Hi Folks,

Made a balls of my post!

Anyway, I've ordered a new VRS Kombi 2.0tdi manual and I am wondering can I specify fixed servicing instead of variable from the outset?

I do between 25-30k miles a year and I am of the view to keep a Diesel engine in good shape over the longer term you should be changing the oil every 10k miles.

I would appreciate any views / comments on this.

Cheers,

JP

Enjoy your new car.

I take it you will not be buying a service plan, and time is money so Variable / Flexible Servicing would suit.

 

Less often taking your car for a Oil & Filter Change.

But if you are near a dealer, get a courtesy car, then many have Fixed servicing and have it in every 10,000 miles.

May be a stupid question, but how do you know if you're on a Variable or Fixed servicing programme? I picked up the 3 years for £149.99, but don't remember reading or being told which it was.

Could you look at the cars service indicator and see when it shows a Oil Service as required, Miles / Days ?

Hi Folks,

Made a balls of my post!

Anyway, I've ordered a new VRS Kombi 2.0tdi manual and I am wondering can I specify fixed servicing instead of variable from the outset?

I do between 25-30k miles a year and I am of the view to keep a Diesel engine in good shape over the longer term you should be changing the oil every 10k miles.

I would appreciate any views / comments on this.

Cheers,

JP

Exactly what I do - 20k pa and on fixed as oil quality is crucial to the longevity of the turbo in my experience.

 

Just ask the dealer to put it on fixed intervals.

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty/oily do oil change/filter yourself.

Doesn't really matter then whether on fixed or variable service..(only my opinion)

 

I did read somewhere on this site, different grades of engine oil is used if on variable servicing, compared to fixed servicing.

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty/oily do oil change/filter yourself.

Doesn't really matter then whether on fixed or variable service..(only my opinion)

 

I did read somewhere on this site, different grades of engine oil is used if on variable servicing, compared to fixed servicing.

On a diesel it is the same oil for both fixed and variable.

 

Having had 2 replacement turbos on my O2 that did 180k on variable servicing all the way, I would never use variable again if keeping the car once the warranty expires. The turbo rebuild specialist said that the main reason for failure was degraded oil quality on cars that are on variable servicing and do a lot of motorway mileage.

Thanks folks,

I will be asking the Dealer on Monday. I see in the service package details that it only includes 3 services. (Here in Ireland)

Have serviced all my previous cars myself as I have a pit in my garage, makes it really easy. Agreed that I will get it changed to fixed servicing for the sake of the turbo, the turbo in my my 1.9tdi Passat needed replacing and in my better halfs golf 1.9tdi also. The guys that replaced them said the same that the variable servicing doesn't help.

If that is the same service package as in the UK it is for 3 services on fixed intervals.

A lot of people won't let their car go more than 5 or 6K on one lot of oil of any grade.

I can't blame them really.

When I was able to get under a car, a good few years back,  I'd often do an oil/filter change between annual services.

Could you look at the cars service indicator and see when it shows a Oil Service as required, Miles / Days ?

I'll search it out and check, cheers.

May be a stupid question, but how do you know if you're on a Variable or Fixed servicing programme? I picked up the 3 years for £149.99, but don't remember reading or being told which it was.

With your vehicle you should have received a Service Schedule booklet. The inside cover lists all the codes for the vehicle. One states what the original service interval was/is, the Q code, Q1, Q2, Q3. Q4 and Q16. Traverse through the booklet to the Service Intervals pages and there it tells you all you need to know about what yours is on.

Edited 14 June, 201511 yr by DonjSZ5

With your vehicle you should have received a Service Schedule booklet. The inside cover lists all the codes for the vehicle. One states what the original service interval was/is, the Q code, Q1, Q2, Q3. Q4 and Q16. Traverse through the booklet to the Service Intervals pages and there it tells you all you need to know about what yours is on.

Bingo, thanks. Flexible it is - Q16.

Bingo, thanks. Flexible it is - Q16.

Very good, but hold your horses. My Yeti is Flexible according to the SS (Q16) BUT when I went into the Maxidot data, the oil service was set to Fixed while the service was set to Flexible. I had the oil service reset to match the service. I hope you get this OK. BUT while my Yeti IS set to Flexible I am still going to do a 1 yearly oil change myself.

I've ordered my petrol car through an online supplier. I haven't been asked what sort of servicing I would like, so I assume it will probably come with variable servicing? Should I try to get it switched to fixed servicing, either before or after delivery, or just wait a year and get it serviced then anyway? I've always managed to get my car serviced every 12.5k/year in the past without needing my car to tell me when - is there any other reason the setting on the car needs changing other than for the reminders?

Very good, but hold your horses. My Yeti is Flexible according to the SS (Q16) BUT when I went into the Maxidot data, the oil service was set to Fixed while the service was set to Flexible. I had the oil service reset to match the service. I hope you get this OK. BUT while my Yeti IS set to Flexible I am still going to do a 1 yearly oil change myself.

Ah ok. So the SS states Q16, therefore Flexible.

The car states under Service that an Inspection is due in 19500 miles/683 days & Oil change in 9000 miles or 348 days.

As I do lots of very short journeys, I believe I'd need a Fixed plan so there does seem to be a mis-match, i.e. Car is stating Fixed and the SS a Flexible.

May have to call the dealership to query/confirm.

we cover 10k per year so I am leaving ours on Flexible with me doing an interim oil change between. I always monitor what is going on elsewhere on the vehicle and in reality there is not much else that cannot wait the additional 10k. The brakes should be good and don't take much to check out. It being a petrol what else is there...plugs, air and pollen filters, which can all be inspected by me.

They all leave the factory as flexible, hence the code in the service book. Some dealers switch them to fixed at PDI, some don't.

Some switch them even when being specifically asked that the car be on variable and when asked to change it back, state that it can only be done when the service light comes on. Grrrrr

 

Steve

Maybe we should have a poll...what is your Q number.

Can anyone suggest a problem with going on long-interval servicing but with interim oil changes?

Assuming no service plan etc.

Can anyone suggest a problem with going on long-interval servicing but with interim oil changes?

Assuming no service plan etc.

For those with timing chains (1.2Tsi, 1.8Tsi not sure about the new 1.4Tsi maybe), regular, interim, oil changes are recommended.

Maybe we should have a poll...what is your Q number.

You're missing the point... in the UK every car is Q16 when it leaves the factory so every service book will show this. Every car will also come from the factory with the long life oil.

 

However, what your car is actually on depends on what the dealer did during the PDI... they won't then change the sticker in the service book or the one in the boot of the car (or wherever it is located now).

 

If you have maxidot that is how you find out what you are on...if it shows a oil service in approx. 12 months (or 9400 miles)  followed by an Inspection service in approx. 24 months (or 18800 miles) then you are on fixed. If both oil service and inspection are set for around the same date (i.e. 2yrs or approx. 18000 miles ) then you are on flexible.

You're missing the point... in the UK every car is Q16 when it leaves the factory so every service book will show this. Every car will also come from the factory with the long life oil.

 

However, what your car is actually on depends on what the dealer did during the PDI... they won't then change the sticker in the service book or the one in the boot of the car (or wherever it is located now).

 

If you have maxidot that is how you find out what you are on...if it shows a oil service in approx. 12 months (or 9400 miles)  followed by an Inspection service in approx. 24 months (or 18800 miles) then you are on fixed. If both oil service and inspection are set for around the same date (i.e. 2yrs or approx. 18000 miles ) then you are on flexible.

No, I am asking what peoples documents say.

 

You are either telepathic or work for Skoda.

Edited 15 June, 201511 yr by DonjSZ5

No, I am asking what peoples documents say.

 

You are either telepathic or work for Skoda.

Which documents? Every service book will show as it came from the factory i.e. Q16??