Hello

I bought an Octvia 1.9tdi elegance second hand from a former employee via a garage. It was set to variable servicing and received its first service just before I collected it at 18,500 miles. Now some 8 months and 9,000 later the service warinng has come up. I've used the car mostly for a weekend 200 mile return trip .......

Is such a short gap usual and any idea of the cost?

I could get it served in Herford when on holiday or somewhere around Farnborough (Hants). Not having bought it from a main dealer I'm a bit lost....

Thanks

Caeser

you could ask for long life servicing which means every 20k and not 10k

Long life servicing means it can go up to 20k but can put the light on any where between 10k and 20k depending on driving style. Plus is the car still set on longlife servicing? It may of been converted to annuaal servicing and if the garage that serviced it reset the light by using the dash buttons this will reset the servicing to annual. You can only reset long life service lights with diagnostic equipment.

many thanks both, It will be serviced in the next week or so and I'll get whichever garage to do that

Caeser:O

If it has been serviced on long life and has come up at 9k, I'd suggest that whoever did the service last time set it to fixed interval rather than variable.

This can't be undone, so I'd ask them for a discount equal to the cost difference of the services plus a small amount for goodwill off the next service they carry out (Assuming it's the same garage)

:iagree:

Thanks for this, no I bought it from a non Skoda dealer (long story) so I may now be stuck with short service intervals, not waht I bought it for Grrrrrrr!

Caeser

Thanks for this, no I bought it from a non Skoda dealer (long story) so I may now be stuck with short service intervals, not what I bought it for Grrrrrrr!

Caeser

You're not stuck, what I meant by my comment earlier was you can't just carry on half way and change it back to variable.

Any dealer can set it to variable if they do a service with the correct oil. If they say they can't any person with VAG COM can, so you just need to get them to do it for you when they oil change is done.

Thanks for this, no I bought it from a non Skoda dealer (long story) so I may now be stuck with short service intervals, not waht I bought it for Grrrrrrr!

Caeser

I'm now pretty much certain that the last service set it to fixed! It can be set back to variable, but:-

1) Only as part of a service

2) This needs a diagnostic computer

3) This computer must be used at every service to avoid resetting it to fixed.

If it has been serviced on long life and has come up at 9k, I'd suggest that whoever did the service last time set it to fixed interval rather than variable.

This can't be undone, so I'd ask them for a discount equal to the cost difference of the services plus a small amount for goodwill off the next service they carry out (Assuming it's the same garage)

Quite likely that the previous garage set it to fixed, it is also possible that as the previous owner was planning on selling the car he wanted the service to be as cheap as possible. It may have not been done at a garage that has the necessary equipment to re-set a variable service interval and just relied on the service indicator reset instructions from their Autodata book.

The OP would be doing extremely well if he could acheive a discount or goodwill payment with regard to a service that was instructed and paid for by the cars previous owner. Even in these days of the compensation culture and responsibility dodging, that is pushing it.

Quite likely that the previous garage set it to fixed, it is also possible that as the previous owner was planning on selling the car he wanted the service to be as cheap as possible. It may have not been done at a garage that has the necessary equipment to re-set a variable service interval and just relied on the service indicator reset instructions from their Autodata book.

The OP would be doing extremely well if he could acheive a discount or goodwill payment with regard to a service that was instructed and paid for by the cars previous owner. Even in these days of the compensation culture and responsibility dodging, that is pushing it.

I was assuming the OP had got the car through a network dealer which reading the post again isn't the case. Since this isn't the case then yes I agree there isn't much hope for a discount.

Hi

thanks for the information. The background...the car was owned by a Skoda employee on a personal leasing plan. He neede to seel it urgently and asked a friwend who owned a garage to do so for him. When I saw the car I queried 18 months/18K no service (variable was new to me). The garage contacted Skoda and received approval to conduct a service - the key was using the correct oil, they also checked car over, brakes etc.

I have now booked the car in with Garland Motors Aldershot. Following a discussion with them they will be undertaking a first service and brake fluid change and then we'll take it from there. I'll make sure they set to variable!!

Could you please put your thoughts on them in the review centre afterwards?