I have a 2014 Yeti with less than 20,000 miles on the clock - regularly used, no short journeys, garaged, no rust, overpampered. And I have no wish whatever to change it, so it's serviced in accordance with the schedule.

This is what appears on the Skoda website, apparently covering all vehicles. Can I assume that it will still apply to an 11 year old Yeti? Just working out whether it's going to be worth going for one of the service plans currently on offer (https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/servicing-maintenance-offers) at 15% off - probably the cheaper one without the air filter and spark plugs.

https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/servicing-maintenance-fixed-price

I'm hoping to get another 5 years out of this car, so I intend that the servicing is done properly, despite its age.

27 minutes ago, docc said:

I have a 2014 Yeti with less than 20,000 miles on the clock

What services has it had since new?

Thanks. AG Falco

2 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

What services has it had since new?

Thanks. AG Falco

It’s had a service in accordance with the official Skoda schedule every year by a main dealer. There would have been cheaper options, but the local dealer has a good reputation.

If you are going to spend £18 a month with Skoda you might as well spend £25.

6 minutes ago, Prezafab said:

If you are going to spend £18 a month with Skoda you might as well spend £25.

Maybe, but it’s £160 or so extra over the two services for - potentially - spark plugs, fuel filter and an air filter. But only what they cunningly call ‘as required’. I suspect on my mileage they wouldn’t be.

2 hours ago, docc said:

It’s had a service in accordance with the official Skoda schedule every year by a main dealer.

I have had a Fiat Panda from new since 2009.

It is at 138000 miles.

It has had every service due from new.

Only the first three were with the main Fiat dealer though.

The Panda has never not started, never not finished a journey and never broken down.

Did fail one MOT but it then passed within 2 hours.

3 hours ago, docc said:

probably the cheaper one without the air filter and spark plugs

When were they last done.

They will be due within the next 5 years?

Spark plugs due at 4, 8 & 12 years old?

Air filter due at 6 & 12 years old?

If you look after cars they will look after you.

Thanks. AG Falco.

57 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

I have had a Fiat Panda from new since 2009.

It is at 138000 miles.

It has had every service due from new.

Only the first three were with the main Fiat dealer though.

The Panda has never not started, never not finished a journey and never broken down.

Did fail one MOT but it then passed within 2 hours.

When were they last done.

They will be due within the next 5 years?

Spark plugs due at 4, 8 & 12 years old?

Air filter due at 6 & 12 years old?

If you look after cars they will look after you.

Thanks. AG Falco.

I need to check what's been done. Not sure the spark plugs have ever been changed. Maybe not the air filter either. The service record will show if they have, and if they haven't it might make the higher price worth going for. One of the downsides of these contracts though is that it's never very clear exactly how the 'as required' is interpreted. I need to research this! With such a ridiculously low mileage for an 11 year old car service items partly based on mileages can get missed.

1 hour ago, docc said:

With such a ridiculously low mileage for an 11 year old car service items partly based on mileages can get missed.

Tell them you will go for the servicing offer ONLY if they DO do those items.

Thanks. AG Falco

31 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

Tell them you will go for the servicing offer ONLY if they DO do those items.

Thanks. AG Falco

It's an agreement direct with Skoda I'm afraid. Not with the dealer. Not really negotiable.

5 hours ago, docc said:

Maybe, but it’s £160 or so extra over the two services for - potentially - spark plugs, fuel filter and an air filter. But only what they cunningly call ‘as required’. I suspect on my mileage they wouldn’t be.

My point is - if you have decided that you want to incur the extra cost of dealer servicing on an older car, over a cheaper independent garage fitting genuine parts, then why would you even think about omitting anything that they charge for doing when Skoda themselves tell the dealer to recommend at certain age gaps? Sorry, but I don't get your logic, if a Skoda specialist will do everything for less than the cost of a dealer on a 13 year old car. It's not as though you are protecting a warranty of making any difference to its resale value if you are keeping it until 2030.

Edited 23 March, 20251 yr by Prezafab

7 minutes ago, docc said:

It's an agreement direct with Skoda I'm afraid. Not with the dealer. Not really negotiable.

Go in to your dealer then and ask them for the same deal.

Thanks. AG Falco

8 hours ago, Prezafab said:

My point is - if you have decided that you want to incur the extra cost of dealer servicing on an older car, over a cheaper independent garage fitting genuine parts, then why would you even think about omitting anything that they charge for doing when Skoda themselves tell the dealer to recommend at certain age gaps? Sorry, but I don't get your logic, if a Skoda specialist will do everything for less than the cost of a dealer on a 13 year old car. It's not as though you are protecting a warranty of making any difference to its resale value if you are keeping it until 2030.

I see where you're coming from, but I've no intention of missing out on any parts required. Just need to make sure that they will actually be done under the service plan because of the 'as required' stipulation. They won't be done unless the service schedule specifically requires it, and I need to check when those extra items were last changed. By the way, the only Skoda specialist anywhere near here charges very little less than the main dealer, and doesn't offer a pickup and collection service.

Even if a car only does 50 miles a year between MOT,s or even less it would be ridiculous to not check the Air Filter every year and see if small rodents have a nest in there.

As to New Air Filters every 6 years / 60,000 miles, up to 2019 that was @ 4 years / 40,000 miles, every 2nd Major Service.

Air filters need changed when they need changed. Location location location. Dirty City use, behind smoky busses / taxis, or Country side, maybe sea side, maybe damp or whatever.

Service according to Use and location and not by a Main Dealers tick list which ignores much of Preventative Maintenance or what was SERVICING, Inspections and proper reporting of issues, checking fluids or replacing.

Edited 24 March, 20251 yr by Ootohere

Got to be honest, this all sounds a bit complicated.

My 1.2 DSG Yeti was bought new in 2011 and has done 45,00 miles.

It, too, gets looked after and driven gently

It was serviced at the main dealer during the warranty years but is now looked after by a very local and much trusted small independent. He changes the oil, air filter, spark plugs, pollen filter etc as and when. I don't tell him what to do, he does what's needed. He's fixed the driver's door wiring loom, a door handle mechanism, a water pump, an alarm unit and probably a few other little bits. I trust him implicitly and pay him when he's done the job.

It all quite straightforward. I'd like to keep the car for as long as it remains reliable. Can't really see what all the above discussion is about.

Hear, hear!

55 minutes ago, oldstan said:

Got to be honest, this all sounds a bit complicated.

My 1.2 DSG Yeti was bought new in 2011 and has done 45,00 miles.

It, too, gets looked after and driven gently

It was serviced at the main dealer during the warranty years but is now looked after by a very local and much trusted small independent. He changes the oil, air filter, spark plugs, pollen filter etc as and when. I don't tell him what to do, he does what's needed. He's fixed the driver's door wiring loom, a door handle mechanism, a water pump, an alarm unit and probably a few other little bits. I trust him implicitly and pay him when he's done the job.

It all quite straightforward. I'd like to keep the car for as long as it remains reliable. Can't really see what all the above discussion is about.

From a personal perspective, it’s about the sad fact that not everywhere has local trusted independents. We had one here until Covid, but he closed down after almost 40 years of trusted trading. We used him for our VWs, starting with the Beetle, and had every intention of taking the Yeti to him. Now it’s main dealer only really for most round here, but fortunately they do have a good reputation.

Oh. I was assuming (wrongly) that you could use an indie. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry.

1 minute ago, oldstan said:

Oh. I was assuming (wrongly) that you could use an indie. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry.

No problem. I wish I could! But being stuck with a main dealer, good though it is, they use a very formulaic approach to servicing based very much on Skoda ‘guidelines’. No scope for the commonsense approach your guys use.

On 24/03/2025 at 06:42, docc said:

I see where you're coming from, but I've no intention of missing out on any parts required. Just need to make sure that they will actually be done under the service plan because of the 'as required' stipulation. They won't be done unless the service schedule specifically requires it, and I need to check when those extra items were last changed. By the way, the only Skoda specialist anywhere near here charges very little less than the main dealer, and doesn't offer a pickup and collection service.

Going back to this, and having now checked what's been done over recent years, I see that the air filter and plugs were last changed in 2022. That would mean that under the service plan the air filter wouldn't be changed again until 6 years or 60,000 miles after that - so 2028 in my case and certainly not within the period of the service contract. The plugs would be changed after 4 years or 40,000 miles - 2026 in my case, so that would get done.

Whether it's worth £158 extra for the Plus service plan in my case is arguable - but it seems not.