Transmission fluid change at 194k miles?

I have a 1998 ford explorer with 194k miless. The car is excellent, no issues, and i plan on keeping it for a few more years. The transmission fluid is bad, really burnt up.
Pepboys and auto doctor have declined to change the fluid and filter because they said it will do more harm than good. Unless its slipping or not shifting well.
I did call a local transmission shop, and they said they would change it if they drove it and everything was fine.

I'm confused as to why they are telling me completely opposite things. And yes, i kow 'supposedly 'changing it in high mileage cars is 'risky' but i've never personally heard of anyone having issues before.

It's risky for the shop so they rather not do it. I don't blame them.

Example: The transmission is shot already. The customer comes in and ask for a fluid change. The shop does it. Couple days later the f up transmission dies and blames it on the shop's service.

The shop does not need this headache.

I would just do a drain and fill and not a complete flush. That maybe the difference in what the two are telling you. A flush can sometime do harm to a high mileage transmission, but a simple drain and fill should be good.

Some people recommend you do a second drain and fill after driving for a few weeks. This allows you to get more of the old fluid that remains out of the system.

I couldnt add more info so i'm answering to put some more info.

There's nothing wrong with my tranny, except that the fluid needs to be changed. It doesn't slip or anything.

Leave it alone when we're asked to do either flush or regular change at that mileage we just won't do it

They aren't afraid to flush it as much as they're afraid it's about to fail from the high mileage and have you blame them for the failure after they work on it. Change your fluid and filter, and good night.

Older transmissions, like in the 1970s, the shavings would keep the transmission from slipping.
My opinion is that theory is still being repeated today. Transmission are different today and cars last much longer.

Regarding changing transmission fluid way past the maintenance cycle, I have never seen any factual studies on if that causes transmission problems. So I think anyone with an opinion is going on personal experience or just repeating what they have heard others say.
So it may be a good idea or not.

This is what I believe what happens. Car has high miles, transmission fluid is past service life (never changed or maybe once), transmission starts slipping, person changes fluid, transmission fails, as it was going to do at some point in the same time interval, regardless of the fluid change.
You would have to have say a tech drive like for a day or two, have the fluid tested by a lab to see what was actaully happening, then change the fluid can have driver check in say every 6 months.
Or a taxi service change fluid on say 10 vehicles and leave 10 alone, and see if the failure rate goes up for the 10 with fresh fluid. Something like that.

Cause of failure - normal wear and tear on 190,000 mile transmission and lack of proper maintenance. Customer blames shop in hopes of getting a free transmission.

In the video they guy says add 3-4 quarts, so if transmission hold 13 quarts, removing pan is only changing less than 10% of the fluid. So I'm not sure how changing only 10% of the fluid would cause a failure?
If fluid is flushed through the cooling lines, that will get more new fluid in.

I had a 98 A6 with 150,000 miles, original fluid, transmission was slow shifting, I pulled pan, put in new filter. No problems, now has 200,000k on it.
02 Neon owned by a friend - transmission section inside radiator leaked, coolant in trans fluid, transmission died, I bought car from him, I had a junkyard transmission put in, donor car had 70,000 miles on it, it got new fluid, 50,000 miles later, no problems.

Best of luck.