Hi guys, im after some advice on expected mileage between variable services.

When I took delivery of my VRS on the 1st September the service schedule on the car was changed to fixed / annual servicing at PDI.

Four weeks later I decided to have visit the local dealer and seek advice (as well as asking the question here on brisky).

They said they nearly always have cars in at 20k miles (or near enough) for their first service and new cars should be left from the factory on Variable servicing due to the factory filled fully synthetic long life oil. I agreed with this thinking and asked them to change it so they set it back to variable servicing for me.

So, I now have 2,400 miles on the clock and last night I thought Id check how long the car says im due for a dealer visit (by holding the trip reset button in with ignition to position 1).

It says 8800 miles or 331 days! :eek:

So presumably, this means the car will need a service in approx 8800 miles, adding the 2400 already on the clock, Ive achieved an amazing intergalactic mileage of just.... 11200 miles before my (rather expensive) first variable service?!?! Is this right or am I being a dum dum?!

I questioned the dealer at the time about 20k not being expected in my case as I dont do motorway mileage (20 miles mainly in town each day) but he said he'd still expect near enough 20k or two years before he next saw me in for a service!

So whats up with my car?

Any advice would be greatfully received.

Lee

20k service intervals are based around fleet mileages, so whilst your commute isn't exactly short, you're never really cruising. My old Megane Coupe was used for motorway commuting, but TBH I got shot of it just before its second service was due at 36k, because it wasn't coping well the 18k intervals IMO, and was already starting to show signs of wearing out like not always starting first time, the odd shake and rumble at idle, horrible noises letting the clutch out...

At 17-18k per year, I feel happier getting the oil changed every six months (8.5k or so), even though it's supposed to be fine for up to 10k.

The mileage the computer is showing is a calculation. It may well be that the time to service increases as you drive. Since you changed back to variable the computer needs to re-learn again from scratch.

Well I have just had my second variable service at 25k. My commute is 13 miles each way down A-roads with no M'way.

Both services have been at about the same mileage.

Having said that the price has come down from £210 to £175 which is much better.

The 8800 + 2400 = 11,200 seems about right for your driving pattern (from what I have been told to expect) for a 'variable' pattern, but 333 days seems odd as that appears to be one month less than one year from the date you had it reset (probably); so suggests you might still be on 'fixed'. :confused:

I'm guessing entirely, but was it reset to variable correctly? and either is it still on fixed or variable mileage/fixed time? :confused: :(:confused:

The 8800 + 2400 = 11,200 seems about right for your driving pattern (from what I have been told to expect) for a 'variable' pattern, but 333 days seems odd as that appears to be one month less than one year from the date you had it reset (probably); so suggests you might still be on 'fixed'. :confused:

I'm guessing entirely, but was it reset to variable correctly? and either is it still on fixed or variable mileage/fixed time? :confused: :(:confused:

Interesting question and one that I cant answer at the moment. :(

The dealer said it had been set to 20k or 2 years - which ever is first. I said about it coming on earlier due to the type of driving and my driving 'manner' and he said it wouldnt matter. In my head I thought this must be wrong but I guess I still expected to see the right side of 14-15k before the first visit.

I may take it up with them as they were very approachable and didnt mind doing the vagcom changes FOC too. The dealer is Laser Skoda in Harlow if anyone is interested btw.

I hope to get vagcom up and running in the next few months also so that will let me see more of whats going on 'under the hood'.

Thanks to all for the advice

Lee

A5 Octavia no1: First service due at about 15k (PD140)

A5 Octavia no2: First service is due at about 15k (PD140)

75% motorway driving, 25% sitting in traffic in Central London.

SWMBO's vRS TDI is showing the service will be due at about 18k.

The service target on my car is the same now as it was at 1500 miles so it learns pretty quickly, maybe in the first 1000 miles??

I asked the dealer the same question of my 1.9 pd as my 20k variable service was counting down towards 18k, I was told that the 'variable' service would probably be between 12k if you did mainly around town driving and 18k if you were out on the motorways more. The reason being that a sensor in the sump determines the condtion of the oil. I'm sure there is more to it than just the condition of the oil, but I don't mind 18k between services. However if you have only covered 2400 miles it seems a long way off judging that a service is due in 8800. it will be interesting to see if the countdown changes over the next few weeks of driving.

by 11k mine had had 2 oil changes... lol

I may be very wrong saying this but I think you can check if you are on long-life/flexible/variable servicing if you get no read-out at all for up to 500 miles after a service as the computer re-learns your driving pattern.

This is what I have been told and is exactly how my car behaves.