Long Life Service Confusion

[Thriftmeister]

Hi Help!

My 35TDI is 11 months old now. When I collected it I asked for the long life service schedule. It has now done 9000 miles and has been reminding me to get the oil changed for a few days. I duly contacted the supplying dealer who said it should be on a long life plan and could I bring it in to be changed.

Today I went to the garage and a receptionist came out, reset the service warning in the MMI and told me all would be good. Now with my understanding, I thought it needed to be connected to the OBD/VCDS to be changed from fixed to long-life. Moreover, the handbook says: "CAUTION - Do not reset the oil change interval display unless you have changed the oil".

I tried to question why we were doing this, after a 30 mile round trip when: a) they could have easily asked me to do it over the phone; and b) how does the car know it's now on long life? The receptionist was having none of it and finally walked away saying he didn't need to listen to my concerns! Prestige Brand indeed.

So am I wrong or have I been fobbed off? The oil service is now due near the inspection service but how does my car know it's now on a long life plan?

Any ideas will be much appreciated.

[Gazwould]

The LongLife intervals are a ShortLife promoter .

Oil cheap , engines expensive....

[Thriftmeister]

The LongLife intervals are a ShortLife promoter .

Oil cheap , engines expensive....

Totally agree. However, it's a lease, so long as it lasts 3 years/36k miles I'm happy!

[Crasher]

Is "The far side" somewhere in Yorkshire or Scotland?

[Whippy53]

And the moral is?

Never, ever buy a S/H car that's been on lease.

[Thriftmeister]

Is "The far side" somewhere in Yorkshire or Scotland?

Ha Very good. Close in a way. Maybe I should change my name.....nah not with that mpg And "Crasher"? Do tell!

Anyway I believe you're in the business so can you offer any advice? Is it that simple to switch from fixed to variable on a 2021 model? I do recall my last A4 was switched to fixed interval (by the same dealership) without my asking and it had to go into the workshop for 5 minutes to put it back. Has the system been changed or was that BS?

[Crasher]

It is simple with the correct gear, Crasher? If you need to ask...

[Thriftmeister]

When you say the correct gear do you mean changing the service plan? Because my dealer sent a receptionist and talked ME through how to reset the service. No gear, no VCDS, just MMI and a finger. I asked how this changed it to variable and he just said that's all you need to do. I simply don't believe him but I could be wrong!

[Crasher]

You can only reset the standard interval on the MMI, to set for long life you need VCDS or similar. If it is only standard then that is basically half of long life so resetting it would give roughly the same interval overall.

[Thriftmeister]

Thanks Crasher, that's exactly what I thought and exactly what I tried to convey to the receptionist. But to no avail. What a waste of a journey.

Roughly the same interval but still against the handbook and still wrong.

Further evidence that this local dealership isn't fit to hold the Franchise.