1,500km service - oil change?

[pandahill]

Sorry for dragging up an old post, but it seems logical to continue the conversation rather than start a new one.

My new Superb has a service sticker on the windscreen requesting a 1500km service which is a complimentary check only I believe. (One dealer told me that oil would not be changed at the service)

As my car is an MY12 build date May 2012 and it will be Dec 2013 when the 1500km service is due, should I request/demand the oil is changed, as the oil from new would now be 19months old, especially as in Australia services are done to both the kms and the service period interval?

The dealers say that oil will deteriorate over the period even if the kms are not up, just to get you in for a service. Not sure if it works the same way when "they" may be paying for the oil...?

[woofy]

I've found they don't care how long the car sat for when it's new, they still do it a year later as they don't want to mess with the run in oil.

[pandahill]

Does the oil actually degrade? or is it a case of dealers wanting servicing fees more regularly?

Is run-in oil special and different from regular oil?

[Diesel_vert]

My new Superb has a service sticker on the windscreen requesting a 1500km service which is a complimentary check only I believe. (One dealer told me that oil would not be changed at the service)

The first scheduled service is due in 15 000 km or 12 months (as stipulated by the manufacturer) after the date of first registration.

Some dealers or workshops may ask you to come in at 1 000 km, or 1 500 km, or 5 000 km (or whatever). It might consist of a simple check to ensure nothing is amiss, or it may be more involving. It may be complementary, or there may be costs.

It is up to the owner if they wish to take these up.

Either way, it is neither required nor considered compulsory by the manufacturer.

As my car is an MY12 build date May 2012 and it will be Dec 2013 when the 1500km service is due, should I request/demand the oil is changed, as the oil from new would now be 19months old, especially as in Australia services are done to both the kms and the service period interval?

You can most certainly request (I wouldn't go as far as demand) that the oil be changed, at your cost.

The dealers say that oil will deteriorate over the period even if the kms are not up, just to get you in for a service.

Engine oil has a time interval because it is exposed to moisture (condensation), fuel (dilution), heat (obviously), combustion by-products (soot, acid, etc).

Factors such as low driving speeds, cold temperatures, cold starts and short-distance trips place greater stress on the engine and the engine oil itself, which can adversely affect the oil change interval. Driving in metropolitan areas is generally not conducive to extended oil change intervals.

Conversely, conditions such as long trips, infrequent cold-starts, highway or country driving, and so forth, are conducive to prolonging the oil change interval.

In any case, one of the conditions of the vehicle warranty is that it must be serviced at the manufacturer specified intervals, in order to minimise the chances of any warranty claims being denied.

Does the oil actually degrade?

It depends on the driving conditions (as explained above).

Is run-in oil special and different from regular oil?

Whatever it is, it is likely to be synthetic (not mineral) and therefore, capable of lasting until the first scheduled service.

[pandahill]

Thanks for the explanation I just want to make sure that I'm not harming the car by going 15000 km and 31 months! Without an oil change...

[brad]

I'd be more concerned about 2yr old brake fluid than aged engine oil.

Just so I''ve got this straight, the vehicle build date is May 2012, so I assume it hit AUS about August 2012? What compliance date does it have & I assume you bought it in the last month or 2?

So what type of discount did you get off RRP for last years build? What model/engine/body?

I wouldn't mind a Superb if the price was right

[pandahill]

Compliance is July 2013, 14 months after manufacture... I was told by a dealer that the new Octavia's were to take 9 months by ship

Mine is a 118TSI Ambition estate in silver brand new with the November special 5yr wty for $34,990 ($1000 under current special rrp). I couldn't negotiate too much as there was no stock left in Qld, mine came up from Vic

[brad]

Obviously the new governments "stop the boats" campaign has gone too far!

I think the dealer might have meant 9 weeks... or they didn't have the foggiest. Or VW really does want Skoda to fail. I don't think it took the First Fleet 9 months to get here did it?

The compliance plate gets put on when the vehicle is removed from Skoda Australia's holding yard for delivery to a dealer, not when it arrives in AUS.

[woofy]

9 mths to get built and shipped maybe the way things have been lately. It's an 18mth old car. So I would be asking some Qs about getting certain fluids changed, the brake fluid would be one, then just remember when it was last done and tell them every 2nd yr to replace it again. You could see if they will replace it from new so it stays inline with the servicing.

[pandahill]

Possibly it was August when I was enquiring at first and they told me march for the new Occys

The only two dates on plates or stickers are the May 12 and July 13 ones no idea really how long it takes them to get here

There are next to no 2013 superbs around so I think it does take the better part of a year for them to get on the shelves

Thanks for the brake fluid heads up!

[spud75]

Thanks for the explanation I just want to make sure that I'm not harming the car by going 15000 km and 31 months! Without an oil change...

I go t my vRS oil changed at 5000km. Purely piece of mind.

But then my car was built in Jan 2013, so no old oil lying in it.

[brad]

Possibly it was August when I was enquiring at first and they told me march for the new Occys

The only two dates on plates or stickers are the May 12 and July 13 ones no idea really how long it takes them to get here

There are next to no 2013 superbs around so I think it does take the better part of a year for them to get on the shelves

Thanks for the brake fluid heads up!

No, they simply stopped bringing them in because they had plenty of stock & the facelift was/is due.

When they did the runout of the Roomster they were 3 yrs old being sold as "new".

A few of the guys on here have done "individual orders" - they'll know better but the wait was nothing like 9 months even with the lead time on the queue waiting for them to cut metal.