Switching from LongLife Servicing to Fixed

[Yohan]

Hi there,

 

My car is currently on a LongLife service plan.

 

I was wondering what's involved in switching to fixed?

 

Is it as simple as changing the oil and filter and adjusting the SRI in Vag-Com?

 

Cheers

[SuperbTWM]

I think if you reset the service counter yourself it will automatically go onto the fixed service of 10K/ 1 year

[silver1011]

Yep, if you reset the service indicator yourself (by following the instructions in the manual) it will revert to fixed intervals.

 

To go back to variable requires dealer software or someone with VCDS.

[Yohan]

Thanks guys.

 

I have VCDS but will just follow the method in the manual like a muggle

[Tech1e]

What car do you have?

[Yohan]

What car do you have?

 

2010 Mk2 vRS TDI

[0ctavist]

Fixed short interval and a thicker oil is much better instead of the thin Longlife oil and a long interval

[philbes]

Fixed short interval and a thicker oil is much better instead of the thin Longlife oil and a long interval

With the 2.0CR diesel same oil is used for fixed and variable interval servicing?

My car is almost due for a service and I am also considering the switch from variable to fixed as my mileage has dropped from 14K per year to less than 9K.

Edited 18 February, 2016 by philbes

[m0bov]

Same oil is used regardless at my dealer, they only seem to have the longfile in the barrel.

[Such]

I switched to fixed servicing every 6 months when car was 3 years old. i do around 25k yearly. I buy the oil quantum 5w30 and oil filter from cardiff audi on ebay, for around £26 and pay TMC in Canterbury for labour.

 

The last service I had last week was a "major" (79K) where the oil, filter, fuel filter and front pads were replaced. I changed the air and pollen filters myself. They also removed the wheels and checked/deglazed brakes etc, and had a good examination of the underneath, prior to my MOT today - Passed no advisories.

 

Total labour cost was £90.

 

I usually have an oil and filter change in between the yearly Major service, and a good visual check.

[silver1011]

If the car has a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) then the same oil is used regardless of which type of service it is in for.

 

Still, some dealers like to justify their higher servicing pricing because "we use the 'longlife oil sir".

 

Yeah, cheers mate.

[planehazza]

I don't understand the whole fixed or long life servicing.  I just take mine along every 12 months and have it serviced at my local independent.  I usually only do about 6k a year.

[Yohan]

I normally do my cars every 8,000 miles. Will be doing that with my Octy now as well.

[philbes]

I believe that fixed interval servicing is recommended by Skoda if annual mileage is less than 10K.

[RobM]

I don't understand the whole fixed or long life servicing. I just take mine along every 12 months and have it serviced at my local independent. I usually only do about 6k a year.

IMO fixed life servicing is a safe choice for cars that cover very high and very low annual mileage. Those in between are well suited to long life these days.

Very low mileage cars can suffer in the long run, unless the miles it does cover is always longer / extended journeys. If it's mostly short journeys I think it's wise to have the oil changed regularly.

[silver1011]

Regardless of mileage, fresh oil once a year makes sense.

 

It is the lifeblood of the engine and turbo.

 

5 litres of genuine Quantum VW 507.00 can be had online for £19 delivered to your door. A Pela pump is £40 and an oil filter a fiver.

 

It just doesn't make sense to run the same oil for 2 years or 20,000 miles. I'm sure engine oil has come on leaps and bounds over the years but when it has been sat in the sump over night in -5 temperatures then I'm pretty sure fresher lower viscosity oil will be easier to pump around and therefore offer more protection during those first 30 seconds when the most engine wear occurs.

 

I cover 30,000 miles a year and still change it about every 10K.

 

£25 and 45 minutes of my time every 4 months is no bother for me.

[roaddetective]

Regardless of mileage, fresh oil once a year makes sense.

 

It is the lifeblood of the engine and turbo.

 

5 litres of genuine Quantum VW 507.00 can be had online for £19 delivered to your door. A Pela pump is £40 and an oil filter a fiver.

 

It just doesn't make sense to run the same oil for 2 years or 20,000 miles. I'm sure engine oil has come on leaps and bounds over the years but when it has been sat in the sump over night in -5 temperatures then I'm pretty sure fresher lower viscosity oil will be easier to pump around and therefore offer more protection during those first 30 seconds when the most engine wear occurs.

 

I cover 30,000 miles a year and still change it about every 10K.

 

£25 and 45 minutes of my time every 4 months is no bother for me.

Totally agree with silver1011. I do 22k miles a year and change my oil and filter every 6k miles. Maybe a bit too often, but better too often than not often enough. Can't understand anyone who leaves the same oil in an engine for 20k miles. I don't care what some manufactures state!

[phil5556]

We have 3 vag vehicles (one each and a camper van) and all can do variable intervals but I always do them every 10k / every year. (Although the van is overdue because the weather is so shocking!)

[silver1011]

Walking to the local shop in the village the other morning, all the cars down the road were heavily iced over.

 

I could see in the distance a bloke scraping the ice off the windscreen of his 14 plate Volvo XC60. As I got closer I could hear that the engine wasn't running.

 

After finishing the scraping he disappeared back up the drive and came back with his golf clubs, chucked them in the boot, jumped in the drivers seat and started the engine.

 

The starter motor had barely finished turning before he was in 1st and accelerating away. He wasn't thrashing it but it sounded to me like he was up to at least 2.5 / 3K RPM in first and second.

 

Made me shudder.

[roaddetective]

Company car so maybe did not give a flip. Could have been just ignorant I suppose! It's like me jumping out of bed and running as fast as I can straight away without stretching. Even worse for me, I am getting old, I need a good warm up just for my jog lol.

[studmuffin]

I do 18k a year in my PD vrs...

Full service every 12 months...

Oil and filter at 6 months and 9k...

Nooo way I'm leaving oil in for 2 years !

[planehazza]

IMO fixed life servicing is a safe choice for cars that cover very high and very low annual mileage. Those in between are well suited to long life these days.

Very low mileage cars can suffer in the long run, unless the miles it does cover is always longer / extended journeys. If it's mostly short journeys I think it's wise to have the oil changed regularly.

 

Makes sense. I never really go off the minor/major guide now.  I just say I want X and Y done and make sure the oil is changed etc every year.  

[Stoofa]

Fixed short interval and a thicker oil is much better instead of the thin Longlife oil and a long interval

I'm sorry - based on what exactly?

Gut feeling?

VW don't just make up some arbitrary figures for longlife services - there has been plenty of research completed which will show safe times to leave lubricants in a vehicle.

We aren't in the 1960's any more, we're in a world where lubricants are manufactured to precise technical specifications leaving no room for mistakes, errors and problems.

If the synthetic oils available were not suitable and safe for up to 20,000 miles then the manufacturer would not be recommending that they can be used for that amount of time.

A manufacturer isn't going to send you off the forecourt in your new car, and then 15,000 miles later welcome you back with your shot engine because really, that oil should have been changed at 10,000 miles but they were "risking it" and playing the laws of averages.

[skomaz]

I believe that fixed interval servicing is recommended by Skoda if annual mileage is less than 10K.

 

Probably so they get to see you and charge you for an oil change once a year...   nothing more   ;-)

[Anddenton]

I'm sorry - based on what exactly?

Gut feeling?

VW don't just make up some arbitrary figures for longlife services - there has been plenty of research completed which will show safe times to leave lubricants in a vehicle.

We aren't in the 1960's any more, we're in a world where lubricants are manufactured to precise technical specifications leaving no room for mistakes, errors and problems.

If the synthetic oils available were not suitable and safe for up to 20,000 miles then the manufacturer would not be recommending that they can be used for that amount of time.

A manufacturer isn't going to send you off the forecourt in your new car, and then 15,000 miles later welcome you back with your shot engine because really, that oil should have been changed at 10,000 miles but they were "risking it" and playing the laws of averages.

Ahh but the typical life expectancy of a car these days is 100k miles, if after this the engine or turbo is excessively worn who cares? Well me actually as I run my cars longer than that