Dark differential lube
Being the good owner that I am---I took the Ram to a shop for its oil change. I've had LOF done there before with no issues. This time, they said that the rear differential gear oil was "dark," and ...
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Did they tell you your muffler bearings weren't looking good either?
Unless the brake system was compromised somehow and the fluid contaminated, it is very unlikely it would need to be changed at 26K miles. Unless you towed really heavy and got the rear diff smoking hot, it is also very unlikely the fluid would need to be changed either. Sadly, it sounds like they are trying to relieve you of as much of your money as possible.
I've had a dealership straight up try fraud on me. I took my car in for routine service. I buy my air filters in bulk and change them myself so I never need the air filter service part done. It just so happened I had changed the air filter 2 days before taking the car in. When I checked the car in with the service writer, I let him know that the air filter was fine and would not need checking or changing. Low and behold, a different service person came to me in the waiting area and said "I know you said the air filter was good, but we always check anyway and your filter does need replacing." I said "Really? Please let me see the old one" I always write the date I change the filter on it in permanent marker. He brings me this caked up nasty filter that isn't even the right filter for my car. I ask him, so this came out of my car and include the year/model of car. He says yes, I just took it out. When I asked to let's go see the air box, he gave me the song and dance about insurance regulations. When we had the service manager present, I then informed both that the filter had been changed personally by me 2 days prior and that the filter he showed me did not even fit my car. The service guy had the deer in the headlights look and the service manager managed to get out an apology saying the service guy must have mistaken my car for a different one before having an urgent issue he needed to address. At least I got a free service out of the deal. I don't know what happened to the service guy, if anything as I never went back to that dealership (even when we bought a car of the make they sell) after that. I told this story to say a mechanic you can trust is worth their weight in gold.
Unless the brake system was compromised somehow and the fluid contaminated, it is very unlikely it would need to be changed at 26K miles. Unless you towed really heavy and got the rear diff smoking hot, it is also very unlikely the fluid would need to be changed either. Sadly, it sounds like they are trying to relieve you of as much of your money as possible.
I've had a dealership straight up try fraud on me. I took my car in for routine service. I buy my air filters in bulk and change them myself so I never need the air filter service part done. It just so happened I had changed the air filter 2 days before taking the car in. When I checked the car in with the service writer, I let him know that the air filter was fine and would not need checking or changing. Low and behold, a different service person came to me in the waiting area and said "I know you said the air filter was good, but we always check anyway and your filter does need replacing." I said "Really? Please let me see the old one" I always write the date I change the filter on it in permanent marker. He brings me this caked up nasty filter that isn't even the right filter for my car. I ask him, so this came out of my car and include the year/model of car. He says yes, I just took it out. When I asked to let's go see the air box, he gave me the song and dance about insurance regulations. When we had the service manager present, I then informed both that the filter had been changed personally by me 2 days prior and that the filter he showed me did not even fit my car. The service guy had the deer in the headlights look and the service manager managed to get out an apology saying the service guy must have mistaken my car for a different one before having an urgent issue he needed to address. At least I got a free service out of the deal. I don't know what happened to the service guy, if anything as I never went back to that dealership (even when we bought a car of the make they sell) after that. I told this story to say a mechanic you can trust is worth their weight in gold.
