I'm starting to get worried about my 2014 Chevrolet Captiva. The automatic transmission has been acting weird lately, especially in stop and go traffic. When I accelerate gently from a stop, it feels like it hesitates then jerks into second gear. It's fine once I'm moving and on the highway it's smooth. I checked the transmission fluid and it's dark but doesn't smell burnt. I've heard mixed things about flushing vs just draining and filling. Some people say a flush can make things worse if the transmission is already failing. I don't want to make a bad situation worse. I found a shop online that does Adept Vehicle Repair Sharjah and they mention transmission services but I'm not sure if they're specialists. Has anyone had experience with a jerky Captiva transmission? Was it just a fluid change that fixed it or did you need something more serious like solenoids or a rebuild? The car has about 130,000km on it and I've never changed the transmission fluid which I know is probably my fault. Also how much should I expect to pay for a proper transmission service with filter replacement if I go to a decent independent shop? I'm trying to decide if it's worth fixing or if I should start looking for a new car. Any honest advice from people who've been through this would be really helpful. Thanks.

I've got a 2015 Dodge Charger R/T that's developed this annoying clunk from the front left over small bumps and cracks in the road. It's not super loud but I can feel it through the floor a bit. Big bumps like speed bumps actually sound fine, it's the little stuff that makes the noise. I took it to a quick lube place for an oil change and asked them to poke around, they said the shock looks dry but no visible leaks. I'm not convinced it's the shock because the car doesn't bounce or wallow. Could be sway bar links or control arm bushings right? I was looking at the Dodge shock absorber info online https://suspensionrepairdubai.ae/dodge-shock-absorber-replacement/ but I don't want to jump to conclusions. Is there a way to diagnose this myself without a lift? I've got a jack and stands but I'm not a mechanic. I tried bouncing the corner by pushing down on the fender and it seemed to stop after one bounce which I think means the shock is okay? Does that test actually work on a heavy car like a Charger? Also if it is the shocks, do I have to replace them in pairs or can I just do the noisy one? Money is a bit tight right now but I don't want to ignore something that could become dangerous. Any advice from Mopar guys would be really helpful. Also if anyone knows a good shop in Dubai that won't rip me off please share. Thanks.

Wanted to follow up on a post I made last week stressing about my wife's Lexus battery situation. Long story short, I ended up calling the Accomplished Al Wasl Battery Installation Service By Battery Zone UAE because a couple of you messaged me directly saying they'd had good experiences. Figured I'd share how it went in case anyone else in the neighborhood is dealing with the same thing. Guy came to my villa around 5pm as promised, which was already a good sign because I've had so many no shows before. He tested the old battery and showed me the readings on his device, 380 CCA when it should be over 600, so definitely dead. Asked if I wanted a Japanese brand or something European and explained the price difference without any pressure. Went with the mid range option, took him maybe 20 minutes to swap it out, and here's the part I was worried about: he actually knew to reconnect the battery saver thing so my wife didn't lose her radio presets or seat memory. Also cleaned the terminals which I didn't even ask for. Total cost was about what I expected for a mobile service, maybe 50 dirhams more than driving somewhere but totally worth it for the convenience. Car starts like new now. Just wanted to say thanks to those who recommended them and hopefully this helps someone else who's been putting off the same job.