Long Life vs Time/Distance Servicing

aileron346 · Nov 24, 2013

I know this has been touched on in other discussions, but are many of you switching your Cali servicing to T&D annual servicing? There's a fair bit of discussion out there about whether in fact T&D might be better than LongLife serving for long term engine protection - despite advanced modern LongLife oils.

Like some others have said, it just doesn't feel right to run oil for two years or 24k miles...but...if the actual evidence is that LongLife is definitely as protective then it should be OK. But are we all totally convinced ?

briwy · Nov 24, 2013

Well for me its always annual servicing. Its not the oil that concerns me so much as a general inspection of steering, suspension, brakes etc.
How many of us thoroughly examine tyres for example, checking the inside sidewalls means taking wheels of etc
A lot can happen to a vehicle over a period of two years that isn't noticable, too long in my opinion.

briwy · Sep 16, 2015

Well my decision to have our vehicles serviced yearly has paid off today.
We got this Cali in Jan this year and it has now done about 11k so I decided it was time for the oil to be changed so booked it in for a service.
The service picked up that the rear tyres were worn through on a band about 2mm wide on the inside edge of the tread/sidewall. Now whilst I regualrly check the tread depth I don't crawl under the van and this could only be seen when on the ramp. I should explain that the wheels/tyres were off our old Cali so the tyres have done about 18k. Still about 4mm tread left as well so can't complain.
3000 mile round trip to the Pyrenees and Spain next week so it's a good job this was picked up.
New tyres today and the van is having an alignment check when I get back.

WelshGas · Sep 17, 2015

Well my Longlife service will turn into Annual as I have already done 18,000 miles in 9.5 months. :thumb

Pete M · Sep 17, 2016

Is it possible to change the service type on the MFD from Fixed to Fexible myself?

jts46 · Sep 23, 2016

Pete M said:
Is it possible to change the service type on the MFD from Fixed to Fexible myself?

Yes

Pete M · Sep 23, 2016

johntowers46 said:
Yes

Thanks! How?
The owners manual says how to go from Longlife to annual/10000 but not visa versa.

bvddobb · Sep 23, 2016

We are on Longlife. The VW dealerships here offer free winter and summer checks, and we always do them. This takes away the objection that a car isn't checked regularly enough when on a Longlife schedule.

jts46 · Sep 23, 2016

Try this, it works on my cali
If the service is not carried out by a VAG dealer, the service interval display will have to be reset manually as follows;

switch off the ignition

press and hold the reset button, (the one you press to reset the trip meter) and switch on the ignition. the display must now show the text SERVICE or SERVICE NOW.

turn the adjusting knob on the digital clock clockwise (adjusts the hours). the service text is deleted from the display.

then release the knob. the normal display appears after a short while.

good luck.