Fixed Servicing Oil

[Hoddhead]

Hello All,

Most confused by a conversation with my dealer today :think: .

Car (1.6MPI) booked in for its first service, and I asked about oil. Having grabbed 4L of 10W/40 Castrol Magnatec when Halfords had their offer on, I was keen to see if they would use it for the oil change, particularly as the oil filler cap has a Castrol endorsement on it. 'Oh no, we use the long life oil on everything now, even on fixed service intervals for the newer engines' I was told. Now maybe I was being naiive, but I thought if the oil met the VW specification for QG2 (VW 501 01/VW 502 00) it would be ok (I've been using ordinary GTX to top up so far)?

So if that's the case, why bother with fixed service intervals if everything is long life anyway? If I want to buy a top up oil, I need to be using long life oil (no doubt at a premium price) rather than the 'ordinary' oil, and with a 0W/30 viscosity...is this right, or am I being fed a line? I trust my dealer, and have a good relationship with them, but am surprised at this..or maybe I've missed something!

Any advice out there? I'm on a service plan, so it won't cost me any extra for the service, but will for the topping up!

Thanks!

[FriendlyFire]

Whether you should be in fixed or variable depends on your driving style. The fact that you might be using "long life" oil and changing it yearly is something else. I couldn't say, but, for example, an engine with a DPF would require the better class of oil to avoid clogging up, even if it's on fixed.

I don't know about price. I looked at some of the older standards for mine and there seemed to be less choice and little difference in price. I would go with what the dealer is telling you. They get it in bulk and people are probably now wise to the "Long life oil is dearer Sir" line.

[silver1011]

This has been the situation on DPF equipped diesels for a while now, whether on the fixed or variable service schedule the higher spec VW 507.00 oil is used (rather than VW 505.00).

It does make the extra £100 they charge for a variable service a little harder to swallow when all you get extra is an air filter (£10), pollen filter (£6) and a few extra visual checks!

You'd be better off on the variable service schedule but when the car flags for a service ask them to do a fixed instead. Buy and fit the air and pollen filter yourself in minutes!

[xreyuk]

As above. The reason you need 507.00 for the DPF is it's low ash oil, the other stuff isn't.

[Hoddhead]

Not worried about DPF one little bit...it's a petrol!!!

It's more about the oil they are using...longlife on a fixed servicing plan doesn't make economic sense to me!

Edited 25 May, 2012 by Hoddhead

[vulcan]

Hi

If your on free servicing and they give you top spec oil sounds good to me.

How much oil do you need to top up, mine did not use any to first service (10K ) but it was never up to top mark on dip stick from factory.

Now it's up to top mark after sevice at Parkside!

[ednmra]

Not worried about DPF one little bit...it's a petrol!!!

It's more about the oil they are using...longlife on a fixed servicing plan doesn't make economic sense to me!

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Not worried about DPF one little bit...it's a petrol!!! <img alt="" class="bbc_emoticon" src="http://www.briskoda.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/emoticon-

It's more about the oil they are using...longlife on a fixed servicing plan doesn't make economic sense to me!<br />

My specialist dealer told me they always use semi synthetic for fixed service, lowish annual mileage petrol Octavias, and I've been very happy with it over several years and 2 different cars. I think they used Millers oils, certainly a couple of years ago

[Davidsr20]

Can I ask what's the diff between fixed and variable servicing, can everyone not just service there car every whatever miles it's due at ?

I'm a long time servicing cars and it's every 6k for most and newer cars 10k

[silver1011]

Fixed = 1 year or 10,000 miles, whichever you reach first.

Variable = Up to approx. 20,000 miles or two years. The car monitors quite a few items including the number of cold starts, driving style, oil condition, mileage etc. and flags up a service when it wants one!

[Davidsr20]

Fixed = 1 year or 10,000 miles, whichever you reach first.

Variable = Up to approx. 20,000 miles or two years. The car monitors quite a few items including the number of cold starts, driving style, oil condition, mileage etc. and flags up a service when it wants one!

Yes but 20k on same oil is a lot don't u think!

We're all fixed in Ireland so, even the dealers all go by fixed.

[mannyo]

Yes but 20k on same oil is a lot don't u think!

We're all fixed in Ireland so, even the dealers all go by fixed.

Not necessarily, all three of my previous Skodas have been on variable servicing. My first MK1 Octy vRS did 54K miles in 4 years with just three oil changes, my second MK2 PD140 Octavia did 100K miles with just five services, and my PD140 Superb MK2 was serviced twice in 44K miles. All three cars ran trouble free and used no oil between services,

I still see the MK2 Octavia on the road 3 years after I sold it and the MK1 vRS has only just been scrapped because its value in parts was greater than what the car was worth.

Modern oils are better than they were years ago, my first new car had a 6K service interval and it was less reliable than modern cars are today.

[Aspman]

Fixed is actually about 9300 miles. Confused me till I found out the real distance is 15000km.

[ednmra]

Not necessarily, all three of my previous Skodas have been on variable servicing. My first MK1 Octy vRS did 54K miles in 4 years with just three oil changes, my second MK2 PD140 Octavia did 100K miles with just five services, and my PD140 Superb MK2 was serviced twice in 44K miles. All three cars ran trouble free and used no oil between services,

I still see the MK2 Octavia on the road 3 years after I sold it and the MK1 vRS has only just been scrapped because its value in parts was greater than what the car was worth.

Modern oils are better than they were years ago, my first new car had a 6K service interval and it was less reliable than modern cars are today.

The service manager at Clarion told me he didn't much like the look of long life oil when they drained it from [e.g.] rep's cars around 30K !

I suppose it all depends whether it's ones own car or just the firm's - what they used to call the S.E. model (Somebody Else's !)

[Davidsr20]

Not necessarily, all three of my previous Skodas have been on variable servicing. My first MK1 Octy vRS did 54K miles in 4 years with just three oil changes, my second MK2 PD140 Octavia did 100K miles with just five services, and my PD140 Superb MK2 was serviced twice in 44K miles. All three cars ran trouble free and used no oil between services,

I still see the MK2 Octavia on the road 3 years after I sold it and the MK1 vRS has only just been scrapped because its value in parts was greater than what the car was worth.

Modern oils are better than they were years ago, my first new car had a 6K service interval and it was less reliable than modern cars are today.

Totally dissagree modern cars are always giving problems and older cars don't as there way more reliable especially jap cars.

My Vrs is my first non jap car so I hope it goes well for me

And from a mechanics point of view 20k on any oil is a lot no matter what oil it is.

Edited 28 May, 2012 by Davidsr20

[tony2311]

Its 2 years or UPTO 20k, i do 16000miles a year, if i when on fixed serving i will have to go to dealer twice a year for more or less a oil change, Now with variable i will be having it service once a year instead of 7-8months

[silver1011]

I'm sure I'd read on a previous thread that some owners had reached more than 20,000 miles on the variable servicing...

[Davidsr20]

It just doesn't seem rite leaving ur car that long with same oil.

[FriendlyFire]

Can I ask what's the diff between fixed and variable servicing, can everyone not just service there car every whatever miles it's due at ?

I'm a long time servicing cars and it's every 6k for most and newer cars 10k

From the horse's mouth: http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes

[Anddenton]

I'm sure I'd read on a previous thread that some owners had reached more than 20,000 miles on the variable servicing...

I've done 23k on variable servicing.