Author Topic: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?  (Read 2471 times)

Offline phope

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Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« on: 05 September 2007, 13:37 »
Afternoon gents - looking for some help/advice here :)

When I bought the Edition 30 back in March, the mileage that I was estimating then meant that time/distance servicing would have been more appropriate (around 8-10k miles p/a was what I was forecasting). I like the time/distance servicing idea more than variable, as plenty of other items (brake pads, discs, etc) on any car like the GTI are better having annual attention rather than waiting up to 2 years to be checked. Obviously, the car was filled with Longlife spec oil straight from the factory anyway (which I understand to be a better quality oil than the standard spec oil)

However, I've being doing more and more motorway/long distance commuting/travelling (around 16-20k p/a estimated) and the service indicator light has popped up just now, so I need to do something in the next week or so

I've looked over some of the threads on time/distance vs variable, and I'm in two minds whether to:

a) continue with time/distance servicing and just ask VW to continue using the Longlife oil (but that is likely to result in two services every year  :sad: )

or

b) given that the car has not had a 1st service yet, still has the original longlife oil and is likely to do a greater mileage in the same 12 months than I originally intended, ask VW to swap it to variable servicing, (which uses the longlife oil, obviously :D )

What would our resident gurus recommend? The car will obviously still be getting serviced every 12 months..it would make more financial sense to only be serviced once in that 12 months

A potential spanner in the works is that my local dealer says that I can't have it switched back to variable, despite it never having been touched since delivery (recent VW memo apparently) - is that true?
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Offline Teutonic_Tamer

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #1 on: 05 September 2007, 13:59 »
Afternoon gents - looking for some help/advice here :)

Strewth, no wonder I'm hungry!  :tongue:

I've being doing more and more motorway/long distance commuting/travelling (around 16-20k p/a estimated) and the service indicator light has popped up just now, so I need to do something in the next week or so

You normally have 30days, or upto a 1000miles "grace" to get it serviced.

I've looked over some of the threads on time/distance vs variable, and I'm in two minds whether to:

a) continue with time/distance servicing and just ask VW to continue using the Longlife oil (but that is likely to result in two services every year  :sad: )

or

b) given that the car has not had a 1st service yet, still has the original longlife oil and is likely to do a greater mileage in the same 12 months than I originally intended, ask VW to swap it to variable servicing, (which uses the longlife oil, obviously :D )

What would our resident gurus recommend? The car will obviously still be getting serviced every 12 months..it would make more financial sense to only be serviced once in that 12 months

Have you read my "sticky" on the servicing regimes: http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=65779.0, found in the newly created Mk5 maintenance section: http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?board=59.0 ??

Don't forget, irrespective of which regime you are on, the "Interval Service" at upto 2yrs/20k miles, and the bigger "Interval Service Inspection" at 4yrs/40k miles will be identical (appart from non-LongLife oil).  The Time and Distance regime uses exactly the same servicing "functions" as the LongLife regime, but also adds an additional interim "Oil Change Service" every 1yr/10k miles.  The work scope on the oil change service is extremly simple, and consists of an oil and filter change, visual inspection of brake pads, and reset the service indicator display.  Price in London/down south will be around £180, and in "poorer"  :wink: areas, around £100.

A potential spanner in the works is that my local dealer says that I can't have it switched back to variable, despite it never having been touched since delivery (recent VW memo apparently) - is that true?

It can't be changed to variable if it is inbetween services.  However, if they were to carry out an Interval Service, then they could then start back on variable intervals.  I still wouldn't recommend this, though.
Sean - Independent Automotive Engineering Technician (ret'd)
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Offline phope

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #2 on: 05 September 2007, 14:12 »
yup  :smiley: - read that...appreciated

So, what from I read from your comments, it would be possibly better to continue with time/distance, ask for longlife oil to be used regardless, and fork out the extra for the servicing

If so, then we're on the same wavelength  :grin:
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Offline RedRobin

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #3 on: 05 September 2007, 14:16 »
If you're on a VW Maintenance deal regarding servicing (as I am) where you pay a fixed monthly rate and get whatever maintenance and tyres you need, then you can't change the regime until that agreement lapses. I know this because I discussed it with my dealer yesterday. I'm on Longlife servicing and wanted to change to Time 'n Distance so I could get regular oil changes every 10,000 miles. Having an excellent relationship with my VW dealer, we managed to work out a very good workaround while I am obliged to stay on Longlife.
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Offline Teutonic_Tamer

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #4 on: 05 September 2007, 16:38 »
yup  :smiley: - read that...appreciated

Cool, thanks.

So, what from I read from your comments, it would be possibly better to continue with time/distance, ask for longlife oil to be used regardless, and fork out the extra for the servicing

Yup, spot on.

Although as an element of caution, some stealers seem unable to fill the sump with LongLife oil it you are on T&D servicing - even if you specifically state you want LongLife oil, and pay the small extra premium.  So my advice would be to supply your own LongLife oil, and ask that they "discount" the oil from the quotation for the relevent service.  As long as the oil is officially approved by VW to the appropriate VW standard, they can't refuse.

If so, then we're on the same wavelength  :grin:

Steady . . .  :grin:
Sean - Independent Automotive Engineering Technician (ret'd)
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'06/7 Golf Mk5 GTI 5dr (BWA) DSG, colour coded,

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Offline Teutonic_Tamer

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #5 on: 05 September 2007, 16:39 »
If you're on a VW Maintenance deal regarding servicing (as I am) where you pay a fixed monthly rate and get whatever maintenance and tyres you need, then you can't change the regime until that agreement lapses. I know this because I discussed it with my dealer yesterday. I'm on Longlife servicing and wanted to change to Time 'n Distance so I could get regular oil changes every 10,000 miles. Having an excellent relationship with my VW dealer, we managed to work out a very good workaround while I am obliged to stay on Longlife.

Can you not just do your own interim oil change, or get an independent VAG specialist to do it for you?
Sean - Independent Automotive Engineering Technician (ret'd)
-----
'06/7 Golf Mk5 GTI 5dr (BWA) DSG, colour coded,

I feel like a homo


Offline RedRobin

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Re: Servicing - changing from time/distance to variable?
« Reply #6 on: 05 September 2007, 16:55 »
If you're on a VW Maintenance deal regarding servicing (as I am) where you pay a fixed monthly rate and get whatever maintenance and tyres you need, then you can't change the regime until that agreement lapses. I know this because I discussed it with my dealer yesterday. I'm on Longlife servicing and wanted to change to Time 'n Distance so I could get regular oil changes every 10,000 miles. Having an excellent relationship with my VW dealer, we managed to work out a very good workaround while I am obliged to stay on Longlife.

Can you not just do your own interim oil change, or get an independent VAG specialist to do it for you?

....Yes, that's what I'm going to do, with my dealer. The mileage intervals fall in such a way that I'll still get my 'free' oil+filter changes.
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