Hello all,

I've been reading up on fixed v variable servicing, my car is on about 4500 miles so I've got a fair bit of time to decide whether I'll trust the variable scheme. Around 9000 miles, I'll try to decide one way or the other.

However, there's one thing I just don't understand; if the car can monitor it's oil quality and analyse the user's driving style in order to shorten the service interval, why not just set ALL cars to variable, because if the user's driving style is "demanding" then the service interval will be reduced accordingly anyway?

Wouldn't a car on variable service asking to be taken in every 9000 miles be just the same as a car on fixed service going in every 9000 miles?

Cheers,

Richard.

Wouldn't a car on variable service asking to be taken in every 9000 miles be just the same as a car on fixed service going in every 9000 miles?

Not quite, all variable services are major ones. A car on variable coming in at 9k miles will cost more to service than one on fixed coming in at 9k. The first fixed services is just an oil service, whereas all variables are the same as a 20K fixed service but using better quality oil.

Mine has been on variable from day one, now on 64K miles and has been serviced 3 times now by the dealer. Nothing has gone wrong, apart from a sensor which cost me a couple of quid in June this year. Each service has cost me just short of £200, so I have spent less than £600 on services in 64K miles. The cambelt was done by Lummox, and thats the only thing done outside the dealer network.

Varible service should not come on at 9k. Should vary from 15k to 30k max of 2 years. Keep all levels right and should go longer ...

Variable is also the joint work of Hitler and Satan, and is thus pure evil!

Variable is also the joint work of Hitler and Satan, and is thus pure evil!

I've been reading about this quite a bit for the last few days, it seems that the jury really is out on it. While many swear it's bad news for someone looking to keep a car long term, others suggest that they have cars going on well over 150k with no problems at all.

I've got a few thousand miles before I need to commit one way or the other.

On the one hand, there's the arguement that it's marketing driven and aimed at fleets, on the other hand it can be argued that technology has allowed this to an option...

Hmm...!!

Varible service should not come on at 9k. Should vary from 15k to 30k max of 2 years. Keep all levels right and should go longer ...

I think its 20K max,,,,

Varible service should not come on at 9k. Should vary from 15k to 30k max of 2 years. Keep all levels right and should go longer ...

The distances you are quoting are kilometers. The equivalent figures in miles are 9320 and 18614.

I've been reading about this quite a bit for the last few days, it seems that the jury really is out on it. While many swear it's bad news for someone looking to keep a car long term, others suggest that they have cars going on well over 150k with no problems at all.

I've got a few thousand miles before I need to commit one way or the other.

On the one hand, there's the arguement that it's marketing driven and aimed at fleets, on the other hand it can be argued that technology has allowed this to an option...

Hmm...!!

Having seen the oil I dropped out of my Fabia vRS at 5,000 miles I'm definitely against variable!

Having seen the oil I dropped out of my Fabia vRS at 5,000 miles I'm definitely against variable!

But the Fabia will be on fixed babs .....

And I thought you drove an Octavia vRS :confused:

Or was it a previous car?

SWMBO has never needed to top her car up between services.....

I am pro variable, and a high mileage users (20K+PA) both my old octy vRS which did more than 54K remapped miles on variable with no issues at all and my current octy now on 64K miles with no issues at all. Cars on variable use a very different oil to those on fixed, the oil used in a Fabia vRS has a designed life of 10K miles. The variable oil is very different, and has a designed life of upto around 18K miles. Sensors in the engine monitor the quality of the oil and when the quality drops below a certain threshold then the service indicator is triggered. Other manufacturers are switching to variable because it helps the environment by not disposing of oil unneccesarily. BMW have used it since at least the mid 80's.

But the Fabia will be on fixed babs .....

And I thought you drove an Octavia vRS :confused:

Or was it a previous car?

SWMBO has never needed to top her car up between services.....

My previous Fabia was on fixed, yes... but the oil gets used the same. I would not have liked the oil being in there for up to 20k miles!

My Octavia was on variable before I got it, now running fixed, again after dropping out some hideous oil!

My previous Fabia was on fixed, yes... but the oil gets used the same. I would not have liked the oil being in there for up to 20k miles!

My Octavia was on variable before I got it, now running fixed, again after dropping out some hideous oil!

Whilst I have never seen the state of my oil after the first change, I will bear it

in mind, or just get rid of it