I've just bought a year old diesel fabia with the 105 PS engine, as the car is due a service prior to me collecting it, and I do high mileage 20-25k pa, I've requested the service interval be set to variable for me.

For the diesel does this make any difference to how the car will be serviced? e.g. different spec. of oil.

 

Are there any issues with me going for this service interval rather than fixed or have I made a sensible choice?

 

Also, what proof can I get of service history either in the past or the service I'm about to get? Seems it is all stored centrally.

 

Comments appreciated.

 

LC

The Service Desk Employee can just print off the service record.

 

If Variable suits you then as well to go with that and you can get your Service including Oil & Filter done every 18,000 miles / 10 months or so.

Be sure if you want this that they do not have you in for Oil & Filter and then show it needing a service just a couple of months later.

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

Edited 22 September, 20169 yr by Offski

I was just to post on this thread to say that I don't run a diesel car, but variable servicing does probably suit you with that sort of annual mileage, as far as I know, for a few years now VAG dealers will use the LL oils for both types of servicing.

At that mileage I'd say for sure use variable servicing; just take note that you need to use a full synthetic oil if you need to top up between services.

You need to use Full Synthetic of the correct spec to top up even if on Fixed Servicing with the engines in Mk3 Fabia.

But you need the Correct Spec Full Synthetic & Long Life Oil if on Variable Servicing.

I may well be in a minority of one here as I have a different view.  I'd choose fixed servicing. Maybe its an age thing but here is my rationale.

 

I did 25k to 30k per annum for about 10 years and around 20K per annum for the last 20 years, in my own cars (which usually did about 140k+ before I sold them). When doing those sort of mileages good  reliability was important to me, I liked the 'peace of mind' that comes from knowing that my car was being looked at every 5 months and things could be fixed  before they became a problem. Over that 30 year period travelling over 500,000 in 5 different cars I suffered only one breakdown when an auto gearbox failed at 142K - regular servicing pays in the long run.

 

How long do you intend to keep your Fabia?

Regular servicing certainly does.

Sadly the Main dealership regime is mainly Oil & Filter changes and you pays you money and give up an hour every 10,000 miles if it suits to pay good money for old rope.

Minor services being expensive and major ones a ridiculous joke.

Wheels off servicing is worth its weight when you get that, so maybe an independent is best for that getting done.

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

I've kept cars for around four years although I'd prefer five, but I get itchy feet for a change.  Current car is a fiat diesel with the multijet engine, service intervals of about 22k seemed to be too far apart, hence I had an additional oil & filter done midway, but this then seemed to confuse the dealer when to reset the oil condition counters.

 

When I pick up the Skoda, how can I verify it's been switched to variable interval?  If I drill down into the menus, will it either state 'days to next service' for fixed or 'miles to next service' for variable?

 

LC

I do not know how the service displayed info will be for variable servicing, though wife's Polo is on fixed servicing from factory it seems!  As time goes on, if it I remember correctly, with a variable servicing setup, normally the miles/days to next service normally get altered away from decrementing as per the miles run/days passed since last checking it - unless you have used it "bang on" in a way that translates to ending up the same as fixed servicing, though I'd doubt if any does that, from my past experience of using a variable servicing car for longish journeys only on mainly open roads, the mileage at a service due was 18K and days were 2 years.

 

The current servicing concept that keeps the wheels on, is a bit annoying, I seem to remember getting my daughter's 2009 Ibiza back from its major service with the advice to book it back in to get the rear brakes cleaned out!!  My plan had been to keep the service record intact while I was looking after the car, but that ended up being my last main dealer service for that car as paying for an annual service - then needing to do a lot of service work yourself just did not float my boat.

In general I agree with Thamestrader But here is food for thought. My wife has a 17 year old Toyota Yaris and much to my shame it has never had a professional service and rarely any sort of service ( went 3 years without an oil change ) Has had 1 exhaust 1 battery and 2 sets brake pads. Has done 130000 + miles and has never broken down. Cost to buy was £7000 now about worthless. If we had regular service it would have cost at least £200 x by 17 = £3400  and value now about worthless. OK I realise that modern turbocharged small engines are very much dependent on fresh high spec oils but beyond that car servicing has not really changed much. 

If buying Used or even New just tell the Salesperson what Servicing Schedule you want on the car, Fixed or Fexable / variable.

Maybe also tell them what tyre pressures you want.

 

Then the Fully Qualified Technician doing the Pre-Sales Check and Service if it gets one can have the car as you want at hand over.

Or the Fitter can....