I checked the service indicator, which informs me is due in 600 miles. That means I will have covered about 11,000 miles, and I thought I was on average a gentle driver!

More likely to be related to the number of cold starts and short journeys that you do rather than how the car is driven.

I changed my PD170 to fixed as I found that the fuel consumption increased the further I went without a service. However mine was a lease car so I wasn't paying for the service but did pay for the fuel.

I have a one year old Octavia which has done 1300 miles. I think it's on variable servicing - would Maxidot be able to tell me this?

If it is variable should I get it changed to fixed?

Thanks

Edited 23 December, 201114 yr by Ultima

The Octavia is set from the factory on variable, but yes you can tell using Maxidot, the procedure is detailed in the manual.

Fixed vs. variable is very controversial and has been done to death on this forum.

Variable costs less in terms of servicing as you are simply servicing the car less often, so if you don't want to fork out for a service each year then variable is for you. The car is able to monitor your driving style and alter the intervals as it see's fit. This set-up was introduced to suit fleet buyers who were calculating the cost of servicing into the overall cost of running the car; less frequent servicing reduces running costs.

Fixed servicing means an oil and filter change every 10,000 miles or one year, which ever you reach first. My feelings are that fixed servicing suits the private owner as I believe more frequent oil changes benefit the reliability of the car in the long run, however there are a number of private buyers on here that have run their car's to a high mileage on variable with no issues.

There is no right or wrong option; it's something you need to decide based on your personal thoughts and circumstances.

Interesting. I have been wondering what to do about this since I bought my car in July.

The car was new in February 2007.

I bought the car in July 2011 with 27,500 miles. In that time it had had 2 services (IIRC) on the variable setting. Over the mileage this is a fair amount of services, but over time it seems a little low.

Mileage is now approaching 35,000 and I would like to have it serviced again at 37,500 and go back to fixed servicing every 10k miles.

How do I do that? Can the dealer reprogramme the car for me?

Interesting. I have been wondering what to do about this since I bought my car in July.

The car was new in February 2007.

I bought the car in July 2011 with 27,500 miles. In that time it had had 2 services (IIRC) on the variable setting. Over the mileage this is a fair amount of services, but over time it seems a little low.

Mileage is now approaching 35,000 and I would like to have it serviced again at 37,500 and go back to fixed servicing every 10k miles.

How do I do that? Can the dealer reprogramme the car for me?

Yes, simply book the car in for the normal service (3rd variable service) and ask the dealer to reset the service indicator to the fixed service interval.

You can then check the distance to next service on the trip computer (hold down the trip reset button for 5 seconds iirc) and if it doesn't say 10k ish then reset it yourself following the instructions in the manual (A dash reset will always reset to fixed servicing, only vcds or dealer equipment can reset to variable)

How do I do that? Can the dealer reprogramme the car for me?

It is possible to change from variable to fixed yourself via the instrument cluster.

(Variable to fixed can only be done by a dealer or using VCDS)

Resetting the service indicator automatically reverts the intervals to 10,000 miles / 1 year (fixed).

It's all detailed in the manual...

Resetting Service Interval Display

We recommend having this resetting performed by a specialist garage.

Specialist garage:

• resets the memory of the display after the appropriate inspection

• makes an entry in the Service schedule

• affix the sticker with the entry of the following service interval to the side of the dash panel on the driver's side.

The service interval displays can also be reset as follows by using the reset button ⇒ page 13, fig. 2 on the trip counter:

• Switch off the ignition, press the reset button of the trip counter for distance driven and hold it down.

• Switch the ignition on and release the reset button. Now turn the reset button to the right. The service interval displays are reset.

Caution. We recommend that you do not reset the Service Interval Display yourself otherwise this can result in the service interval display being incorrectly set, which may also result in problems with operation of your vehicle.

Note:

• Never reset the display between service intervals otherwise this may result in incorrect readouts.

• Information is retained in the Service Interval Display also after the battery of the vehicle is disconnected.

• It is necessary to re-code the Service Interval Display if a new instrument cluster is installed during repair work. This work is carried out by a specialist garage.

• The data displayed is the same after resetting the display with flexible service intervals (QG1) using the reset button as that for a vehicle with fixed service intervals (QG2). We therefore recommend having the Service Interval Display reset only by a Škoda dealer who is familiar with the procedure for resetting the display with a vehicle system tester.

• Please refer to the brochure Service schedule for extensive information about the service intervals.

It is possible to change from variable to fixed yourself via the instrument cluster.

(Variable to fixed can only be done by a dealer or using VCDS)

Variable to fixed = via dash display

Fixed to variable = via VCDS

?

Thanks for manual extract. Would have checked my own but I am overseas at the moment and the car is approaching servicing time.

I'd go for variable for the miles you do. I do about 18k a year and this is roughly when it needs to be serviced. Our other car which does about 5k a year is on fixed. I like to have the cars to have at least a yearly checkup at the dealers. The Octavia has done about 6k now and it doesn't seem to have used hardly any oil and the oil still looks "fresh".

Variable to fixed = via dash display

Fixed to variable = via VCDS

?

Sorry, typo, you have it right...

Variable to fixed = via dash display

Fixed to variable = via VCDS

I'm quite tempted by fixed. I can find no solid argument for either case but it sits better with me. In my mind (coming from old cars) 2 years and/or 20k between services is too much!