Hi, should one get the car serviced according to age, i.e every 12 months or according to mileage, i.e every 15,000 km's or should one follow the periods and mileage as per the info read out on board the vehicle? I am very confused by this!

Welcome to the forum. Car comes from factory on Variable flexible oil and filter and inspection services, 24 months 30,000 km / 18,000-2,000 miles. So yours was changed to the fixed regime. How many km a year will you do, service as you want or require. We do not know how the car is used or what checks you do yourself. No idea even what engine you have.

Edited 2 October2 Oct by Evolution13

Thanks for your reply. The Car is a 1.0 TSi 95CH. I would anticipate doing around 12K km's per year. Mainly gentle driving around the villages, no real traffic issues here. Perhaps 2 or 3 motorway journeys a year. I bought the car last February as a 15 month old vehicle with just 120 km's on it. It was serviced by the dealer before it was delivered to me. I have now done 8.000km's but of course the car is now 2 years old so I decided to put it in to Skoda for an oil and oil filter change service plus they check a few other things as I understand it. When I got to the Skoda dealer they looked at the car "computer" and it was saying next service due in 21000 km's or 340 days, he then said that nothing needed doing now. Anyway, I did have them do the oil change etc and now the car reads that next service is due in 30,000km's or 740 days. That just seems crazy to me, so, do I just follow what the car is telling me? It would then be around 4 years old and never had a full service! I'm tempted to just ignore this and go with my gut feeling? I'd rather it was "over serviced".

Pollen filter is @ 2 years or sooner. Check it. Change is easy. Brake fluid schedule is 2 years. Air filter should be inspected, they might leave for 6 years. Inspect, check, look, hinge lube, etc etc etc. Stuff that cars always need. Especially when not doing much driving.

Hi, thanks again for your reply. I am planning on having a two year service when I hit 15k km's, I suspect around April next year which I hope will put me firmly back on track. Looking at the 2 year service they replace the pollen filter. In the past I pretty much always serviced my cars myself but with this one being newer and therefore more expensive I am going to use the main dealer for most works / servicing.

I don't like leaving oil in cars longer than a year regardless of mileage. But VW Group say it's OK for up to 2yrs/30K miles and they should know. If the car senses the oil needs changing earlier, due to lots of cold starts, short journeys etc, then it'll ask for it.

I guess the crucial thing is, how long will you keep the car? If you'll change it in a few years time then you're over-servicing is benefiting the next owner, not you.

VW have different advice on oil changes for lower annual mileage, short trip vehicles, differing useages even though Long Life oil.

Hi Rory, yeah, I sort of agree though I'm older generation and probably still stuck in the past! Something about knowing you've got fresh oil, my motorbike oil and filter gets changed every 3500 Km's, costs tuppence and makes me happy! Planning to change the car when it's around 3 years old but Don't really mind if it benefits the next owner, why not?

I don't go by manufacturer's recommendations, I change oil and filter every 7 months ( I do some short journeys) Yep overkill i know but with these modern turbo engines i'm not taking any chances.. And i changed from 0w/20 to 5w/30 approved VW oil as i don't trust 0/20....Oil and filter changes is probably one of the most important things on modern engines.

0w 30 FS III which is also VW 504 00 /507 00 is a good alternative to the 0w 20 FS IV. / VW508 00 /509

Hi Doofy, yeah I feel the same about these small modern turbo engines, interesting what you both say about the oil, the VW 504 / 507 seem more available here at a good price. I bought 5 litres of the 508 00 to top up with from an auto spares shop as I couldn't see it on the shelves in the supermarket, cost me over 60 euros, the 504 / 507 was around 45 euros for a branded make in the supermarket. Wish I had known that then!

Servicing depends on whether you want to keep the car or move on quickly. We normally keep cars if they are not immediately a problem.

My daughter has just bought a Kamiq from 2020. It had been regularly serviced.....

One of the first things I did was to reduce the service / oil change interval to 9000M from the variable. I would not service a car at a year regardless, but the 9000 will be at about 1 - 1.5 years.

Oil does not go off by just sitting in the oil sump as it will not in a 5L canister.

I cannot prove this but kind of believe that long change intervals with high mileage lead to lots of sludge in the whole engine. Sludge does not lubricate.

I agree with 26DIPP. For the sake of a few pounds I will have the oil and oil filter changed at 9,000 miles to preserve the life of the engine and turbo, as I have done with all my cars that I tend to keep for 9 years or so. However I also have a look and smell the oil on the dipstick as well at about 6,000 miles to see how dark and smelly it is! As for filters, the air filter gets looked at every year and replaced before it gets really dirty, likewise the cabin filters. Basically I don’t trust manufacturers schedules any more. Also I don’t trust cheap chain car servicers who use inferior generic oil filters not fit for purpose. My local reliable independent has got used to me supplying him the desired oil, correct filters, sump washer for him to fit during the past 30 years He is happy as he says he wastes a lot of time arguing with Eurobits factors and FSG plc that they have sent him the incorrect poor quality part and service item on the van. Unlike others I believe the 0-20w Castrol Edge LL IV spec meeting Volkswagen requirements is better for these Turbocharged cars in UK. I will revise that opinion as Global warming takes hold and my turbocharger catches fire!

On 02/10/2026 at 02:42, KamiqFrancais said:

according to mileage, i.e every 15,000 km's or should one follow the periods and mileage as per the info read out on board the vehicle? I am very confused by this!

Id be more inclined to go on mileage, and if its one you want to keep for a while, do more often than 15000. I do the oil in mine every 7,500 because oil is actually pretty cheap.

1.4 TSI engine

I get whatever VW502 is on special and change it more often.

If the 504 is on special I get that but my understanding is the 504 only gives extended service intervals so not worth it in my case