Does anyone think that variable servicing contributes to early turbo problems? I'm changing mine next week on 56K after running on variable since new.

Spoke to an ex wagon driver the other day, he used to change his oil every 6 weeks and never had a turbo problem. Other drivers used to go longer periods between servicing and their turbos used to blow. He was convinced the longer service intervals was causing the turbo problems.

Are petrol engine turbos failing at the same rate as diesel engines? I'm thinking all the soot in diesels is also contributing.

"Does anyone think that variable servicing contributes to early turbo problems?"

Simple answer, yes. I've just had my turbo replaced at 33K (Unfortunately out of warranty !) Could be just bad luck, but the Turbo place where I had it done said that the oil (Long life stuff) should be changed more frequently than on the 'dis' variable dash display service. I have only had 2 services in 4 years. This was on an Audi 140pd engine.

BUT just ordered a Vrs (facelift) hatch in white, and beat the price increase deadline...VAT free, 0% finance........money back on the Audi !!!!!!!

Variable servicing was designed to cut costs for fleets who ran the cars for 3 years/60k miles. It basically halves the oil service costs for them, which is important for any fleet. Any problems that emerge due to it are likely to be after the warranty has expired, so the fleet doesn't care and neither does the manufacturer, as it won't cost them anything. I'm not saying that all cars on variable servicing break as clearly they don't, but changing the oil regularly will never harm an engine, just your wallet.

I think variable geometry turbos are more problematic than fixed geo turbos. The soot and crap from the diesel engine clogs the mechanism that alters the pitch of the turbo inlet vanes. If cars are driven very gently and never experience the 'Italian tune up' they tend to soot up more and fail sooner.

My turbo died at 70k and it was on QG1 from day 1 and the intervals were quite long as the car spends most of its life bombing up and down motorways.

Methinks the PD140 turbo is maybe 'built to a price, a VW price'

I had a 1999 A3 TDI that ad 30k miles on it when I bought it, 60somethingK when I sold it. It was a 110TDI (so VNT turbo but not PD) on variable servicing from new. It had one fixed service when I bought it, but had been on vaiable before that- first service was 18k, second when I bough it at 30k. I had it switched back to variable at 40k, and serviced myself at 61k (with a few miles left to go), with no turbo problems at all. I do give it some welly, but never when cold. My journeys were mixed urban and motorway.

I personally think yes. I change all my cars to fixed interval servicing at the earliest convenience time. My TFSi was serviced when I bought it and the indicator has just come on, so it's time to go fixed interval now.

After owning a 1.8T that had problems with the oil pickup pipe sludge problem causing a cam chain tensioner failure I am sure that longlife oil causes more problems than it cures.

I have a 55 reg 2.0 PD TDi that is on variable servicing and at 90K miles (4 oil changes) is still on the original turbo, which seems quiet unusual on this forum. Variable is working for me, and my turbo shows no signs of any issues at all. I purchased the car at 8 months old with low mileage so I know the turbo is still the original one.

Given that most on this forum have switched to fixed 10k servicing, read into that what you will. For the PD engine, the same oil is used regardless of fixed/variable intervals.

I had my turbo (Octy 2L TDI) replaced just under the 4 year point and only 39000 miles! Yes it was on variable and had 2 services. TBH... at the time I choice variable servicing I was unsure of the mileage I was gonna do, in hindsight I only did about 10000 a year average of 15 miles a day to/from work. I reckon it contributed, and thats why I have gone for fixed servicing on the new one, plus its petrol too!

On the new one I'm doing oil changes with 507 spec every 9000 - 10,000 miles.

Variable servicing for me, and my turbo was replaced at 68k miles. Typically just out of warranty! Got a new one coming and not sure whether to go variable or fixed, but at 35k miles per year, it's a toss up between 1-2 services, or 3-4 services per year.... :-(

My dealer was talking to me about this and he recommended going on the fixed service rather than varible. His comment was "if it was my own car I would, company car would be on variable".

I'd rather have fixed and regular oil changes atleast I know its being well looked after.

Does anyone think that variable servicing contributes to early turbo problems?

No, it's more down to the way they are driven:

Driven at very low revs all the time and they begin to stick.

If you don't let them cool down after a hard drive before turning them off will cause premature bearing failure

Spoke to an ex wagon driver the other day, he used to change his oil every 6 weeks and never had a turbo problem. Other drivers used to go longer periods between servicing and their turbos used to blow. He was convinced the longer service intervals was causing the turbo problems.

But did he also tell you he was doing 3K per week? so the truck was doing 18K between changes.

How much does a turbo cost??. A from a dealer, B from an independent, and what turbo is fitted to the 1.9 tdi 105??

On my vRS it cost me £800 (after getting 70% goodwill on the part (but not the labour)). Can't remember the breakdown how this was made up but I seem to remember they charged about 5.2 hours of labour....

I paid £1150 for the turbo/labour and new oil and filter.

you didnt do bad then retail on these turbos are £1115.15 plus vat!

Why the hell do they cost so much compared to other parts on the car, that's about an 8th of the price of the whole vehicle

someone posted a link to a place that refurbished them at a fraction of the cost or as an exchange unit

they're a common failure aswell you'd think vag would alter the price to compete as they have done with the abs units that fail all the time nearly halving the price from 1068 to 625, they'd sell so many more!

Why the hell do they cost so much compared to other parts on the car, that's about an 8th of the price of the whole vehicle

I've often wondered when I've seen the prices of spares quoted on Briskoda how much would a car cost if you bought all the parts separately. My guess would be that a sub £20,000 car would cost over £50,000 and that's not including the labour charges to assemble it.

Edited 2 October, 200916 yr by jzc008

Why the hell do they cost so much compared to other parts on the car, that's about an 8th of the price of the whole vehicle

someone posted a link to a place that refurbished them at a fraction of the cost or as an exchange unit

Are there any other parts that are cheap?! I couldn't believe the price of the air-con compressor (£691!!!). You're easily looking at a >£1k job when that inevitably goes. Mine went the month after my turbo went but luckily got 70% parts/labour goodwill so cost £384. Then the month after that one of my injectors, along with the pump. (cost me around £300 after 50% parts/labour goodwill). Seems that my car waited for my warranty to finish then started to self destruct and empty my bank account but none of these things have been cheap to fix. If I didn't get goodwill then I don't know what I would have done.My father in law worked for VW as a car designer about 10 years ago and he told me that all the parts in a Golf would only come to about 2.5k cost!

Many people have asked me why I am getting another one, but I can honestly say that other than these repairs this car has cost me next to nothing in running costs. I am not sure if all of these problems can be attributed to being on variable service, I think I have just been incredibly unlucky.....

blimey there are some horror stories about - I thought I bought a VAG diesel to be reliable

You have to wonder if diesels are now not as reliable as petrol cars...

blimey there are some horror stories about - I thought I bought a VAG diesel to be reliable

So did I! But hey, I'm buying another so even after all these problems, I still can't find anything else out there that comes close for the money...plus while it was in warranty I never had a single problem, so as I said I think I've just been unlucky...

I know what you mean - vfm, performance and looks you just can't beat Skoda or Seat....

Also there is no petrol engine that comes close to the VAG diesel units

How much does a turbo cost??. A from a dealer, B from an independent, and what turbo is fitted to the 1.9 tdi 105??

To give you some ball park figures, I posted some turbo prices for the 2.0tdi on this post:

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/classic-failed-turbo-symptions/157257/

I will not carry out variable servicing on my 08 vrs octavia, I think 1200 miles intervals with shell helix to spec is a wise decision, also idling the engine for 1 minute before shutoff should protect my turbo