Longlife or T&D servicing?

[daviescotland]

I posted a similar question on the MK5 thread but the guy who normally answers these questions hasn't been on in a while.

I have done a search and see that it has been covered on the MK5 before, but still seems a bit confusing, so just looking for some advice.

I'm currently driving a MK5 GT Sport TSI 170 and it is on T&D servicing as that was the service package i got when i ordered it. (3 years servicing from VW)

I have ordered a mk6 GTI with a dealer service package thrown in (2 services) and was going to look at longlife servicing. I will not be modifying the engine at all. I am not sure about leaving the car for so long without changing the oil.

Any recommendations as to what schedule i should be on with the new car?? I drive about 12000 miles a year, mostly motorways.

Davie

[Steve30]

I bought my Ed30 from new, and changed the oil at 4000 miles + filter, my car is also on longife servicing. I dont belive in oil changes every 20,000 miles. I have friend who is a tec he does for me for 15 pounds, I supply the oil + filter. I have changed it again at 9,000 miles too, the car has 11,000 on the clock. Hope this helps thanks EDstev30 I would put it on longlife servcing IMO!!

[mac7]

From a technical perspective, time and distance.

If running costs are an issue to you and you do a lot of long distance motorway mileage, longlife may be better financially.

To be fair, if you are only going to keep the car a few years it won't make a whole lot of difference to you either way - it'll be whoever owns the car at 80,000+ miles who might benefit (or not) from your choice.

[FamilyDub]

I am not sure about leaving the car for so long without changing the oil.

What's to stop you paying for an interim oil change elsewhere - independant VAG specialist, for example...?

It's my personal opinion, but a more 'performance' orientated engine should be on T&D, plus while I do use my car for longer runs in high gears at the weekend, I feel better giving it new oil every six months and a service every twelve months.

It'll be whoever owns the car at 80,000+ miles who might benefit (or not) from your choice.

^^^^^^ agreed.

Longlife may be better financially.

Dependant on use, LL can 'ping' for a service in as little as 10k (ish), so you would basically be paying the bigger LL service cost every twelve (or so) months, instead of every second service. This wouldn't be the case on T&D, because every 2nd service is basically just an oil change.

Example: I bought my car last Feb and it was on the LL regime. It's last service was completed at 23k in July '08. The car 'pinged' for it's next LL service at 32k miles in June 2009.

IMHO, if you have any uncertainty over which regime to use then you should default to Time & Distance schedule, using the Longlife oil

[daviescotland]

Cheers for the response. I am thinking i will keep to the T&D sevicing as i dont do crazy miles anyway. 12000 every 12 months.

I am sure i read somewhere that VW franchise use LL oil for all services now? Can't remember where i read that. Not sure if anyone knows better??

[simonkit]

Cheers for the response. I am thinking i will keep to the T&D sevicing as i dont do crazy miles anyway. 12000 every 12 months.

I am sure i read somewhere that VW franchise use LL oil for all services now? Can't remember where i read that. Not sure if anyone knows better??

 I'd be very suprised considering the costs..lets be honest they're in it to make money so if they can get away with cheaper oil I'm sure they will...although they may well say they used LL 

[Primus84]

VW Dealers are SUPPOSED to only use LongLife oil now even if the car is on T&D. They do know this, though they often don't do it!

[JellyCat]

what's the difference between long life oil and the oil that was used for T&D services?
Is it better quality in the longlife service oil or what?

[Primus84]

It's a different (better grade) of oil.

[keelaw]

T_T posted some huge posts on the MkVI forum about servcing and oil.  Just the oil topic alone was an epic!

Give it a search.