car asks for oil change - dealer clueless

[mcmaddy]

If you've been sold a service plan then your car should and must be on fixed service schedule and not variable. Supplying dealer should have changed this at PDI as all cars are set to variable at the factory.

[fredgroves]

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/service-plan-cars-under-1-year-old

"Fixed cost maintenance plans are suitable for vehicles set to variable or the time and distance regime."

As a customer with a Volkswagen Service Plan for cars under 1 year old you will get:

    The first two recommended routine services - as recommended by Volkswagen

1 x Oil service at 10,000 miles or 12 months which includes:

    Oil and oil filter change
    Check and report of brake discs and pads
    Reset interval display
    Volkswagen Service History

A vehicle health check (a 34 point check, looking at the basics to ensure your car is in good working order) plus a wash and vacuum

1 x Oil service and inspection service at 20,000 miles or 24 months which includes:

    Oil and oil filter change
    Vehicle inspection and report to include all lights, instruments, bodywork, glass, locks, battery, coolant levels, drive belts, braking system, steering, hoses, drive shafts and exhaust system
    Full vehicle road test
    Pollen filter (if required)
    Reset interval display
    Volkswagen Service History

A vehicle health check (a 34 point check, looking at the basics to ensure your car is in good working order) plus a wash and vacuum.

This plan excludes:

    All non-standard service work
    Glass including windscreen glass and headlamp lenses
    Roadside assistance
    Body repairs
    Tyre replacement or puncture repair
    Oil, air and fluid top-ups between services
    Fuel
    Air conditioning
    Any repairs or maintenance associated with the Diesel Particulate Filter and catalytic reduction systems
    Filters, unless otherwise stated
    Maintenance and repair of non factory or non standard fitted items/accessories
    MOT
    Camshaft belts/chains

[fredgroves]

I should add that I have one of these VW 2 service plan things.

My 3 year PCP strategy being one service every 12 months and dump the car before the third one and the MOT come round

[mcmaddy]

They don't do a service plan for vehicles on variable servicing. Dealers should not be selling them to you. My salesman where I go categorically stated that you should not be able to buy a service plan on variable regime. It's pointless anyway as you may only need 1 service in a 3 year PCP period so what's the point in buying something you won't ever use.

[fredgroves]

Did you not read the link I posted and the quote from it about variable servicing?

Vw explicitly say it's fine... Obviously if you aren't doing the miles, variable isn't for you anyway and if you are, then variable is fine.

[TwoSheds]

I think there is some confusion creeping in here.

You can have the car set up for 'variable servicing' and take out a VW 'Servicing and Maintenance Plan' but not just a 'Servicing' only plan.

[scanesare]

I guess things may be a bit different in terms of service plans between Sweden and UK but the point is that the car was set on variable servicing which I never accepted (or even ever wanted for any of my cars), without the dealership letting me know either (yes, probably should have asked at the time of purchase but never had variable before so I thought fixed was the default anyway). The other more confusing thing is that initially they stated no oil change is scheduled before 30,000km so if the car asks for one it wouldn't be covered. That really got me upset as that would mean the only thing I would get covered in 3 years would be just one service, while forking out for 2 extra oil changes (assuming once per year). Now they say the guy I talked to didn't know cars very well (hmm, i thought that was a prerequisite for working at customer support arranging services) and that the oil change will be covered indeed so I guess I'll just forget about it.

Still, their description of what a 3 year service plan includes (BTW only one option here, no service + maintenance as TwoSheds suggested) is confusing:

30,000km: 1x service including oil, filters, brake fluid etc.
plus one inspection (visual)

So you would have to wait until 30,000 for the first oil change but if the car asks for an oil change before (and it will) it is not covered. But for some reason mine at 11,600km will be covered... wtf