The dealer rang me to say my car's first service is due but the infotainment system disagrees, saying it's not due for another 7500 miles or so. The mileage is currently 8000 and I've had the car for 11 months from new.

They were fine with that and said "you must be on variable servicing, no worries, we'll update our system".

 

As I only do 10k per year tops, I kinda think I'd be better off switching to a fixed 12mth/10k routine.

I've done a bit of research on here and believe all Octavias leave the factory on variable - has anyone else switched? I presume it's easy for the dealer to do?

 

I've got the first two services for free which should see me through my ownership of the car whichever scheme I'm on so I'm not concerned about cost, just what's best for the car.

Thanks.

Only you can tell what's best for the car but it's not an issue for Skoda to switch between service regimes.

 

Personally I think the 1st service cost is a money making exercise simply because it's no more than an oil change. ( I keep all my cars on variable ). One of my cars does short distances so what I do is arrange for a oil / filter / sump plug change by 3rd party. ( using VAG parts ). So if you have any two services free then it should save you a packet + give you peace of mind.

 

NB - You say car is coming up for first service?  Are those free services provided by manufacturer or specific to the garage you purchased it from? The reason I ask is that if it's from manufacturer, I'm pretty sure it only applies to cars on the fixed service interval - i.e. only last a max of 2yrs. It typically involves the car's first minor + major service. I seem to remember reading it excludes longlife. ( I could be wrong ).   Certainly worth double checking.

 

 

Edited 16 January, 20206 yr by Guest

I had them swap my car to the fixed servicing. I'm wanting the oil and filter changed every year.

2 hours ago, dan245 said:

I'm not concerned about cost, just what's best for the car

 

Whats best for the car, without a shadow of a doubt, is an oil & filter change every year.......

 

But variable servicing was invented for accountants (and cheapskates!) overseeing fleets that they change regularly. You seem to imply yours is going at 3 years so it is generous, decent and sympathetic of you to be bothered......

Oil and filter should really be changed yearly.

 

Personally I do about 5-6k and am staying on variable though.

 

I'll just change the oil myself every year.  The variable servicing covers the other aspects fine every 2 years, it just needs the oil change more regularly, which is both cheaper and more convenient for me to do myself.  

I think the 2 free servicing offer was on the fixed regime so if so take them and reevaluate your situation after them. If it is 2 services include the variable schedule & you are not looking to keep the car, go for that

2 hours ago, Phil245 said:

 

Whats best for the car, without a shadow of a doubt, is an oil & filter change every year.......

 

But variable servicing was invented for accountants (and cheapskates!) overseeing fleets that they change regularly. You seem to imply yours is going at 3 years so it is generous, decent and sympathetic of you to be bothered......

 

The 2 year servicing is more for your higher mileage drivers. Doing a constant 70mph on the motorway doesn't exactly give the engine a lot to do, as opposed to the constant stop starting of city traffic.

I do close to 20,000 miles per year, so it’s the variable for me. However I still change the oil myself halfway through. So on average 2 oil changes per year, esp important as I tow.

Thanks guys, very helpful.

Given my fairly low mileage and 50/50 motorway/town driving I think I'll get it switched over.

The next question is.

?

Will the Dealership use VW508 / 509 so 0w 20 FS IV  or will they just go with VW504 / 507 so 5w 30 FS III ?

(Both Long Life as they will not be using VW 502  5w 40 FS)

6 hours ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

The next question is.

?

Will the Dealership use VW508 / 509 so 0w 20 FS IV  or will they just go with VW504 / 507 so 5w 30 FS III ?

(Both Long Life as they will not be using VW 502  5w 40 FS)

 

 

As long as it's the manufacturer recommended spec, personally I really couldn't give a toss.

 

Which begs another question ( trying to keep this thread on track ),  if anyone was so concerned about the environment that they insisted on using VW508,  they wouldn't subscribe to fixed intervals. Why throw away what may well be perfectly good engine oil? 

Edited 17 January, 20206 yr by Guest

If they care & own a vRS so the same as a GTI / R or Cupra and not renting it so maybe a keeper, then think about the environment they might as well keep a car for many years.

So do fixed servicing and using VW502 so 5w 40 FS might have a TSI last a lot longer than those using Long Life oil and the VW 508 / 509 that really is about the WLTP test regime and not real world economy or the environment.

 

Use 99 ron fuel as well but not Long Life oil might have that TSI lasting many years. 

http://volkswagen.co.uk/need-help/need-help-faqs/owners/Fuel

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 17 January, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

In case anyone's interested, as expected they've switched it over to fixed servicing fine, and according to the job sheet they used VW508.

I also let them wash the car - which I know causes some people on here to have a panic attack.

 

Good service from Skoda Fareham, I used their wifi to work while I waited and was regularly offered hot drinks.

Lets hope they never 'gathered' your information including 'downloading' your Sat Nav memory and the channels pre-set on the radio for you receiving 'ads' / promotions in the future.

Not that any dealership have ever or would ever do that...

46 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

Lets hope they never 'gathered' your information including 'downloading' your Sat Nav memory and the channels pre-set on the radio for you receiving 'ads' / promotions in the future.

Not that any dealership have ever or would ever do that...

 

Let's all be ridiculously paranoid! 

It is only paranoid if it is a fear of something that will not happen.  Thing is that it does. 

Thou talkest bull**** 

3 hours ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

Lets hope they never 'gathered' your information including 'downloading' your Sat Nav memory and the channels pre-set on the radio for you receiving 'ads' / promotions in the future.

Not that any dealership have ever or would ever do that...

 

Root - do you take some sort of pleasure in searching for problems that don't exist?

 

If any garage were to do that then they'd be in breach of GDPR and could find themselves in serious trouble.

 

PS - just curious but why've you placed the words  gathered, downloading and ads in quotes?  I really struggle to understand some of your replies.

 

Guy asks a question, gets an answer, has a service done which he's happy with. Only you could try and find fault in that.

Edited 24 January, 20206 yr by Guest

@TDIum & @Scot5   'Harvesting'  is a better word, & If you say Bull Sh!t,  then you 2 wise people will be right.

No dealership techs have ever downloaded info from cars showing locations they have been, Customers, Fleet, Lease or Demonstrators.

You need to get out in the wider world i think you lead sheltered lives.

Nobody said it was a problem and yes it is illegal.

 

Now Demonstrators and Courtesy cars, loan cars from Repairers can just have a tracker installed.

Edited 24 January, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

Read a news report on the investigation of the pensioner who was shot by a crossbow while adjusting his sky dish (may have been in Wales).

 

I think they may have had a suspect in mind, the evidence that they gathered which incriminated him and tied him to the crime scene was GPS data automatically sent from the vehicle the accused was driving (his partners I believe)  to Land Rover, I found that quite disturbing.

5 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Read a news report on the investigation of the pensioner who was shot by a crossbow while adjusting his sky dish (may have been in Wales).

 

I think they may have had a suspect in mind, the evidence that they gathered which incriminated him and tied him to the crime scene was GPS data automatically sent from the vehicle the accused was driving (his partners I believe)  to Land Rover, I found that quite disturbing.

Your comment shows the type of world in which we live. You find it disturbing that tracking data was sent to Land Rover. I find it disturbing that somebody was killed by a crossbow bolt. The auto transmission of data if cars, pho es etc is a modern day fact of life  especially with driverless tech developing. If you have nothing to hide what's the issue? If your car is stolen and linked up, like my VW app, then you can track it and set it to alert if driven at certain hours. 

On the Service and using the Wi-Fi i was just thinking back to the gleaning of info 'Some dealership group carried out', which i witnessed.

 

As to Criminal Activities, law breaking the 'gaining information' by the Police is common now.

A dangerous driver that killed someone in Fife had the record of the vehicles driving speeds so his from the weeks before this accident shown in court.

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/shocking-catalogue-of-speeding-of-driver-who-killed-two-women-in-kirkcaldy-1-3593144

 

Everything is getting recorded these days.  

 

Gadgies stealing car Sat Navs use them for all sorts.

 

http://driving.co.uk/news/how-your-cars-gadgets-can-be-used-to-track-your-movements

 

Edited 24 January, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

1 minute ago, Redboy said:

Your comment shows the type of world in which we live. You find it disturbing that tracking data was sent to Land Rover. I find it disturbing that somebody was killed by a crossbow bolt. The auto transmission of data if cars, pho es etc is a modern day fact of life  especially with driverless tech developing. If you have nothing to hide what's the issue? If your car is stolen and linked up, like my VW app, then you can track it and set it to alert if driven at certain hours. 

 

If the data is solely used purely for verification of previous crimes, then yes, that is OK.  eg Phone data used to prove a person was on the phone at the time of a serious accident, then fine, however if historical data is just harvested to see if a driver was speeding in the past when nothing else happened then I feel that is an invasion of privacy.

3 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

On the Service and using the Wi-Fi i was just thinking back to the gleaning of info 'Some dealership group carried out', which i witnessed.

 

As to Criminal Activities, law breaking the 'gaining information' by the Police is common now.

A dangerous driver that killed someone in Fife had the record of the vehicles driving speeds so his from the weeks before this accident shown in court.

 

Everything is getting recorded these days.  

 

Gadgies stealing car Sat Navs use them for all sorts.

 

That to me is wrong, using the car's historical data to determine what happened at the time of the accident is fine, but to use other info is not only not sport, but also circumstantial as there is no proof of the driver in the car at the earlier times.

Redboy, you comment shows the world we live in where people create their own conclusions of what people say in order to be post contrary remarks towards them.

 

Nowhere did I say that I did not find the attack disturbing nor compare it to the alleged data harvesting, I do not have an issue aside from people asserting that I may have something to hide.

 

The vehicle (I presume a LR product) was not stolen, it like presumably many others was routinely sending location data to LR, now I have no problem with the Police using that data to help them with their enquiries but how many owners know that this is happening?

 

If they were to track the accused by his mobile phone seeing what cells it connected to as it moved or using the GPS data if a smartphone and location turned on that I could understand, I was disturbed by the matter of fact way that it was reported and the impression it gave that as soon as you drive your car the data would be uploaded to the manufacturer, that to me is a gross intrusion of privacy, I am not ready to accept 1984.

 

I am hoping that it was false news a deliberate misinformation to hide where they really got their intelligence from.