Advice on what needs changing when, as part of Service Schedule

[AJPolo]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and I'm looking for some Servicing advice for my sisters Polo please

This is the third Polo we've had in the family but the first of this particular model (6R). I've had a search but can't specifically find what I'm after for this particular model and engine.

She has a 6R 2013 1.2 TDI Match Edition, which she loves. She is now going to get the car serviced at a trusted local independent garage, but we're unsure what needs doing when. Does anyone have a list of what actually needs doing when? For example, how often should the diesel fuel filter be changed? When should you replace the factory fitted spark plugs etc.? I believe her car is on the flexible service as it popped up on her display to have a service done. However, as she says she will get it serviced locally at an independent now, it would be nice to know what she should be changing when, unless the garage should have access to all these details. It'd still be nice to know though.

The car has done 70k and is 4.5 years old. The main things I'd like to know is on these particular models, how often should the diesel fuel filter be changed (as it hasn't been done yet from new) and when does the cambelt need changing (if at all)?

Sorry if these are basic questions but we're new to these newer VW's, so some advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

[iichel]

so it depends on whether the car is on a longlife schedule or not.

longlife:
every 30k km/20k miles:
- oil change
- oil filter change
- interior filter change
- inspection

every 60k km/40k miles
- fuel filter change

every 90k km/60k miles
- air filter change

distribution toothed belt:
- 210k km/140k miles change and after that, inspect every 30k km/20k miles

so it will depend on the previous services, what needs to be done.

[RUM4MO]

As above, but avoid mentioning the spark plugs though as that might lead to embarrassment!

Edit:- there is a Haynes owners workshop manual out for that very car, if you fancy saving a bit of your sister's money and if doing it yourself, give the car a chance and change it to fixed servicing 10,000miles/yearly.

[iichel]

spark plugs on a diesel?
don't forget the indicator fluid of course

[benzinkopf]

spark plugs on a diesel?
don't forget the indicator fluid of course

haha. +1.
btw iichel, u said 60k fuel filter change for TDI. how bout TSI? any idea? erm. im doing 226k now w/o changing the fuel filter yet[emoji848][emoji23]


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[iichel]

there is no specified interval for the fuel filter of a petrol engine

[RUM4MO]

I'd think that with petrol engines, it is safe to leave the fuel filter for 60K or 6 years, I never changed the filter on my wife's previous 2002 Polo so it ran for 106K miles and 13 years on the factory filter, though I did buy in a new filter and fuel pressure regulator and seals and line repair kit - just in case.

One clue to this is, try walking into a VW dealer's parts department and aske for a new petrol fuel filter, I'd be very surprised if they keep that as a stocked item, I think that that reinforces the idea of only needing to replace them when they are suspected of causing an issue with the car - or play wise and change it at 60K miles or 6 years which ever comes first.

Another sad old tale that maybe I've written about before, if not:- I used to run a 2000 VW Passat 4Motion with the Audi sourced 2.8V6 30V 193PS engine, I tried to be smart and replaced the fuel filter at maybe 6 years, that filter was connected to the fuel system with banjo fittings and aluminium O-ring seals - two O-ring seals at each end, that went okay, but maybe 3 years later when reversing out of my garage, I noticed a wet trail on my driveway, it was petrol and it was spraying out of one of the fuel connections on the filter!! So, I replaced that filter along with its aluminium O-ring seals, and to be safe, new bolts for the banjo coupling - basically as I had no idea what the root cause of this failure was. After replacing the filter etc I discovered that that failure was due to corrosion across the sealing face of one of the aluminium seals! After discovering that, I made sure that the exposed ends of that filter's fuel couplings were sprayed with a wax coating to exclude any rock salt from reaching these aluminium O-ring seals, now that was a classic case of "sensible" preventative maintenance causing an issue a few years down the line, that area would have been coated in wax at the factory but I'd think that a VW dealer's workshop would have left things like I had initially!

Obviously with these later cars, the fuel couplings are push fit so no stupid aluminium O-ring seals to fail quickly, this was also an issue on many VW Group cars with rear disc brakes, callipers as banjo fittings are used there on the brake fluid lines.

[AJPolo]

Thanks for the replies

I would look a numpty asking for that wouldn't I! My brain must have had a bit of a moment when posting, oops, as I am aware of spark plugs not being needed for diesel engines... honest!

Thanks for posting the longlife schedule iichel. She's now doing approx 8k-10k per year, and as the last service was not done by VW (so don't know exactly what oil was put in), I think she'll be better off on the yearly fixed service from now on. What would be the schedule for that? I'm guessing at least Oil and Oil Filter every year. Would the air filter still be every 60k? That seems a little long to leave it to me, but what do I know Sounding like she could do with a diesel fuel filter change then. Nice to hear that the belt won't need doing for quite some time.

As for getting a Haynes Manual, that's a pretty good idea actually. I have done the basics before, like Air Filter, Oil and Oil filter changes. I've changed a couple of sets of spark plugs before as well (on petrol cars I'll have you know ). I've never done a fuel filter change though, so I'd have to look at how tricky that is on these Polo's before attempting it.

ps. Indicator fluid is all good and at the max mark

[iichel]

8-10k a year in a diesel? is that economically viable in the UK? is that with short or long trips? short trips will really destroy the EGR and DPF on a 1.2 TDI

[AJPolo]

8-10k a year in a diesel? is that economically viable in the UK? is that with short or long trips? short trips will really destroy the EGR and DPF on a 1.2 TDI

Long trips. She does a 60 mile round trip for work. However, she has in the last few months been car sharing, which is why if she carries on with this, her annual mileage goes quite a bit down to approx just shy of 10k. She purchased this car specifically because of the mileage she was doing which was around 20k per year. But yes, when she does drive it for work she's doing at least 60 miles a day in it.

Would you advise any extra maintenance/service stuff then considering her mileage?

[AJPolo]

Is it worth using genuine parts for the service, so buying a genuine Oil filter, Air filter and Diesel fuel filter? I hear some cars can be pickier than others when it comes to using non-genuine filters.

[iichel]

a genuine filter will probably be a bosch or a mann filter. those are both fine. there is not a lot of money to win with a non-genuine parts, a few quid here and there...

[AJPolo]

a genuine filter will probably be a bosch or a mann filter. those are both fine. there is not a lot of money to win with a non-genuine parts, a few quid here and there...

That's good to know then, thanks for the info.