When I got my September 2005 vRS in May 2008 it had just had its 3rd full service due to miles travelled. According to the book, the 3rd service should not have been done until September (age) but it was moved forward.

Now, the car will have done around 1500-2000 miles in my first year of ownership.

Is it best to:

1. Have it serviced at 1 year (and 2000 miles) from the last service - at the end of May.

2. Leave the service until September (and around 3000 miles) from the last service. cambelt due then as well I think (4 years?).

The car is garaged and not used for short/everyday runs if that means anything. I try not to use it in salty or rain as well.

Your thoughts are welcomed.

Service schedule is 10,000miles or 12 months which ever is soonest!

And drive it a bit more!

When I got my September 2005 vRS in May 2008 it had just had its 3rd full service due to miles travelled. According to the book, the 3rd service should not have been done until September (age) but it was moved forward.

Now, the car will have done around 1500-2000 miles in my first year of ownership.

Is it best to:

1. Have it serviced at 1 year (and 2000 miles) from the last service - at the end of May.

2. Leave the service until September (and around 3000 miles) from the last service. cambelt due then as well I think (4 years?).

The car is garaged and not used for short/everyday runs if that means anything. I try not to use it in salty or rain as well.

Your thoughts are welcomed.

Servicing is 10k or yearly, whichever is the sooner

Cambelt is 4 years or 60K

Short journeys will clog them up if done ll the time so it's good you don't use it for that but the cars are designed to repel the salt, they are better built and sealed/painted than 30 years ago, so I wouldn't worry too much about that!!

...mine is outside all the time and you should see the state of it, usually covered in mud from the back roads, caked in salt and road film....one good wash every 2 weeks and she comes up like brand new, no rust or anything and I've had her since new 4 and a half years now.

Why don't you use it in the rain? it won't go 'chug chug' and stop on you?

Also, the previous owner probably drove it in all weathers for 2 and a half years?

Get her out and enjoy her!!!! :thumbup:

Thank you for the comments. So if I have it serviced as per instructions this May, should I have the cambelt and waterpump done early (at the time of service) or take the car back in September for the belt?

As to not taking the car out, well I don't like to think of rain spraying up underneath and corroding and the salt on the roads worries me. I remember how winter used to take its toll on cars and I worry about the car not being dry when put away.

I have loaded the car with paint protect and the like in preperation for winter drives but I still end up worrying. I worry too much I think.

TH

I'd leave the cambelt until it's fourth anniversary (split the cost).

As for corrosion, There are a few W reg fabia's running about Edinburgh some of which are a bit tatty but i've never seen a rusty one yet!

Thank you for the comments. So if I have it serviced as per instructions this May, should I have the cambelt and waterpump done early (at the time of service) or take the car back in September for the belt?

As to not taking the car out, well I don't like to think of rain spraying up underneath and corroding and the salt on the roads worries me. I remember how winter used to take its toll on cars and I worry about the car not being dry when put away.

I have loaded the car with paint protect and the like in preperation for winter drives but I still end up worrying. I worry too much I think.

TH

I think you worry too much, cars are much better protected today than years ago. they won't rust out like the old metro's etc.

There is a corrosion/perforation warranty on the car for something like 10 years anyway.

All that will happen if it's put away wet is that it will leave water marks when the rain dries off, no damage at all mate, you won't hear the rust mites chewing on the car

(I'm only joking, it's up to you if you drive it in the wet or not, but I can assure you that no damage will be done, so long as it's kept clean now and again).

Just looked out the window at my vRS and all I can see is the patches where the rear lights have been wiped off and the number plate :rofl:

I'll wash her off this weekend.....good as new.

I do take her through the full car wash at the end of the winter (the ones that do the underneath as well), you can get the aerial off, so it won't get snapped off.

Added:

Re Cambelt, you could leave it until september as it's the 4 years, but just ask at the dealers for separate costs as it may be better for you to take the hit all at once seeing how they will have the car anyway?

You don't have to do the water pump at all if you don't want too, I think some people do scaremonger about it. I never had mine done and it's checked every service (now 80k) and no signs of any problems. If it were a problem, VW would advise the dealers to change them all at 60K.

I may get it done at 120k?

:+1: on the waterpump thing - it appears to be a common fault on the 1.8Ts that's somehow crept into other engines! Certainly, one particular member mentioned a while back that he'd only seen one go on a 1.9PD, and that was at 200+k miles.

Plus, the design changed a few years ago now. Don't remember the precise details, but they're supposedly a lot more rugged now...

Then again, I think the logic is that if you're getting the cambelt done, the labour's already being paid for, so for the sake of 20 quid extra or so for the part, it's arguably worth doing... :ne_nau: I got mine done at 60k, but the dealer went to quite great lengths to try and dissuade me...

:+1: on the waterpump thing - it appears to be a common fault on the 1.8Ts that's somehow crept into other engines! Certainly, one particular member mentioned a while back that he'd only seen one go on a 1.9PD, and that was at 200+k miles.

Plus, the design changed a few years ago now. Don't remember the precise details, but they're supposedly a lot more rugged now...

Then again, I think the logic is that if you're getting the cambelt done, the labour's already being paid for, so for the sake of 20 quid extra or so for the part, it's arguably worth doing... :ne_nau: I got mine done at 60k, but the dealer went to quite great lengths to try and dissuade me...

Oh I agree, if it's off then it won't take them much time to do it anyway, or it's more expensive down the line. I will probably get mine done at 120k just to be on the safe side, as I plan to keep it for a long time yet.

What actually happens, do they completely shear off/break or does the impeller just disintegrate inside so effectively not pumping water round??

Surprises me that the dealer tried to stop you having one put on, surely they will get a small profit from the parts and the technician won't mind fitting it?