The service intervals for all VW and Audi vehicles as per the manufacturer is 12 months or 20 000km, whichever comes first. With the varying levels of lockdown the majority of South African’s are now travelling less and less between service intervals and the question VAG Spec Centre Cape Town has been getting more and more often is “Do I need to service my vehicle every year, even if I haven’t done the mileage?”
The short answer is yes. Let us explain why.
All Vehicles have maintenance schedules. Either based on usage (distance driven) or time.
Logically thinking, the more you drive your vehicle, the more you will wear out things like tyres and brakes etc. One would think the same would apply for your vehicles engine. Unfortunately, engine wear doesn’t work the same way.  Your car’s engine is designed to operate at optimal performance when warmed up (90 degrees celsius), there are specific clearances that are at the right levels once the metal has warmed up and expanded within the engine. This means that most engine wear actually occurs within the first few minutes from a cold start.
With this in mind, it is often those short trips that contaminate your engine oil the most, with less than ideal clearances allowing particles past the seals and into the oil. It really degenerates the quality of your engine oil a lot faster than long distance driving. Further to that engine oil has a functional lifespan, for distance and time. After a certain amount of time in your engine, the oil will chemically change and the quality will deteriorate, whether you have driven or not.
The engine is the most important component in your car, without it, your vehicle will simply not drive. That is why we always recommend servicing your vehicle whether you have travelled the kilometres or not. Your car will not only last longer, but expensive repairs can be avoided with regular maintenance and inspections.