I have noticed of late that my Fabia has been accelerating slower and slower over the last few months but was still getting 60-70mpg. I have had my car serviced by a main dealer in Macclesfield from new (2008) but the dealer is no longer a Skoda dealer. I bought a 3 year deal for servicing and MOT for £12 a month.

Earlier I took the filter out and it was black, full of leaves and dead flies etc. I noticed that the filter had a date of 2008 printed on it and when I rang another dealer they said that the filter was the original filter. So for five years the same filter has been in and most probably the same fuel and pollen filter from new.

What harm will a dirty air filter do and does it affect fuel consumption?

I think the bigger issue is that you have being paying  for a service for which you have not had. As for damage probably not any damage as the filters are still doing there job, but not as good as a fresh filter. First port should be to get all the filters changed now and tell the garage to keep them so if none has been replaced or some, you will have a good case for all your money back plus some. Im not a compensation type of guy, but sometimes i do believe it should be given to teach people a lesson.

Whats the mileage on the car? the air filter on my octavia (petrol) was replaced at its 4 year service,have you got a bill for a service from the dealer with a charge for a air filter? 

Whats the mileage on the car? the air filter on my octavia (petrol) was replaced at its 4 year service,have you got a bill for a service from the dealer with a charge for a air filter? 

The mileage is 52,000 miles. I never get a bill because it is on a 3 year deal but looking through the service book nothing is ticked except for the oil change so I think all they do for £12 a month is change the oil and do an MOT. The three year "deal" finishes next May but I won't be renewing it.

I'm on a service plan too.

 

On my Superb the air filter isn't required until the 4th service.

 

Needless to say I don't agree with Skoda and pay the extra £20 for them to replace the air filter on each service.

I think my Octavia I only technically needs an air filter change every 60k which is stupid. Both our cars get new air and pollen filters every 10k.

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Wow £20 for Skoda to change a filter. Or get one from euro car parts for around £6 and spend 3mins of your time changing it yourself

I've just changed mine at 47k from the original one. In my mind it should have been done as part of the service for the pennies that it must cost them to make but they seem to think that 60k is fine for an air filter.

Wow £20 for Skoda to change a filter. Or get one from euro car parts for around £6 and spend 3mins of your time changing it yourself

 

Yep, even the dealers need to pay their bills!

Over the years, I think 15k-20k miles or every year (whichever is first) is right for the air and pollen filters in a TDI.

 

10k miles certainly won't hurt, but if you're doing 30k a year it'll get expensive.

 

I certainly didn't notice any difference in MPG or performance until beyond 20k miles, but that was back when I believed the service schedule.