Service intervals

[JohnBlade]

Can anybody explain the difference betwwen the service intervalls to me......long term and short term.Never had an Audi before hence the ignorance.Also if a care started on a long term service can you then change to short term etc ?
Even after reading the handbook still can't get into my head...thanks

[TWH]

The variable service is worked out according to how hard you drive the car but I believe will normally be somewhere in the region of 18-22k miles. If you are thinking of buying and S or RS (or if you already have one) then the general concensus is to witch to fixed interval serviceing, with an oil change between if you want to be really good. My RS was originally on variable, but was changed by one of the previous owners to fixed interval. Whether you can switch from fixed to variable I don't know.

HTH

[JohnBlade]

Yes I'm driving a RS4.....previous owner had it serviced once a year or 10.000 miles.Next service is in 3900 miles (July'05 - 35.000 miles) as per service indicator.Changed the oil and filter last week with Castrol SLX.Seems a bit early to go for a service.Might wait for the big one at 40.000 miles

[simple1]

My car now has sixty something thousand miles on it, and I left it on variable service intervals, but do take it in every 5k miles to change the oil and filter regardless, net result is that is very quiet and runs like a proverbial swiss watch, but rarely covers much more than a few thousand miles a year now. I still personally believe the intervals are far too long, with two turbos battering the oil. My merc is also on indicated service intervals but it still gets an oil change at 5k miles.

[lengster1]

Im with johnblade mines on fixed every 10k. just had it in for an inbetweenie oil change just to be sure.

[JohnBlade]

First time I spent almost £ 90 for oil and a filter......did the change myself though !

[RobTheHungryMonkey]

You can change from variable to fixed, and with my S3 (which could be different) I tend to change the oil every 6 months ish on variable servicing.

[JohnBlade]

Sorry for my ignorance but what is the exact definition of the 2 different services ? Cheers

[simple1]

Variable is system generated by the car which decided when to be serviced using information supplied by the ECU
Fixed interval is when the dealer decides the car is due, I think it falls as every 10,000 miles or annually, which ever comes first.
The DIS will show 12500 miles as the srvice interval once reset, but drops according to use until it triggers the Service within 1000 warning. (DIS is Digital information System that destplays in the centre of your dash)
As near to English as I can get.