I've just had a  minor service (oil/filter change etc)  on a Sept 2014, 1.4 TSI DSG Petrol  Octavia III,  55000 miles. 

The Skoda dealer invoice states "Qty 9 litres Quantum L/L3  5W30 oil was used" 

Is it usual to use manufacturer's part numbers instead of Skoda/VW specification numbers? I haven't got a clue as to whether this is "fixed 10,000 mile/1 Year service oil" or "Long life, variable service oil" 

I wanted a change from Fixed to Variable service  but was told that "Variable service uses an Oil that  can be monitored by the ECU to determine how  well it was doing." Do  they therefore have special chemicals in the oil to react with the engines sensors? 

Regards Retiredbri

No special chemicals, just Long Life Oil, and the Service Indicator at Variable, and the sensors that the engines have.

Quantum 5w 30 FS L  L3 is Long Life oil.   Full Synthetic Long Life.

 

But 9 litres of Oil?

   What did they do with the oil not in your engine, did they give you it in a container?

How much per litre did it show as, and what was the total then VAT?

 

They use Long Life Oil,  VW 504/507 so 5w 30 Full Synthetic Long Life,  for Variable and Flexible Servicing.  Maybe even VW508 /509 now.

Also for Fixed Servicing.

Then set the Service Indicator to which ever.

 

Fixed Serviving 9,400 miles / 372 day , or Variable / Flexible.

 

For Fixed Servicing VW 502 can be used so 5w 40 Full Synthetic can be used.   Can not be used for Variable, ie over 10,000 miles.

http://skoda.co.uk/finance-and-offers/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed 

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

 

 

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by Offski

Normally takes about 5 litres of oil so check what you were charged.

5 Litres is overfilled.

9 litres enough for 2 engines and a spare litre in the boot of one car...

Thanks for the reply. The invoice just says  "9" that I assumed was litres. The price, including VAT is £3.60 per unit, total = £32.40.

If they used Long life oil, then is the change from "Fixed" to "Variable" something they can do by a quick connection to their computer? 

Something strange there - £32.40 for 9 ltrs of fully synthetic is stupidly cheap!

Should maybe read 3.6 units (litre)  ' @ what ever price,  £**,** plus VAT'.

14 minutes ago, retiredbri said:

Thanks for the reply. The invoice just says  "9" that I assumed was litres. The price, including VAT is £3.60 per unit, total = £32.40.

If they used Long life oil, then is the change from "Fixed" to "Variable" something they can do by a quick connection to their computer? 

Yes. Or you can do it with VCDS.

17 minutes ago, retiredbri said:

Thanks for the reply. The invoice just says  "9" that I assumed was litres. The price, including VAT is £3.60 per unit, total = £32.40.

If they used Long life oil, then is the change from "Fixed" to "Variable" something they can do by a quick connection to their computer? 

 

Will it not be 9 500ml measures? They pretend they buy little plastic bottles to fill your car up to justify the ridiculous price, when in fact I bet it comes from a big drum. 

 

I believe changing from fixed to variable is very easy for the dealer.  Have they done it?

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by juan27

It looks like it's the garage's way of dispensing "500ml" units at £3.60 per unit.

Thanks for the replies about the  VCDS. I'll fix a visit and ask them to change it to Variable.  I do 14,000 miles a year, mainly on long journeys and never less than 50 miles a day on local journeys. The "Fixed" service interval was a leftover from when I had  "free servicing for 30,000 miles" as part of the the original purchase deal. 

 

Regards  retiredbri

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by retiredbri
typo

As you suggest, the variable is probably best for you.

The car will anyway ask for an inspection service every 12 months so the change to variable will allow you to do the extra 2000miles before having to take it in for service instead of going back after 11 months when you hit the 12,000mile limit.

 

 

Maybe just an old school 9 pints?

It is the UK after all

 

The fact that they supply it from a big drum is irrelevant... They charge you per litre at a certain price per litre. Does sound like they charged by half later here but that may be due to supplying say, 3.5 l per vehicle so it rounds up nicely. They will still have a fixed price, just like a shop purchasing ice creams, say If they buy a box of 100 for £50 and sell them singularly, for £1 each, they make money. If they bought a thousand for £400 and sold them for a pound each, they make a bigger profit, over a longer time. They are not in any way conning you. This is what garages do. Buy a drum at a lower cost per litre and sell it on over a longer time.. I think they have just listed the amount of units so yeah, 9 units. if you had an air filter it would say 1 (Unit), sometimes listed as pieces stuck or stock...

 

Part number or description, quantity, price per unit, total. Then the dreaded VAT. All perfectly normal invoicing.

retiredbri,  You say in the OP you wanted it changed from Fixed to Variable, did you ask for that when handing over your keys and signing the worksheet?  Or just assume that it would show differently on the Service Indicator?

 

Look at the service indicator, did they put it to 9,400 miles / 372 days, or did they put it to Variable,   24 months, 18,000 - 20,000 miles,  Maybe baby!

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by Offski

 

5 minutes ago, Gabbo said:

The car will anyway ask for an inspection service every 12 months

 

Are you saying that you can't stop it giving you a message at 12 months? What happens if you ignore it (since I know it has the correct long life oil)?  Does it leave a "flag" in the ECU to say this is a Bad Driver? 

 

3 minutes ago, Offski said:

Look at the service indicator

 

Where is the service indicator? 

You can view the time to service in the Entertainment screen menu:

something like Menu->Settings->Service Indicators & then it shows you two lines.

One for "Oil Change in xxxDays or 30,000km"

Another for "Inspection in 365Days or 30,000km"

 

Variable service is intended to help fleet customers/taxis/etc who do a lot of miles.

With the fixed system, to keep the warrenty, they needed to service the car e.g. 3 times a year.

With the variable they can drive 30,000km before the service so perhaps 1 service every 9-12 months.

 

For the normal driver, you will still go back every 12 months or 30,000km.

 

Skoda can see how many days after the service request the vehicle has been driven buts its only useful if the car is in warrenty.

Afterwards its up to you when you have the service done as you will be the one paying for anything broken anyway.

However, Im pretty sure there is a manual process to reset the service counter.

A service oil amount is usually 5 litres and the fully drained amount is 6 litres.

For the 1.4TSI this member has that posted the OP is it not actually 4 litres Service Fill and 4.5 litres Dry Fill?

So 6 litres would be overfilled!

Drain off or suction off engine oil.doc

1 hour ago, Gabbo said:

With the fixed system, to keep the warrenty, they needed to service the car e.g. 3 times a year

 

 

Three times a year    I don't think so !

Regarding fixed or variable servicing - I am on fixed - but I'm still having the oil changed at six monthly intervals whatever the servicing regime says. This car is a keeper and I want to keep it sweet. My dealer, Meaden's of Brockenhurst, used 4.3 litres of Castrol Edge Pro plus oil filter and a washer for £110 not too bad I thought.

 

 

1 hour ago, YMe said:

Regarding fixed or variable servicing - I am on fixed - but I'm still having the oil changed at six monthly intervals whatever the servicing regime says. This car is a keeper and I want to keep it sweet. My dealer, Meaden's of Brockenhurst, used 4.3 litres of Castrol Edge Pro plus oil filter and a washer for £110 not too bad I thought.

 

 

I'm sure the dealers happy  that you service twice a year.

But I agree with you. Regular oil changes will help.

On my friends fiesta we service it ever 6 months too. But we do it outside his house as its only an oil change and filter. Then it gets its yearly stealership stamp to keep its service history.

 

Fixed to variable       Is that even possible?

 

The car came set as variable from the factory and can be changed to 'fixed' intervals at any time. But it's my understanding that with any VW group vehicle, once that change has been made there's no going back.

Edited 13 June, 20188 yr by Guest

7 hours ago, Offski said:

Look at the service indicator, did they put it to 9,400 miles / 372 days, or did they put it to Variable,   24 months, 18,000 - 20,000 miles

 

It says 9,400 miles so because he has used long-life oil, tomorrow I will call the dealer to see if he will change it to Variable servicing. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Retiredbri

5 hours ago, Gabbo said:

Variable service is intended to help fleet customers/taxis/etc who do a lot of miles.

With the fixed system, to keep the warrenty, they needed to service the car e.g. 3 times a year.

With the variable they can drive 30,000km before the service so perhaps 1 service every 9-12 months.

 

Taxi's are subjected to the harshest possible environment for an engine - lot's of short journeys and lots of stop/start driving. The car should be serviced MORE than normal, not less as components are subject to excessive wear and tear.