Annual Servicing - to service or not?

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Why would the oil in an unused engine deteriorate any quicker than in a bottle on the shelf?

On VW long life servicing the oil is changed every 18k (depending on driving condition) or 24 months - whichever comes sooner. A safety inspection is done every 12 months.

I would come back to - what are the consequences we should be mindful of? It's not going to shorten the life of the car.

Exactly.

The oil the dealer or garage is putting into engines will be purchased in bulk likely. Goodness knows how long that’s been sitting in containers or barrels.

Oil that has done 3k on a car with an 18k service interval (Volvo) is as good as new. It can be left for a few months longer… it won’t do any harm. The 12 months/18k miles or whichever comes first is just a way for them to cover their backside.

Volvo don’t recommend changing the transmission fluid, unless you tow or use the vehicle as a taxi. Why? That fluid deteriorates & gets left for years & years on end because Volvo give you the “sealed for life” blurb. We’re talking about an oil change that is being delayed by four months… its not going to cause any damage to the car. The miles it has done have been motorway ones, so its not like the oil is going to be totally degraded.