Flexible (longlife) servicing - dealer confusion question

[martin998877]

Hi all

I bought my petrol Gti in August (at VW Stoke) with 13k on the clock, it had been serviced at £10k.

It has now done 19k miles.  Since I bought it, the amount of miles to the oil service has stretched out (probably as it now does 80 miles a day on the motorway and likes it) and the oil service is due in 10k miles, when it will be on 29k, ie an oil life of 19k which sounds ok due to the motorway runs.

The system is saying it also wants an inspection service soon, and this is due in 1000 miles at about 20k total.

I am having real problems when ringing VW, they say things like:

1) there isn't such a thing as an inspection service, just an oil change service
2) it has done 20k so needs a 20k service (even though i say it is on flexible not fixed and the oil has another 10k to go)
3) we can do an inspection service but we change the oil too
4) There are only minor / major services

One (actually the supplying dealer) has said they will do an inspection service for £105, which sounds fine.

but another VW dealer says there is no such thing as an inspection service on flexible / longlife servicing, and it is a waste of money.  Even though the car says it wants one!

I'm losing the will to live.   Should I get an inspection service in 1k and how much should it be?

Why is it so complex?  it would really help if we had service books, stamped, stating what has been done.

I know I could have the oil changed every 10k but I prefer to stick with the longlife intervals, and use a main dealer as I have an extended warranty.

Many thanks

[barrym381]

If it was my car I’d have the oil service now and while they have it they usually give it a quick check over to try empty your pockets some more  :grin 20k for any oil is to much in my opinion and it’s not expensive to change every 6-8k

[martin998877]

How much is an oil service roughly?  Thanks.

[Phil245]

You don't mention the age but this (for cars over 3 years old) will give you some idea.....

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/fixed-price-servicing

[Mutley75]

Service intervals for Fixed Service are:

Oil change service (aka Minor Service) - after 1 year or 10k miles, whoever is sooner.

Inspection service (aka Major Service) - first after 2 years or 20k miles, whichever is sooner, then every 1 year or 20k miles, whichever is sooner.

Hopefully that clears up the confusion?

[martin998877]

Hi

no, I am on flexible / longlife / variable servicing, so am on a completely different system to the 10,000 / 1 year cycle you list.

Thanks for the info but I need info on the longlife / variable servicing cycle

[fredgroves]

Mine is on "longlife" too and I've had a case where its said about oil change and then not long after about a service.

I've never got to the bottom of that, other than it could be that there are two counters on the car and whilst either a minor or a major service (which will be at 20k or 1 year, for either) from VW involve an oil change the garage is not resetting both counters?

I've had this on my Mk7 GTD and my Mk7.5 GTD...

Its either that or the oil quality is measured by some electric means and the "life" is calculated like that.

[fredgroves]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYWn-NwFuQs

Yes there are two counters.... both need resetting when the car is serviced. This is one possible problem.

But also it seems the oil change interval is determined by a calculation based on actual use - I've no idea what it is, maybe someone with access to the VW workshop guides can tell us.