boylers11

Fantastic, thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail!

I'd originally said 7-10k, but the ones from 12+ are tempting me!!

That's great, thanks a lot for your input, it's sounding quite positive. Is there any feedback on trim/spec levels please?

My '54 plate Fabia VRS is now on 175k and getting rather tired and whilst is has been service very regularly and running like a dream, the bodywork has succumbed to years of use in all weathers. I love it's simplicity, speed/power and size for nipping in small street parking spaces for work. I've been looking at Yetis and would really appreciate some advice and opinions please. Here's a few questions.... -Which engine is best? My instinct would be the bigger the better, so the 2.0tdi at 110bhp? Is it possible to get near Fabia VRS 'grunt' with a remap? I appreciate it's a bigger and heavier car, but I like oomph for overtaking. -Which spec? I'm not bothered about leather, but cruise control would be a necessity -Are they all permanent 4x4, or switchable? -Real life mpg? I'm currently 55-57 in the Fabia. -Any common faults/trouble areas? Leaky door seals? Bushes? Engine noises etc? I'm a very competent DIYer having recently completed a full project car rebuild down to the bare shell, but appreciate different cars have different weaknesses. Thanks in advance, Tim

Thanks Wino, I'll have a look at the next weekend and report back!

For 135k miles, both gauges have worked perfectly, it's just in recent months that the 'red zone' has started acting up

Hi Ken, yes, the warning light comes on at 80-90 left on the 'available range' but then drops to zero within 15 miles or so even though I'm averaging 55-60 mpg

I've done 140k miles in my ownership and normally get between 55-60 mpg which gives me 550-575 miles per tank (going by the gauges). The needle and digital readings are normally fairly consistent for the whole tank, even when it goes into the red.... ....for the last few months, for the first 450 miles, the gauges still act as normal, however, when I get to 80-90 miles left in the tank, I still get 55 odd mpg, but within a few miles, the 'miles left' drops very quickly to zero and the needle drops from being just in the red to absolute zero. When I brim the tank again (e.g tonight 37.6 litres), it suggests that there is actually more fuel in the tank than the gauges indicate. Whats going on please? Is it likely to be a float issue or something more complex?

Thanks for the replies chaps. I'll show her the Suzuki for sure. To be honest, I don't know anything about Evoques, but looked for owner reviews and found that the majority were 4-5/5!

Thanks for the info. She'd be piling 10k+ miles per year and would be looking to keep it 6-7 years at least. I just think £22k on a car plus likely expensive servicing and parts, trying to sell a 10 year old 150k miles Evoque isn't going to end well for us financially. id prefer her to get a second hand Yeti and lose much less money! Maybe I'm just being tight.

That's smart Keith, but a bit more than she's looking to spend. I suggested a 4x4 Yeti, but she doesn't like how they look. I love the look of them myself! weve had a quick look at CRVs, too, but is there anything else worth considering? The more compact, the better really.

Thanks Keith, but £££ to service. She doesn't want it to be flashy, she wants a comfy, reliable, 'smart' 4x4 for occasional field use and mainly motorway miles.

My wife REALLY wants a 16 plate Evoque, as it looks pretty and is really comfy apparently. She's looking to buy as opposed to hiring. My thoughts are: depreciation, cost of service and longevity of parts. Her current car is a '10 plate DS3 with 100k owned from new. Does anyone have any advice for/against?

Rear ARB drop links arrived at last, will be fitting this weekend...

Shiny new parts to bolt onto an old car are the best thing EVER!

Went to Supercars in the park in Ripon on Sunday. Nearly 1000 cars there, so a good turnout. Quiet a few £££ worth that's for sure! Found a vid on mine too..... 8:10 after the Lambo https://youtu.be/0cmlm43E7nY

If you're anything like me, you'll be dying to spend every hour of every day on it now it's so close to being done....then you come across a problem and wished you'd never started! Keep up the good work, the end's in sight!

Thanks Wardy!

Finally got a vid, albeit not a very good one of the new exhaust note. I did get a driving one on my go pro stuck to the boot, but it was in the waterproof case for safety, but it muted the sound, so I'll get another some other day. The under bonnet temperatures are much lower and it feels a lot more responsive on the throttle too. https://youtu.be/87GXzVrz_yM

Thanks Wardy. I'll get a vid of the TVR if the nice weather ever makes a return!

Sounds like you've made some good improvements to the van. The only thing you might want to invest in is a pair of digital tyre pressure monitors, especially with it being a single axle and you do longer trips with it...just a thought! Also, a solar trickle charger might be a plan too

Love the bush removal technique, can't beat a bit of caveman mechanicing!

Love the bush removal technique, can't beat a bit of caveman mechanicing!

Car/caravan combo looks good Phil. I see your caravan is very clever too...

The front drop links were knackered, so I eventually sourced some adjustable ones which feel good quality, but time will tell. Old: New: Old vs new: Installed: Also went to the local motor factors and picked up a new coolant temp sensor for £3, as it was old stock (they're normally £10+) - bonus! Also installed a couple of new lambdas to help the engine management out. Hoping to take her for a blast tomorrow and will try and get a vid or two! My VRS was clean the other day too after a wheel refurb, so took a quick pic: