Buying a nearly used Yeti - Manual or DSG - some questions

[JB.]

Hello -

 

We're buying a 2016 used Yeti (ex hire car from Arnold Clark) for my wife, the 150bph TDI 4x4 SE Business model - there is a Manual and a DSG (DSG an extra £300, but 7.5k miles instead of 4.5k miles).

I have seen several posts about DSG problems (dry or wet?), but I think these were pre-2015 models and have since been rectified.  My questions:

1. Is the 2016 model DSG now error-free?

2. Would you opt for Manual or DSG?  It is mainly town or country driving my wife will be doing.  For diesel, DSG has less mpg, higher road tax, but makes driving less effort (in town) - unless response to 1. is No!

3. Does the diesel DSG have 6 gears (and the Petrol 7 gears)?  The salesman said 8 gears, but I think he is wrong (I know that Stronic is 8 gears, but don't think Skoda).  I seem to think that DSG diesel is actually less economical than manual, but it's the other way around for the petrol engines.

 

Thanks a lot folks.

 

Andrew.

[Phil-E]

It will be the 6 speed box.

 

They need an oil and filter change every 40k miles on the gearbox.

 

Pretty reliable.

 

Most DSG problems relate to the older 7 speed boxes.

 

DSG is slightly thirstier on fuel due to extra weight, oil pump and some losses through clutch slip.

 

Test drive both and choose whichever one you prefer.

 

Phil

[33q]

DSG without a doubt!

[ernieb]

I've had Yetis with manual and DSG gearboxes, I'd always opt for the DSG, smooth as silk and a pleasure and relaxing to drive.

[Phil-E]

I now turn my nose up at anything with a manual gearbox in it.

 

I just don't know why you'd want to bother with all that clutch work etc just for the sake of a few MPG and saving £30 a year on your road tax.

[KenONeill]

Unless it was something they'd had out on contract hire I don't know why you'd buy from Arnold Shark in the first place.

 

Oh and as for manual vs auto, not everyone lives somewhere as congested as York Phil.

[Smokeyjoe]

Having had an early DSG box it was fantastic - smooth, very fast changes, and no torque convertor slip like traditional automatics. However, mine went wrong and it cost a fortune to fix (fortunately under warranty).

 

I would now only have one if it was under warranty and I planned to replace the car before the warranty ran out. Once bitten :-(

 

Impossible to say if the new ones are more reliable as they have not been out long enough to know.

[Brijo]

I'm not aware that there have been any significant changes in the 6-gear 'wet' DSG (in the diesels) since the Yeti got it. 

 

No contest, for me (and m'lady), whether country lanes, town or motorway, solo or towing.  Lazy driving, no pedal-stomping, and quicker shifts than manual.  Our first, and I wouldn't go back. 

 

Others, of course, find differently.  As Phil says above - try both yourself. 

[g6zru]

DSG every time!

 

 

Fred

[VAGCF]

I now turn my nose up at anything with a manual gearbox in it.

 

I just don't know why you'd want to bother with all that clutch work etc just for the sake of a few MPG and saving £30 a year on your road tax.

I bet you can't wait for self-driving cars! :notme:

[JB.]

Thanks folks!  A solid vote for DSG from most of you.  Yes, if we went DSG, we would take out the additional 2 year warranty.

 

I quite agree around Arnold Shark - I would not usually buy from them on principle (we previously have bought from local Skoda Henrys dealer, who we have a good relationship with).  But, AC are offering a massive saving (£10k+ saving for a 7-month old car with only 4.5k miles - these are ex AC Hire cars), and Henrys are looking to see if they can come close (I would go with them if close).

 

Of the cars currently in the running, it boils down to "Manual but Red" or "Silver but DSG" (the car is for my wife, and she feels as if the red would be like driving a pillar box).  We shall see.  I can see "Silver but DSG" winning.

 

Thanks again!

Edited 19 January, 2017 by JB.

[Phil-E]

I bet you can't wait for self-driving cars! :notme:

 

Nah I want to drive myself thanks. Just prefer the "shove it in D and go" approach to driving!

[Phil-E]

I guess it's down to how she likes the DSG then. The trouble being that it could be hard to tell on a short test drive.

 

When we test drove our first DSG my other half was not too sure as it was just so different to driving a manual and takes a lot of getting used to.

 

Once we'd had the car a few months they were then of the same opinion as me... never want a manual again!

 

So it could be that she doesn't like it. And it sounds like you're not convinced about the red car either so maybe that's not the right car for you either.

 

Oh and as for manual vs auto, not everyone lives somewhere as congested as York Phil.

 

True. But even on a long motorway run or a country road drive I still prefer auto.

[Rustynuts]

Of those two options I wouldn't buy either. I couldn't live with a red car, and DSG is too disconnected for me. Automatics in general are too far from my driving style and likes, so it would have to be a manual for me, just not a red one...

[VAGCF]

I enjoyed my DSG, a Passat estate, and liked to switch between fully automatic and sequential "manual" depending on use, conditions and mood.

I drive manuals again now and think that the combination of diesel and manual suits a car like the Yeti well.

Part of the decision to go manual was influenced by my wife. She rarely drove the Passat or indeed now the Yeti but she was never happy with the DSG as she wasn't interested in or understood the mechanics of it and therefore the best way of driving it. Not helped by the electronic hand brake either! With more use she would have become more acclimatised to the DSG though.

If my driving involved much stop/start traffic then I definitely go for the DSG again. Fortunately for me it's free flowing most of the time.

I'm equally happy with manual and DSG and each have their pros and cons.

Fuel consumption isn't an issue. I also had a same spec manual Passat estate and the average consumption was virtually identical with it being helped with the DSG version changing gear more often when you wouldn't bother/need to in the manual.

So it really comes down to personal preference, type of use and whether your wife will be happy with the DSG.

I do agree with her about the red. I've only seen the odd one on the road, like the black. They are about the only colours that don't really suit the Yeti.

Funnily enough though, red with a black roof does look pretty good! You could get the roof painted or wrapped!

[Ryeman]

We're being deskilled fast enough already, surely.

[longedge]

I agree. it all started when they brought that fancy new snchromesh in, next thing you know people won't know how to 'double clutch'  :giggle: 

[jonnyboy78]

I agree with lots of the comments already posted and many reflect my own thoughts, especially the red colour, without the black roof my wife gave it the thumbs down saying it looked too much like a postman pat van. I currently have a Yeti with a Petrol / DSG combination and think its great, the both go well together and even though the official figures say its slightly slower off the mark than a manual in reality its quicker due to the accurate and timely gear change each time.

 

I have previously had the DSG in combination with a 2l Diesel engine on my Audi A3, even though again I enjoyed the experience I did often feel that a manual is better suited with a Diesel engine, due to the lag on a Diesel sometimes I would find the response a bit poor and wrong gears selected (a problem when pulling out at a roundabout), but then having driven a Golf GTI with DSG and 2l Petrol engine I fell back in love with the DSG and that's why I chose it this time around, but had I gone for a diesel engined Yeti I think a Manual would of been my choice.

 

A lot of it will come down to driving style, but a DSG is not lost on the motorway as once set in cruise control the car virtually looks after itself, but as others have said just be careful on an older car out of warranty as repair / replacement costs are eye watering.

[Ryeman]

I agree. it all started when they brought that fancy new snchromesh in, next thing you know people won't know how to 'double clutch'  :giggle:

Now now, keep yourself nice ))

[ernieb]

I did have a Octavia loan car recently with DSG and paddles, now that's a nice option if you could get it on a Yeti.  I know there are some how have converted there Yeti.  I like the way if you hit the down shift paddle it's instant change and then the system monitors the conditions and then reverts to auto unless you paddle a new gear.  I guess if you select manual then the paddles work all the time?  Maybe that will come with the Yeti II????

[Phil-E]

I have previously had the DSG in combination with a 2l Diesel engine on my Audi A3, even though again I enjoyed the experience I did often feel that a manual is better suited with a Diesel engine, due to the lag on a Diesel sometimes I would find the response a bit poor and wrong gears selected (a problem when pulling out at a roundabout), but then having driven a Golf GTI with DSG and 2l Petrol engine I fell back in love with the DSG and that's why I chose it this time around, but had I gone for a diesel engined Yeti I think a Manual would of been my choice.

 

Completely agree here.

 

I have driven newer 2.0 CR engines with DSG and there was always something that didn't feel quite right. Perfectly fine just bimbling along round town but if you needed to pull out of a junction or roundabout quickly it just never felt quite punchy enough.

 

My DSG experience was with an older PD engine which has a big thump of torque around 2000rpm so it meant you could quickly get moving without having to mash the pedal to the floor and with light-ish throttle it would change quickly into the next gear right back into the rev range for the punch of torque so it felt much nicer.

 

Then my other automatic car (my current Saab) has twin turbos so no lag there with the auto box.

[Rooted]

Maybe an idea to go out and try some Euro 6 TDI's with DSG if you have not.

For punch just put the throttle down a bit it is not a petrol engine obviously.

[KenONeill]

True. But even on a long motorway run or a country road drive I still prefer auto.

Fair enough: I've also driven both, and still prefer manual any place except heavy traffic (and inside the York walls 9 to 5 I could walk as fast as the traffic went the last time I visited, which was nice when I was following a Cricklewood Bentley).

[Phil-E]

Fair enough: I've also driven both, and still prefer manual any place except heavy traffic (and inside the York walls 9 to 5 I could walk as fast as the traffic went the last time I visited, which was nice when I was following a Cricklewood Bentley).

 

Yes definitely. 

 

I'm based from home and do home visits mainly. When I'm in the office I always go on my bike as it's quicker!

 

Plus you can walk from one side of the city to the other in about 10 mins and it would take you much longer to drive round in the car.

 

Wouldn't want to live anywhere else though :) And we have some lovely countryside and the coast nearby.

[VAGCF]

Completely agree here.

 

I have driven newer 2.0 CR engines with DSG and there was always something that didn't feel quite right. Perfectly fine just bimbling along round town but if you needed to pull out of a junction or roundabout quickly it just never felt quite punchy enough.

 

My DSG experience was with an older PD engine which has a big thump of torque around 2000rpm so it meant you could quickly get moving without having to mash the pedal to the floor and with light-ish throttle it would change quickly into the next gear right back into the rev range for the punch of torque so it felt much nicer.

 

Then my other automatic car (my current Saab) has twin turbos so no lag there with the auto box.

Changed your tune there, haven't you Phil! :)