Hi, I'd appreciate any opinions on this purchase...I'm looking at a 2018 Skoda Superb estate, 2.0 TDI 190hp 4x4 DSG auto in the L&K trim. It's done 107k km. Everything looks good, but there is a hole in the service history:

• 2019 service @ 22k km

• no service history until...

• 2023 service @ 92k km (incl. dsg transmission oil and 4x4 oil change)

• 2025 service @ 107k km

of course it's possible the 2021 service was done, but not recorded. But if the car did 70k km and 4 years with no service (and no transmission/4x4 oil change) what do you think the long term damage risk could be? Should I buy it or walk away?

p.s. I'm in the nordics, so 2nd hand prices are crazy. This car is €26k, which is reasonable for age/mileage

So it’s had no service in 2020, 2021 or 2024?

In UK, it’s the done thing to have an annual service irrespective of mileage - may seem over the top in some cases but it never hurts to at least change the oil and give the car a once over.

It might be fine but personally, unless that’s a standard scenario where you are to service every other year I’d walk away.

One of the key things that stops us in UK from looking in other countries is the RHD/LHD thing. If prices are better in other countries can you go over a border and check out options there?

Edited 31 December, 202531 Dec by travs

1 hour ago, travs said:

So it’s had no service in 2020, 2021 or 2024?

In UK, it’s the done thing to have an annual service irrespective of mileage - may seem over the top in some cases but it never hurts to at least change the oil and give the car a once over.

It might be fine but personally, unless that’s a standard scenario where you are to service every other year I’d walk away.

One of the key things that stops us in UK from looking in other countries is the RHD/LHD thing. If prices are better in other countries can you go over a border and check out options there?

Thanks for the advice! Strangely the recommended servicing schedules in Europe are different to the UK - every 2 years, not 1 (and even the timing belt replacement times are different). So this one I'm looking at is missing 1 service (which should have been in 2021).

Importing isn't possible, even within the EU - there are crazy import taxes on diesel imports.

The Recommended servicing in the EU / Europe / UK is pretty much the same. According to use for Oil & Filter changes. Variable as they leave the factory, or Fixed to suit certain use, low miles, short trips, etc etc. Cambelt now in the UK not the 5 years / 50,000 miles in a non High Dust country since 2023.

Edited 31 December, 202531 Dec by Evolution13

On 31/12/2025 at 08:49, magpie61 said:

Hi, I'd appreciate any opinions on this purchase...I'm looking at a 2018 Skoda Superb estate, 2.0 TDI 190hp 4x4 DSG auto in the L&K trim. It's done 107k km. Everything looks good, but there is a hole in the service history:

• 2019 service @ 22k km

• no service history until...

• 2023 service @ 92k km (incl. dsg transmission oil and 4x4 oil change)

• 2025 service @ 107k km

of course it's possible the 2021 service was done, but not recorded. But if the car did 70k km and 4 years with no service (and no transmission/4x4 oil change) what do you think the long term damage risk could be? Should I buy it or walk away?

p.s. I'm in the nordics, so 2nd hand prices are crazy. This car is €26k, which is reasonable for age/mileage

Is that electronic service history you have access to?

Is it possible that previous owner had car serviced by garage that doesnt pay for the Skoda software to update the online service history.

We have had our 2013 skoda since 2015. The service book that came with it is completely full. I bought a generic service book online for garage to complete. But I am fastidious about keeping every bill, receipt for every service and repair. My garage tells me that none of their services are recorded via Skoda online.

Anyone out there know, is there any protocol on this issue?

In addition to that Superb, last month we bought a 2018 L&K version to add to the family. There is a 2 year gap in service history. No service book for 2018 vehicles apparently. Plus the service print out is meagre on details compared to the bills that our mechanic provides

54 minutes ago, lullable said:

Is that electronic service history you have access to?

Is it possible that previous owner had car serviced by garage that doesnt pay for the Skoda software to update the online service history.

We have had our 2013 skoda since 2015. The service book that came with it is completely full. I bought a generic service book online for garage to complete. But I am fastidious about keeping every bill, receipt for every service and repair. My garage tells me that none of their services are recorded via Skoda online.

Anyone out there know, is there any protocol on this issue?

In addition to that Superb, last month we bought a 2018 L&K version to add to the family. There is a 2 year gap in service history. No service book for 2018 vehicles apparently. Plus the service print out is meagre on details compared to the bills that our mechanic provides

That would seem a little unlikely as the vehicle should have still been under warranty for at least the second service.

Considering Skoda's recommendation to change Haldex oil is after 3 years, and the only known history shows a Haldex oil change after 4 years (maybe 5, since it's a MY18), I fear it has been "forgotten" and done 1 (or 2) year(s) later.

Additionally, AFAIK, a MY18 TDI190 4x4 is DSG6 equipped, which requires a DSG oil change at 60000km. Thus no history about about DSG oil change at 60000km is possibly the same scenario with DSG oil change forgotten and done 30000km later...

To me, it would be a "leave"...

On 31/12/2025 at 10:58, magpie61 said:

Strangely the recommended servicing schedules in Europe are different to the UK - every 2 years, not 1 (and even the timing belt replacement times are different). So this one I'm looking at is missing 1 service (which should have been in 2021).

I'm probably being pedantic, and somewhat off topic, but that doesn't quite make sense, the UK is in Europe.

Back on topic I've had my Superb since new and one of the dealer services is missing from the print out the dealer can supply you with, I have the relevant invoice for the 'missing' service so no question it has been done should the next owner query it. Could be the same in your case, is there any paperwork available?

Edited 3 January3 Jan by cnc

On 31/12/2025 at 11:58, magpie61 said:

Thanks for the advice! Strangely the recommended servicing schedules in Europe are different to the UK - every 2 years, not 1 (and even the timing belt replacement times are different). So this one I'm looking at is missing 1 service (which should have been in 2021).

AFAIK, 1 or 2 year time interval is only related to the oil quality. Long Life oils allow 2-year interval, whereas non-LL oils have 1-year interval.

Mileage intervals are slightly different indeed just to ease the maintenance monitoring.

Countries which use metric system have 15000 / 30000 / 45000 / 60000 / 75000 / 90000... km intervals, whereas countries using imperial system have 10000 / 20000 / 30000 / 40000 / 50000 / 60000... mi intervals.

But everyone knows that 1 mi isn't 1.5 km... but 1.609 km actually.

Much more simple than 16090 / 32180 / 47270 / 64360 / 80450 / 96540 km or 9323 / 18645 / 27968 / 37290 / 46613 / 55935 mi, depending on the reference you choose...

11 hours ago, Bap33 said:

AFAIK, 1 or 2 year time interval is only related to the oil quality. Long Life oils allow 2-year interval, whereas non-LL oils have 1-year interval.

Mileage intervals are slightly different indeed just to ease the maintenance monitoring.

Countries which use metric system have 15000 / 30000 / 45000 / 60000 / 75000 / 90000... km intervals, whereas countries using imperial system have 10000 / 20000 / 30000 / 40000 / 50000 / 60000... mi intervals.

But everyone knows that 1 mi isn't 1.5 km... but 1.609 km actually.

Much more simple than 16090 / 32180 / 47270 / 64360 / 80450 / 96540 km or 9323 / 18645 / 27968 / 37290 / 46613 / 55935 mi, depending on the reference you choose...

Even though in the UK we are still using imperial (but only for some things........) the system still works in metric in the background. My wife's Octavia doesn't cover many miles so its on annual servicing and when it comes out of the Skoda garage after a service I always check the service reminder has been reset so it does show the 9300 miles to next service, and as I cover a few more miles in the Superb its on variable servicing and it shows 18700 to the next service, so when either car indicates it needs a service its booked in.

Edited 4 January4 Jan by cnc

You may need to take in consideration that is during the Covid years, could be as simple as too hard to get it booked in and they done the service themself or it was serviced at a different garage.

I wouldn’t be concerned at all, especially as I took ownership of my mums old Passat b5.5 which didn’t have an oil change in 10 years!! Ran perfectly but obviously I did change it when I owned it

Since it's a MY18 and first service has been done in 2019, a service could have been expected in 2020 or 2021 considering many of us didn't drive that much during lock down. IMHO Covid on its own cannot explain why there's no maintenance record from 2019 to 2023... 🤷‍♂️

When I bought my 4yr old Passat from a VW Main dealer in 2021 as an Approved vehicle, I asked for details of what their Service Dept had done in preparation, as the salesman said it was more than an oil change. I was given a copy of the usual VW workshop invoice, detailing all work done.

When I had the car serviced the following year at my local VW Main Agent, they gave me a full printout of the Service Record and queried that there was no entry for the previous year. 'But I have the VW Invoice for it!?', I replied.

After many calls, it turned out that the 2021 service details had been entered on the VW Financials system, (I guess as part of the cost of sale details), and is visible on that system's 'Sevice History Certificate'. However, as it was not on the usual Servicing system, it was missing from the usual 'Service History' report.

Getting the proper Servicing History corrected was beyond the capabilities of man or machine, apparantly...

(I post this as I expect/guess many of the VAG computer systems are shared across brands...)