Thoroughly confused about servicing!

Brackett

Active Member
May 12, 2019
158
26
Cupra ST 300, 18 months old, 11k miles. (bought by me 4 months ago).

I'm told my car is on variable servicing, so it hasn't had a service yet.

The car tells me (via the service menu) that it is due an "Inspection" (what's that?) in 8000 miles or 200 days (takes me to about 2 years), and a "oil change service" in 6200 miles or 240 days (so that takes me to 2 months over 2 years!!).

The SEAT website refers to "minor" (£175 for an oil change!! Really?!) and "major".

So we've so far got 4 different types of "service": inspection, oil change, minor and major, at dates suggested by the car that means it's over 2 years before the oil is changed.

I've usually just done an annual service on my cars, so I might just revert back to that, ie. do a service now, and then annually. If so, what actually needs doing, rather than just going minor and major (or whatever) ? Oil change/ filter each year, with (less regular) brake fluid and spark plugs? I can't really find anything definitive anywhere.

Or do others just pass the car over to SEAT when the car pings and says it wants a service, whenever that may be?

Ideally I'd just give it to my usual indy garage who I trust (and probably cheaper than SEAT), but I dare say if I have a warranty claim this will go against me. (though I know it shouldn't, OEM parts etc).

Thanks for any tips/ advice.

(ps. Coventry and Birmingham SEAT are my nearest dealers if anyone has any experience - would be easier for me to go to Birmingham).
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 3, 2012
4,710
2,804
Car Length In Front
I think inspection now just means the same as a service. The service will be dictated by the miles not the car as such. The car will just record its due a service, it won't know whats been changed.
 

Degs

Active Member
Feb 10, 2019
109
86
North Wales
If you're not happy with your service you could always ask your dealer to change it to 10k service intervals.
 

'Little' John

Active Member
Oct 12, 2018
274
114
If you're not happy with your service you could always ask your dealer to change it to 10k service intervals.
9.3k!

Although they claim the service interval is 10k, it's actually converted from 15,000km and works out about 9,300 miles (which I think is ridiculously low for a modern car).
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
I think that you sound like you would like to look after that car as it deserves it, so, why not treat this next service as a Major and get the inspection done at the same time and request that the servicing strategy is changed to 12 months 10K miles.

Inspection is just additional tasks that vary with the age of the car, ie as time goes on.

I hate when you buy a slightly used car and the car or dealer keeps asking for attention or work, for me on normal mileage, once a year is enough to suffer workshops if they worked smart and re-aligned, or kept things in alignment.

Alternatively, hand it over now for Inspection work and an oil change, and either get it changed to fixed servicing, then hand it over when it is 2 years old for a major service and possible another inspection so that it is where it would be if it had been set on fixed servicing from day one, obviously doing that will cost more - but ----- .

Edit:- I bought a slightly used Audi S4 and it was still set on variable servicing although its mileage was extremely low, while under warranty I left it on that but changed the oil "half way through" the 2 year period. Its service history was also messed up by it getting a quick oil service, unofficially as it was an Approved Audi Used car - complete idiots!
 

Marko70

Active Member
Jul 6, 2019
107
44
I just don't get services, I usually get called to have a service every 12 months regardless of what miles I do, so why are some people going 2 years without changing oil??
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Hum, exactly, buy a performance car and get encouraged to reduce servicing costs down to a minimum, not a good idea, do what is needed.
 

Hag

Active Member
Sep 15, 2018
399
193
Seats are either set to Fixed (12months 10k or variable upto 2years or 20k). You can choose which way you want to do it. Minor and Major refers to fixed versus variable and to what service you are having (dependent on age and mileage)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
The general advice that is meant to be offered to new customers is, "tell us how you expect to use your car so that we can set up the service strategy at PDI time, less than 10K miles a year should have fixed servicing - maybe 15K mikes a years should have variable servicing" - do any of these VW Group dealerships bother, not many will I'd think. Remember all these cars that can be set on fixed or variable servicing come from the factory loaded up with Long Life engine oil, and the service strategy set at factory is included in the build document as a PR code, so it does not need to be a mystery to the dealerships, they are just lazy as they are making money and not selling a product.
 

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
9.3k!

Although they claim the service interval is 10k, it's actually converted from 15,000km and works out about 9,300 miles (which I think is ridiculously low for a modern car).

I used to work for Lubrizol. They make the factory fill fluids for most modern cars and if you are a car nut. You will ant to be changing your engine oil every 6-10,000 miles. Depending on how you drive it of course. But yes engine oils are pretty good now. However, you will want your first oil change at around 6,000 miles to get rid of all the metal filings in the sump and filters as a result of sheering when the engine is new.
 
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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
Cupra ST 300, 18 months old, 11k miles. (bought by me 4 months ago).

I'm told my car is on variable servicing, so it hasn't had a service yet.

The car tells me (via the service menu) that it is due an "Inspection" (what's that?) in 8000 miles or 200 days (takes me to about 2 years), and a "oil change service" in 6200 miles or 240 days (so that takes me to 2 months over 2 years!!).

The SEAT website refers to "minor" (£175 for an oil change!! Really?!) and "major".

So we've so far got 4 different types of "service": inspection, oil change, minor and major, at dates suggested by the car that means it's over 2 years before the oil is changed.

I've usually just done an annual service on my cars, so I might just revert back to that, ie. do a service now, and then annually. If so, what actually needs doing, rather than just going minor and major (or whatever) ? Oil change/ filter each year, with (less regular) brake fluid and spark plugs? I can't really find anything definitive anywhere.

Or do others just pass the car over to SEAT when the car pings and says it wants a service, whenever that may be?

Ideally I'd just give it to my usual indy garage who I trust (and probably cheaper than SEAT), but I dare say if I have a warranty claim this will go against me. (though I know it shouldn't, OEM parts etc).

Thanks for any tips/ advice.

(ps. Coventry and Birmingham SEAT are my nearest dealers if anyone has any experience - would be easier for me to go to Birmingham).

Wolverhampton were pretty good with my SEAT Leon. If that's not too far for you.
 

SRGTD

Active Member
May 26, 2014
2,388
1,279
The general advice that is meant to be offered to new customers is, "tell us how you expect to use your car so that we can set up the service strategy at PDI time, less than 10K miles a year should have fixed servicing - maybe 15K mikes a years should have variable servicing" - do any of these VW Group dealerships bother, not many will I'd think. Remember all these cars that can be set on fixed or variable servicing come from the factory loaded up with Long Life engine oil, and the service strategy set at factory is included in the build document as a PR code, so it does not need to be a mystery to the dealerships, they are just lazy as they are making money and not selling a product.

Before I took delivery of my current (VW) car, I asked the dealer to set up the service regime to time and distance, as I’d purchased a VW service plan which is based on the fixed servicing regime. The default service regime for VW’s from the factory is for long life / flexible servicing.

They confirmed they’d do this at PDI, but when I checked in the ‘car’ menus via the infotainment screen after taking delivery, it was still set for long life / flexible servicing. Not a big issue as it didn’t stop me getting the car serviced at 10,000 / 12 months, but if the dealer couldn’t / didn’t do this simple task at PDI when it was noted on file, it got me wondering what else didn’t get done at PDI - they didn’t spot a paint imperfection on the nearside sill that they ought to have done!
 
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