Touareg 6 month service?

[Mikestreg]

Hi all, my touareg has just turned 6 months old - I got a 6 month service reminder from the dealer today. I have only done 5000km and was working on the assumption of a 12 month service interval. Does anyone recommend a 6 month service and an estimate on cost? Thanks mike

[Diesel_vert]

The factory service interval, as determined by the manufacturer, is 15 000 km or 12 months, whichever is reached first.

Some dealers, workshops, garages or mechanics (whether they are franchised or independent) may recommend or suggest more frequent service intervals. Whether such work is to be carried out is entirely up to the owner.

Consequently, cost depends entirely on who does it, and what they do or don't do.

As with all work, always ask for a quote beforehand, and ask precisely what is to be done.

[Transporter]

Hi all, my touareg has just turned 6 months old - I got a 6 month service reminder from the dealer today. I have only done 5000km and was working on the assumption of a 12 month service interval. Does anyone recommend a 6 month service and an estimate on cost? Thanks mike

It sounds like you do less than 15,000km per year. So, check the owner's manual and if there is a note about driving under severe driving condition (not driving enough km) then it would be noted there that you need to change the engine oil and the filters more often.

From what you've posted I would definitely get the engine oil and the oil filter changed. Besides, it could be already 12 months old, check the production date on your Touareg.

[Diesel_vert]

It's not so much the distance travelled per se, but more the nature of the journey.

At one extreme, if the 5 000 km travelled so far was done in a single journey, then the case for changing the oil is not strong.

At the other extreme, if the 5 000 km travelled so far consisted of 5 000 cold start journeys of 1 km each, then the case for changing the oil is stronger.

Given that a six month interval is not part of the scheduled service regime, it will require a judgement call from the owner.

[Transporter]

If you stop engine for 5 months after you've done 5,000km, I would be worried about the rust on the cylinder walls and what happen to the oil after all that rust is scraped by the piton rings when you start up and the oil wash it into the oil sump. Either the way under such condition if you change the oil or not it's still not good for the engine.

The bottom line is, the oil and the filter is cheap (probably amongst the cheapest parts in the Touareg), the engine isn't.

[Diesel_vert]

If you stop engine for 5 months after you've done 5,000km, I would be worried about the rust on the cylinder walls and what happen to the oil after all that rust is scraped by the piton rings when you start up and the oil wash it into the oil sump. Either the way under such condition if you change the oil or not it's still not good for the engine.

If it is determined that internal parts of the engine are rusting so quickly and to such an extent as to cause severe wear and a drastically reduced expected service life, then the oil's condition would indeed be the lesser concern in this scenario.

The bottom line is, the oil and the filter is cheap (probably amongst the cheapest parts in the Touareg), the engine isn't.

While it is true that the relative cost of consumables is low compared to the purchase price of the vehicle, it doesn't necessarily follow that the vehicle should be serviced more frequently (or less frequently) than is required.

Generally speaking, halving the manufacturer's recommended service interval on principle is not something I personally adhere to. If it were me, I would try to service the vehicle according to its needs:

If a x km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every x km.

If a 3 000 km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every 3 000 km.

If a 30 000 km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every 30 000 km.


OP: ball is in your court.

[Diesel_vert]

BTW OP, if you go ahead with it, ask for nothing more than an oil and filter change and do not pay for anything else.

[Mikestreg]

Thanks all. Will give it some thought. A number of good points raised. At this stage, the touareg is less than 12 months from production date.

[mcouldrey]

Not so long ago, my display changed from 13,xxxkms until service to 3xxkm to service, so after I travelled those 300km it told me I needed a service.

Went into VW and they couldn't explain it so they reset the display.

[Transporter]

If it is determined that internal parts of the engine are rusting so quickly and to such an extent as to cause severe wear and a drastically reduced expected service life, then the oil's condition would indeed be the lesser concern in this scenario.



While it is true that the relative cost of consumables is low compared to the purchase price of the vehicle, it doesn't necessarily follow that the vehicle should be serviced more frequently (or less frequently) than is required.

Generally speaking, halving the manufacturer's recommended service interval on principle is not something I personally adhere to. If it were me, I would try to service the vehicle according to its needs:

If a x km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every x km.

If a 3 000 km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every 3 000 km.

If a 30 000 km service interval is justified, then the vehicle should be serviced every 30 000 km.


OP: ball is in your court.

I guess the same people who told you to service your car once every x amount of km got themselves in the trouble (not for the first time though)

VW Audi Oil Sludge Class Action Settlement

I know you may say that it's a different market, different oils, fuels and so on, but still they didn't get the servicing intervals right - they were .... WRONG, and it wasn't the first time. Oh, and how wrong they got the NO maintenance on the auto transmissions in the T5s it's a very good example how easily the engineers can be wrong, costing the T5 owners $10,000+ in repairs.

And since the excessive oil sludge problem is repeating in every decade, I rather change the oil more, since I can't change my cars every 3-4 years.