This comment was made in another thread (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18715):
The tranny fluid needs to be there for certain periods of time as that is how the tranny is engineered. New fluids have improved to the point that by removing the stock fluids early you can cause damage to the transmission and transfer case.
Elsewhere in the thread it was pointed out Honda recommends an automatic transmission fluid change at 110,000 miles, but that figure can be shorter if the vehicle is used hard. The dealer that tells you to change the fluid at 30K is probably doing himself more of a favor than you.

For what it's worth, Click and Clack come down on both sides of the issue. That figures. They agree (http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?srv=parser&act=display&tf=/advice/caradviser/transmission_fluid.tmpl) that you normally don't need to change tranny fluid that often but they discount (http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/August/10.html) the notion that you need to leave old oil in there for the transmission to work well.

Is it harmful or wasteful or what to change the fluid too often?

wasteful !! Honda wants there stuff to last. If it would make it last longer, they would tell you when to change it. If you see that it ( Trans. fluid ) looks dirty, or smels burned. Then change it. If it's stil clear and pink or red. go with it, it's good.

I'm a believer in going by what the owner's manual recommends for the schedule, not myths, conjecture or tradition --- or local dealer profit margin.

Tom and Ray are correct here. It's OK to leave behind some old fluid but bizarre to think that the tranny needs it in order to stay healthy. That's right up there with the smoker who won't quit because he'll then gain weight.

I'm a believer in going by what the owner's manual recommends for the schedule, not myths, conjecture or tradition --- or local dealer profit margin.

Tom and Ray are correct here. It's OK to leave behind some old fluid but bizarre to think that the tranny needs it in order to stay healthy. That's right up there with the smoker who won't quit because he'll then gain weight.

Wait, obesity kills more people a year than smoking.

Sorry, old news, the politicians at the Center for Disease Control retracted that stat after their anti-smoking politicians told them to shutup.

But wait again, a CDCs study on smokers found that doctors and nurses that smoke live on average 3 years longer than the average non-smoker? CDC recommendation, if your going to smoke, become a doctor or nurse.

Back on topic, follow the manual.

I am a firm believer in never listening to anything "Click and Clack" have to say or pretty much any other so called "expert" on the radio.

If you take the average mileage that car companies always seem to base everything on; 12,000 mile/year then Honda is expecting the Element tranny fluid to last around 9 years. Would I expect the fluid to last that long without moisture and contaminants getting in there? Not at all. But I can believe the fluid can last 100,000 miles if driven 20,000/year. I have checked my fluid a couple times already and with me approaching 40,000 in 2 years it still looks and smells fine to me. I am going to check it every 10,000 miles and see how it continues to look/smell. If at any time I don't like what I see I will change it.

OP, you have to remember that lubrication has made huge advances over the last 10 or so years. Americans are so locked into 3 month/3,000mile oil changes and lower mileage tranny changes that it is difficult to accept long term oil changes. It isn't only the oils themselves that have improved either. The engines and transmissions have gotten so much better too that they are machined better that the oil passages flow better and the engines are cooler are manufactured with less parts, etc.

European car/truck companies have switched to long service intervals years ago and are bringing those intervals slowly into the US/Canada. We are only just seeing 10,000 mile oil change intervals but in Europe 20,000 is the norm the last couple years.