service intervals...

[adamski]

Picked up my a2 tdi and service book shows its been serviced twice in four years, at 18000 miles (in 2003) and 22500 miles (four year service or 30000km) in April 06, both have long life service box ticked in the service book. I have checked the service indicator and it says i have 9100 miles to go until its next service? Do you think this has been reset wrong? or is this car not on variable service and on inspection intervals instead?

Thanks
Adam

[Foghorn]

My 2001 A2's first service was at 31k and the next is due at 62k according to the vsi

[Rob Earl]

That sounds about right as when set for VSI, the time between services can be up to 32,000miles (for TDi) or 2 years - whichever comes sooner.
Sounds like the car only did 4500 miles between years 2 and 4.
If the car is set for VSI and has not been driven much since the service, the miles to go indicator should rise once the car is being used regularly.

[Alan_uk]

Hi Adam

I had my TDI on VSI serviced at the beginning of June this year when it was exactly 2 years old and having done just over 23K miles.

As of today (4 months later) the mileage is 26K and the distance to next service is almost 14K. A bit of a shock as I was expecting about 20K.

But having done 3K miles in 4 months then on the same basis I will do 15K over the next 20 months up to the second full service at the 4 year point.

So it looks like the VSI has time built into it's calculation.

I believe that the VSI takes into account the number of journies and their length, so that lots of short journies reduces the service interval. If that is true, then I'm wondering whether I shouldn't turn of the engine when waiting at some traffic lights. At some lights I know, the cycle time can be quite a few minutes, so turning off the engine saves fuel and the planet. But if that comes at the expense of more frequent services then it may cost more than the fuel saved!

[ULP]

I believe that the VSI takes into account the number of journies and their length, so that lots of short journies reduces the service interval. If that is true, then I'm wondering whether I shouldn't turn of the engine when waiting at some traffic lights. At some lights I know, the cycle time can be quite a few minutes, so turning off the engine saves fuel and the planet. But if that comes at the expense of more frequent services then it may cost more than the fuel saved!

I'm pretty sure VSI takes into account the number of cold starts rather than the number of journies - turn the engine off at the lights if your car is fully up to temp (although even when water hits normal the oil will not be up to temp) but I wouldn't consider doing it if the engine is anything other than warm!

It's one reason why I leave my car running while closing the garage door first thing on a morning - I just need to keep my eye's open for lowlifes...

[adamski]

Hi

I have just checked the service counter and its jumped from 9400 until its service to 4700 miles, and I have only done 300 miles.... but this would take the miles to just under 30k, so now I am wondering if the indicator hasnt been reset? looks like a trip to audi...

Adam

[ULP]

Hi

I have just checked the service counter and its jumped from 9400 until its service to 4700 miles, and I have only done 300 miles.... but this would take the miles to just under 30k, so now I am wondering if the indicator hasnt been reset? looks like a trip to audi...

Adam

Hi Adam

Have you just picked up your A2 on a similar mileage to that is was serviced at?

If so, it looks like the car has been serviced and the VSI has been reset on variable at this time - however, between you picking the car up and now the car has passed through one of the 'resecalculation point' (I find mine changes every 300 miles) before which it had sat around for a long period of time - this will account for the huge drop. If the car sits around then the service counter will prepare itself to drop more dramatically the next time you go through a 'recaulcuation point'. In other words, if the car has hardly moved for 6 months then a huge drop would be what's expected.

I'm sorry this isn't explained well, but put simply, your VSI is on variable and has taken account of the car not moving. If it was on fixed, then only 300 miles would have dropped but you'd be getting ever-closer to the 12 months interval.

On Variable Service, it still seems to automatically reset to 9300 miles (15,000km) and then change from there although some owners get quite high figures straight away.

When I bought mine (at 2950 miles and 6 months old) the VSI was at 6500 miles (i.e. service at 9450 miles) so I mentioned this to the dealer - they advised me the car was a demo and therefore it had spent periods sat around but to give it some time to 'recover' - they were right, I am now about to hit 21,000 miles and the VSI is saying the service is due in 2,000 miles (23,000 miles total) so it has extended nearly 14,000 miles due to the type of driving I do!

I have no doubt I can stretch the next one to about 26,000 miles between services!

I hope this helps - put simply, drive your A2 for a while 'normally' (no short journies and letting the engine get up to full temperature as much as possible) and the VSI will start showing an increase (or only drop 100 miles for every 300 you do, if you see what I mean) ;)

[adamski]

Hi

Thanks for that ULP... I do about 90 miles a day commuting on motorway so definately gets warm- only just though, seems to take ages!!! so will keep my eyes peeled

Thanks for all the help
Adam

[vkx245l]

Don't forget that service books are only half the story, if you don't have the invoices check with the garage(s) that carried out the service that the service was actually done as indicated in the service book (They might screen data protection but tell them you're thinking of bringing to them!).

and also, don't forget that the service indicator can be reset from the dashboard - (its in the owners manual!). When its reset it initally resets to 9000 ish miles (15k KM) and then adjusts or not dependent on fixed or variable and driving pattern

I'm not saying people/dealers are ever dishonest but I once heard a "story" that an MBZ dealer (when they weren't owned by MBZ itself) who had a BMW service stamp from a dealer that they bought and stamped up all of their BMW trade-ins. So reseting the service interval from the dash isn't going to seem so bad is it?

I'd Just keep an eye on the mileage. As for the dealers, our A6 was on variable, was mistakenly reset on fixed (why on earth were they recoding it?) and back again and its never been the same since (service intervals are now very much shorter)

Regards

Jonathan

[whuy]

Jonathan - when manually reset, the service indicator will always be on fixed service interval (9k Miles, 15k km). Only the dealer can set it to VSI, in which case it will show 9k mi (15k km) to the first service for the first 300 mi (500 km) or so, then (hopefully) start moving up at the first recalc.