I've got a Passat and an A4 on my car lot right now, and it bugs the crap out of me to sell a car with 150k miles and not be able to service the transmission.
Do I disobey VAG and find a way to change the fluid, or do I trust the magic "lifetime" fluid the elves at the factory installed?
The trans service is easy. Drop the pan, change the filter, put the pan back on with the new gasket and refill. The drain plug has a tube in the center that sets the proper fluid level, so you leave that center screw out, run the transmission up to temp and fill till it dribbles out. Put the center plug back in and off you go.
The fluid VW calls for isn't the cheapest or easiest to find. I went with the Redline that is compatible.
Do not trust the "lifetime" service interval.
Over time, I learned that "lifetime" refers not to your lifetime, but the lifetime of the warranty.
We always just use synthetic Dexron. Seems to work a lot better than the yellowish pus-looking stuff that VW uses.
What trans are you talking about? quattro trans or front trace? Either way both are serviceable it just isn't as easy on the quattro trans. I would also make sure the fluid is compatible.