[Gros21]

Well i have 5 registered vehicles as well as partners car, im due for my 12 month service and was wondering can i push it out till its due based on KM.

If so whats a safe time frame to push out min servicing times 18/24 months or even more?

 

[chewblekka]

What servicing? Points adjustment? Float height? Valve lash? Balsam Specific?

We have no idea how you drive or what previous servicing you have performed. We have no idea the current state of your vehicle.

 

[Gros21]

Vehicle is 2012 with 177k on it next service is 180k which is fairly big service. In good condition, no issues. 180kw unit with auto.

Seems servicing is 12 Months regardless of km. Warranty is obviously long gone.

It's a low km vehicle I just bought it to tow a car trailer. Which before I do a big trip on I'll get serviced.

I have 5 registered vehicles + work vehicle and this vehicle will do 2000k max per year having a easy life.

This is my first euro vehicle and not sure how fussy they are my other rigs are Harley's, big block chev and a old ute. All of are pretty rudeamentry and basic.

 

[chewblekka]

Again, what does “servicing” mean? Oil and fuel filter should be changed every year regardless of mileage. Other than that, there’s too many variables to discuss.

 

[Mike in Anchorage]

Does it have a service interval on the count-down on the system info? That seems to be based on a combination of things other thann just time.

 

[Gros21]

Does it have a service interval on the count-down on the system info? That seems to be based on a combination of things other thann just time.

Yea seems to simply be a day counter on mine.

Seems to be dare only on mine.

Well I'm sure oil degrades over time a vehicle doing 2500km a year won't need servicing at the same interval as one doing 10000km a year. However according to VW they should.

 

[Black Grouse]

Does it have a service interval on the count-down on the system info? That seems to be based on a combination of things other thann just time.

The service countdown can be changed, within limits, using VCDS - AFAIK the maximum oil change interval is 2 years or 30,000 km (18,641 miles) but perversely Volkswagen UK permit the mileage to go to 20,000 miles - that is the maximum, the onboard computer may reduce it if the number of cold starts exceeds the algorithm assumption. The inspection interval remains constant at 2 years / 30,000 km.

There used to be a difference between long-life oil and "standard" oil but recent models have required long-life oil even for the shorter oil change interval.

My 2016 TDI is set to an inspection at 2 years / 18,641 miles and oil change at 1 year / 9,321 miles but I've used 1 year / 10,000 miles during the warranty and subsequently.

To answer the OP's question I guess it comes down to how many days/year the car is being used - if it's every day with very short journeys, I'd stick to annual servicing - if it's only being used a few days a month for medium/long journeys I'd go with servicing every 2 years.

 

[SaVAGeSoot]

Don't bother servicing anything. You're going to kill that thing driving it 2k a year anyways, so might as well save your money.

 

[Gros21]

2 years is fine.

Once hotrod it's built it will get driven more as it's going to be a tow rig. With odd 1600km/1000mile weeks.

I do tend to use it for longer 30min+ trips, odd 10min trips, then may be parked up and I'll cycle through other vehicles.

I understand that this vehicle may fall apart before engine wears out and I'm ok with that I'm not looking to make engine last 500k+

 

[volkswagens-for-life]

Sitting around is far worse than an automobile and engine than actually using it.

Also, there's a reason manufacturers state time AND mileage maintenance.

 

[Black Grouse]

Sitting around is far worse than an automobile and engine than actually using it.

Also, there's a reason manufacturers state time AND mileage maintenance.

But no-one has ever got a satisfactory answer why the marketing organisation in each country around the world can make different servicing requirements despite the same engineering information coming out of the factory - in other words the servicing requirements simply don't relate directly to manufacturers' requirements.

 

[volkswagens-for-life]

But no-one has ever got a satisfactory answer why the marketing organisation in each country around the world can make different servicing requirements despite the same engineering information coming out of the factory - in other words the servicing requirements simply don't relate directly to manufacturers' requirements.

Every manufacturer uses a different grade of nut, bolt, fastener, alloy, lubricant etc etc etc

 

[Black Grouse]

Every manufacturer uses a different grade of nut, bolt, fastener, alloy, lubricant etc etc etc

You missed my point, I'm not talking about different manufacturers, I'm refering to different countries with the same manufacturer - the marketing department of VW UK give different advice to the marketing department of VW Germany and different to marketing at VW America - despite the VW factory engineers publishes the same data to each.

 

[volkswagens-for-life]

You missed my point, I'm not talking about different manufacturers, I'm refering to different countries with the same manufacturer - the marketing department of VW UK give different advice to the marketing department of VW Germany and different to marketing at VW America - despite the VW factory engineers publishes the same data to each.

Ohhhh, I don't know anything about that and didn't know it was a thing?? My only guess could he climate impacts. In America we can sustain very high speed driving (Germany too...), Britain it would be very low speed driving. Africa and Australia is dusty. Asian is damp. Etc etc. All of that contributes to different maintenance schedules.

 

[casioqv]

If you're going to change the factory intervals, you need to understand all of the reasons for each specific interval, and think it through like an engineer. If you're going to do this, you'd better be real sure that you know what you are doing- that you fully understand the considerations the VW engineers used to make the intervals what they are, and know why a different interval is superior in your specific circumstances.

For example, how exactly does the physical process of aging/wear work for each specific part? For example, one could assume that an engine air filter replacement is based on filtering out a certain amount of physical debris, and should be more tied to mileage than age. However, a serpentine belt will oxidize from ozone when just sitting there, so should not be extended with low mileage.

In all cases- if you can objectively measure the actual condition and wear of the affected system and replace based on that, it would be an all around superior way to choose correct intervals based on your specific use. For example, one can remove a small amount of engine oil and send it for oil analysis to determine if the oil is actually still in spec or not.

In short, if you have to ask this question on a forum, you should just follow the factory recommendations.