Variable Interval Servicing

[fatboy_coach]

Hi,

I've had my car a few months and it's already on for its first service in my ownership. I'm pretty sure that the code in the boot means it can go to variable interval servicing (it's a 2012 Supacopa TDi). What are the cons to this, as the pros are obviously that I only get it serviced once a year!

 

[Speed-FReek]

If you have the PR-Code "QG1" specified somewhere on the sticker under the carpet in the boot (usually on the left hand side) then it means your car was set to a flexible long life service schedule from the factory. That doesn't however mean it hasn't been switched over to a fixed service schedule since it left the factory.

There is no definitive way of telling unless you have access to VCDS or OBDeleven, however if you look in the service menu of the MFD, if it is showing values of anything above 9400 miles or 372 days then it is definitely on flexible long life schedule. Anything below that values could mean you are on either service schedule in which case you would need a diagnostic tool to look into the instrument cluster parameters which will then give you a definitive answer.

Mine used to be on the long life service schedule but I have switched it over to fixed service schedule because I personally think that 18400 miles or 698 days between services is too long. I get my car service annually anyway so I also prefer to be reminded on an annual basis, thus the reason I swapped it over.

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that the only missing comment/question from the above posting is " what is your annual mileage?"

In the real world most people revert back to fixed miles/time servicing, especially if you only run a maximum of 10K miles a year.

Long/Flexible servicing I think only works for company owned cars that maybe run 24ishK miles a year, and after maybe 3 years they replace them.

 

[fatboy_coach]

Yeah, sorry I missed out some of the info. The car has done 54K and has been on 10K servicing from new (annual service). I'm going to clock up a bit more than that, probably about 18K a year so I was looking at it from that point of view. I might stick as it is and just get it serviced every 8/9 months.

 

[Speed-FReek]

OK. It's always best to try and put as much context as you can around a question so any answers don't end up going off on a tangent

You can either request that your dealer swap your car over to a flexible long life service schedule on it's next service (tell them before you book the car in), or if you have access to VCDS or OBDeleven you can switch it over yourself using the following step-by-step guide. If you do the latter, it is important that you make sure your car is already filled with long life oil.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showpost.php?p=4523024

 

[fatboy_coach]

Cheers for that S-FR, I was going to get the garage to set it at the service but I think I'll leave it as I've come from a Subaru and am paranoid about servicing