My first Skoda Octavia Mk3 1.5 TSI DSG hatch is brand new, barely two weeks old and comes with the 2-year fixed price service offer.  Is it worthwhile booking it in (and me paying for) at 1,000 mile point a simple engine oil and filter change by the Skoda dealer?   As an engineer, I fully understand that machines do need to be run in and some early wear/oil contamination is likely.  I want to keep the car for up to five years, so early care might be prudent??  What are your thoughts?  Anyone else done a similar thing?   

I'd agree with early servicing and filter changes, for sure. I bought my car at 2,100 miles and despite the Skoda garage assuring me they'd changed both, I went and did it anyway just in case it had 'slipped their mind' - especially that early into the engine's life.

 

Given that I've bought it outright and had it for 3+ years, mapped it etc, the first thing I did was never take it to Skoda dealerships for servicing and took it to VAG specialist garages instead for the better service and peace-of-mind.  This was a personal choice and, again, as I bought it outright and was a 2016 car, I made the choice early on (rather than being obliged to as part of warranty / contracts).

 

In your situation, makes total sense to get it changed at your discretion and run it in competently, which you no doubt will. Hopefully the 1.5 should be a reliable longer-termer for the future!

Total waste of money and resources changing oil on a two week old car. The car will tell you when oil needs changed depending on what service regime it is set to could be 1 year or 2 years. But most dealers set to 1 year service intervals with the 2 year service deal.

The days of changing oil after the running in period has long gone, modern materials and oil technology mean this simply isn’t required anymore.

Edited 2 July, 20205 yr by Kenny R

Doesn't it seem strange that an engineer would come on to a forum to ask about running in a car engine?  Perhaps it's just me, but I find that weird, unless of course it's an electrical engineer or whatever 

 

Folk really are entering the realms of fantasy if they think changing the oil after 1000miles on a normal engine is going to make a difference. Common sense tells you it doesn't. Manufacturers of the most reliable engines in the world ( Lexus, Toyota, Honda ) don't recommend it. It might be different with high performance cars, but to the best of my knowledge not even Ferrari or McLaren recommend an oil change after 1000 miles. Neither do Porsche.

 

The way you run in an engine is to limit the performance / don't stress it over the first 1000 miles - don't rev it above 3000rpm. And obviously check the oil level and top up if required - engines can use oil until the seals are properly bedded in.   Engineer? 

It can't do any harm to change the oil that soon, but the benefits aren't clear to me.  If it makes you feel happier, just do it. Try to ignore those who might try to ridicule you; and take on board  @Ads230's wise suggestion about doing such work outside the dealer network for better value-for-money and possibly better workmanship.

the wife's suzuki had a change at 1500km. It's not complete bunkum, there is a point, but just how much sense it makes is another question. 5 years isn't long.

 

The wife's car, though - that also mainly does short stuff, which means it essentially never gets warmed through. This is not good for longevity. My Octy, though, that patrols motorways at 120km/h twice a day, multiple times a week, and the wear will be significantly lower as a result. If the wear is going to be higher, by all means do the extra service. 

 

 - Bret

 

14 hours ago, AuroraF10 said:

My first Skoda Octavia Mk3 1.5 TSI DSG hatch is brand new, barely two weeks old and comes with the 2-year fixed price service offer.  Is it worthwhile booking it in (and me paying for) at 1,000 mile point a simple engine oil and filter change by the Skoda dealer?   As an engineer, I fully understand that machines do need to be run in and some early wear/oil contamination is likely.  I want to keep the car for up to five years, so early care might be prudent??  What are your thoughts?  Anyone else done a similar thing?   

Welcome to the forum 🙂
I have the 1.4 which is the same basic engine design.

I also used to work at a VW/Audi dealer workshop. My advice is that such an oil change isn’t necessary but it’s up to you. My car has never gone more than 10,000 miles before an oil change and is 5.5 years old, 70 k miles and no issues whatsoever. I’ve done a couple of early oil and filters at 5k and 7k intervals and generally change it at 9000 miles.

Its not going to hurt it at 1000 miles but if you’ve got a 2 free services deal watch out  it doesn’t confuse the Skoda dealers service computer as the service regime now is electronic and unclear to say the least.

If it was me, (given that you’ll have to get the free services done at a skoda dealer), and I wanted to get it done at 1000 miles, I’d buy a genuine filter and decent oil of your choice and do it myself or take it to VAG specialist and get them to it.
Enjoy 👍

Last four cars bought brand new and kept for 5+ years, average mileage, absolutely no engine problems with no significant "running in" or oil change before manufacturers schedule at 12 months+.

 

Tiny risk that the car mechanic will make a mistake far outweighs any possible advantage of an early oil change for me.

 

Also be careful if you fit anything other than an original Skoda oil filter. Could invalidate your warranty.

Edited 3 July, 20205 yr by juan27

I did the first one at 10k...

 

Personally, I would ask this question, which is what would you rather have buying second hand:

 

 - 1 change at 1000 miles and the next at 19,000 miles

 - 1 change at circa 10000 miles and the next at 20,000 miles a year later?

 

As you're on the two year fixed servicing, I would suggest just wait for the 10,000/1 year service.

If that's not where you want to go, perhaps consider if it's worth running the car for 3 months or say 5000/6000 miles and then changing it then.

 

Don't forget that modern manufacturing leaves much less debris and I believe the engines are usually bench run anyway, before being drained, fitted and correctly filled.

 

19 hours ago, Wino said:

If it makes you feel happier, just do it.

 

Basically the only reason I did mine - for 'peace of mind'.

 

There are a lot of intangible things about cars that differ between everyone - as we well know from making the "'car people' (I treat it as my baby) vs. 'non-car people' (couldn't give a flying F-, it's an A-B machine)" distinctions.

 

Totally understand the scientific / logical / engineering points made by other members, but sometimes it's easier to satisfy that (likely illogical) feeling in your gut by just doing it 👍   The only real exceptions might be where you'd do more damage than good, OR if the cost significantly outweighs the benefits.

28 minutes ago, cheezemonkhai said:

I believe the engines are usually bench run anyway, before being drained, fitted and correctly filled.

 

I'd love to see some evidence for that. Seems rather unlikely to me, but whenever I've tried to look it up online, I've got nowhere. It would be massively expensive to do this with every engine, compared to just trusting the design and QA.

 

I even messaged Honda in Swindon a while back about it, but predictably got no response at all.

3 hours ago, Wino said:

 

I'd love to see some evidence for that. Seems rather unlikely to me, but whenever I've tried to look it up online, I've got nowhere. It would be massively expensive to do this with every engine, compared to just trusting the design and QA.

 

I even messaged Honda in Swindon a while back about it, but predictably got no response at all.

I admit it’s all antidotal or low production engines where I see anything.

 

edit: the which would you prefer question still applies.

Edited 3 July, 20205 yr by cheezemonkhai

Many thanks to all who replied to offer their opinions and experience.  I read them all and, as a new poster, now appreciate this BRISKODA forum's deep knowledge. 

 

On reflection, I shall save my money and not do this early oil/filter change.  The Skoda 2-year fixed price service plan will be used and I shall drive the car sensibly and not stressed/trashed in the first few months.  After two weeks of ownership, I have only covered 290 miles.

 

Thanks again for all your comments.

 

Clive