Servicing my own car?

[Nathan3266]

Hi guys,

I have a 2011 Skoda Fabia TDI 1.6 CR 105BHP,

The car already has 40'000 on it with 4 skoda service stamps every 10'000 miles,

I travel 60 miles a day minimum due too work and im just planning to keep the car for as long as it lasts,

Any idea how long these cars will last?

Also as im planning to keep it forever (if you guys say they are well worth keeping it forever) i thought i may aswel service it myself,

So i was wondering if you could tell me a step by step guide to servicing a skoda,

For example will i need to use the recomended castrol oil?

Will i need to use long life oil?

What is the litre holdage of these cars?

What kind of oil filter to use?

Anything else that needs doing during servicing?

Thanks guys!

[Ootohere]

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing/servicing

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing

 

In the folder with the Service book, do you have the previous service 'Health Check' List showing everything checked.?

Invoices on the Oil used up to now, Filter Number etc.

Invoice showing if the Brake Fluid was changed at 2 years, or you will probably do it first at 3 years.

Have the brake drums been off and the Rear Shoes checked. (If it has rear Discs, check the pads.)

 

The Owners Manual tells you the Oil Capacity for your engine, use the correct Type of Oil, this does not require any specific Brand, it requires the correct cross reference & specification for the engine type.

**Always replace the Sump Plug with a new one when doing an Oil Change.**

 

What you are mentioning there is a Oil change service, Oil & Filter, maybe called a Minor Service.

not really 'Servicing and maintaining a car.'

That would be called a 'Major Service' sometimes.

 

So over and above Changing oil & oil filter with the correct oil and filter which any Motor factor will supply.

Air Filter when required, Inline Fuel Filter.

 

There is the checks of things like other Fluids, topping up or changing as required, Antifreeze ratio/strength etc

this will include brake fluid and Skoda recommend every 2 years.

 

Checking Brake Pads and Shoes, Disc & Drums. Steering Components, Suspension Components.

 

All basic stuff if you know what you are doing.

Read Books, read online, maybe go to a Evening Class on Basic Car Maintenance.

Or get someone that has experience and training to show you all that needs doing and what to look out for.

 

george

[Auric Goldfinger]

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing/servicing

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing

 

The Owners Manual tells you the Oil Capacity for your engine, use the correct Type of Oil, this does not require any specific Brand, it requires the correct cross reference & specification for the engine type.

 

What you are mentioning there is a Oil change service, Oil & Filter, maybe called a Minor Service.

not really 'Servicing and maintaining a car.'

That would be called a 'Major Service' sometimes.

 

So over and above Changing oil & oil filter with the correct oil and filter which any Motor factor will supply.

Air Filter when required, Inline Fuel Filter.

 

There is the checks of things like other Fluids, topping up or changing as required, Antifreeze ratio/strength etc

this will include brake fluid and Skoda recommend every 2 years.

 

Checking Brake Pads and Shoes, Disc & Drums. Steering Components, Suspension Components.

 

All basic stuff if you know what you are doing.

Read Books, read online, maybe go to a Evening Class on Basic Car Maintenance.

Or get someone that has experience and training to show you all that needs doing and what to look out for.

 

george

 

 

or to save all the hassle use a small independent  garage.  The work will be guaranteed at a decent price

[Ootohere]

As said by that man, get a professional to check over your car annually or more often, not just waiting for a MOT or a break down.

And then build up knowledge of the cars maintenance requirements.

Safety First.

 

george

 

Oil Chart.

[Guest]

Hello Nathan, good choice of car. 

 

As George says, there is more to servicing than just your oil changes. But you probably know that anyway. It's not hard if you are used to doing some spannering. However, I would suggest you get a workshop manual and study. And buy a good quality torque wrench and learn how to use it. Know when to lubricate a thread and when not to (in case you don't know all Skoda torque settings are dry unless stated otherwise). The car itself is a good choice for keeping a long time. The engines are pretty much unburstable and have been designed to last a very long time. The main proviso is to use a good quality oil of the correct specification and use genuine oil filters from VAG. The valve clearances are automatically controlled by the hydraulic tappets so that's one less job to worry about. Has your car had the cambelt changed? This is a crucial bit of maintenance and the tensioner should be changed too. Water pump also should be changed but is often done at the second belt change and that's ok. 

 

You may have heard lots about dpf's failing. It's actually not as common as you may think. And on your sort of mileage you are unlikely to have any problems at all, ever. 

 

Having said all of that, if you don't feel competent to know how to check the whole car over yourself, then as is said above, leave it to the professionals. A large amount of servicing is about making observations and checks. These are for safety reasons. In order to do that you need to have some fair knowledge of mechanical things and how they work. As George says, it's safety first and I'm sure you know that. Have fun with the car though. They are great to drive and can be very economical.  Keep posting to let us all know how you are getting on with it.

[gadgetman]

As you still have warranty remaining you can't self service as it'll void it.

[PulsarET]

If you are planning to keep the car for a long time,do not do the long life sevice plan.Long life servicing if from the devil.

[gadgetman]

If you are planning to keep the car for a long time,do not do the long life sevice plan.Long life servicing if from the devil.

Sigh

So many members have run variable without any issues whatsoever. The only issues are when people incorrectly use variable when they don't meet the criteria.

Unless you can provide evidence beyond personal opinion?

[bluecar1]

skoda warranty runs out at 60,000(unless you purchased extended warranty when the car was built),so probably worth having the 50k and 60k done at dealers for piece of mind

 

skoda are not allowed to claim void warranty when not serviced at a dealers, BUT you may have to prove quality parts (ideally genuine) used and it is serviced to skoda recommendations , intervals and standards if you want to make a warranty claim

 

the first bit is easy, keep all receipts and staple to relevant page of service book (will also help as history of car when selling later),

 

if you have any of the service tick sheets for 10,20 and 40,000 services these will be repeated, type them up on pc and print your own

 

the 50 , 70 and 90k etc are repeat of 10 k inspection

 

60k used to be a big one on the PD's as it was timing belt, but I think the 1.6CR has a lot longer timing belt change (someone on here can confirm)

 

80k is repeat of 40k

 

you get the idea, but remember some things like brake fluid and timing belts also have a time related element as well as distance

 

basic tools

 

Haynes manual, decent socket set, combination spanner set, good torque wrench, multi meter, basic code reader or vagcom to check fault codes

 

other things likely to need

 

good ramps, axle stands, engine oil drain can (or one of the fancy vacuum extractors),

 

if you are not up to every service, no issue you doing the 10k inspection / oil service and then find a good local independent to do the bigger ones

Edited 26 October, 2013 by bluecar1

[Ootohere]

You can buy a Skoda Extended Warranty from Skoda with a Used car or a car at the end of the 3 years or even later.

Then it will still need to be serviced as to 'Manufacturers Guidelines'.  (that and they are vague.)

Like Lease & Contract Hire cars may have had different Service Schedule in the first 3-4 years than a Privately owned vehicle.

Why when buying a used car, that may have been a Company car, it is worth getting a big service done.

 

george

[gadgetman]

It's not only suitable/genuine parts but servicing must be carried out by a VAT registered garage to maintain warranty.

So self servicing is out full stop

[bluecar1]

interesting, did not know about the VAT registered bit, but I never did mine until warranty expired

 

I knew it had to be service to skoda standard using skoda or equivilant quality parts,

[seboni121]

Really don't understand the different servicing thingy , variable or otherwise ? What's the difference ?

[Ootohere]

VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, can have the same engines, put into their different models but the same engines get given different Service Codes..

Cars first sold to the public or Business users in different years.

 

VW can say that due to sensors the VW Engine is Variable Servicing,

maybe up to 18,000 miles between Oil & Filter changes on Long Life Oil,

Yet the same engine in a Skoda gets a Service code for 10,000 (9,400) mile Oil & Filter Changes.

Then a year or 2 later they say the New cars with the same engine as 2 years before  is now suitable for Variable Servicing.

 

The Factory puts in Long Life Oil anyway, Fixed or Variable Servicing,

& the Dealers fill with and charge the customers for Long Life Oil, no matter if Fixed Servicing, 10,000 mile annual or Variable Servicing. **When the car says the Oil needs changed.**

 

Often there is no rhyme or reason or explanation to the customer to the different codes issued & printed in the cars Service Manual, and you get told different things about the requirements at Dealers.  Sometimes the Car has Variable Servicing Codes for that model you have bought,

and yet the Cars Dash Read out is set for a Fixed 9400 mile 372 Day Service interval.

The technician doing the Oil & Filter Change will put in the Service book that the Oil & Filter/Service needs doing in 9400 miles even if the Car is Variable Servicing.

 

All about Profits and nothing to do with Customers or type of usage the vehicle may be getting used for IMO.

 

Pics are 'Fixed Service' Interval on Maxidot,

reset by owner anytime they want to, like after having done an Oil change.

[PulsarET]

Sigh

So many members have run variable without any issues whatsoever. The only issues are when people incorrectly use variable when they don't meet the criteria.

Unless you can provide evidence beyond personal opinion?

All i will say is "VAG" and "Oil Sludging" .....  Seems to be a common problem with the 2.0l TFSI now.

Edited 27 October, 2013 by PulsarET

[Ootohere]

I thought it was a  problem with the VAG 1.8 T engine. Then with the early 2.0T engines.

 

The difference between a TFSI & a TSI engine is often just that Audi charge the customer more for a 'F'

& then do not give a flying 'F'

 

george

[gadgetman]

All i will say is "VAG" and "Oil Sludging" ..... Seems to be a common problem with the 2.0l TFSI now.

It's not just an issue on vag engines.

It's caused by engines not reaching temp, water in the oil and made worse by sucking oil out rather than using the sump plug - which is what killed next door's Corsa.

Which is why variable shouldn't be used unless you have journeys where the engine will reach 100c.

Toyota's are noted for sludge issues, and they don't run variable cycles

How many of these 2.0 tfsi failures are on cars incorrectly using a variable regime when they should be fixed typically through ignorance or consciously to save money? Maintained by VAG or indies?

I thought the positions of the oil sensors would detect sludge as well as poor quality due to sooting and trigger the service message at any point between 10k/1yr and the maximum limit of 18500/2yrs?

[inventory-photo]

As you're in Sheffield, if looking for an independent garage, using genuine parts, I can recommend Autohaus Dolby as a good place to go. I've had all my servicing/MOT repairs done there over the last year, and although the car was a heap when I bought it, it runs perfectly now.

 

I'm not sure if using them may muck with your warranty while it is still valid though, so it may be worth checking to be absolutely sure.

[PulsarET]

It's not just an issue on vag engines.

It's caused by engines not reaching temp, water in the oil and made worse by sucking oil out rather than using the sump plug - which is what killed next door's Corsa.

Which is why variable shouldn't be used unless you have journeys where the engine will reach 100c.

Toyota's are noted for sludge issues, and they don't run variable cycles

How many of these 2.0 tfsi failures are on cars incorrectly using a variable regime when they should be fixed typically through ignorance or consciously to save money? Maintained by VAG or indies?

I thought the positions of the oil sensors would detect sludge as well as poor quality due to sooting and trigger the service message at any point between 10k/1yr and the maximum limit of 18500/2yrs?

I cannot quote numbers for you sorry,just reading on the interweb Some manufacturers you dont get a choice of which service regime you get,It's just long life.It's just my 2c really,i would not touch "long life" on a car if i was going to keep it for a long time ( Out of warranty ).

[Ootohere]

The thing about only having Variable Servicing only where the Oil Temperature will reach 100*oC is just pure wrong.

 

There are many drivers that do 500 miles a week, have the car on Variable Servicing  & the engine will never have the oil above 92*oC, or seldom, say when occasionally booting it, or in hot weather with a load, and booting it.

 

If you do mileage annually that averages out at over 30-50 miles a day, then its maybe going to be worth having Variable Servicing,

rather than 2 Oil & Filter changes a year, if the engine is suited to Variable Servicing ie Oil & Filter Change Servicing.

& 50 mile a day average is unlikely to be seeing the oil at 100*oC or above.

(If you do high annual mileage you might want the car Serviced, inspected, checked what ever you want to call it, more than once a year,

But thats Servicing, not just changing the Oil and Filter.)

 

george

[gadgetman]

I cannot quote numbers for you sorry,just reading on the interweb Some manufacturers you dont get a choice of which service regime you get,It's just long life.It's just my 2c really,i would not touch "long life" on a car if i was going to keep it for a long time ( Out of warranty ).

You'll only find issues searching the net.

Search for *company name* issues and you'll get exactly what you're looking for.

Which manufacturers force longlife servicing on their customers? Most still stick to the 10k/1yr limit.

I ran my Octavia from new on variable, and traded it in at 6.5 years and 80k with zero issues on the engine.

A number of others have run cars with similar ages and miles, along with thousands or millions of others globally.

I bet there were similar horror stories /mindsets when intervals went from 3k to 10k.

[Ootohere]

http://volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes

Skoda do also publish this info, but it would be helpful to customers if the Service Reception Staff understood & explained to customers,

rather than telling them that Variable Servicing/Oil changes are not available to them when it can and may be.

If not suitable with the Skoda Engine being asked about then fine, but when that engine has already been in VW's and is already deemed suitable & ready for Variable Servicing oil changes, then that is taking the Pith really IMO.

[PulsarET]

BMW/mini .

[PulsarET]

I don't want to start a internet/forum fight over service schedules, you will never sell me the idea of long life servicing in a million years, and I've been in the trade for 15 years (Bikes). Its just my personal choice of what a know and have seen. I'm out

[gadgetman]

BMW/mini .

That's odd as sister in laws 1.6 mini (not sure which but know she had the chilli pack) was on annual intervals.