Servicing interval and warning light?

[Scoobster]

Now then guyz..

I have a Beeza Cupra that I have done 4200 miles in, and when I got the car the dealership told me that it doesn't need a service until 20000 miles. I was unsure about that and thought it more likely to be 20000km which would be 12,500 miles.

Since reading most of the posts on this site (nice site btw), I have noticed people mention a 'service warning light' on the dash..??

Will my car actually tell me when it needs servicing? or will I have to just take it in at 12500 miles and tell the dealership to service it?

Also, when can I either expect the light to come on? or when should I take it in?
Have seen some people mention 8500 miles..??

Mucho Apreciado.. ;)

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by Scoobster
Now then guyz..

I have a Beeza Cupra that I have done 4200 miles in, and when I got the car the dealership told me that it doesn't need a service until 20000 miles. I was unsure about that and thought it more likely to be 20000km which would be 12,500 miles.

Since reading most of the posts on this site (nice site btw), I have noticed people mention a 'service warning light' on the dash..??

Will my car actually tell me when it needs servicing? or will I have to just take it in at 12500 miles and tell the dealership to service it?

Also, when can I either expect the light to come on? or when should I take it in?
Have seen some people mention 8500 miles..??

Mucho Apreciado.. ;)

I thought it was 10K service intervals...?
20K? Nah... Can't be.
I would'nt run oil in a turbo engine for more than 5K personally. Plugs might last 20K miles, but not a lube service surely.

Bill

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by Scoobster
Now then guyz..

I have a Beeza Cupra that I have done 4200 miles in, and when I got the car the dealership told me that it doesn't need a service until 20000 miles. I was unsure about that and thought it more likely to be 20000km which would be 12,500 miles.

Since reading most of the posts on this site (nice site btw), I have noticed people mention a 'service warning light' on the dash..??

Will my car actually tell me when it needs servicing? or will I have to just take it in at 12500 miles and tell the dealership to service it?

Also, when can I either expect the light to come on? or when should I take it in?
Have seen some people mention 8500 miles..??

Mucho Apreciado.. ;)

10K miles I thought.
I would'nt run a turbo motor more than 5K miles.. 20K might be plug life, but surely not lube service interval..
Bill

I thought it was 10K service intervals...?
20K? Nah... Can't be.
I would'nt run oil in a turbo engine for more than 5K personally. Plugs might last 20K miles, but not a lube service surely.

Bill

[Fl@pper]

every 12 months or 10,000 MILES whichever is the sooner

:) check ya service book to be sure :)

[BenS1]

Yep, definately 10,000 miles and yes the dash should let you know when a service is due.

Talking of services, I presume Seat dealers use the same oil for all cars, whether they be a 1.0 Arosa or a 210bhp Ibiza Cupra?
If so then are the dealers OK with you bringing your own oil (Mobil 1?) to be used instead?

I presume people do recommend Mobil 1 for the Cupra?

Bill, what oil would you use?

Thanks,
Ben

[Fl@pper]

we are currently using CASTROL GTX magnatex

try this for all the official oil choices etc

http://www.seatcupra.net/images/amethyst/oil%20stats.JPG

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by BenS1

Bill, what oil would you use?

Thanks,
Ben
Hi Ben
Up to 10K miles (I will get a 5K oil change done) I will keep to Amethyst's Magnatec oil. At 10K miles I will change to fully synthetic, either Synta Gold or Mobil 1.

My reasoning being to allow the mineral oils to let the engine bed in, change at 5K to be safe the oil is'nt broken down, and then let the fully synthetic do its stuff from then on.
I swore by Mobil 1 in my Renault 11 turbo, which ran 18psi (sustained) from a mere T2 Garrett and 1397cc's. Never failed despite the ragging it got. I am sure Mobil 1 was a major factor in the motor & turbo running fine. (that and allowing it to cool before switching off, and changin it every 3K miles)

Bill

[Mosser]

Your plugs only get changed every 40,000 miles!!, and when they do just the plugs on their own are gonna cost ya 55 quid :eek: :eek:

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by Mosser
Your plugs only get changed every 40,000 miles!!, and when they do just the plugs on their own are gonna cost ya 55 quid :eek: :eek:

40K miles on plugs!
Jeez thats progress for you.. I wonder if chipped motors plugs last as long eh?

Bill

[Mosser]

I check and clean my plugs every 5000 miles cos little stalagmites (if thats the right word!) build up on them and reduce the spark gap, so i will find out if they dont!,

I still have my old set from the last service and they look ok to me, in fact when i fitted my new ones (couldnt be bothered to wait for the garage to fit them so did it myself) i got a slight drop in performance which proves there was nothing wrong with them!

[CUP RAcing]

So do we think oil change every 5k for the first 2 services and then just change it every 10 k ? or keep changing it every 5 k ??

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by CUP RAcing
So do we think oil change every 5k for the first 2 services and then just change it every 10 k ? or keep changing it every 5 k ??
I personally will change every 5K miles.
Bill
:)

[Mosser]

I am only going to change oil every 10k,

In my experience with engines, all the other bits that make up a car give up long before the engine does! (brakes, steering rack, wheel bearings, suspension, radiators etc)

[CUP RAcing]

But surely the engine is the most important this to look after, and the most expensive thing to replace if it does go wrong.

Im sure 5k oil changes will help keep the engine nice and clean, oil after 10k looks like black treacle, cant do the car any good.

I think I will follow Bills advice and change the oil every 5k, its not much money, and I think the car will appreciate it :D

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by CUP RAcing
But surely the engine is the most important this to look after, and the most expensive thing to replace if it does go wrong.

Im sure 5k oil changes will help keep the engine nice and clean, oil after 10k looks like black treacle, cant do the car any good.

I think I will follow Bills advice and change the oil every 5k, its not much money, and I think the car will appreciate it :D

In a turbo car the oil is working a lot harder for its living.... shear stresses and high temperatures contribute to oil breakdown..... long chain molecules into short chain molecules... (so my friends pHD chemist wife told me - working for Quaker Chemicals blending special oils)

Its an inexpensive way of preserving your motor.
My 2 penneth.

Bill

[Scoobster]

lmao @ chemist woman..

I personally am a trained chemist and have worked as an analytical chemist for a few years. I know work at a pharmaceutical facility that incorporates a refinery.. heh

I know what ya on about with the degradation of long chain polymers due to pressure and temperature. The process itself is actually used to produce shorter chain polymers for other uses when fractionally distilling and cracking oils in a refinery.

Many thanks for all your comments here. I will ask my dealership if they will change my oil for me at 5000 miles (I aint a mechanic and have no clue how to do it), and then will take it in at 10000 miles to get it serviced as usual, when they can rip me off some more. lol

I will stick with the magnatec in it for now until the engine is worn in a bit more and then think about switching to synthetic.

As for getting to second service (20k miles) I very much doubt that I will. I tend to get a new car every 15-25k miles and got rid of my last one after 17k. I will more than likely keep this one a little more miles than that as I drive more miles in this car as I enjoy driving it, but I will look at getting a Boxster or TT in about 18 months, so not too many worries about my engine failing or parts coming to the ends of their lives. lol

Cheers...

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by Scoobster
lmao @ chemist woman..

I personally am a trained chemist and have worked as an analytical chemist for a few years. I know work at a pharmaceutical facility that incorporates a refinery.. heh

I know what ya on about with the degradation of long chain polymers due to pressure and temperature. The process itself is actually used to produce shorter chain polymers for other uses when fractionally distilling and cracking oils in a refinery.

Many thanks for all your comments here. I will ask my dealership if they will change my oil for me at 5000 miles (I aint a mechanic and have no clue how to do it), and then will take it in at 10000 miles to get it serviced as usual, when they can rip me off some more. lol

I will stick with the magnatec in it for now until the engine is worn in a bit more and then think about switching to synthetic.

As for getting to second service (20k miles) I very much doubt that I will. I tend to get a new car every 15-25k miles and got rid of my last one after 17k. I will more than likely keep this one a little more miles than that as I drive more miles in this car as I enjoy driving it, but I will look at getting a Boxster or TT in about 18 months, so not too many worries about my engine failing or parts coming to the ends of their lives. lol

Cheers...

Ahh a Chemist in the house :)
Can I have a packet of asprin? LOL :D

A point of note...
when I ran Mobil 1 in my little Renault 11 turbo, and was short on dosh and extended my normal 3K mile oil change. I got to 5500miles and on driving up the M5, I watched my oil pressure dropping lower and lower, until it barely read... It normally had 6 bar at 80mph, but dropped to less than 1bar at the sam speed.
I stopped on the motorway and let it cool down. Oil leverl was fine, as was the water. water temp was fine too. Don't know about oil temp, did'nt have a guage.
After letting it cool down a while I limped off the motorway slowly and drove to my destination slowly.. Oil pressure was only half what it normally was, but there was at least some.
the car was parked for the remainder of the day. When I drove home that night, down the M5 again, it appeared to have normal pressure again, but I dare'nt use full throttle or boost, just in case. The evening journey home was a cool evening, as opposed the very hot sunny weather I had driven up in.
The next day, I bought some Mobil 1, (strange how you can find the money when you have to is'nt it ?!?!) and dropped the old Mobil 1 out into my drain tray.
What fell out (cold engine) was black water, I kidd you not. It did'nt even feel like oil, non-slippery, just very very thin and black. This oil had only done 5500miles.
I changed the oil and filter (always changed the filter on an oil change) and this never reoccured.

I was so surprised how the Mobil 1 looked, I gave a sample of it to my friend to give to his wife (then working for Quaker Chemicals in their lab) where she did some basic tests. Her comments were she had never seen a fully synthetic oil broken down so badly... Its viscosity was totally outside of its spec, and its structure had broken down very badly.

Now, I am no chemist, but I knew it looked buggered by the look of it... The moral of the story for me was keep using fully synthetic and keep changing it at 3K miles if driving it hard. (the Renault ran 18psi boost, sustained, with modified intercooler, carb, ignition, zorst, Gp A Radbourne Racing head etc..) The motor was stressed as was the turbo - Big Time.
It never failed once though.. which I put down to changing the oil frequently with quality oil. Even a quality oil won't last indefinately.
The extended service intervals we see from the manufacturers is as much a "Selling Aid" to keep competetive as it is to keep the engine/car healthy. If Car Company X says 10K service intervals, then the one saying 6K would appear to be of a higher cost of ownership.... which might sway some peoples decisions. (Fleet buyers etc)
What does all this mean? Dunno really, except I will always change my oil between 3K-5K miles, especially now I drive a turbo car again. :)

Bill

[CUP RAcing]

Bill

Does Mobil1 offer the cold start protection of say CASTROL GTX magnatex ??? by coating the metal ?

[Scoobster]

Just a note..

I am actually a Pharmacologist and not a practicing chemist/pharmacist, however after working as a pharmacologist and toxicologist I moved into analytical chemistry, as it was a much 'cleaner' area to work in, with no biological samples to work on.

I don't do the chemistry bit anymore on a day to day basis, I am a Quality Manager for a pharmaceutical company, so I just use my knowledge and experience now instead of working in the lab. Sometimes do go back in to the lab though to have a dabble.. quite good fun and keeps your hand in, and makes the analysts realise I do know what I am talking about most of the time.. ;) lol

As for Oil... I reckon I will get mine changed pretty soon then. Is it an easy job to do myself..?? Is the sump accessible, so that I can drain the system...?? I was thinking of just changing the oil for now and letting them change the filter when they do the 10k service.. If someone could let me know what I need to do to change the oil I would be grateful.. as I am in no way a mechanic, I know how the car and engine work physically (scientifically) but I have never done any sort of mechanical work on a car so worry about touching anything.

Cheers..

[Steve3961]

All this talk about 5k oil changes is a bit over the top! All new Audi's now come with AVS (Audi variable servicing). This is basically a sender in the sump that checks the quality of the oil and changes the service interval to suit the way you drive. on petrol (including the 1.8T) engine the max distance you can have between oil changes is 20000 miles or 2 years and on diesels is 30000 miles! This a Castrol oil we have been suplied with meeting certain VAG standards. while this is not available on seats it does show the possibilitys? surely the 3 year warranty is based on 10k servicing? and such no maintainence by us is req.

[Steve3961]

Originally posted by Scoobster
Just a note..

I am actually a Pharmacologist and not a practicing chemist/pharmacist, however after working as a pharmacologist and toxicologist I moved into analytical chemistry, as it was a much 'cleaner' area to work in, with no biological samples to work on.

I don't do the chemistry bit anymore on a day to day basis, I am a Quality Manager for a pharmaceutical company, so I just use my knowledge and experience now instead of working in the lab. Sometimes do go back in to the lab though to have a dabble.. quite good fun and keeps your hand in, and makes the analysts realise I do know what I am talking about most of the time.. ;) lol

As for Oil... I reckon I will get mine changed pretty soon then. Is it an easy job to do myself..?? Is the sump accessible, so that I can drain the system...?? I was thinking of just changing the oil for now and letting them change the filter when they do the 10k service.. If someone could let me know what I need to do to change the oil I would be grateful.. as I am in no way a mechanic, I know how the car and engine work physically (scientifically) but I have never done any sort of mechanical work on a car so worry about touching anything.

Cheers..

Im not sure if Seats have undertrays but assuming the don't changing you oil is very easy.

Step 1: Jack up car. (Always use axle stands)

Step 2: Using a 19 or a 17mm spanner crack off the sump bung anti-clockwise (this is at the lowest part of the sump) and drain into a washing up bowl or something like that.

Step 3: When oil stops draining put the bung back in(making sure you replace the washer) and tighten. It has to be quite tight but don't hang off it!

Step 4: The oil filter is a black cylinder located on the front of the engine and simply unwinds anti-clockwise (make sure you catch the oil that will come out of it)! Lube up seal on new filter on wind it in place. (hand tight)

Step 5: Let car down (making sure its level)

Step 6: Top up oil with about 3.5 ltrs of your chosen oil.

Step 7: Start engine and allow to run for approx 20 seconds. (This will allow the engine to fill up the oil filter)

Step 8: Check oil level on dipstick. (This should be in owner's handbook)

Step 9: If nessary top up in .25ltr amounts until req oil level is acheived.

Hope this is helpfull.
:D

[ibizacupra]

Originally posted by Steve3961
All this talk about 5k oil changes is a bit over the top! All new Audi's now come with AVS (Audi variable servicing). This is basically a sender in the sump that checks the quality of the oil and changes the service interval to suit the way you drive. on petrol (including the 1.8T) engine the max distance you can have between oil changes is 20000 miles or 2 years and on diesels is 30000 miles! This a Castrol oil we have been suplied with meeting certain VAG standards. while this is not available on seats it does show the possibilitys? surely the 3 year warranty is based on 10k servicing? and such no maintainence by us is req.

I think for me its piece of mind..
I wonder what the sensor you mention actually monitors... viscosity? conductivity?... Interesting though.

The other thing which comes to mind is how long you will live with your car. For me its going to be while I am sure of it. (financially it has to be with me for some years I think). If I am keeping the car to run many 1000'd of miles on it, over 100K for example, I would want to know I had done my best with respect to its oil & filter changes. If you are only going to own the car for a couple of years then who cares... it certainly won't have had time to go wrong maintaining the 10K service intervals.
I'll be changing mine at 5K though as I will be keeping the car. (I have seen the fully synthetic oil breakdown badly with well under 10K miles on it - I don't want a repeat in my nice new motor :D)

regards
Bill
:)

[Mosser]

I expect to keep my car for about 4 years, after that it will probably be ready for the scrapheap like all the previous cars i have owned!,

I do 60,000 miles a year in my car so in 3 years time i will have 240,000 miles on the clock and am still only going to change the oil every 10,000 miles!, i have tried using the best high quality fully synthetic oil in my last car and it still only did 233,000 miles before it gave up, the car before that was using standard garage supplied oil throughout its life and did 225,000 miles before it died, so i dont think it was wort all that extra money for fully synthetic throughout the cars life


i will let everyone know how well it stands up to the beating i am currently giving it :cool:

[Steve3961]

Originally posted by ibizacupra


I think for me its piece of mind..
I wonder what the sensor you mention actually monitors... viscosity? conductivity?... Interesting though.

The other thing which comes to mind is how long you will live with your car. For me its going to be while I am sure of it. (financially it has to be with me for some years I think). If I am keeping the car to run many 1000'd of miles on it, over 100K for example, I would want to know I had done my best with respect to its oil & filter changes. If you are only going to own the car for a couple of years then who cares... it certainly won't have had time to go wrong maintaining the 10K service intervals.
I'll be changing mine at 5K though as I will be keeping the car. (I have seen the fully synthetic oil breakdown badly with well under 10K miles on it - I don't want a repeat in my nice new motor :D)

regards
Bill
:)

The sensor checks the general condition of the oil including how contaminated it is through fuel, water etc and the viscosity per temp.. The car actually monitor's how you drive as well. if you cane the arse of it everywhere your service interval is reduced due to the same reason ( mostly carbon and hydrocarbon contamination) and if you dive like a nun you will certainly get more miles inbetween servicing.

[Scoobster]

Thanks for the info Steve regarding the changing of oil.

I am sure I will manage to get it done at some point. Am having EBC Greens fitted next sunday (weather permitting), so might consider doing it then while it is jacked.

As for the number of miles done in a year..!! Jeeeez..
I tend to do about 8-10k per year :D

I only tend to keep cars for a couple of years too, but I will more than likely keep this one for another 18months - 2 years, to get a decent return on it before getting a Boxster.. lol

Cheers..