Service Interval - low mileage

[Beard]

We have a Mk V GTi which unfortunately done very few miles in the last year....1500 odd. We live in London and it's really my wife's car so only gets used for short journeys (we have an X5 when we are traveling as a family with kids and dog). The car was serviced 12 months ago by a VW dealer with the next service due in 24 months or 20,000. 12 months and 1500 miles later the service indicator has come on, I have rung the local dealer and they say that because the car has done so many short journeys it may have triggered the need for a service ?

Does that sound right ? I'm all for maintaining cars properly and always get the oil changed very early when I buy a new car but a service every 1500 miles seems excessive!

[Lee_dub]

might not be the oil tho mate, could need new brake fluid, that should be changed every 2 years.

[Colinv]

We have a Mk V GTi which unfortunately done very few miles in the last year....1500 odd. We live in London and it's really my wife's car so only gets used for short journeys (we have an X5 when we are traveling as a family with kids and dog). The car was serviced 12 months ago by a VW dealer with the next service due in 24 months or 20,000. 12 months and 1500 miles later the service indicator has come on, I have rung the local dealer and they say that because the car has done so many short journeys it may have triggered the need for a service ?

Does that sound right ? I'm all for maintaining cars properly and always get the oil changed very early when I buy a new car but a service every 1500 miles seems excessive!

hi mate I'm a qualified vw tech and it sounds as though when it was in for it's last service, the mechanic has reset the service light back to time and distance, ie. 12months or 10,000miles whichever comes first. At that service, the light should have been reset to longlife ie. 24months or 20,000miles whichever comes first. Hope that helps

[Beard]

We have a Mk V GTi which unfortunately done very few miles in the last year....1500 odd. We live in London and it's really my wife's car so only gets used for short journeys (we have an X5 when we are traveling as a family with kids and dog). The car was serviced 12 months ago by a VW dealer with the next service due in 24 months or 20,000. 12 months and 1500 miles later the service indicator has come on, I have rung the local dealer and they say that because the car has done so many short journeys it may have triggered the need for a service ?

Does that sound right ? I'm all for maintaining cars properly and always get the oil changed very early when I buy a new car but a service every 1500 miles seems excessive!

hi mate I'm a qualified vw tech and it sounds as though when it was in for it's last service, the mechanic has reset the service light back to time and distance, ie. 12months or 10,000miles whichever comes first. At that service, the light should have been reset to longlife ie. 24months or 20,000miles whichever comes first. Hope that helps

Thanks. I thought it might be something like that. Do you think given the kind of motoring it does it shopuld be serviced every 12 months ?

[Beard]

might not be the oil tho mate, could need new brake fluid, that should be changed every 2 years.

Pretty sure that was done at the last service. I will check the book.

[Colinv]

Meant to say, you will need to go to vw and explain what has happened and get them to reset it for another year, then at it's next service, the light will need reset back to longlife servicing which can be done through the dash panel in guided functions of vagcom

[Colinv]

I would just leave it at time and distance if your not doing much mileage in it mate, a basic oil and filter plus pollen filter change every year will be fine. Pollen filter is usually changed every second year and air filter every 4 years

[veedubdubh]

Eh???

Why have a car like gti and not drive it???

The car is just protesting at not being driven 

You could take the dog for a warp speed blast up the country on your next trip away. My dogs love the gti. Let the wife take the X5 and the kids 

Which you think is better GTI or X5?

[Enforcer]

I would just leave it at time and distance if your not doing much mileage in it mate, a basic oil and filter plus pollen filter change every year will be fine. Pollen filter is usually changed every second year and air filter every 4 years

Air filter every 4 years - wow, I would have thought it would be at most every 2 years :S

[Colinv]

Nope every 40k mate, same with spark plugs. Brake fluid gets done 3years after the car is registered then every 2 years after that, pollen filter gets done every 20k.

We do timing belts at 80k or 4 years whichever comes first. DSG oil and filter changes are carried out at 4 years or 40,000miles whichever comes first