Free Servicing or Variable Servicing ?

[s3akr]

Has anyone heard of this little dilema.....

Got a call from the Dealership today about delivery of my new VRS and they are asking me if I want to use variable servicing or annual, fixed service schedules. They went on to inform me that if I wanted the free servicing offer I must have fixed servicing, and that once set, it can not be switched back.

Is this a load of BS ?

Can it be switched back to variable after the free services expire ?

Is it really of no advantage to the dealer which option I choose ?

Interested to hear your views/experiences on this one.

[VRStu]

Of course it can be set to variable at any time.

Take the free servicing and it'll be fixed for the first 3 and then on the 3rd or 4th have long life oil put in and variable enabled.

[Tom_vRS]

I agree with Stu - take the free servicing offer, and on the 4th service have variable set up. Even if your dealer wont do it, a friendly briskodian will - but its vital it gets its fill of longlife oil

[s3akr]

Problem solved! Cheers guys

[VRS195]

This is the dealers reply to my email about the same request:

If the service department change the servicing on the car to Extended during the PDI it will make the 30000 mile or 3 yr free servicing void.

So is "Extended" the long life/variable servicing or the annual servicing?

[VRStu]

Annual

The free servicing offer is for 3 years or 30k miles. In reality it's 3x 10k services.

[Tech1e]

Well in theory is will be

2 x 10k and 1 x 20k if doing more than 10k pa

And 'Extended' servicing as far as I know is QG2 and we dont use that in the UK, just QG0 fixed and QG1 variable(longlife).

[Babs]

10k servicing, then stick to it!

[Marwood]

Maybe I'm behind the times, but it's 10k intervals for me. I can't remember who.....could have been the dealer (!) who recommended these to me. However, I just feel comfortable with this arrangement because that has given me peace of mind in the past. Course, alot depends on who does your servicing. I tend to favour a trusted indep once I'm out of warrenty. Firstly because of cost, secondly they have always checked my cars over properly at service times and corrected up and coming issues that could otherwise be left.

Bit like dentists......although I haven't been to one of these for many years.

Yep I'm scared and no........it isn't "safe"!

M

[fordfan]

They come out of the factory already set to variable, I can't imagine a dealer putting in fixed service interval oil and an oil filter at PDI. So in theory for this 3 year free servicing you should get a 1st service at 2 years or whatever mileage the car determines and a second at 3 years or 10,000 miles later.

Skoda are saying 10, 20 and 30,000 mile services, looks like Skoda have conveniently ignored one of their main selling points of variable servicing - less oil used is better for the environment, in favour of trying to sell more vehicles by thinking that you are getting something free.

I would have thought someone at Skoda would realise that the 10000 mile service is not required and would be able to save a shed load of money, whilst still keeping the 3 (30,000 mile) years free servicing and their original better for the environment selling point.

[Tech1e]

Of course that all depends on what engine it is. VW say for the 170PD engine you have to use the variable grade of oil regardless of which servicing regime you are on.

[s3akr]

I smell a bit of an almost "purposeful confusion" that would see a lot of people opting out of the free service offer due to being scared of not going variable, especially when the dealers tell them that its not possible to switch back at any time in the future. Also, somewhere on the forums I read that someone saw the receipt that the dealers put to Skoda UK for the service costs of a "freebie" and its only about

[Aspman]

Sorry to resurect an old thread.

My VRs is showing the icon for it's first service. The car was sold to me as having free servicing but was supplied on variable.

Am I likely to have to kick up a stink to get free servicing (at no point was I told that I'd miss out on free servicing if it wasn't fixed. Prior to delivery they actually said the car would be change to fixed but never did it).

Assuming they service the car for free without arguing, is there anything that isn't covered by the 'free servicing'. Is it labour only?

[VRStu]

You could have 3 x 10k fixed services or 1 x variable IIRC.

Mine was supplied on variable as they all are but I decided to take it in at 10k for the fixed figuring 3 x 10k inspections was better.

[Aspman]

You could have 3 x 10k fixed services or 1 x variable

That's basically what they have offered. They'll gave the options of either get 1 full variable service free now or they'll change the oil and filter to fixed standards and do services at 20 and 30k.

I've gone for the one full service and leave it on variable for now. If it does the same as before it'll be due it's next service at about 30k anyway. I might think about switching it to fixed then if I'm keeping the car.

[vimto2000]

Mines on the Free servicing scheme...I'm planning to put mine on variable after I finish the 3rd service! However I make sure they use long life oil each time. Just need to confirm they do this!

[cj_uk]

I bought my Octy, not knowing about the free service until I received a letter 2 months after I'd bought it saying I was entitled to free servicing. The car was set for variable, so when 18,000 miles came and the service indicator warned me. I read the leaflet with the letter saying its free servicing for every 10,000 upto 30,000 (3 x 10,000) :eek:. I contacted Skoda UK and advised them I'd bought the car new and that it was on variable and I did not receive any notification of free servicing until after 2 months from the purchase date. They honoured the free servicing, so I booked it in. My local dealer then told me to have the the car set to fixed so I could get another free service in before 30,000. When it went back in @ 28,000 they serviced it and reset it back to variable for me, no charge.

[Obadiah]

I have never heard of free servicing. I was sold a maintenance package for about

[VRStu]

IMHO the three fixed is your best option

You may as well have the 3 inspections and oil changes, it'll be better for your car and will give you 3 nice stamps in the book.

That's basically what they have offered. They'll gave the options of either get 1 full variable service free now or they'll change the oil and filter to fixed standards and do services at 20 and 30k.

I've gone for the one full service and leave it on variable for now. If it does the same as before it'll be due it's next service at about 30k anyway. I might think about switching it to fixed then if I'm keeping the car.

[Aspman]

I never got any letter to say the details of the free servicing offer. I was told the car would be supplied on Fixed but it wasn't.

It appears to be my problem that I'm not telepathic and didn't bring the car in at 10k.

I can't be bothered kicking up a fuss as it's still getting a full service for free.

[cbr600]

When was the free servicing offer on i bought a brand new vrs tdi in march this year but nobody has mentioned free servicing to me,was the offer after this date.

[VRStu]

It was tied in with an offer from VW Finance on PCP's.

[neelyp]

When I bought my car the free servicing offer was on, but I never received any correspondance from Skoda to confirm it. The salesman from the dealers chased them up, but still no joy. Is it just a case of showing up at the dealers when the car is due and it will appear on their system as free or is it likely to be a hassle trying to convince them the car is on free servicing?

[VRStu]

If you qualify then the car should be 'tagged' as having free servicing.

It's also linked to the car so if you sell it, it can be transferred.

[SusanS]

It was tied in with an offer from VW Finance on PCP's.

I have this free service package. The car has just had its first service and now has VW 502 specification oil in it. If it is necessary to top the oil up before the next service, is it ok to use the VW 504 specification oil I had just in case it needed topping up pre first service?

Thanks for any advice.