My Mum has asked if she should bother to get a service done on her 3 year old VW Polo with auto gearbox. It was serviced this time last year and since then the car has done 1500 miles so she is thinking there is little point.
I'm inclined to say for the sake of £200 and peace of mind get it done. Will the oils and consumables happily last another year and perform well?
Normally I prefer what's recommended or even a bit more because I use my cars hard but this is a very lightly used car so I'm on the fence a little bit.
Wondering what you lot think ....
My Mum's Aygo has 12 month service intervals and an equivalent mileage, I get it and the MOT at the same time - stops any warranty issues IMO and means at least it's getting looked at once a year.
Does she intend to keep or sell ?
Speak to VW about what is required at each of the next service intervals.
IMO the only ones that shouldnt be missed are oil brake fluid and cam belts etc, however all oils degrade over time. Its all balance of risk
She should make sure though that she drives it every so often to the point the engine gets to full working temperature.
As it's only 3 years old, I'd do it for sure. Doubly so if its used for short journeys. It will be worth less without a FSH.
If it was a 12 year old car, she was keeping it until it gets scrapped, and its 1500 miles of a few long journeys, I'd probably give it a miss.
I do very low mileage (but more than that, about 3k some years) - long journeys only - and when i've got mine serviced the garage have sometimes remarked that the 'old' oil basically looked new.
If there's no warranty stipulation, I'd leave it no question.
Similar to finbar, I'd do it as it's a new car. An older one I wouldn't bother. I'd probably miss a few of the less critical items though.
I’m guessing most of those journeys are short so changing the oil is a very good idea if it’s only travelled to the shops and back - that could be 500 short trips!!
I’d be ragging the crap out of in on the motorway just before the service as well just to get it properly warmed up and all the fluids moved around.
yes
some safety critical stuff needs to me done according to time not distance. brake fluid change being the obvious one
I’d be ragging the crap out of in on the motorway just before the service as well just to get it properly warmed up and all the fluids moved around.
At least the clutch is always 'warm' after my Mum has been for a drive 🙂
Yep its lightly used for short journeys so I'm slightly more inclined to get a some fresh oil as I'm not sure if it gets to a good operating temperature. Thinking fresh oil might help lubricate the parts better when cold?
No plan to sell it just yet. She tends to hold onto cars for a while so I can see this hanging around for at least another 5-8years.
I think I need to pop around and read the car manual and check exactly what services it's had.
I'd service it, it's the cold start up which is the most damaging part of the journey. If it's going to be kept for a while then it's best to keep it in good condition
If that’s 5 x 300 mile journeys, then I’d leave it (assuming no warranty issues).
If it’s 1500 x 1 mile journeys, then very much get it done.
(All IMHO)
some safety critical stuff needs to me done according to time not distance. brake fluid change being the obvious one
And yet that's the least likely thing in a service that would worry me.
Change the engine oil yearly at an absolute minimum. Even more so if it's a small capacity 3 banger.
Short journeys mean the condensation created internally wont be removed. I'd do a minor service (oil/fluids) rather than a major.
E 10 fuel is a now a major contributory factor to oil break down also.
Low mileage cars are more hassle than high mileage.
The auto box will need a service by year 5 regardless of the mileage as fluids deteriorate with age regardless of mileage.
Depends if that's 1500 miles in 5 trips or 500.....
If it's low mileage trips the oil will have degraded and be full of condensation etc.
I'd change the oil at least
At minimum, an oil and filter change. May also be worth checking if other things are due on the age of vehicle
My mum's car does similar miles per year and I always give it fresh oil every 12 months.
I’d be ragging the crap out of in on the motorway just before the service as well just to get it properly warmed up and all the fluids moved around.
I don't rag it before changing the oil but I do take it for a decent run beforehand and add an oil flush agent for the last 5 minutes or so before it's drained. Mum does lots of small journeys and never gives it any beans so the poor thing never gets up to temp, not great for a turbo 3 pot engine!
If it's still in warranty then do what the warranty requires.
Otherwise, do it anywhere that'll give you a stamp in the book.
The auto box will need a service by year 5 regardless of the mileage as fluids deteriorate with age regardless of mileage.
Whilst the fluids do degrade a little over time, it's not remotely the same as their degeneration under temperature and motion.
That being said - my car only does 1500 miles per year and I change the oil every year...all 7 litres of it!
Thanks all for the feedback. I'm going to recommend she gets the service done.
She does a lot of small mileage trips (5-10miles) and from your feedback and what I've been reading about. This is not great for the car so it would be beneficial if the oils and fluids were performing at their best.
An older one I wouldn’t bother. I’d probably miss a few of the less critical items though.
Heh, my old Skoda was 19 years old when I got rid of it, I’d had it for 15 years, it never had a service while I had it!
i believe it’s in Poland now; I gave it to work as a pool car, but insurance wouldn’t cover it, one of the workshop blokes asked if he could have it for his son, so it went across to Poland.
The current car will get serviced, it’s due later this year at 18,000 miles or two years. Work will be offering discounted services and MoT’s, something I will be all to keen to take advantage of!
Being a vag it will have vw00.507 long life oil in it if serviced by vag, which is good for 2 years. Also being vag it'll have dot 4 brake fluid and it's first change is due at 3, 2 years after that. However having had a brake fluid change 'done' by Audi/Skoda Wimbledon at 3 yo, but then doing the next myself, it was absolutely clear they did not touch the rear calipers and the fluid, still original, was black.... Not all main stealers are the same.
If keeping the car no i'd leave the oil change another year and use 507 long life again.
I'd do the brakes myself and use Bosch env6, which is good for 3 years not 2 (and far higher spec)
If selling, go to a little local garage not the main stealer.
Just sold my 2014 vw polo and went to a golf. Polo official servicing is every year and usually ~£300 so quite expensive.
I only did 2/3k miles per annum so cut my services to every 18months and the last one was done by a local indy rather than group. Theres not much to go wrong on these cars, they are very reliable and if lightly used think annual servicing is overkill. I also notice that vw service plan is every 2 years (thats where you pay upfront for a package)
It wont affect your FSH when selling from my experience (you are clearly servicing the car) and its 9 yrs old.
