'Service now' indicator / 8.5K

[HJP]

Be grateful for any advice - 'Service now' indicator came on yesterday - but with none of the stuff that is talked about in the manual - 'spanner symbol' and count down in miles. Also car is now 13 months old and has only  8.5K on the clock. Am 99% sure that it's on long life service - can't believe it needs doing already...

Apologies if this has been discussed 36,000 times already.

[Hurdy]

Welcome HJP,

If it is on long life service then the time before service is dependant upon driving style and oil condition. I would think that you are an "eager" driver if the "service now" indicator is already on with such a low mileage.
Go down and see your dealer to check which service level the car is on. They can do it through the diagnostic port to make sure. It doesn't matter how many people tell you that you are on the long life service, the only way to be sure is to have it checked.

[the_stig]

I was told by the dealer I was on long life service (20,000 miles or 2 years) but I've only done 1700 miles so far and the service indicator states service due in 12000 miles or 412 days and it keeps going down quite quickly so think I'll end up needing a service around the same time as HJP.

[HJP]

Thanks for the views - thought I'd driven it fairly respectably - well run in on a long trip through france then the odd bit of more 'keen' driving here and there. I live in south south west London so it spends a fair bit of its time doing 50 mph or under. Might be the number of short commutes, I suppose.

[Hully]

Checked mine yesterday and it says 10450 miles or 412 days until service.  Its only done 2300 miles!  It was set up on long life from new, but I intend to get it service at 10000 anyway, so I don't suppose it matters. Would be interested to know what everyone else's whose on long life is showing? 

[Rhyso]

Might be the number of short commutes, I suppose.

pretty much spot on; if you do lots of gear changes, stop starting etc this breaks down the oil more quickly than if you spent your life up and down the motorway; the engine is more stressted as generally you're using more revs for pulling away etc.

i'd personally get it serviced every 10K but use the longlife oil 

[2007GTI]

my GTI (with DSG) will hit 6,000 miles at one year old, I think its on long life servicing and from what I read on here I'm thinking of having an oil change service at a year old.

your thoughts please?   

[Phil mcavity]

regular oil changes dont do anything else but good, if its in the garage, get it changed matie.

[HJP]

Had the service done - £220 at Colbornes in Walton. Views from a couple of dealers were the same - if you are doing low mileage / shortish journeys then the oil will deteriorate more quickly and the sensor will pick it up and indicate the service. I've had it taken off the long life service - am also happy to have the oil changed after a year - it smelt frazzled last time I took the dipstick out.

[Cass]

False economy not to change the engine oil every 12 months - longlife regime only introduced to appease company buyers. I personally wouldn't buy a car that done 20k or went 2 years between oil changes.

Cass