Hey hey...

My service indicator just came on. Car wants serviced at 12500 miles. Somewhat shy of the potential 20000 and I'm probably one of the lightest footed vRS drivers out there. I guess all my short journeys take their toll...

Anyhoo, thinking change to fixed as that's supposed to be a cheaper service, right? Or am I mistaken?

Cheers,

Fixed servicing can work out more expensive depending on mileage,

Variable servicing is basically a full service every 2 years or when the computer decides.

Fixed servicing is an oil service at 10k, 30k, 50k, then more or less the same full service as variable. at 20k, 40k etc..

The main difference is the oil used, longlife for the variable and a regular oil for the fixed.

I was going to move to fixed but decided against it, I had my first variable service at around 15k and the cost was

So this service coming up would be a full service either way (as car currently on variable and telling me to go to the garage at 12,500 miles). Then if I switch to fixed, I'd be out of kilter with oil at 22K (ish), full at 32K and so on? I can imagine that might take some explanation at the dealer in future.

With a 12.5K variable interval, I'm thinking fixed might be cheaper long term...?

if your variable is working out at 12.5k then fixed will be cheaper, just because cheaper oil is used.

It is possible that your service interval will increase now... given that your engine is now more run-in...

if your variable is working out at 12.5k then fixed will be cheaper, just because cheaper oil is used.

That is interesting - so at what point (mileage) does variable become cheaper?

My TFSI has covered 5200 miles, and is telling me that a service is due in 4200 miles (or 227 days)!

It is possible that your service interval will increase now... given that your engine is now more run-in...

It's possible, also it could be that a lot of town driving, stop and start motoring etc will shorten the service life of the oil, and then the service life could be extended by longer motorway journey's or trips where oil etc is getting up to full temp.

My service indicator reckoned that I have got another 10k to go before servicing is needed again, which would put me at around the 18k mark for the (33k miles in total) for the next service,

Mr Lummox is going to be far more knowledgable about such things than me, but on face value, now mine is run in and on longer journeys it appears that service intervals are becoming extended.

I do 20k a year, and I'm on fixed. Much better for the engine

the more you change the oil the better (that is if you use good quality oil!)

Problem is that you don't always know why the service light comes on. (unless you have got VAG-COM, maybe??)

I change my oil every 5k miles.