I can't seem to find an unambiguous answer to this question.

My reason for asking is that I have recently bought, second-hand from a Skoda dealer, an Octavia 1.9 TDI PD. Part of the 'deal' was a full service prior to delivery (the car had done just under 19,000 miles). I asked that the long-life oil be used as I had run my previous Octy on variable service for 250,000 miles with no problems.

After I had done 8000 miles in the 'new' car it started asking for a service. The dealer said that this was because the 'indicator had not been reset' after they did the service, and that they would re-set it for a further 10,000 miles.

I asked if it could be reset to 'variable', believing that in this case the car would 'ask for a service' when it needed it (based on a hazy recollection of having been told when I bought my first Octy, new, in 1990 that the 'variable' bit depended on the car monitoring oil quality). However, I was told that if it was reset to 'variable' that it would be a FURTHER 20,000 miles before the service warning came on.

I am now hopelessly confused! (and feeling a little suspicious!!)

Any help or advice gratefully received!

19/20k miles is the MAX between oil changes regardless of service regime.

If your 100% sure that 'long-life' oil was used then I see no issues with having a second 'fixed' reset - in effect this will give you close to 19k miles covered (within 2 years dont forget!) between oil changes/servicing. Or you could find someone with VCDS, or a dealer who knows what they are doing, who can alter the service schedule to bring the warning on at @19k miles since last service (within that 2 year time frame). Either method is fine IMHO.

Then you need a variable/longlife (whatever you like to call it!) service and ensure the car is reset onto variable servicing with the diagnostic equipment.

Thanks Keith - the problem is that I am NOT 100% sure that long-life oil was used :S

And this is really the thought behind my question about how the 'request' for variable servicing is triggered ......

Is there any way of knowing what oil is in the car (other than asking the garage who put it in, or looking at their bill!!!)?

Thanks Keith - the problem is that I am NOT 100% sure that long-life oil was used :S

And this is really the thought behind my question about how the 'request' for variable servicing is triggered ......

Is there any way of knowing what oil is in the car (other than asking the garage who put it in, or looking at their bill!!!)?

There will some sort of industrial test you can do on the oil but that wont be available to the "man in the street" nor your dealer, Only way is to replace the oil to be certain, Unless you can get confirmation/reciepts from whoever changed it last.

The servicing request from the car, is calculated by the ECU monitoring many factors, mileage, cold starts, temperatures, oil soot content etc etc. However the 'variable service' isnt that clever that it can reset itself when the oil is changed - it still needs action from the diagnostic machine/VAGCOM.