Hey I’m nearing my first service on my Fabia I own the 1.5 engine Fabia .

 

the first service is supposed to be just oil and filter I was told my locals I can bring my own things to the shop if that’s something I want.

 

My mechanic uses the oem vw oil and parts but I was wondering if there is any better oils I could bring .

 

i live in the Middle East if climate matters

 

thanks in advance! (It’s my first car I don’t know if it truly matters)

Your Fabia will have a label beneath its bonnet (at the front of the engine compartment) advising the specification of the oil to be used and its viscosity.

The position of the label is marked  3  in the drawing below.

 

 

My own UK-specification 2024 Fabia has a 1.0 litre motor (not the 1.5litre motor of your Fabia) and my car's under-bonnet oil-label indicates the oil to be used should meet the VW 508.00/509.00 specification and have a 0W-20 viscosity.

 

A GOOGLE-search on vw 508.00/509.00 oil will show that several oil companies (Castrol, Motul, Shell, Valvoline, Petronas, etc.) market a 0W-20 viscosity oil that meets the VW 508.00/509.00 specification and a Skoda dealership may choose to use a particular brand. For example, I'm guessing that my local Skoda dealership would use this Shell Helix oil

 

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/shult0w20-shell-helix-ultra-professional-av-l-0w-20-engine-oil-europen-union-oe-producer-36782.html

 

when servicing my Fabia Mk 4, as they use Shell Helix oil when servicing my 2009 Skoda Roomster.

 

I don't think there is any credible way of KNOWING which of those oils is 'best' - as long as the oil has the right viscosity and it is certain that the oil has the right VW specification, it should be OK.

 

(Assuming that you bought your Fabia locally (ie. in the Middle East) it's possible that its recommended oil differs from the recommended oil specification of my 'colder-climate' car . I don't think that will be the case, but check your car's under-bonnet oil-label to be 100% sure.)

 

It would be wise to fit a 'genuine' OEM VW/Skoda oil filter obtained from a Skoda dealership

 

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/04e115561ac-oil-filter-1-0mpi-1-0tsi-1-5tsi-skoda-19639.html

 

rather than a cheaper equivalent from a different manufacturer. Also wise to fit a 'genuine' OEM Skoda sump-plug (if that is a service replacement item) or a 'genuine' OEM Skoda sump-plug gasket.

Edited 7 November, 20241 yr by DerekU

I see DerekU, Thanks a lot that covers up a lot of the confusion I had.

 

Usually the official Skoda shop uses only OEM parts with me being able to bring aftermarket I want , I think with your explanation it’s best to just fit oem.

If you mean VW labelled or boxed oil and oil filter as oem then I disagree as VW do not produce oil, or engine oil filter as far as I know, if you want to use them then they will be fine but you can certainly get better engine oils than VW use in the UK at least, I would certainly not use cheap oils and never have even in old and very old cars.

 

In a hot country particularly I would suggest using a better quality synthetic oil, there are so many about you can choose.  A good oil will meet the VW specification number, looking at the Technical Data Sheet for the oil will confirm this.

 

As an example for my wife's 2015 Fabia 1.2 TSI the VWŠkoda Dealerships have always used the recommended Castrol Edge (Pro, LL) engine oil (or at least put that on the bill) but when I done this year's engine oil change myself I preferred to use Millers Oils EE Performance as I have used Millers performance type oils in my previous vehicle and found them to be very good.

 

For the oil filter I used Mann and found it be very good quality.  I am not sure if Bosch oil filters are made by another manufacturer, many makes are, and I do not know in your marketing or manufacturing region.

 

For the sump plug it depends on what VW are doing now, previously from the factory they used a sump plug with a fixed washer meaning the sump plug and washer have to be replaced as one but instead they can use a separate plug and separate washer so that only the washer needs replacing in future, how it is with a 2024 car and/or 1.5 engine I do not know. As example only, example sump plugs for my wife's 2015 Fabia 1.2 TSI to show what I mean, N90813202 is with fixed washer, I do not know if these fit the 1.5 or not.

 

I will have to check exactly what they use here and maybe ask for recommendation here , the main dealership from what I’ve seen literally use a can that says “Skoda” or “Vw” on it maybe it’s to hide what they use idk .

 

i will go to an aftermarket shop as they are better here but will ask exactly what he puts in the car .

Most Dealerships, garages, mechanics and car engineers, in the UK at least, believe in getting or using an oil that meets the specification and that's all and many believe in getting the lowest price oil that meets that specification as possible, that is fine if it is a good or very good oil on some special low price oil and not a lower quality oil that just meets the specification.  If you do not intend keeping the car too long then it may not matter to you if you use cheap oil but if you intend to keep the car many years and/or not use it a lot or drive it hard most times then a better oil will offer greater margins of protection and keep those margins for long.  Also important is timely engine oil and filter changes, as is proper servicing of the whole car and not just engine oil and filter changes.  What is called a "service" now often is not really a service.

 

Good luck.

 

For some bed-time reading, this 2019 analysis of 0W-20 oils with a VW 508.00/509.00 specification may be of interest.

 

https://ato24.de/en/blog/comparison-0w-20-engine-oils/

@Yogev  What do you mean the first service is supposed to be just an Oil Change?

Do you mean an Oil & Filter service within 9,400 miles / 15,000 km , 12 months? 

 

They are actually called Oil & Inspection Services. 

  Or if  called 'just an Oil Service' i hope they are doing an inspection and plugging in the car, checking for faults or any Software Updates required.

Checking a new car as 12 months past someone should be, & do a paint inspection for that warranty. 

 

??

In Israel do the new cars come set on the Fixed Service regime rather than the Variable / Flexible @ 18,000 -20,000 miles / 24 months.

That service is more than an Oil & filter change. 

1 hour ago, DerekU said:

For some bed-time reading, this 2019 analysis of 0W-20 oils with a VW 508.00/509.00 specification may be of interest.

 

https://ato24.de/en/blog/comparison-0w-20-engine-oils/

At a quick look, as far as I can tell, it's a bit of a mixed bag for VW and Castrol by those numbers only which are merely possible indications, of oils that haven't been through use in the engines, they show those two might not be the best of the bunch shown on that exercise only.

 

0w-20 is quite "thick" compared to others using 0w-16, 0w-12 and 0W-8 (for Japanese car manufacture)  oils, perhaps to be expected from 21st century 'German engineering quality'.  Numbers are fine but need to be tested and proved by applicable application but things will be close when trying to get nth degrees of improvement (without being caught cheating) out of 150+ year old technology that is the internal combustion engine.

 

Dealerships and garages are probably going to charge the same regardless of what oil they use (or claim to use) and if buying yourself for average driving and you can get VW or Castrol or others (correct specification) oil at a lower price, or even usual price that is fine.

 

Cars are not 'created', they are 'assembled'.

 

Skoda did not manufacture the oil put in a Fabia Mk 4 when it was being assembled in the Czech factory, nor did Skoda manufacture any of a Fabia's  filters (oil, air, pollen, fuel), nor its headlamps, bulbs, battery, window glass, wiper blades, etc. etc.

 

It has  been suggested online that, about 4 years ago, VW changed their OE oil supplier from Castrol to Mobil, though - if that were the case - one might expect the 'genuine' VW 508.00/509.00 specification oil to exactly match the  Mobil 1™ ESP x2 0W-20 equivalent, but the test results mentioned above indicate otherwise. It is guessed online that Mann or Mahle might currently manufacture OE VW oil filters, but who knows? I do know who made two of my Fabia's factory-fitted parts - the tyres (Goodyear) and the cabin filter (Valeo), but that's only because the manufacturer's name is on them and it was easy to check.  

 

I believe a new Fabia Mk 4 sold in Israel will have a similar 3-year warranty to a Fabia Mk 4 marketed new in the UK. As Ootohere has  emphasised, a service carried out by a Skoda dealership while a car is within its warranty period will involve more than just replacing the oil and oil filter. A competent non-Skoda workshop  (or even an experienced DIYer) should be able to carry out a basic oil /oil-filter change on a Fabia Mk 4 and use an oil that meets the specification shown on the car's under-bonnet sticker, but will not be able to install software/firmware revisions that the car should have. And, if the car has any sort of faults/issues that the owner has noticed and wants corrected under the warranty, that work would need to be performed by a Skoda dealership.

 

Once a Skoda is out of warranty anything goes. Owners can have the vehicle professionally serviced or not  and, if servicing work is to be performed by a non-Skoda agent (and the servicing workshop will allow it) owners can provide the parts and consumables needed based on price, preference and availability, while accepting that it won't be possible for software/firmware revisions to be installed. Or they can DIY the work if they believe themselves capable.

 

I replaced my 2009 Skoda Roomster's windscreen-washer pump earlier this year. There had been a small leak for quite a while that I had unsuccessfully attempted to bodge a repair and, as I knew what having another go involved, I tolerated the fluid loss. But then the pump failed with the car's MOT looming. The cost of a 'genuine' pump was about £60, so I bought an £11 copy. I REALLY did not enjoy fitting the new pump and addressing the leak, but it was a task that I did not want to farm out to the local Skoda dealership that services and MOTs the Roomster as the labour costs would have been high and (I assume) they would have wanted to fit a 'genuine' pump. But if a similar thing happened with my 2024 Fabia while under warranty, I'd want a Skoda Dealership to fix it and to fit a 'genuine' pump and for there to be no charge for the work.

Edited 9 November, 20241 yr by DerekU

When the UK was in the EU Skoda had a 3 years manufacturers warranty in the UK and only 2 years in some EU or European countries.

Australia was 5 years and is now 7.

 

So check the Warranty for the country it is relevant to. 

This 2017 link SUGGESTS  that Skoda cars marketed in Israel have a 3 years warranty

 

https://www.change.org/p/matthias-müller-get-the-vw-group-to-give-israeli-seat-customers-the-same-warranty-period-as-skoda-and-vw

6 hours ago, DerekU said:

Cars are not 'created', they are 'assembled'.

I've no idea where you're going with that or where it's from.

 

Yogev said he was told he could take his own items in if he wants and that his mechanic uses "the oem vw oil and parts" but Yogev wanted to know if there were better oils - I enquired if VW boxed and labelled parts were what Yogev meant by oem parts and went on to suggest what I as a total non-expert thought of as better oil and information about oil filter and sump plugs and washers.

 

I have no idea of Yogev situation in Israel or even if he's in Israel at the moment, I just gave my usual advice which I hope is helpful to Yogev, I have no idea of the consumer laws or regulations in other than UK

 

If I have misunderstood or made a mistake I am sure Yogev could say so, if he wanted to.  It is good to have a range of different opinions and views on such things as oils and parts and paying for labels.

 

As Yogev's Fabia is a 2024 model, whether he is living in Israel or whatever the duration of his car's warranty, his car will currently be well within its warranty period.

 

The wording of the terms and conditions of a new car's  warranty are not standardised and, although mandatory servicing may not need to be performed by an agency of the car's manufacturer, if servicing is performed outside the manufacturer's dealership network, care should be taken to ensure that all parts used and the actions taken conform to the mandatory servicing requirements, and that details of those parts and the actions are carefully documented.

 

This link is to an article by the UK magazine "What Car"

 

https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/best-new-car-warranties/n26485

 

and includes the following guidance

 

Could I accidentally invalidate my new car warranty?

 

As with all insurance policies, there are lots of exclusions and clauses that need to be adhered to so that you don’t invalidate your cover. The main one is that you keep the car maintained regularly to the manufacturer ’s standard and have servicing done within the time or mileage recommended. Although you aren’t usually required to have your car serviced by a franchised dealer, you do have to take it to a garage that will carry out the correct service to the standards recommended in the owner ’s manual. They must use genuine parts, or those of equivalent quality, and it ’s best to get the garage to make a note on the service invoice of all part numbers for items used. You must also stick to fuel, oil and other lubricants that are recommended in the manual.

 

Yogev has said that his 2024 Fabia is his first car and (as I interpret his first posting) he seems to be considering  using a non-Skoda-approved workshop to carry out his Fabia's first service.

 

A Fabia Mk 4 is a technically sophisticated vehicle and servicing to meet Skoda's requirements will include the work referred to by Ootohere last Friday

 

They are actually called Oil & Inspection Services. 

 Or if  called 'just an Oil Service' i hope they are doing an inspection and plugging in the car, checking for faults or any Software Updates required.

Checking a new car as 12 months past someone should be, & do a paint inspection for that warranty. 

 

Although a non-Skoda-approved workshop should be able to carry out some of the necessary servicing tasks and use OE parts and oil that meets Skoda's specification, the chances approach zero that it will be able to check for or install any outstanding software updates.

 

There may a persuasive reason for Yogev choosing not to have his Fabia serviced by the Skoda dealership from which he bought the car (eg. that dealership is 200km away from where he lives) or that more local Skoda dealerships are unable to service the car in the near future. But, if it's primarily the question of the cost of the servicing work that's discouraging Yogev, he should consider whether saving a few shekels now is the worth the risk of Skoda being unhelpful if a problem with his car arises in future.

 

And, if it's felt that Skoda will always be helpful and benevolent where warranties are concerned, this 2022 article may cause a re-think.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/apr/20/skodas-refusal-to-honour-warranty-staggers-legal-experts

 

Edited 10 November, 20241 yr by DerekU

Skoda / VW UK have been a bit lax with T&C,s of Warranties in the UK. 

Various words over the past 2 decades.

 

Service to manufacturers recommendaions.

It has been Guidelines in the past.  even specification.   Never really 'Schedule.

 

Issue being. 

Ask at Skoda Dealerships,  Service Desk staff have little idea of Recommendations, Guidelines, Specifications or Schedules.

They learn on the job and use a keyboard.

 

Skoda Approved used cars, or SEAT, Audi, VW, Porsche etc might have Full Main Dealer Service Histories and remainder of the Manufacturers warranty or an extended warranty, 

yes not SERVICED TO THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS, or Specification or Schedule.

 

Brake Fluid not changed, VAQ Diff or Haldex Servicing not carried out, etc etc. 

 

They are 'Simply clever',  but simply vague.     Cambelt Changes 1.5 TSI ACT in the UK a dust free country was at 5 years / 50,000 miles by the Recommendations / Schedule.

 

Skoda / VW Group dealers had all these Approved Used cars at 50,000 miles or more, no Cam Belt changed, owners were not paying £750- £1,200 so traded in cars.

VW Group changed the Advice / Recommendation / Schedule last June.

Enough people had been conned into paying,  Now they had not the Staff or all with the equipment to be doing the job and maybe losing money. 

SKODA_Warranty_Terms_July_2023.pdf

On 08/11/2024 at 18:17, DerekU said:

For some bed-time reading, this 2019 analysis of 0W-20 oils with a VW 508.00/509.00 specification may be of interest.

 

https://ato24.de/en/blog/comparison-0w-20-engine-oils/

Well I read it, thanks for the link.

My take is they are all very very close to each other with Aral, Mobil 1, and Castrol just edging to be the top 3, VW long life just slightly behind them and Fuchs getting some good individual results.

In other words if it meets the spec it is perfectly good oil, if it makes you feel better then go for Aral, Mobil, Castrol or Fuchs and if you go to the dealer their oil is fine too.

Not seen Aral in the UK, it is probably branded as Lidl orAsda ….😁

No use to those in Israel but maybe to those near a Tesco. 

Yogev has been advised to go to the Dealership and Yogev has put that he can take aftermarket to them but the aftermarket places are better, differs from here of course as many/most non-Dealerships garages or mechanics aren't much better than the Dealerships.  The discussion has been about engine oils and parts not warranty but of course warranty issues are important with car still under warranty to sort out those VW actually admit to and don't think they can ignore and get the car out of warranty.  I have no idea what VW can get away with in Israel  as regards warranty (we all know the UK is a very soft touch for them, yet Sweden seems very well protected from them).

 

There are of course practical considerations to consider, as we have to in the UK, as regards what is correct and what you actually have to do to be practical which is why UK Dealerships get service, maintenance and repair work that many would prefer to take elsewhere if it was practical in the short and medium term.

 

I can see nowhere in my posts where I have suggested where the work should be done, Dealership or not. I only put that I disagree that it is best to just fit VW labelled or boxed engine oil, filter and sump plug but they would be fine, the advice to go to the Dealership had already been given and I didn't disagree with that.

 

As usual lots of good advice has been given and choices can be made from that advice, after obviously, as always checking and cross-referencing any information from any source (including manufacturers) but particularly from the internet.

 

I don't read Yogev's original posting as indicating that he is proposing to have his Fabia serviced by a Skoda dealership and that the Skoda dealership will permit him to provide parts (eg. oil and oil-filter) that he has sourced himself.
 

When I've chosen to have a vehicle serviced within its warranty period, but by a workshop not approved by the vehicle's manufacturer, the workshop has allowed me to bring oil that I've purchased myself, having confirmed that the oil they would normally use did not match the vehicle manufacturer's specification, but any other parts needed were obtained by the workshop from the nearest dealership for the manufacturer of the vehicle.

 

When arriving at a service appointment at an 'approved dealership', where appropriate I have advised the workshop manager about parts I have recently fitted myself (eg. a cabin filter or a K&N air filter) and usually they have accepted this, with one workshop manager saying "Good, we loathe changing those filters". Conversely, another workshop manager (Hyundai) said that changing those items was an integral part of the mandatory service process and would happen irrespective of whatever I had done myself. In the Hyundai instance I said "OK, but I want back whatever you replace" which did not go down too well, although they did do it.

 

I haven't  got an itemised service schedule for an Oil & Inspection service for a Fabia Mk 4, but I do have the 'check list' for the similar service carried out in September for my Roomster. It's three pages long and its scope covers a helluva lot more than just replacing the oil and oil-filter. 
 

Edited 10 November, 20241 yr by DerekU

This is the check-list relating to my 2009 Skoda Rooster's most recent Oil & Inspection service (the images aren't great, I'm afraid)

 

 

 

 

The parts involved were oil (3.6litres of 0W-30 to VW 502.00/501.01 specification), an oil-filter, a sump-plug and 1litre of windscreen washer fluid (that I didn't need but was included in the service's fixed price of £210). 

ETA: as in my post we've got a few of those two page ticksheets and more have a good look at them and decide how much is service really and what is missing.

 

On 07/11/2024 at 15:43, Yogev said:

I see DerekU, Thanks a lot that covers up a lot of the confusion I had.

 

Usually the official Skoda shop uses only OEM parts with me being able to bring aftermarket I want , I think with your explanation it’s best to just fit oem.

No it's in his subsequent post replying to you "Usually the official Skoda shop uses only OEM parts with me being able to bring aftermarket I want ,"

 

I've taken my own engine oil for the first service to an official Dealership (not VW) in England.

 

First service on my wife's 2015 Fabia was claimed to have been done by the selling Dealership (though I have my strong doubts anything was actually done) was recorded as "10,000 mile service" by the Dealership, listing oil, filter and sump plug, plus a bulb and nothing else.  On the last "Complete record" we got from the local Dealership this first service is listed as "Flexible oil change service" and on the "Service history certificate" we very recently got from Škoda UK customer services the same service is listed as "oil change service" so three different description labels for the same event.  There were no ticksheet(s) or other details but we've had hand filled in  "Maintenance list" ticksheets, and print off "Your Visual Health Check" sheets and "Cash Sale Invoice" bills with all sorts of varying information.  Never have I seen any evidence or been told of a scan tool report despite paying for such, never checked mileage to see if a road test was actually conducted.

 

I do know about proper servicing of cars and most garages including the VWŠkoda Dealership and indy garage my wife has taken her car to have done what I would consider as a full service, more boils down to an engine oil and filter change and a look for chargeable work.  I've had to remind my wife to ask for some service (called "maintenance" VWŠkoda UK) work at the Dealership as they've not mentioned them - but they we very quick to con us out of £429 for an unnecessary belt change and recommend even more expense for a water pump change.

 

I've had plenty of experience of service work from garages and some warranty work.

 

Edited 10 November, 20241 yr by nta16

@DerekU  Was that 0w 30 FS III not to VW 504 00 / 507 spec, Long Life oil for fixed or variable servicing rather than to VW502 00?  Not Long Life.

This is the oil-related advice in the Skoda Roomster Owner's Manual provided with my car.

 

My Roomster has been serviced annually at the Skoda dealership from which I bought it (new) in 2009.

 

I still have a good deal of the servicing documentation and I note that the oil initially used was described as "Platinum 5W-40" - a Quantum product. The maintenance  list stated that oil to the VW 501.01, VW 502.00 standard had been used. This continued until 2017, when the oil was described as "Magnetec Professional 5W-40" (a Castrol product) with the same VW standard appearing in the maintenance list. There's a gap in my documentation records until 2022, when the oil's manufacturer is no longer stated (just 5W-40) with the VW 501.01, VW 502.00 standard still showing in the maintenance list. In 2023 (and 2024) the oil is described as "0W30 LONGLIFE III" , which might indicate a Quantum product or the OE VW oil (assuming they are actually different !!)  Maintenance list still shows the VW 501.01, VW 502.00 standard.

 

I'm guessing that there's a dealer-database link between my Roomster's servicing record and the maintenance list document and, unless this (apparent) anomaly is queried, the maintenance list format won't change. I'll ask about it when I next visit the dealership.

 

(There's a discussion about VW oil policy here)

 

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/vw-switching-to-0w-oils.518643/

The "Maintenance list" is just a very basic ticksheet list probably not updated since god was a young girl and it was all fields around here, and probably often economical in completion accuracy.  You'd have to talk to someone that no longer works in the Dealership service admin department/desk to find out how accurate the details on any bills are.

 

Quantum 0w30 Longlife III is 504/507. - https://tps.trade/info/oil/quantum-longlife

 

"VW 504.00 Engine Oil

VW 504.00, as well as being a great choice for many modern & Volkswagen petrol engine cars on standard "time and distance" fixed interval servicing, these oils are also suitable for all Volkswagen petrol engines on LongLife, extended service intervals (up to 20,000 miles or 2 years, whichever comes first) EXCEPT for vehicles recommended a VW 508 or VW 509 specification oil.

VW 504 00 oil and its sister spec VW 507 00 (for diesels) are known as VW LongLife III oil.

The VW 504 00 specification supersedes the VW 503 00 and VW 503.01 specifications." - https://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-749-vw-50400-engine-oil.aspx

 

oilspecifications.org - VW 507.00, VW 504.00, etc: Volkswagen Motor Oil Specifications Explained - https://www.oilspecifications.org/articles/vw_motor_oil_specifications_explained.php

 

oilspecifications.org - Volkswagen Oil Specifications - https://www.oilspecifications.org/volkswagen.php

 

How much deeper do you want to go down this rabbit hole, I can definitely get you to Australia (Penrite). 😁

 

On 08/11/2024 at 20:37, Ootohere said:

@Yogev  What do you mean the first service is supposed to be just an Oil Change?

Do you mean an Oil & Filter service within 9,400 miles / 15,000 km , 12 months? 

 

They are actually called Oil & Inspection Services. 

  Or if  called 'just an Oil Service' i hope they are doing an inspection and plugging in the car, checking for faults or any Software Updates required.

Checking a new car as 12 months past someone should be, & do a paint inspection for that warranty. 

 

??

In Israel do the new cars come set on the Fixed Service regime rather than the Variable / Flexible @ 18,000 -20,000 miles / 24 months.

That service is more than an Oil & filter change. 

That depends on where you go , the official dealership will not inspect anything just oil and filter as recommended in the service book.

 

Private shops are more recommended here for the VAG group and they will do a total inspection of the car.