4 hours ago, davegr said:

I just noticed your signature. It must be a nightmare declaring all that to your insurance company?

What an odd-thing to say in this thread; what makes you come out with that off-topic?

Either way - aside from unnecessary alluding to independents somehow with a conflict of interest that dealers somehow don’t have, owners lose nothing mechanically by beating any official advice on servicing and maintenance if you’re looking to keep the car and take care of it for the long haul.

@Catzeye unfortunately it looks as though this car may not have been one of those.

7 minutes ago, travs said:

What an odd-thing to say in this thread; what makes you come out with that off-topic?

Terribly sorry sir.

1 hour ago, davegr said:

Terribly sorry sir.

Just a little bit confusing - not to mention your apparent reluctance to accept that a multi-plate clutch pack unit isn’t “sealed for life”.

All that being said, I’m not sure how independent advice could possibly be considered a money grab @davegr? Most decent VAG indies are booking months in advance, and they’re not exactly gaining anything significant from an £160 fluid change. As Travs said, your VAQ can definitely be a lifetime interval if you want it to be, but that will go against the advice of dealers, specialists and everyone else in the VAG world.

I’d be interested to know which dealer(s) told you they were sealed units - as Evo13 said, most places don’t know and have to look up the correct answer.

Anyway.

As above, preventative maintenance is key. If you plan to keep the car, being kinder to it with oil changes will go a long way - along with regular LSD/DSG servicing too.

Do keep in mind too @Catzeye that 40k is around the mileage things start to go wrong. My car is a 2020 and was in really, really good condition when I bought it at 28k miles. In the two years since then, however, it’s wanted the major service, DSG service, LSD service, lower control arms, CV boots + driveshafts, a new battery, new discs and pads all round, continual issues with subframe alignment, an ADAS calibration and, in the near future, possibly needs the water pump doing.

I had a hilarious haircut on the car so none of it is really a massive deal (I also knew it would want doing), but along with fun stuff like pads, a CAI, ECU/TCU tune, decent tyres, the constant alignments and electrical repairs (a rodents fault, not the cars) I shudder to think how much ownership has cost me to date.

In other words, getting a car on 25k miles may be a few thousand more expensive, but it also may save you money in the long run - especially if it’s not been cared for as well as mine has, for example.

My honest advice would be to walk away from this one - there are plenty out there, and you don’t want to be starting ownership on the back foot.

52 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

Just a little bit confusing - not to mention your apparent reluctance to accept that a multi-plate clutch pack unit isn’t “sealed for life”.

My very first comment regarding the diff was this: Doesn't Skoda say the diff is "lifetime"? In any case, 40k miles isn't terribly high. I intend to do mine around 30k.

Since I intend to do it at 30k (and might revise to 20k), I don't know how you can say I'm reluctant to accept that it isn't sealed for life.

52 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

All that being said, I’m not sure how independent advice could possibly be considered a money grab @davegr?

You used the term "money grab", not me. What I actually said was: But all the sources I find are independent and have an interest in making money.

If people are wondering about the service schedule for their VAQ diff and Skoda are quiet on the subject, then independents are going to fill the gap. They might suggest a more aggressive service schedule than is really required.

If there's a solid authoritative source on how often or at how many miles the VAQ should be serviced and what that should involve, I want to see it because I want to service my car properly.

52 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I’d be interested to know which dealer(s) told you they were sealed units - as Evo13 said, most places don’t know and have to look up the correct answer.

Right after getting my new car, I started working on understanding the complete service schedule. I found that when it came to the DSG DQ381 and the VAQ differential, there was much disagreement. I haven't actually spoken to any skoda dealer or authorised service about this subject yet because for my car, it's some way off. What I have seen though, is much discussion where other people have been told by their Skoda service/dealer that it's a lifetime unit.

If you could point me to an official Skoda service schedule for the VAQ diff, then I would actually really appreciate it. I just had another look and couldn't find one. I asked ChatGPT to look for one and it also failed but did allude to sources suggesting that it's done "every 3 years regardless of mileage", which doesn't match with what is being discussed here.

On a final note, what is with users on this forum reading things that aren't there? I've never had a forum be such hard work before.

2 hours ago, davegr said:

My very first comment regarding the diff was this: Doesn't Skoda say the diff is "lifetime"? In any case, 40k miles isn't terribly high. I intend to do mine around 30k.

Since I intend to do it at 30k (and might revise to 20k), I don't know how you can say I'm reluctant to accept that it isn't sealed for life.

You used the term "money grab", not me. What I actually said was: But all the sources I find are independent and have an interest in making money.

If people are wondering about the service schedule for their VAQ diff and Skoda are quiet on the subject, then independents are going to fill the gap. They might suggest a more aggressive service schedule than is really required.

If there's a solid authoritative source on how often or at how many miles the VAQ should be serviced and what that should involve, I want to see it because I want to service my car properly.

Right after getting my new car, I started working on understanding the complete service schedule. I found that when it came to the DSG DQ381 and the VAQ differential, there was much disagreement. I haven't actually spoken to any skoda dealer or authorised service about this subject yet because for my car, it's some way off. What I have seen though, is much discussion where other people have been told by their Skoda service/dealer that it's a lifetime unit.

If you could point me to an official Skoda service schedule for the VAQ diff, then I would actually really appreciate it. I just had another look and couldn't find one. I asked ChatGPT to look for one and it also failed but did allude to sources suggesting that it's done "every 3 years regardless of mileage", which doesn't match with what is being discussed here.

On a final note, what is with users on this forum reading things that aren't there? I've never had a forum be such hard work before.

I'd generally describe someone as reluctant when they question something four times - 'Doesn't Skoda say the diff is "lifetime"?', 'What's the evidence for this?', 'Who is the authority on this?' and 'I was under the impression that the dealers usually say it’s lifetime.'

Since this isn't going to be let go, I've spent a good twenty minutes on Google. Something you need to understand is that VWAG, be it Audi, VW, SEAT, Cupra or Skoda, are utterly useless when it comes to service intervals and maintenance schedules. This is something you will find on every single VAG forum. While a phone call or quick search on here, SEATCupra.net or VWVortex.com would have given you the answer you needed, I'll explain it anyway. The reason you've been unable to find any reference to the VAQ LSD is because VAG don't call it that in any documentation. I don't know why, but they don't. VW refer to it as the 'front axle differential lock', while Skoda only refer to it in service items as the 'final drive oil'. This is a bit misleading, as 'final drive oil' is the same term used for Haldex AWD systems, which have a slightly different interval. I'm not going to send you a thirty-something email chain between my friendly Skoda dealer and I (not least because I'm not putting my buiild sheet and VIN on the internet), but that is what I found out. You can choose not to believe me if you want - I'm trying to help.

The dealers are absolutely useless. For service departments filled with 'car enthusiasts', they are utterly woeful - I wouldn't go near one if they paid me. They do not understand the VAQ, and most don't even know it exists. As mentioned before, it is an electronically-controlled, hydraulically-actuated multi-plate clutch unit - it uses hydraulic pressure to enage and disengage a clutch that ties the front wheels together. This needs to be looked after properly. If you do find a dealer that knows what they're on about (I haven't yet) then most don't service it properly and won't clean the pump screen/gauze. The following is a section of email between a service advisor and I -

'Please note that the Diff gauze isn’t included in the cost for the Front Diff Lock Oil. As per SKODA’s Workshop Manual, when we perform this operation, only the Haldex Oil and Drain Plug are replaced. The Diff gauze would be an additional cost.'

Clearly then, it wouldn't be a proper service according to the Skoda manual.

Now, with all of that in mind, we can find a few official sources, outside of the internally-available service information. Again, remember that VAG service information is rubbish - hence why most sensible owners default to what is recommended by specialists.

This document mentions 'Front axle differential lock: Change fluid (if equipped)'

This document also mentions 'Front Axle Differential Lock if applicable: Every 3 years'

This link, under the extended scope inspection, describes 'check/replenish final drive oil', with reference to this being every 3 years, or 30k miles.

This graphic shows that the Haldex 4x4 wants doing every 3 years or 30k miles - remember that the VAQ is the exact same Gen5 pump as the AWD system.

This document mentions 'Front Axle Differential Lock if applicable: Every 3 years'

This service, under any vehicle equipped with a VAQ, also describes 'Front Axle Differential Lock (if equipped) - Change fluid every 3 years'

Although not official, if you don't trust AwesomeGTI, you're wasting your time on any VAG forum - 'Every 20,000 miles Recommended Haldex oil + filter interval' and 'Gen 1, 2, 4, 5 and the VAQ front differential'. Link to here.

I can't speak for the MQB Evo intervals, as I believe it was only Skoda that reduced the VAQ to 2 years. You question 'time versus mileage' - it is generally assumed that the average person covers 10,000 miles a year - therefore, a service interval of 30,000 miles becomes, according to VW too, 30k or 3 years, whichever is sooner. I've never heard of anyone being told the unit is sealed for life. Even if they are - two things. Firstly, this is likely the words of an inexperienced, bored service advisor - I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. Second, some common sense is required. If we know that the Gen5 Haldex AWD unit needs servicing, then it stands to reason that the Gen5 Haldex VAQ unit also needs servicing.

The reason that many places 'might suggest a more agressive service schedule than is... required' is simple - VWAG service information sucks, and the stuff breaks. You can imagine that if an electronically-controlled, hydraulically-actuated multi-plate clutch unit sounds liable to problems, then two seperate manual gearboxes, spliced into one electronically-controlled unit with two concentric input shafts and two clutches is even more liable. That's what a DSG box is.

For completeness, and seeing as you mentioned it, we can touch on the DSG intervals. VAG uses several DSG types - the DQ200, DQ250, DQ381, DQ400e, DQ500 and the longitudinal DL501. All of these boxes are 'wet clutch', meaning the clutch plates are submerged in oil, with the exception of the DQ200 which is a 'dry clutch', where the clutch plates spin in air, like a traditional manual setup. All of the 'wet' boxes have filters that can, and should, be changed - even if VAG doesn't do this. The DQ200 has no filter, but does have both a gear oil and MCU (Mechatronic Unit) oil to change, when it is needed. This is often suggested around 100,000 miles.

All of the DSG boxes have a recommended service interval of 40,000 miles, except the DQ200 (no interval) and the DQ381 (80,000 miles). This is because the DQ381 is supposed to use a more advanced low friction oil. Whether this actually works or not, I don't know of anyone that leaves it until 80k. I did mine at 40k, and plan to take another view at 60k - I don't cover the miles, but I do drive very hard, so am going off of 40k/4 years.

I see you've requested to delete your account. It's a shame, but if you find the forum such hard work, then I don't suppose you will miss it. As you can hopefully see from the above reply, many of us here on Briskoda do have a wealth of knowledge about these cars. I find that, generally, people don't tend to take too kindly to their information being questioned multiple times. Were it new information, then I could understand, but this is a topic that has been discussed many times since 2017, and a simple search will show many links and screenshots by various members over the years. Personally, I found your replies to be a bit standoffish and cynical, although I appreciate this may not have been the intended tone.

Oh, and in reply to this 'but all the sources I find are independent and have an interest in making money' - what do you think a main dealer makes more money from, selling cars, or servicing them? I'll let you in on a secret - it's not the first one. If you spend the time, have a search on the various VAG forums and see why stealers are hated so much - they are dishonest, unreliable, often incorrect, careless and vastly overpriced. Buy the car, be it brand-new or approved-used, and run.

I hope this helps, whether you view this as a member or guest.

Tensions have been raised a little but personally I've not found Briskoda any different to other car forums I've been on. Which isn't a million of them, but enough for me to be happy with my own conclusions on likely custom and practise.

As usual, it'll come down to interpretation and language. Occy is very detail-orientated. Not always right and he defers to greater powers but he does his research where he can. Admittedly some of the stuff he's said in his last posts weren't in his first, that's just come out in the conversation.

I've not contributed much in the way of technical know-how but I've sought to get into the approximations and allusions. Can't go insinuating independents are trying to con customers (a reasonable interpretation of your money-making statement) without backing it up. In the same way you've repeatedly questioned other's sources whilst simultaneously saying you've read stuff in "multiple places". Or saying you thought Skoda were quoting as a lifetime sealed and then say "as far as Skoda sources go, I haven't found it mentioned".

Tbh it reads far more like facebook commenting than an owners forum - the former is all attempts at gotcha questions and lol emojis when arguing, the latter is much more based on fact and owner's enthusiasm.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

'Doesn't Skoda say the diff is "lifetime"?'

I've seen this repeatedly said. I'm not 100% sure but I think I've even seen it said on this forum. [Not saying they were right, if so]

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

'What's the evidence for this?'

Because if somebody says every x years or y miles, I want to know if it's correct. As I've said more than once already, I have a brand new Octavia vRS and want to make sure it's serviced properly. I mean properly, not according to some unnecessarily aggressive schedule that has spread through the community.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

'Who is the authority on this?'

A valid question because then you can find the truth of the matter.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

and 'I was under the impression that the dealers usually say it’s lifetime.'

Yes, because that's what I have read in numerous places.

You realise that asking questions is how you get to the truth?

It's noting to do with you personally. I don't know you from Adam, so you can tell me anything you want and I'll want to know who gave you that info and what the evidence is etc.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

Since this isn't going to be let go, I've spent a good twenty minutes on Google. Something you need to understand is that VWAG, be it Audi, VW, SEAT, Cupra or Skoda, are utterly useless when it comes to service intervals and maintenance schedules. This is something you will find on every single VAG forum. While a phone call or quick search on here, SEATCupra.net or VWVortex.com would have given you the answer you needed, I'll explain it anyway.

Which requires knowledge of which brands are part of the VAG group, then diving into specifications to find whether they use the exact same part, and whether it's application in the vRS requires a different approach to servicing, etc. It's time consuming and easy for you to point out when you already know where to look. Of course, you've done this now and I'm finding it very helpful, thank you.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

The reason you've been unable to find any reference to the VAQ LSD is because VAG don't call it that in any documentation. I don't know why, but they don't. VW refer to it as the 'front axle differential lock', while Skoda only refer to it in service items as the 'final drive oil'. This is a bit misleading, as 'final drive oil' is the same term used for Haldex AWD systems, which have a slightly different interval.

How was I supposed to know this? I got my first Skoda back in February and it caused me to spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to figure out its issues, then fight with a dealer to take it back, then frantically try to find a vRS at a good price, drive hundreds of miles to collect it and so on. Now I'm supposed to be an expert in the widely varying terminology in use throughout the VAG group?

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

I'm not going to send you a thirty-something email chain between my friendly Skoda dealer and I (not least because I'm not putting my buiild sheet and VIN on the internet), but that is what I found out. You can choose not to believe me if you want - I'm trying to help.

I wouldn't expect you to, didn't ask for it and have no idea why you would even bring it up. Even if I was to choose not to believe you, it shouldn't matter anyway. If you're right, I would be the only one who would suffer.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

The dealers are absolutely useless. For service departments filled with 'car enthusiasts', they are utterly woeful - I wouldn't go near one if they paid me.

Another thing I've had to learn. My previous experiences were with Mazda dealers and I never had any issue with them.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

They do not understand the VAQ, and most don't even know it exists. As mentioned before, it is an electronically-controlled, hydraulically-actuated multi-plate clutch unit - it uses hydraulic pressure to enage and disengage a clutch that ties the front wheels together. This needs to be looked after properly. If you do find a dealer that knows what they're on about (I haven't yet) then most don't service it properly and won't clean the pump screen/gauze. The following is a section of email between a service advisor and I -

'Please note that the Diff gauze isn’t included in the cost for the Front Diff Lock Oil. As per SKODA’s Workshop Manual, when we perform this operation, only the Haldex Oil and Drain Plug are replaced. The Diff gauze would be an additional cost.'

Clearly then, it wouldn't be a proper service according to the Skoda manual.

Very useful to know, thank you.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

Now, with all of that in mind, we can find a few official sources, outside of the internally-available service information. Again, remember that VAG service information is rubbish - hence why most sensible owners default to what is recommended by specialists.

This document mentions 'Front axle differential lock: Change fluid (if equipped)'

This document also mentions 'Front Axle Differential Lock if applicable: Every 3 years'

This link, under the extended scope inspection, describes 'check/replenish final drive oil', with reference to this being every 3 years, or 30k miles.

This graphic shows that the Haldex 4x4 wants doing every 3 years or 30k miles - remember that the VAQ is the exact same Gen5 pump as the AWD system.

This document mentions 'Front Axle Differential Lock if applicable: Every 3 years'

This service, under any vehicle equipped with a VAQ, also describes 'Front Axle Differential Lock (if equipped) - Change fluid every 3 years'

Very helpful links, thank you.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

Although not official, if you don't trust AwesomeGTI, you're wasting your time on any VAG forum

What a bizarre statement. It's unofficial, I've not previously heard of them but I should take your word, otherwise just don't bother looking for info?

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

I see you've requested to delete your account. It's a shame, but if you find the forum such hard work, then I don't suppose you will miss it.

I've used many forums over the years, some of them for years, on a wide range of subjects. This is the first I've found to feel hostile. I note there are even comments on this very forum regarding people leaving due to 'animosity'.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

As you can hopefully see from the above reply, many of us here on Briskoda do have a wealth of knowledge about these cars. I find that, generally, people don't tend to take too kindly to their information being questioned multiple times. Were it new information, then I could understand, but this is a topic that has been discussed many times since 2017, and a simple search will show many links and screenshots by various members over the years. Personally, I found your replies to be a bit standoffish and cynical, although I appreciate this may not have been the intended tone.

I can't help how you interpret comments. I was trying to get to the point: what is the proper service regime for the VAQ diff and how do I know that it is?

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

Oh, and in reply to this 'but all the sources I find are independent and have an interest in making money' - what do you think a main dealer makes more money from, selling cars, or servicing them? I'll let you in on a secret - it's not the first one.

Of course. Everybody is trying to make money and that sometimes includes trying to sell you services which aren't strictly required. There's no inherent reason that an independent is any less likely to do this than a main dealer.

11 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

I hope this helps, whether you view this as a member or guest.

It has helped, thank you.

The reason I didn’t initially offer more in-depth information is because a) this wasn’t the original topic of the thread and b) the search function does exist. If you want to go more in depth about stuff you don’t understand, simply start a new thread and people will be more than happy to contribute.

As with most forums, we try to avoid the hijacking of threads, where possible. As you’ll have read in the forum T&Cs, before starting a post, you’re asked to search for previous threads on the topic.

Nobody asked you to be an expert on VAG, but I wasn’t walked through these things - I had to find them out myself by spending a few hours reading up on things, before speaking with dealers and independent places. I don’t know how much you know, and it would be rather time consuming to explain everything about VW in every single post. Certainly, there is a level of implied knowledge. Rather than simply questioning my sources several times, I’d maybe suggest saying “I’ve looked up XYZ, spoken to my local dealer, done my own research and I can’t find any solid information regarding the VAQ. Are you able to let me know where I can find an official source on this?”. Without knowing how much, or how little, you know - it’s very difficult to provide a complete answer.

The reason there’s animosity toward you is because you’re extremely critical and questioning, but yet rather vague about your own comments.

I’m not sure why this forum has an apparent reputation elsewhere. I fear, as with a new member a few weeks ago, there is an expectation for all to agree. I find Briskoda to have some of the most organic discussions I’ve seen on any forum.

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

The reason I didn’t initially offer more in-depth information is because a) this wasn’t the original topic of the thread and b) the search function does exist. If you want to go more in depth about stuff you don’t understand, simply start a new thread and people will be more than happy to contribute.

The original subject was the possible purchase of a used car, which inevitably brings up the subject of service items and whether they have been done. On the vRS, one of those is the differential, which somebody else mentioned first. It's in the context of a used Octavia vRS, why start a new thread?

I was happy to do mine at 30k miles, until you mentioned that it's actually 20k miles but didn't provide any source for that info. It's not wrong to question that and I don't believe I did it in an unfriendly way. I became unsure about what I should do and the way to clear up uncertainty is to find an authoritative source.

I had already done plenty of searching regarding the diff and other service items, mostly using DuckDuckGo, which inevitably did bring up many discussions in this forum. In fact, it's how I learned about the existence of the forum, which I then specifically started to include in my search terms. This lead me to read a few posts elsewhere about the 'attitude' on this forum. I took it with a pinch of salt though.

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

As with most forums, we try to avoid the hijacking of threads, where possible. As you’ll have read in the forum T&Cs, before starting a post, you’re asked to search for previous threads on the topic.

Yes, I've been using forums for many years. I've been made moderator on some and even admin on a couple, one of which I still am an admin on. How tedious it would be though, to do an analysis of forum content before posting anything, just in case it's been mentioned before. It's also sometimes useful for something to be mentioned or clarified again, even if it's already mentioned elsewhere. I had done many searches of this forum via DuckDuckGo (and sometimes via the forums own search) but had not found what I was looking for. As you point out though, that might in part be because the VAQ diff goes by different names.

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

Nobody asked you to be an expert on VAG, but I wasn’t walked through these things - I had to find them out myself by spending a few hours reading up on things, before speaking with dealers and independent places.

You could ask my wife about the hours, days and weeks I've spent reading about all things Octavia and she would tell you it was far too much. That said, the diff wasn't a subject for me until approx 1 month ago and I wasn't able to find the objective facts about it so far.

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I don’t know how much you know, and it would be rather time consuming to explain everything about VW in every single post. Certainly, there is a level of implied knowledge.

Very curious that you seem to be suggesting that there's an implied level of knowledge on something that you said yourself even Skoda dealers are not very knowledgeable about!

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

Rather than simply questioning my sources several times, I’d maybe suggest saying “I’ve looked up XYZ, spoken to my local dealer, done my own research and I can’t find any solid information regarding the VAQ.

Are you able to let me know where I can find an official source on this?”. Without knowing how much, or how little, you know - it’s very difficult to provide a complete answer.

You could just as easily have pointed me to a single link from a reasonable source, which explained the service items and schedule for the diff, perhaps clarifying that the different brands call it different things. Nobody was asking for an essay on it! (But thank you, you did post some very useful info)

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

The reason there’s animosity toward you is because you’re extremely critical and questioning, but yet rather vague about your own comments.

Extremely critical? If you really feel that way, I'd say you're too sensitive.

I questioned in an attempt to try to get to the root of the facts regarding the diff. You just seem upset that I didn't take the things you said as fact without any further question. Nobody wants to service an item every 20k miles if it doesn't need it!

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I’m not sure why this forum has an apparent reputation elsewhere.

I have a clue...

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I fear, as with a new member a few weeks ago, there is an expectation for all to agree.

From my point of view it would seem that it's not allowed to ask questions of certain members on this forum, or state facts about your experiences which don't match with older members.

15 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I find Briskoda to have some of the most organic discussions I’ve seen on any forum.

That's an entirely different thing all together and these things are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Honestly, I'm just disappointed about the whole thing but such is life.

1) Why start a new thread? Because this thread was for OP to ask about spec and pricing regarding a car. Yes, servicing (or lack thereof) does come into it, but it doesn't need to become a technical bulletin discussion.

2) I would suggest ditching DuckDuckGo. I typed 'VW front differential service interval' into Google and the relevant VW service bulletin was result number nine.

3) I would suggest doing a bit more targeted research. If you've bought the car and not known about the existence of the front diff, then the research wasn't done very well.

4) The implied level of knowledge would be based on you having done more than twenty minutes of Googling. A simple search of 'VW front differential' would highlight the terms mentioned, such as VAQ. That being said if, as you now tell us, you don't know anything about the differential, perhaps advising members on it being 'lifetime' isn't the best port of call? Seeing as you commented on '40k miles not being terribly high', I assumed you had done your research and had information from an official source. Certainly, I wouldn't be on a public forum dispensing advice on things I didn't understand. That's how mistakes happen, and how people that rely on these forums for information end up damaging their cars.

5) I'm not upset. I've been using this forum for a while and I'm very happy with it. The reason for my annoyance is that, as above, I assumed you'd done your research on the VAQ, hence why you were giving advice and were 'under the impression' by dealers. When I read someone giving out incorrect advice and then questioning where I am getting my information from, that tends to annoy me.

6) You speak for yourself. People such as @Warrior193, @Evolution13 and I agree on many things, but also disagree frequently. That said, we all have experience on the topics we discuss - which is not the case here. When you're stating experiences that aren't correct, that's when disagreements occur. I've given you plenty of links to play with. You've given us vague ascertations from stuff you've read using DuckDuckGo. Try using Ecosia - if you're going to waste your time, you may as well plant some trees in the process.

7) I'm sorry you're dissappointed. Please feel free to look through my recent activity - you'll see that I'm very welcoming to questions and new members (myself not exactly being a seasoned veteran on here). I was welcomed warmly, and I hope that others continue to feel the same.

As I said, my lack of content is due to the way you've given incorrect advice, without any backing, and then repeatedly questioned my comments. Writing everything out the way I did, if I'm honest, wasn't for you - it's for the benefit of all those that come across this thread in the future and need the correct advice. Hopefully, though, they're steered towards the correct information.

I'm sorry you feel this forum isn't the place for you. I wish you all the best with the forums you are involved in.

Edited 13 May13 May by OccyVRS

All I've read is asking for others to quote sources, yet just being non-descript about what you've heard from who or what.

Occy's added links, quoted sources and explained stuff in detail - in part because you've asked, but in part he's proactively offered this information. I still don't see that reciprocated.

7 hours ago, davegr said:

I have a brand new Octavia vRS and want to make sure it's serviced properly. I mean properly, not according to some unnecessarily aggressive schedule that has spread through the community.

This is just bonkers. What's an aggressive schedule? Too much maintenance? That flies in the face of logic. From the vehicle's point of view, there's only one way you can mess up maintenance and that's not doing it enough. Given the allusion that independents advising servicing are money-making, you're giving the impression cost is more important than maintenance.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

2) I would suggest ditching DuckDuckGo. I typed 'VW front differential service interval' into Google and the relevant VW service bulletin was result number nine.

Until fairly recently I had used Google since it began, in 1998. I still occasionally use it when I can't find what I want with DuckDuckGo. One of the problems with modern search engines, is that search results are influenced by a myriad of factors, such that we won't necessarily get the same results.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

3) I would suggest doing a bit more targeted research. If you've bought the car and not known about the existence of the front diff, then the research wasn't done very well.

I was well aware of the existence of the front diff, thank you. I had wrongly (naively?) assumed that putting together a service schedule for the car wouldn't be a difficult task. I never had such an issue with Mazda.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

4) The implied level of knowledge would be based on you having done more than twenty minutes of Googling. A simple search of 'VW front differential' would highlight the terms mentioned, such as VAQ. That being said if, as you now tell us, you don't know anything about the differential, perhaps advising members on it being 'lifetime' isn't the best port of call?

I didn't advise anybody that it was lifetime, I asked a question.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

Seeing as you commented on '40k miles not being terribly high', I assumed you had done your research and had information from an official source. Certainly, I wouldn't be on a public forum dispensing advice on things I didn't understand. That's how mistakes happen, and how people that rely on these forums for information end up damaging their cars.

Anybody acting on information from any single random forum user, without corroborating that information with a reputable and preferably authoritative source, is an idiot. Especially if that forum user has not actually presented anything as fact but rather, a question or opinion.

I commented on 40k not being terribly high, in relation to what I had at that point understood to be the service interval, e.g 30k. Considering there are people out there with functioning cars with VAQ diffs that have done many miles more, I don't think that's an unreasonable statement.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

5) I'm not upset. I've been using this forum for a while and I'm very happy with it. The reason for my annoyance is that, as above, I assumed you'd done your research on the VAQ, hence why you were giving advice and were 'under the impression' by dealers.

Absolute rubbish. You cannot possibly have thought I had done my research, because you very clearly stated that I was wrong.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

When I read someone giving out incorrect advice and then questioning where I am getting my information from, that tends to annoy me.

It shouldn't. As I've said already, I know nothing about you. If I ask where you got information from, it's because I want to understand if that information is genuine. If it annoys you, then it's because (at least in the context of this forum), you have a bit of an ego problem.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

When you're stating experiences that aren't correct, that's when disagreements occur.

Experiences that aren't correct? You're invalidating my experiences now? What on earth is actually wrong with you?

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

I've given you plenty of links to play with.

You have, thank you. I've looked at them and arrived at the same conclusion that I had already, that being that the diff should be serviced at 30k. None of that changes that I have read of many other cases where people were told it's not a service item. I even found an old thread on this forum.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

As I said, my lack of content is due to the way you've given incorrect advice, without any backing, and then repeatedly questioned my comments.

Nothing I said with regard to the diff was intended to be advice, with the exception of stating that 40k miles is not terrible high, a statement that I stand by. The only way that's going to be a significant issue, is if the car was tracked hard. If that's the case, it may also have other issues.

38 minutes ago, OccyVRS said:

Writing everything out the way I did, if I'm honest, wasn't for you - it's for the benefit of all those that come across this thread in the future and need the correct advice. Hopefully, though, they're steered towards the correct information.

Well, I found it helpful anyway.

Just now, travs said:

All I've read is asking for others to quote sources, yet just being non-descript about what you've heard from who or what.

Is there something so terribly wrong with wanting to verify that the information I receive is accurate? EVERYBODY should be doing that. People shouldn't get upset because somebody questions the origin of their knowledge either.

I've been "nondescript" because it was 3-4 weeks ago and I did not keep detailed logs of what I read, where, who posted it, where they got their info from and so on. I do remember coming across quite a few posts (including some on this forum I'm sure), where people said their dealer service had told them it's not a service item.

Just now, travs said:

Occy's added links, quoted sources and explained stuff in detail - in part because you've asked, but in part he's proactively offered this information. I still don't see that reciprocated.

What exactly is it you want to see me reciprocate with?

Just now, travs said:

This is just bonkers. What's an aggressive schedule? Too much maintenance? That flies in the face of logic.

An overly aggressive schedule could cost extra, use more time, increase the chances of something going wrong and just generally provide no tangible benefit.

Just now, travs said:

From the vehicle's point of view, there's only one way you can mess up maintenance and that's not doing it enough.

Perhaps, perhaps not, but you wouldn't suggest changing the timing belt/chain weekly, would you? Oil every 500 miles? Tyres every 3 months? Walnut blasting every 10k?

Just now, travs said:

Given the allusion that independents advising servicing are money-making, you're giving the impression cost is more important than maintenance.

I assume that everybody is trying to maximise their profits, whether main dealer or independent, at least when I first deal with them. If I'm told something is needed, I want to know the details. It's the same if I'm told something is not needed, e.g when I've been told in the past that coolant was 'lifetime' but then found otherwise in the cars manual and in the service schedule (not VAG in that case).

Edited 13 May13 May by davegr

6 minutes ago, davegr said:

Is there something so terribly wrong with wanting to verify that the information I receive is accurate? EVERYBODY should be doing that.

Yes everybody should be doing it but you don't. I don't care if you want to call someone out to verify - but you've got to hold yourself to the same standard or you risk being called out on it. I don't want to see anything in particular, but

8 minutes ago, davegr said:

generally provide no tangible benefit

Its preventive maintenance - the tangible benefit is the absence of something going wrong later on. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

I'm not wanting to see anything in particular, I've always just pointed out the double-standard of questioning other people's posts while not offering the same level of detail or scrutiny.

Although I do note you quote this forum as a source and yet when I search for "VAQ and Servicing" I only see posts talking about servicing and just spotted this Bobby Dazzler or this one from the same topic.

4 minutes ago, travs said:

Yes everybody should be doing it but you don't. I don't care if you want to call someone out to verify - but you've got to hold yourself to the same standard or you risk being called out on it. I don't want to see anything in particular, but

Its preventive maintenance - the tangible benefit is the absence of something going wrong later on. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

I'm not wanting to see anything in particular, I've always just pointed out the double-standard of questioning other people's posts while not offering the same level of detail or scrutiny.

Although I do note you quote this forum as a source and yet when I search for "VAQ and Servicing" I only see posts talking about servicing and just spotted this Bobby Dazzler or this one from the same topic.

Point me to any statement of fact that I made in relation to the VAQ diff. Not a question, not an opinion. A statement of fact.

Also a quick search found this: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/509911-vrs-owners-cars-with-a-vaq-front-diff-a-question-on-the-servicing-and-what-you-are-being-told-at-skoda-main-dealerships/

I’m sure it’s not the only one if you search hard enough.

On 12/05/2026 at 12:39, davegr said:

But all the sources I find

On 12/05/2026 at 12:48, davegr said:

the dealers usually say it’s lifetime

On 12/05/2026 at 13:48, davegr said:

Just what I read in multiple places

23 hours ago, davegr said:

there was much disagreement

8 hours ago, davegr said:

I've seen this repeatedly said. I'm not 100% sure but I think I've even seen it said on this forum.

Just some examples to back-up. Not upset by the way, just trying to bring your behaviour to your attention.

However, you've now disparaged the forum a couple of times. Its not a fraternity, there are plenty of opinions and deliveries, but its nothing to do with the guys that setup and run the forum at their own personal time and effort. I don't think they deserve to have their work tainted in that way.

13 minutes ago, davegr said:

Point me to any statement of fact that I made in relation to the VAQ diff. Not a question, not an opinion. A statement of fact.

Also a quick search found this: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/509911-vrs-owners-cars-with-a-vaq-front-diff-a-question-on-the-servicing-and-what-you-are-being-told-at-skoda-main-dealerships/

I’m sure it’s not the only one if you search hard enough.

Eh?

1. See my previous posts - you don't quote your sources, you give wishy washy statements about where you're reading stuff while simultaneously asking others to declare their sources. Jeez its hard work explaining a simple concept.

2. Thanks for the link - proves the point that dealers don't seem to know much so let's not listen to them. Good glad we've finally got that out the way. Either way, @OccyVRS and @Evolution13 have mentioned it used to be 3 years/30k but should now be 2 years/20k for Mk4s and you've still just stated:

   1 hour ago, davegr said:

   I've looked at them and arrived at the same conclusion that I had already, that being that the diff should be serviced at 30k.

   I think its clear you don't want to service your car in line with advice that anyone with any sense would. Its your car, but simultaneously claiming you want to make sure the car is "properly serviced" is kidding no-one.

31 minutes ago, travs said:

Just some examples to back-up. Not upset by the way, just trying to bring your behaviour to your attention.

However, you've now disparaged the forum a couple of times. Its not a fraternity, there are plenty of opinions and deliveries, but its nothing to do with the guys that setup and run the forum at their own personal time and effort. I don't think they deserve to have their work tainted in that way.

Well done for quoting out of context, you disingenuous twit.

But all the sources I find --> That's a personal experience, nothing directly related to what I think the VAQ service interval should be. It doesn't even border on opinion.

the dealers usually say it’s lifetime --> What I actually said was "I was under the impression that the dealers usually say it’s lifetime.", which is again, a personal experience.

Just what I read in multiple places --> Again personal experience.

there was much disagreement --> What I actually said was "I found that when it came to the DSG DQ381 and the VAQ differential, there was much disagreement." Another personal experience. Guess what? There's no weird law in the universe that makes any 2 people read all the same things. There IS disagreement on what the correct service interval is for the VAQ as well as the DQ381.

I've seen this repeatedly said --> What I actually said: "I've seen this repeatedly said. I'm not 100% sure but I think I've even seen it said on this forum. [Not saying they were right, if so]" I think even you can figure out the issue with this one.

21 minutes ago, travs said:

Eh?

1. See my previous posts - you don't quote your sources, you give wishy washy statements about where you're reading stuff while simultaneously asking others to declare their sources. Jeez its hard work explaining a simple concept.

I wasn't saying anything direct about how the diff should be serviced, so why on earth would I need to trawl back through my browsing history for the last month and find all the different discussions, references, opinions and whatever else?

On the other hand, when somebody says '20k miles' or whatever, they obviously have a specific reason for that and I genuinely wanted to know what that reason is, because if it is correct, then I need to take that into account.

21 minutes ago, travs said:

1. Either way, @OccyVRS and @Evolution13 have mentioned it used to be 3 years/30k but should now be 2 years/20k for Mk4s and you've still just stated: "I've looked at them and arrived at the same conclusion that I had already, that being that the diff should be serviced at 30k."

   I think it's clear you don't want to service your car in line with advice that anyone with any sense would.

I don't want to service my car inline with recommendations from the Briskoda gods, just because they say it is so.

You think you're making a good argument but the only source which says anything other than 3 years and/or 30k miles, is AwesomeGTI. Even then, their web site doesn't make it clear that it applies to the Mk4 Octavia.

21 minutes ago, travs said:

It's your car, but simultaneously claiming you want to make sure the car is "properly serviced" is kidding no-one.

I don't care what you or anybody else thinks. I've got another 11 months before I need to worry about it, which is plenty of time to make sure it's done correctly.

Edit: Just to say that I'm no longer following this thread but looking forward to the notification that my account has been deleted.

Edited 13 May13 May by davegr

50 minutes ago, travs said:

Just some examples to back-up. Not upset by the way, just trying to bring your behaviour to your attention.

However, you've now disparaged the forum a couple of times. [ ... ] I don't think they deserve to have their work tainted in that way.

Not to worry, my account will be deleted soon and the admins can remove whatever they have a problem with 👍

And who can blame them?

Oh man, for someone that is attempting to delete their account, you could start a fight in an empty room.

You gave a link to something - all I can see is a discussion regarding a 2 year/60k service interval, along with a 3 year interval. I can see nothing about 'lifetime' or '40k not being a lot' so, as above, I'm still not sure where you're getting your information from. The hypocrisy, and irony, is hilarious.

You've been rude to me - I've done absolutely nothing, except attempt to educate you to the best of my ability. I realise now this is rather futile - I would have been better off attempting to mop up todays rain. You've also been rude about the entire 216,000-strong forum, which really isn't acceptable. There are decades of information on here, extending far beyond that of any one individual member, and disparaging 5,700,000 posts and the hundreds of thousands of hours behind them and the forum isn't unacceptable. You've also been directly rude to another forum user - who has done nothing wrong but call you out on the rubbish you've been spewing.

Unlike you, I'm not a keyboard warrior. After many hours together, I'm only slightly embarrassed to call @travs a friend. To say that he is a disingenious twit, frankly, is a joke. He is one of the sharpest, genuine and patient people I know. I fear however, that you may have worn through his patience. Certainly, you've worn through mine. I doubt the mods will remove any of your posts, though - things aren't like that on here.

Oh, and you don't care what anyone thinks, but you're still on here, two days later, writing out more lengthy replies and being rude to people? You claim you're unfollowing the thread, but are back less than four minutes later commenting again? If I may be so bold - you need to get a job or, at the very least, another hobby.

@davegr I wish you and your car all the best. While I can't possibly speak for the forum or stafff, I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we hope you don't come back.

Just remember, whenever any of your search results come up with Briskoda, to delete them.

I'm hoping we can just call it here and move on with our respective weeks in peace. @Gizmo or @Monkhai can we get @Dean to fulfill this persons dreams of account deletion, please?

Edited 13 May13 May by OccyVRS

Name-calling doesn't help get the point across.

So instead of naming sources in the same way that you adamantly ask of others, you explain yours away as just personal experiences? And try to correct by putting more of the sentence? This is a wind-up right? @OccyVRS have you set up a second account to mess about? You nutter, you had me!

1 minute ago, travs said:

Name-calling doesn't help get the point across.

So instead of naming sources in the same way that you adamantly ask of others, you explain yours away as just personal experiences? And try to correct by putting more of the sentence? This is a wind-up right? @OccyVRS have you set up a second account to mess about? You nutter, you had me!

I thought you'd never guess - caught red-handed!

I was deliberately trying to come across as a coarse, hypocritical moron - maybe I tried too hard. Next time, I'll try and be a bit more considerate, informed, understanding, educated, patient and self-accountable.

@Catzeye please feel free to reply here, or start a new topic for any further help. You can also drop me a DM - if I don't know the answer, I'll do my best to point you toward someone that does. I genuinely apologise for my part in derailing your post - I tried my best not to rise to it!

Let's call it here. Nothing of any use is going to come of further engagement.

VAQ eLSD - service interval at a maximum of 3 years or 30,000 miles, whichever is sooner.

Just a quick point: the transfer case for the rear axle of the 4x4 is a Haldex Gen 6, manufactured by BorgWarner. As a former supplier of the complete transfer case, I can tell you that VW themselves extend the maintenance interval. BorgWarner has completely different recommendations 😜