Regular servicing.

[jackois]

Hi all,

I am wondering how the service indication system works.

I have a March 2018 95 SE with 6,100 miles, bought as an ex demo from a main dealer in July. The 'oil service due' alarm has come up, advising that it's due in 21 days and is now counting down.

I've booked the car in for this and the rear seat belt recall. There is also an update for the power steering, I was informed.

Since then, I'm wondering how the system works as I suspect this is early for a first service. I'll take it up with the dealer when I'm in, but would be interested in your thoughts on this.

many thanks in advance, Peter.

[roywolfey]

From the Brochure..

Service Intervals
Volkswagen is pleased to offer you a choice on how your Volkswagen is serviced. The appropriate selection is
entirely dependent on how the car is likely to be driven and its general use. To help you identify which type of
service would be most suitable, please refer to the following guide.

The Fixed Service is recommended for vehicles that will cover less than 10,000 miles in 12 months and if the
vehicle is likely to be used in the following way:
• Predominantly urban driving, short journeys with frequent cold starts.
• Activities regularly producing high engine loading, e.g. frequent hill climbs, driving with vehicle fully
loaded and towing.
• Uneconomical driving style using high rpms with heavy acceleration and heavy braking.
The service intervals for the Fixed Service are as follows:
• Oil change service – After 1 year or 10,000 miles (15,000km), whichever is soonest.
• Inspection service2 – First after 2 years or 20,000 miles (30,000km), then every one year or 20,000 miles
(30,000km), whichever is soonest.

The Flexible Service is recommended for vehicles with daily mileage of more than 25 miles where the vehicle
is driven regularly mainly on longer distance journeys. The vehicle is driven mainly at a constant speed with
minimum vehicle and engine loading, minimal towing and driven in an economical manner. With the Flexible
Service the vehicle can cover anywhere between 10,0003 and a maximum of 20,0003 miles or 24 months
(whichever is soonest) between oil changes.
The service intervals for the Flexible Service are as follows:
• Oil change service – According to flexible service interval display (after 2 years at the latest).
• Inspection service2 – First after 2 years or 20,000 miles (30,000km), then every one year or 20,000 miles
(30,000km), whichever is soonest.
The up! model is only available with the Fixed Service schedule. Please consult your authorised Volkswagen
retailer or repairer for advice and full details.
Please note: If you purchase a Volkswagen Fixed Price Service Plan your vehicle will follow the Fixed
Service schedule.

[Andy Beats]

One of my 3-series BMWs had the flexible servicing and was used on long distances regularly.
Subsequently, it was only serviced once in the three years I had it.

[Alkis-cze]

What oil is recommended from production? 0w20 with 508.00 / 509.00? for GTI

[Aube]

Hi,

As mentioned, if you have a service plan on your car, then it will be on the fixed serving schedule, so it will need a service at 10k miles or one year, which ever is the sooner. No service plan then the car will need to be serviced every two years or 20k miles. Either way it shouldn’t need a service at 6k miles unless the dealer has reset the service system incorrectly before you purchased the car.

Good luck.

[Leif]

I wondered about 10,000 mile or 20,000 mile servicing, but for the latter they need to set it up before you collect it, which I think means put in specific oil and set up the computers. I chose 10,000 mile servicing, even though I do 25,000 miles a year, because most reliable sources suggest that a 10,000 mile oil change will help prolong the life of the engine. It is said by some that 20,000 mile servicing was created for fleets, which tend to only keep a car for a few years anyway, and don’t care what happens later on. Whether or not this information is accurate, more regular servicing can’t harm the car.

[SRGTD]

Hi,

As mentioned, if you have a service plan on your car, then it will be on the fixed serving schedule, so it will need a service at 10k miles or one year, which ever is the sooner. No service plan then the car will need to be serviced every two years or 20k miles. Either way it shouldn’t need a service at 6k miles unless the dealer has reset the service system incorrectly before you purchased the car.

Good luck.

Even if you don’t have a service plan, you can specifically request that the service regime is set to time and distance rather than the factory default setting which is the long life / flexible service regime. I have a service plan for my car, but even if I didn’t, I’d get it serviced every 10k miles or 12 months, whichever happens first.

[RUM4MO]

To the OP, it does sound like your car's service counters have started running as soon as that car was commissioned at the factory, and the lazy worthless dealer did not bother carrying out a proper PDI, probably to save wasting money on a car that was only going to be used as a demo model.

If it bothers you, I'd have a word with them about this and get it serviced just inside the 12 months from initial reg date. You should be able to check the service clock and work back and that will probably coincide with the car's build date - and not its initial reg date, that was the way with my wife's Polo ordered as a factory order to our spec, really typical of how much VW dealers bother with doing anything at PDI, I told them that I knew what had/had not been done, ie the service "type" requested confirmed by the customer and car service clocks/mileage counters reset to zero and fixed or variable servicing selected.

By the way, I'd expect all cars to be loaded with longlife oil at the factory, this oil type would only change after the first service if you opted for fixed or short servicing.

Edit:- there are a few questions that a sales person should be asking a customer that is ordering a new car - but most of them don't.

[monkeyhanger]

I wondered about 10,000 mile or 20,000 mile servicing, but for the latter they need to set it up before you collect it, which I think means put in specific oil and set up the computers. I chose 10,000 mile servicing, even though I do 25,000 miles a year, because most reliable sources suggest that a 10,000 mile oil change will help prolong the life of the engine. It is said by some that 20,000 mile servicing was created for fleets, which tend to only keep a car for a few years anyway, and don’t care what happens later on. Whether or not this information is accurate, more regular servicing can’t harm the car.

The cars are delivered to the dealership set up for variable (up to 20k miles) long life service. They come from the factory with long life oil. The dealership set it to fixed interval if they want you back every year or you bought a service pack. I've had 2 TDI VWs come with long life service and the first oil change normally kick in about 16k miles.

When on fixed interval, it's not quite 10k miles it's more like 9400 miles as the count us based on 15000km.

I'm on variable as the dealership didn't touch it, but I'm going to have it in on the 10k miles, have the first service done and the regime switched over to variable. It's a PITA to have variable oil change and then inspection service happen a few thousand miles later.

[RUM4MO]

I don't think that VW Group, and maybe others, did not consider the inconvenience of getting your car serviced then turning up a month or so later for inspection tasks and stamp. It can become a lot worse if you buy an approved used car set up for fixed servicing, then as part of the "package" is an oil and filter change before resale, so you end up with a car which might have had its what was called a minor service, just before you collected it and needs a proper minor service a few months later - and then maybe a month later an inspection - not properly thought out in my mind.

[Leif]

The cars are delivered to the dealership set up for variable (up to 20k miles) long life service. They come from the factory with long life oil. The dealership set it to fixed interval if they want you back every year or you bought a service pack. I've had 2 TDI VWs come with long life service and the first oil change normally kick in about 16k miles.

Yet more useful knowledge from forum members. I still prefer 10k mile servicing.