2 recently added, you may find out some new info that we aren't aware of. Or maybe you just gamble and go ahead with the fluid change, worry about it later if need be.

partially right.

nissan doesnt care who does the work; thats not nissan concern, nor can they dictate who is to perform the services on any specific nissan vehicle or vehicle part. the concern here is the type of fluid being utilized within the transmission. nissan has a proprietary fluid (ns-2) that is custom designed for this specific JATCO transmission & application. the first thing they do for all CVT warranty-claim work on CVT transmissions is an OIL ANALYSIS test to see if the properties of the fluid matches that of the Nissan CVT Fluid. if the fluid does that match, they instantly blame the transmission failure on the wrong fluid being used- and close the case, charging you for the full repair.

i just wrote in a different thread on here; something to the extent of this: you can cut corners, you can take the cheaper/easier way out- and it could all work out fine. but you can also be one of the majority of cheap/lazy, that ends up having to re-do the work, simply because you chose to cut corners from the beginning. that is the major difference between GOOD mechanics, and BAD mechanics. good mechanics will do the job right, using extreme care to NOT be "penny wise, dollar foolish". bad mechanics will use short-cuts, be "penny wise, dollar foolish" and take risks that could inevitably cost thousands to repair.

the choice is yours. you have enough information on this thread, you have your owners manual, you have the dealer's service depts' head shop foreman to speak too, and i feel that you have the knowledge within to know whats the right way, and the cheap/wrong way to go about this. best of luck to you, and dont forget to report back with what you did and its outcome.

just remember my father's old saying: cheap people always pay twice.

[Bill Lewis]

I don't like it being inferred that I'm cheap/lazy and I really don't like getting ripped off. Dealer's service departments are real good at that.
EX> Struts for my rear hatch. Nissan wanted $160 each and thats not installed! Went to Autozone on a whim and they found a set that would fit. $21.00 each installed for me right ther in the parking lot!!! I gave the kid a $20 tip. I just get the feeling its the same with the trans fluid but since I can't be sure I will go with the dealer stuff.
You can run to the dealer for everything and pay about $400 for new rear hatch struts if yours happen to go, bad but that would just make you too lazy to investigate options.

[ImStricken06]

I don't like it being inferred that I'm cheap/lazy and I really don't like getting ripped off. Dealer's service departments are real good at that.
EX> Struts for my rear hatch. Nissan wanted $160 each and thats not installed! Went to Autozone on a whim and they found a set that would fit. $21.00 each installed for me right ther in the parking lot!!! I gave the kid a $20 tip. I just get the feeling its the same with the trans fluid but since I can't be sure I will go with the dealer stuff.
You can run to the dealer for everything and pay about $400 for new rear hatch struts if yours happen to go, bad but that would just make you too lazy to investigate options.

after i posted i re-read my post and i understand why you thought i was calling you lazy/cheap. what i was trying to do is compare someone even giving thought or argument in defense to non nissan cvt fluid - to that of someone cutting corners knowing there are serious risks involved. i left my post, hoping it really drives the importance of my message home. i just didnt want to come off lightly on this topic, and have you risk serious & costly damage. i care about my members here on NICOclub.com so i take certain topics seriously, and want to really reaffirm certain issues clearly & firmly. trust me, i HATE stealerships and "nissan labeled" products, and avoid them like the plague - but for this issue, i wont use anything other than Nissan CVT fluid because its a 'make it or break it' warranty claim issue.

[kerrton]

Bill it sounds like you've put a lot of effort into considering this alternative to Nissans NS-2 CVT fluid, good on you for that. I think it needs to be taken one or two final steps further, and determine if the fluid specs are identical between CAM2 and NS-2. If the specs are identical, the final step would be approaching Nissan and asking if the alternative fluid is an acceptable substitute. This would likely need input from Nissan corporate and you may not have a lot of luck, but you never know. At the very least I'm interested to know if CAM2 is of the same quality as the NS-2, or if it is a cheaper, lower-grade quality.

[Bill Lewis]

Thanks for the responses, I do appreciate all of them and after some thought I'm thinking its not worth the risk, so I'll just go with the dealer fluid. Maybe a bad move money wise but I want it documented with a reciept for the fluid so theres no games played down the line if I encounter a problem. I'm using a local reputable repair shop and want everything on paper.
With a little research we can all save some serious money on certain things so If we have the time and interest jump in and learn. For people who are just too busy with work, life or whatever I feel sorry that you have to be overcharged for service and parts but its understandable as I was once a dealer service only guy myself. I learned over time.

Safe driving to everyone and keep the info coming

Bill in NJ

[ImStricken06]

glad to see you make the right choice by sticking with the fluid that will not void your warranty. its just to big of a gamble- that could prove costly.

i am a HUGE DIY guy, and do almost 95% of my own work. i use only aftermarket parts as many aftermarket parts are superior to the OEM stuff. If not superior- its a lot cheaper and mostly of the same grade. but this CVT fluid is not a gamble id take.

good luck, and happy october! (time is flying!!!)