Oil Service and Service Interval

DowneS4

Registered User
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Messages
65
Reaction score
13
Points
8
I've had my S4 since Xmas and it's saying around 4300miles/430 days until the oil needs changing and 14000/430 days until a service is due. I'm thinking that 5000 miles between oil changes is a bit eager to say the least and that combining both services at 430 days would be sufficient...what does everyone reckon?
 
Looks like your car is set for fixed service intervals not long life. If so, it is inspection every 19000 miles with an oil change in between.
 
430 days until oil change would suggest it's on variable servicing. Mine's on fixed and recently had an oil change and currently shows 320 odd days until next oil change, i.e counting down to the anniversary of when it was last changed.

What makes you think its only 5k miles between oil changes DowneS4, was it changed when you bought it? If so, it would suggest the service interval reset wasn't done so it's still counting down from the last change.
 
Agreed, and if its on variable servicing then it has reasons to recommend 4300 miles. I'm not sure what sensors the engine has to detect oil age but I am sure that it does have something. Lubrication is highly important. Ignore it at your peril.
 
I'm not a fan of variable service intervals. Mine's getting a service as soon as it's a year old, and will have the checker system reset to fixed intervals for future reference.
 
Got mine onto fixed a s soon as I got it

Don't like these long schedules that are used these days
 
I'm not a fan of variable service intervals. Mine's getting a service as soon as it's a year old, and will have the checker system reset to fixed intervals for future reference.

Or do as I'm doing with the wife's new Leon, leave it on variable servicing which equates to ~18-20k between changes but then doing my own interim oil change at the alternate 9-10k intervals.

It saves money as it's going to the dealers less yet still retains full dealer stamped history and gets fresh oil at respectable intervals. The other thing is by staying on variable you'll get the long life spec oil at the dealer service rather than the fixed service oil which is cheaper but also lower spec. For the interim changes you can then get 7L of Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 which meets the 504.00/507.00 longlife spec from Opie Oils for £45 with a forum discount code.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rum4mo, DowneS4, jdp1962 and 1 other person
430 days until oil change would suggest it's on variable servicing. Mine's on fixed and recently had an oil change and currently shows 320 odd days until next oil change, i.e counting down to the anniversary of when it was last changed.

What makes you think its only 5k miles between oil changes DowneS4, was it changed when you bought it? If so, it would suggest the service interval reset wasn't done so it's still counting down from the last change.

The service was reset to 15000 I think (501 days) and the oil was set to 5000 (501 days)
 
Or do as I'm doing with the wife's new Leon, leave it on variable servicing which equates to ~18-20k between changes but then doing my own interim oil change at the alternate 9-10k intervals.

It saves money as it's going to the dealers less yet still retains full dealer stamped history and gets fresh oil at respectable intervals. The other thing is by staying on variable you'll get the long life spec oil at the dealer service rather than the fixed service oil which is cheaper but also lower spec. For the interim changes you can then get 7L of Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 which meets the 504.00/507.00 longlife spec from Opie Oils for £45 with a forum discount code.

Is it a filter change as well?
 
The service was reset to 15000 I think (501 days) and the oil was set to 5000 (501 days)

Variable servicing shouldnt have a set mileage until next service, thats the whole idea of it that the computer starts off with an arbitrary mileage of ~20k on most cars then as it's driven works out if the oil is having a hard time or not and adjusts the schedule accordingly. Not had an S4 on variable servicing so don't know what most usually get between services but unless you're ragging the cr*p out of it day in day on really short journeys out I can't see how the computer would decide it needs a change within 5k miles. To me it sounds like perhaps a service was done when you bought it but no oil change (or at least the oil change wasnt recorded on the computer to tell it to reset) but can't explain why the dates until next service/oil change are the same.
 
Is it a filter change as well?

I didn't change the filter on the wife's Leon this time as it's only a year old at 10k miles old and I didn't want to swap the filter and leave traces of a filter change that the dealer might spot when it goes for its first oil change service. Once they've done one change at ~20k though I'll change the filter again at 30k and subsequent ones, if I then leave the odd oily smear or finger marks around the filter I can just blame it on the last service they did :D

Just changing the oil is much better than doing nothing and keeping both oil and filter for ~20k miles, but obviously preferable to change both if you can.
 

Similar threads

Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
783
Replies
8
Views
3K
Replies
12
Views
6K