Hello,

 

Looks like I have a last minute business trip to France/Belgium and do not have time to do my service prior to its due mileage (in 300 miles as per computer).

 

If I do the biz trip and come back, I should have done 1,200 miles or so too much over 7 days. The overall mileage would less than 21k miles since the last service.

 

Would you say it is safe to go over ?

 

Thanks

 

Better before setting off to find 30 minutes to go to someplace you can trust and have the Oil & Filter changed which is the main part of the servicing.

Wash / Vacuum, checking fluids and look see and report can wait.

Honestly i cannot see an extra 1,200 miles causing any bother but I'm not a big fan of oil changes every 20k. Far too long for me imho. But i suppose vag know more than me!!

It will be fine. Just check the usual oil and levels before you go, like you would before any long trip.

If you plan to keep the car long term, then dont do it.

I used to be an advocate of long variable interval servicing, until I tried running 2 cars (both 1.2 tsi) on that regime. Now Im much wiser after the fact, when the service warning comes on the oil is at its limit, completely saturated and diluted with chemicals, acid, soot, lacquers, fuel etc etc. No more reserve is left and wear will be rapid.

When you change the oil after one of these intervals, just check the oil after five thousand miles and I think youll find it very dirty, cleaning up all the garbage that the previous oil couldnt handle.

Its a kiss of death for camchain engines, yours fortunately is a cambelt diesel.

Btw, the max interval on variable servicing is 18600 miles (30000km), go 1000km over the service warning and you can kiss goodbye to engine warranty or goodwill.

Edited 14 September, 20169 yr by xman

Any chance of getting it serviced whilst on your business trip?

I was based in Gibraltar for 30 months and would get work carried out whilst travelling around Spain on leave. Never had any issues.

Give skoda a ring I'm sure they have a grace milage/time period although may be 1000 miles 1 month

Not on variable / flexible servicing do they when taking beyond .

 

Does the car have a valid Warranty with Skoda or Anyone else?

If not then it is just a owners choice if they stick to Service Schedule Regimes or Guidelines.

 

The issue is the crapness of Castrol Long LIfe Oils.  But that is just a personal opinion. 

 

Quickfit (Kwikfit) and others might be not to be trusted, but you can watch them get a new sump plug, drain the oil, remove the oil filter, replace & 

Fit sump plug and refill.  & then you can check the level yourself.

 

2nd thoughts,

just go over the mileage with what is in now, it is safer probably.

Edited 15 September, 20169 yr by GoneOffSKi

I would at least get the oil and filter changed. I change mine every 5000 miles to keep oilways etc relatively clean.

It will probably be OK but if it was me I would change them before a journey like that.

I agree to those that said that even 20k miles is way too much...

I wince at 18k miles, 20k miles is a lot especially when the oil is at it's absolute usage limit as well. Someone else suggested just getting an oil and filter done at a local garage would be well worthwhile. Just make sure your happy with the oil (and oil filter) they use or supply your own.

 

For me it is 10k miles max between changes, usually, 6-8k miles.

 

No one can tell you exactly what will happen with total certainty during, or after that extra 1200 miles, but it is not a good course of action in my book.  I would be looking to reduce the interval and reduce the risk rather than extend it.

Edited 15 September, 20169 yr by TheClient

I checked and mine did just over 21k between the services this time.

I expect there are many many cars out there who exceed the interval slightly and are absolutely fine. Long life is a popular servicing option.

Obviously getting it serviced before a big trip would be ideal if you could, But as long as you are sensible and check all the levels beforehand then you would be incredibly unlucky for anything to go wrong.

I agree, in as far as I don't think anything will "go wrong" immediately as a consequence if care is taken and fluids checked. And I also agree there will be other vehicles out there that have exceeded interval requirements of 1000 miles or more.

 

For me, it would be a question of what impact on longevity you pay for the extra 1200 mileage, at the limit of the oil. 

Edited 15 September, 20169 yr by TheClient

Look after the oil and the engine will look after you.....common sense really. 21000 miles, diesel or not, if it's your own car and intended for long term use, it's got to be worth changing it ASAP.

Sure, the engine won't die immediately. The results of using old oil might be seen in a longer term.

Don't forget that not only engine is oiled - turbo as well. A service guy once checked my turbo and I talked  to him about these things. He said that long life servicing (30k km or even 45k km!) is the greatest enemy of the turbocharger.

I think that crappy oiled turbo might show some weakness sooner than a bit worn engine.

 

Just to think about:

 

http://jalopnik.com/what-happens-if-you-dont-change-the-oil-in-your-audi-fo-1692660828

 

Edited 15 September, 20169 yr by Jevpls

Hello Guys,

 

Thanks a lot for all the feedback.

I have managed to get it booked for Monday morning before flying abroad and more importantly before the long-ish business road trip on Friday...

 

Based on what has been said, how is the computer deciding when the services are due? Is it a sensor in the oil to check the quality or is it purely done on the daily mileage, stats, etc.?

 

Thanks

Hello Guys,

Based on what has been said, how is the computer deciding when the services are due? Is it a sensor in the oil to check the quality or is it purely done on the daily mileage, stats, etc.?

Thanks

All of the above. Stats include oil temperature profile monitoring, cold starts, elevated temperature, rate of rise of temperature and viscosity. Also speed, acceleration and turbo boost is monitored to assess how much power the engine is being asked to push out.

The oil sensor measures level, temperature, viscosity and "quality" measured by permittivity, which is an electronic measurement used to check the right oil (504/507) is in the sump, hence the advice never to top up more than one litre (iirc) of non 504/507 oil, otherwise the sensor will tell the ecu you have put too much crap oil into the sump. Fuel dilution and other contaminants will affect permittivity also.

Its quite clever, but in my opinion, pushes the envelope too far. The complex algorithm has been developed over many years but is still mainly an opinion of the design engineer. It does not measure oil quality in the sense that a chemical oil analysis in the lab would. Modern synthetic oil rarely degrades (breaks down or oxidises even well beyond 20,000 miles, the problem is contamination from fuel, water, and byproducts of combustion mainly acids, and the exhaustion of additives and detergents in coping with this.

This is why gearbox oil can last a lifetime but engine oil cannot.

Edited 16 September, 20169 yr by xman