Hello Everyone,

 

I'm looking for some advice regarding servicing.  We are hoping to collect our new Octavia Estate 1.6 TDI next week and had been intending to sign up for the fixed price service plan as well.  The dealer has informed us that the service plan can only be had if we go on a fixed service schedule of 12 months or 10k whichever comes sooner and is not compatible with variable servicing.  We will be doing 15000 miles a year so don't want to be servicing after 9 months or so.  Any advice on whether the dealer info is correct and what we are best to do?  

 

Thanks,

 

Ben 

Why not? I do. Why wouldn't you want the car serviced at 10k miles. I'm still at a loss as to why private owners want to run huge distances/time periods between oil changes/servicing.

Why not? I do. Why wouldn't you want the car serviced at 10k miles. I'm still at a loss as to why private owners want to run huge distances/time periods between oil changes/servicing.

 

Conversely why wouldn't they???   I've had no problems to date in 9 years of variable on a 2007 MkII...

I only do 5000 miles per year but have free servicing up to 3 years old. So I do like fresh oil each year (plus the other checks they do of course.)

15000 miles I'd probably go variable servicing.

You'd be serviced approx every year instead of 9 months.

Just make sure you check oil and coolant every month or so. Its not uncommon for oil to need topping up between services.

Dont leave it until the oil light comes on like some idiots.

I only do 5000 miles per year but have free servicing up to 3 years old. So I do like fresh oil each year (plus the other checks they do of course.)

I'll be willing to bet almost none of the "checks" are actually carried out at a main dealer.

I'll be willing to bet almost none of the "checks" are actually carried out at a main dealer.

Possibly so but West Sussex Motors (or Euro Skoda or JCB or whatever they call themselves now) are pretty good, and during the service day they kept the car for quite a long time, much more than needed for an oil change and pollen filter. 

The service plan Skoda offer on used cars is only for vehicles setup on fixed (10k or 1 year) servicing

I always opt for fixed. The service manager at Clarion Cars (specialist dealer, not main dealer) once told me that when he emptied long mileage variable service cars' oil it looked more like something indescribable that had emerged from some long dead animal............

I'd a turbo failure under variable interval servicing at around 30,000 miles iirc. Under warranty though. My PDI got through maybe 2l of oil as top ups in the roughly 14 monthly, 18,000 mile service intervals. As discussed elsewhere , diesel oil looks black as soon as you get the car home.

My mileage is now much less and I have opted to purchase the three year annual service plan.

Edited 16 November, 20169 yr by gregoir

With your mileage I'd go variable. The MK3 I bought covered 15k in 3 years and was on fixed - sensible given the short trips and low mileage it covered. However, I cover 15-16k, with a minimum of 300 motorway miles per week, so I asked for it to be switched to variable. My previous MK2 FL TSI was on fixed, and it was a pain because I serviced in April and it needed another by October. The dealer confirmed they use the same longlife spec oil regardless, so even on fixed, your oil is technically good enough for more than 10k.

 

The internet is full of opinions on longlife servicing from all walks of life and professions, however I haven't seen anything conclusive that categorically demonstrates a clear issue with longlife intervals vs fixed, or damage/faults that could have definitely been prevented by shorter intervals. Everything negative on longlife appears to be anecdotal from their mechanic mate, or because they read it elsewhere on the internet. I'm not doubting that 10k old oil is going to be better than 15k oil, but then why stop at 10k, because 5k old oil would be better than 10k, 3k oil better than 5k etc. It all boils down to whether it's actually necessary. The manufacturers have no doubt spent millions of pounds in R & D on engineering and tech, so I'm more inclined to take their word for it personally. Just my 2p worth.

As my servicing is free, for the moment, I might as well take all they have to offer.

It's like if somebody offered me a choice of 3 (good) free meals out a week, or 6 (good) free meals out a week, I'd gratefully accept the latter!