I have to admit that I have so far only skim-read the servicing information which came with my Yeti. My initial surprise was finding that I don't need to take it in for the traditional "get the metal out of the sump" early first service. My pal who has also recently acquired a new diesel said he felt uncomfortable about not having a traditional first service. I rationalise it by telling myself that design and manufacturing processes are much better these days, so that tolerances can be both more accurately specified, and more precisely met in the components that go forward to assembly.

Anyway, that's enough about two old farts reminiscing about the days when men were real men and cars were meant to be disassembled and rebuilt on the street outside your two-up-two-down terraced house in a grimy urban back street*...

What I actually want to ask about is this: my car seems to be set for variable servicing - I'm pretty sure this was one of the things I did check when I first got it, and I do get oil temperature reported which I believe you only do with variable servicing set. But how does it work? In my mind I have this picture of the computer keeping a careful eye on work the car gets asked to do and eventually deciding, hmm, time for a trip to the Skoda Car Spa. Is that anywhere near what happens, or it is a whole lot simpler or more complicated than that?

* Although it was acceptable to fettle major mechanical assemblies such as the engine or gearbox on the kitchen table, provided the vehicle itself remained out on the street - preferably on at least one pair of axle stands.

Pretty much as you you say. The ECU keeps track of how much and how hard the car is used, samples the oil condition (for water content and pH AIUI) and decides when you need to take it in. Or trips out after two years or whatever...

Just done 9K in 2010 Octy Elegance, I asked the same question of my dealer - he checked and said I was on Variable servicing also.

He informed me that this is exactly what happens - you drive the car gently, and our servicing is extended, you drive it hard and your servicing is sooner.

The onboard computer monitors and checks things and lets you know when you should be booking in for a health check.

According to my car - it's due in well over 15K or another 400 days.. so if it's goes bang in the meantime - I'll be speaking to him about it.

He informed me that this is exactly what happens - you drive the car gently, and our servicing is extended, you drive it hard and your servicing is sooner.

The onboard computer monitors and checks things and lets you know when you should be booking in for a health check.

According to my car - it's due in well over 15K or another 400 days.. so if it's goes bang in the meantime - I'll be speaking to him about it.

In fact gentle driving can actually shorten the serice intervals. What it "likes" is journeys where it doesn't labour but uses sensible revs, is allowed to get fully hot, and yes, isn't thrashed. It also doesn't like being stuck in traffic, but moving along lots. When BMW first intoduced this I knew pf people who did long commutes sensibly on the motorway (not reps!!!) who were getting 16k between services.

I was given the example of a Taxi compared to our sort of rural journies (3 miles to a main road). A taxi would need servicing at shorter intervals, say 8000 miles or less, my "variable" is 18,000.

Without going into too much detail, thats a simple way of looking at it.

There is a sensor in your oil sump that can keep tabs on the viscosity of the oil, once it gets to a certain thickness, it send a message back to your dash saying - ' Time to book your car in for a service & oil change'

As described to me by a friendly FIAT service manager - When I had the 500.

Edited 11 January, 201115 yr by lfc958

My A2 TDI wanted to do 31,000 miles between services (variable service followed by a trip to Burgundy) but after allowing it to go 20-22K I now get it done variable but every 12 months which works out about 12K now that my wife works part time - I didn't like old oil, however clever it is, sloshing around in the sump especially with a remap. The last time it was in for a service they rang me to ask if I was sure we wanted it doing as there was 13K left before service was due!

I believe the metrics it checks are the number of starts, number of cold starts, journey length and frequency of starts.

My A2 TDI wanted to do 31,000 miles between services...

Ah yes the good old days in my A2. I did 100 miles a day in the first few years having it and thus that 31,000 miles service came up pretty quickly! But was still lovely to have it so far apart on the old wallet. And you know what? That engine is still going 110,000 miles later and it did not have a "courtesy" oil service at 10,000. So I'm sticking to variable for the time being on the Yeti. Even if only to have the oil temp gauge which I use all the time instead of the temperature to gauge when I can cane the car! Water might be at temperature but it is the oil that needs to be at temperature before you should rev an engine.

Elsie arrived with variable servicing and oil temp.

On handover I changed Elsie to fixed servicing by resetting the service bit in the maxidot, which James said changed it to fixed servicing. I still have oil temp.....

Mike

Does it tell you when the next service is due, Mike?

If it's on fixed it will be <12 months?

Does it tell you when the next service is due, Mike?

If it's on fixed it will be <12 months?

6,800 miles or 338 days...

Thats only 9415 miles for the first service - Johann might be happy with the 9, but I thought it should be 10,000 miles. Wonder if the remap has affected it. I would not expect it to.

At the rate I have put the miles on, maybe I should be on variable? as that works out at 31,000 miles per year. I was only expecting to do around 15,000 miles per year. I guess that the 1250 miles trip to Scotland and the recent 420 mile trip to Mansfield will account for it. Generally I don't do that many miles any more (not in Johann's league of 4000 in one month though)

Thing is with this car, I can't stop driving it

MIke

Thing is with this car, I can't stop driving it

Likewise here! It just begs to be driven! He puts a smile on my face everytime I drive somewhere.

Yeti now ten months old with 8500m on clock. Looked at service display for first time - shows 10,200m 440 days to first service.

Looks like using her ladyship's 1.2 Fabia for supermarket etc is paying off

Edited 25 January, 201115 yr by geordiebroon

Which is considered best - fixed or variable servicing in terms of engine longevity?

Mine is 10 months old and 15000 miles, servicing is stated as due in 3000 miles, so about 8 weeks or so.

Which is considered best - fixed or variable servicing in terms of engine longevity?

I would say - the one that enables engine oil changes most frequently. I have opted, for my first time, for variable. I might have a fair share of short journeys and if the Yeti is asked to go for service before 10,000 / 12 months then ok. If it indicates a mileage / time greater than 10,000 / 12 months then it is highly likely I will ask for an early service before the car does. I would also use the oil designed for variable service regardless. I can start worrying about these things for real when I collect my Yeti 170 on Thursday.

I would also use the oil designed for variable service regardless. I can start worrying about these things for real when I collect my Yeti 170 on Thursday.

Any car fitted with a DPF has to use the VW507.00 (long life / variable servicing) oil anyway

Any car fitted with a DPF has to use the VW507.00 (long life / variable servicing) oil anyway

Good point

14k miles on original oil and maxidot says 4k to go to service. Good enough for me.

14k miles on original oil and maxidot says 4k to go to service. Good enough for me.

If you had my service mechanic living next door (like he lives next door to me) then it would not be good enough for him. And no he is not touting for my additional business !! His most frequent advice is "An oil change is better than 100 good mechanics"

I will confess that with modern engines and modern oils my attitude is perhaps dated - however it is on the harmless side of being wrong.

I agree on the oil.

After 6000miles it now looks like black water on the Dipstick.

My mental strain will be too great to leave it for another 12000miles.

I'll have to have a quick refill of VW507 sometime this summer,then I'll be happy to leave it till it thinks it needs a service.

If you had my service mechanic living next door (like he lives next door to me) then it would not be good enough for him. And no he is not touting for my additional business !! His most frequent advice is "An oil change is better than 100 good mechanics"

I will confess that with modern engines and modern oils my attitude is perhaps dated - however it is on the harmless side of being wrong.

That sounds like the type of advice my Dad would give which is I think is good advice - dated or not.

After 6000miles it now looks like black water on the Dipstick.

Whatever you do then do not dip the oil after you have just paid for a service, as the oil in a diesel engine turns black after about 30 seconds of running round the engine.

Each to their own. I do. 20-25k miles a year. Not too much of that is city traffic which is where most of the wear and tear take place. A lot of longish distance motorway work. I've run a VW and an Audi on variable service in the past, each car for 100k miles + with no ill effects. I trust modern oils and engineering.

My 140 (bought at 3.6k ex-demo) is on 4.5k and I have just treated it to a sump full of 507. I understand that the cost accountants who want to reduce servicing have persuaded the engineers that much longer service intervals are perfectly acceptable but I am not convinced and am prepared to pay up and have additional oil changes.

I have a top class local mechanic who only charges beer money to do it and so it is a materials only expense.

I was brought up by an engineer and have a healthy regard for old fashioned notions of care for my machinery.

My Triumph Street Triple is in for it's 6k service next week (bought 18 months ago and now 3 years old) last year I carried out 2 oil and filter changes-the last before it's winter idle a couple of hundred miles ago. I will not have the oil changed until (at the earliest) after my Le Mans trip in June. If I do about 3000 miles by the Autumn that will be soon enough but it will certainly be fresh oil in the sump by the time I lay it up.