Hopefully you can help me with two easy questions:

1. I currently own a 2002 TDI elegance and have had it set on variable servicing. What I am unsure off is what kind of mileage I should get between services.

Last August I had a service at 54K and now 9K later the car is telling me it needs a service.

I realise it depends on how you drive - my daily commute is 20 miles each way along country roads averaging approx 50 mph. At weekends there is a bit of town use.

I was expecting about 15K between services - help please?

2. Over a tank of diesel I average about 52 mpg and get approx 450 miles when fuel light beeps. Is this what I should be getting?

Any help will be much appreciated.

I suspect that when it was serviced that the service indicator was reset via the dash board (because the garage was being lazy )and not the vagcom which has set it to fixed and that is why it has come up at 9k.

you could reset it again by the dash or a friendly forum member with a vagcom should be able to help

I hope it helps

iain

15k should be easily obtainable, (9 - 20k IIRC).

I used to get an average of 60mpg (trip computer average) from my 2001 110 TDi Elegance running on variable servicing, 600+ miles per tankful was normal.

I'm pretty sure that the garage have managed to set it up for fixed servicing. What would bother me is if they're put a 502 or 503 oil in it, that won't like the attempt to run variable intervals.

And I'd agree that mpg figure looks a bit low, but not as much as Gizmo suggests. I'm presuming your 50mph is a steady cruise, not stop-start stuff, with an upper bound at 50.

Many thanks for your replies. I have spoken to my local Dealership with regards to the servicing set up. Long life oil was used in the last service I reckon they have set it up wrong! They are going to look at it tomorrow - I'll post their response.

Iain what is a vagcom and how is it set via the dash?

Ken - my journey has about 5mins stop start at each end of the journey - the other 20 mins is on single carriageway travelling between 50 - 70 depending on traffic.

If I really try and take it easy I can achieve 60 mpg over the journey. I am just curious as to what other members achieve.

Fuel's maybe a little heavy, but not unrealistic then.

VAGCom is a computer program, which allows you to read diagnostics, measure engine torque, set up convenience functionality etc using a special cable and a laptop. Available in freeware, shareware and fully paid versions, with varying degrees of functionality.