Had my 1.5 SEL since December, and it's a great family car. We seem to be on track to be doing around 10-12k a year in it. 

 

However, it seems that the car is set to variable servicing - 672 days / 170000 miles before its first oil change.

 

That seems a long time away - I've always worked on the basis that oil was changed every 10000 miles. Certainly when i was doing 30-40k a year in my Mercedes, the oil would be coming out like black tap water after 10k. Now the car is only doing short miles every day, seems like the oil will be worked harder.

 

I'm sure i've read on there that service intervals should have been a part of the handover, but that wasn't the case for me. 

32 minutes ago, Seymansey said:

 

Certainly when i was doing 30-40k a year in my Mercedes, the oil would be coming out like black tap water after 10k.

 

 

Was the Merc a diesel? Oil in a diesel goes black after very few miles. Just checked our 1.2 petrol car which has done ~8000 miles since last serviced (dealer failed to put mileage in the service book), the oil is quite browm, definately not black. You should try dipping a 9.6L AEC engine!

@Seymansey  Your car left the factory on Variable Servicing so it was down to you to ask to have it changed to be on Fixed Servicing.

Some do it without asking and owners can be unhappy.

 

If you want your cars oil changed or serviced before 24 months / 18,000-20,000 miles then just book it in to be done and ask to have the servicing changed to Fixed which is Yearly / 9,400 miles.    

 

If doing 10,00-12,000 miles a year maybe leave on Variable but get the cars Oil & Filter servicing done annually or when you want.

VW

https://volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers/servicing/service-plans/service-schedules.html

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 25 January, 20224 yr by roottoot

My 1.5 Tsi only does approx 5000 miles a year but I still have an annual service. I do keep my cars for 10 years or so. 

 

tom

I suggest keeping it on variable, but getting it serviced every year

 

If you switch to fixed, it will suggest a service every 9-11 months

 

Just because in favourable conditions can stretch servicing to every 18,000 miles isn’t a recommendation to do this, especially if you expect the car to remain trouble free for 10 years

7 hours ago, Seymansey said:

That seems a long time away - I've always worked on the basis that oil was changed every 10000 miles. Certainly when i was doing 30-40k a year in my Mercedes, the oil would be coming out like black tap water after 10k. Now the car is only doing short miles every day, seems like the oil will be worked harder.

 

I'm sure i've read on there that service intervals should have been a part of the handover, but that wasn't the case for me. 

 

Root has given you the correct advice above.

 

Just like BMW, Mercedes work on variable servicng regimes  i.e. the car tells you when it needs servicing. If you were doing 30-40k a year, then it seems very strange that the oil is being looked at, at only 10,000 miles. 

Edited 25 January, 20224 yr by kodiaqsportline

11 hours ago, kodiaqsportline said:

 

Root has given you the correct advice above.

 

Just like BMW, Mercedes work on variable servicng regimes  i.e. the car tells you when it needs servicing. If you were doing 30-40k a year, then it seems very strange that the oil is being looked at, at only 10,000 miles. 

The extended servicing is for long distance cruising when engine is warm, no labouring up hills, or mainly short journeys.

 

You have to remember the system of extended intervals is pampering to fleet users that dispose of a car after certain mileage, and don’t care who picks up subsequent repair bill.   Manufacturers also have a vested interest in not making a car that can easily go on for 200,000 miles or 20 years without major failure or worn out engines as it would be harder to sell a replacement.

 

My view is if it is a lease car, or one that will be handed back on PCP, then service at max intervals when car says it needs it, but if you intend to keep it a few years then give it a bit more care and get oil changed more regularly.  It’s a bad trade off to save bit on service, but then be broken down on a dark wet night with car needing something like a new turbo.

 

As for the comparison with BMW, Mercedes etc, as a nosey person I often look what brand is stopped on hard shoulder or on back of tow truck on motorway, and these brands seem to make up fair share.

 

Not sure how an engine oil change would make the turbo last a mile longer?

However  I do agree that lots of short journeys do need a shorter oil change interval. I used to do 15k to 18k a year mainly for work and had my car serviced at long intervals when it came up on the dash, typically at about 18k. (Had to take my last car back to dealer for reset shortly after delivery as they had set it to fixed service without asking me!)

Now retired, and with Covid did 7k in 15 months so had my car oil changed then even though set on variable service. I note that the garage altered it to fixed but that seems appropriate for current and future likely use.

Long distance cruising has nothing to do with it really.

Short cold start journeys might well have.   

 Someone that is doing over 20 mile journeys might well be perfectly happy with Variable / Flexible servicing and the car might be theirs and a keeper.

 

They might do that 20 mile trip once a week, month, day or 5 times a day each day. 

6 minutes ago, kenfowler3966 said:

 

Not sure how an engine oil change would make the turbo last a mile longer?

 

 

I am a  long term member of a forum for a different brand. One of the issues with that brand was the very common failure of turbos. This was due to failure to change the oil at the specified interval and partly down to the sump capacity being very small with the oil being overworked. The net result was blocked oilways and bearing failure. There was no issue if the car was correctly serviced; in fact we had one that did 126,000 miles with no turbo issues. The oil supply to the turbo was later redesigned, resulting in a susequent increase of service intervals.

1 hour ago, Routemaster1461 said:

 

I am a  long term member of a forum for a different brand. One of the issues with that brand was the very common failure of turbos. This was due to failure to change the oil at the specified interval and partly down to the sump capacity being very small with the oil being overworked. The net result was blocked oilways and bearing failure. There was no issue if the car was correctly serviced; in fact we had one that did 126,000 miles with no turbo issues. The oil supply to the turbo was later redesigned, resulting in a susequent increase of service intervals.

 

Sounds like the oil supply problems to the top of the engines on the old Mk3 Cortinas. 

 

Can't beat

@Routemaster  VW Group had Turbo issues with SEAT, Audi & VW's in 2015 and had to revise them.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/340575-turbo-failure-golf-r-s3-leon-280

 

Audi had Excessive oil Consumption on RS3's and this was known by plenty (especially enthusiasts or techs with an interest in cars) but ignored by AUDI UK,

There were Press / MEDIA / Vloggers turning up at nice venues and driving off after a lovely paid for breakfast cold cars and thrashing them.

Audi had to actually start having the cars sitting warmed up ready for them and after that Deal with the Fundamental Design, Manufacturing or Material faults.

Vorsprung Durch Technik.  Deny deny and deny until you can deny no more.

 

VW Group had Euro 5 1.2, 1.4, 1.8 & 2.0 TSI with premature demise TSI's and still had Variable Service Regimes from the factory and long life oil as the recommended oil for Fixed or Variable Servicing regimes and still do. 

Not that they will ever admit there were failures that had anything to do with them.  A rogue engineer designed things and ran away.

 

FORD.

https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/ford-ecoboost-turbo-problems

 

 

 

?

What manufacturer is it that you are on a forum and posting about?

 

2015

 

 

Edited 26 January, 20224 yr by roottoot

Thanks for the replies - I will likely just book it in for its one year birthday, service it yearly and have the interval changed. 

 

I've serviced my other cars myself, all to the manufacturer's specs and deadlines (mainly Mercedes) and often ahead of schedule. I used to have the luxury of a fuel card that I could charge oil to, so doing 3 oil and filter changes wasn't really an issue for me. With an extractor pump, I could be done and dusted for another 10k in 30 mins. It was changing out worn suspension components that was the miserable job in the cold!

 

Car is PCPed at the moment, but right now the car purchase price overall is quite a bit lower than car prices are now. The ballon at the end of the agreement is about 50% of what it would cost me to replace a same spec Karoq with similar age and mileage. This will be kept for 10 years before we heave-ho to electric.  (Well, the wife can, you can pry your soulless milkfloats out of my cold dead petrol infused hands). 

Edited 26 January, 20224 yr by Seymansey

@SeymanseyHave you not driven an EV yet?

58 minutes ago, roottoot said:

@SeymanseyHave you not driven an EV yet?

Lots, my social circle are a mix of teslas, Hyundais, Kias and an EQC. I’ve had a ride or go in them all. 
 

Personally, there’s a lot of great engines I’ve yet to own, and I fully intend on doing that. 

A good idea.

On 26/01/2022 at 09:33, kenfowler3966 said:

Not sure how an engine oil change would make the turbo last a mile longer?

 

Turbo's are mostly oil lubricated and cooled, using the engine oil.

On 28/01/2022 at 11:44, silver1011 said:

 

Turbo's are mostly oil lubricated and cooled, using the engine oil.

...and get very hot. 

 

tom