Expatman

I wish they would provide 2 ratings. One on how the car protects occupants in a crash and a second rating on accident avoidance measures. That way we could make a considered decision on competing cars.

If I was in your position and had received such appalling service I would go elsewhere as well. You might like to write to the MD telling him why they won't get your custom.

Salesman doesn’t know what he is talking about. 7 speed dry DSG’s are used for all VAG cars up to a certain power/torque output.

There is a Mk2 version of the ‘new’ 1.5 engine which has according to road test etc. permanently solved the kangarooing problem. The Mk2 engine also makes better use of cylinder deactivation to achieve improved MPG. As regards extended warranty if you can buy an extended warranty, service and breakdown cover for £30 per month that is excellent value compared with paying for them separately - it would cost you £30 per month simply for annual servicing and breakdown cover if you used a franchised dealer. Incidentally the Kamiq is better finished than VW equivalents with a wider range of options available. Real problem is that the seat height is not much higher than most hatchbacks. I can never understand why Skoda threw away their leading edge in design for life in favour of cookie cutter same as everyone else designs.

On a like for like size basis the T-Cross is closest to the Yeti and has a high seating position. Present model is bleak inside but an updated version is due later this year. Suspect update will follow T-Roc update with much improved cabin quality. As far a DSG’s go the latest versions don’t have the problems of the early ones and you can always buy a 5 year warranty when you get the car. The 1.5 Tsi DSG is a quick, comfortable drive with plenty of power and little engine noise compared with the noisy vario box fitted to many Hybrids.

If it is the 7 speed DQ200 box used in most petrol models then no oil change. If it is the 6 speed wet box then oil change every 40,000 miles.

Did you look at the Honda HR-V?

On like for like the closest replacement for a Yeti is the VW T-Cross - good seating height BUT it is so dumbed down compared with a Skoda, internal fit , finish and materials, options etc. just so poor. Now if Skoda had taken over the T-Cross and sold it as a Yeti replacement with the Kamiq quality finish and options they would have had a winner.

The one thing that stops me trading my 2017 Yeti for a Kamiq is the low set seating position compared with the Yeti, The Kamiq seats set on their highest setting are lower than the Yeti seats set at their lowest. My wife has a back problem and it is so much easier for her with a higher set seat to ‘slide’ in. Problem is I can’t find anything to match the Yeti to change to!

Checked original battery in Yeti today and it is 278mm long and EFB is clearly written on battery. The battery fills the available space tightly so I deduce it must be 096 version rather than 027 version which is shorter than the battery in my Yeti.

I have a C-tec smart battery charger, is it best to charge the new battery before fitting it to the car?

Thanks - I will be swapping with exactly same spec E027 EFB as the existing battery. If you’ve done the swap are there any pointers or unforseen problems - hidden restraint bolts etc. - I need to watch out for?

I’ve got a 2017 1.2Tsi DSG Yeti and I am going to need a new battery soon. Can anyone who has fitted a new battery tell me definitely if it is a simple swap job - disconnect, unbolt restraining strap, fit new battery and reconnect - or will I need to do anything like entering radio codes etc. etc.?

In my experience all season tyres are more comfortable than summer tyres. That seems to be the general experience of most motoring press and drivers I know.

You are probably right about compounds but it is generally accepted that All Season tyres provide a slightly ‘softer’ ride than summer tyres. A quick look around motoring web sites confirms this but how much difference it makes is questionable. All I can say is that the Michelin Crossclimate definitely give a softer ride than previous summer tyres, whether that is down to the fact they are newer with more tread than the older summer tyres is an unknown!

Like Schtum the Crossclimate seem to suit the Yeti. Certainly reduced road noise and provide a softer ride, though to be fair most All Season tyres do that because of the softer compound. One thing though is to get the standard 95 tyres and not the XL (extra load) tyres. Experienced tyre man I know told me to be wary of XL’s because they tend to be louder and harder while many tyre depots will simply fit them if they have them in the right size rather than source the proper 95 load factor tyres. Other factor is that I got the car new from Skoda fitted with 16” wheels and higher profile (60) tyres, these undoubtedly provide a more cosseting ride than the standard 17” wheels with lower (55) profile tyres. My wife has a back problem hence the need for a more comfy ride. Some say 16” wheels with higher profile tyres provide less ‘feel’ but I am not an “on the edge” driver and haven’t had a moments concern with roadholding or anything.

Thanks, I have been looking for the last year for a replacement for my Yeti and cannot find anything to match it. I thought I should go for an EV but after investigation the lack of charging stations in remoter areas of Dorset and Devon ruled them out - backed up by talking with my nephew who has a “long range" EV but after having to queue for hours to recharge on the motorway they now use his wife’s diesel BMW for anything longer than day trips. Looked at Hybrids and a plethora of ICE cars but in the end couldn’t find anything I preferred to my Yeti, none seemed to be available with all the things that come with the Yeti - heated windscreen, heated leather seats, electrically adjustable memory driver seat, rear camera etc. - things I find invaluable and don’t want to be without. SO after much thought decided to keep my 2017 Yeti SEL Drive 1.2 DSG with 16” wheels for comfort. Treated it to new Michelin Crossclimate tyres and a new battery and dealer servicing since new. I know one day I will have to change it but until I can find something at least equivalent I will stay with the Yeti.

But apart from the nightmare charging how did you like the Soul EV?

Agreed, you need a garage and team you can trust. Whether that is Independent or main Dealer depends on the people working there. Once you have found a good team stick with them.

The only disadvantage of an older car is that inevitably something is going to ‘break’. My solution is to make sure car is serviced and inspected by dealer regularly and to action preventive maintenance - check battery capacity, check dampers (UK roads hammer dampers) and joints and replace as necessary. Modern cars well maintained should easily exceed 100,000 miles without major problems. Then at some time in the far future recognise when the car has reached the end of its cost effective life and then replace it.

Well, I have tested a lot of alternatives but after each test drive I was happy to get back into my Yeti. Long and short is I have decided to keep the Yeti for a long time yet. It is a late 2017 model with all the extras including heated windscreen, electric memory seats, leather interior (great for my wife to ‘slide’ into the seat), rear view camera etc. Okay it doesn’t have the new electronic aids like Lane Keeping Assistance etc. but I keep reading conflicting reports about their value and disadvantages as well as advantages. Dealer maintained since new, 44,000 miles only and returns 44.6 MPG true average over the 44,000 miles. , drives beautifully. Long internal debate but only reason for wanting to change is that it is 6 years old, honestly not a good reason and as I can’t find a ‘better” replacement I will keep the Yeti.

So why not offer as an additional cost option? I would be happy to pay extra for adding a heated windscreen to base spec.

Everything is a compromise but from experience my wife finds it much easier to getting and out of a vehicle if she can just “slide” onto the seat without climbing up (hence no full size SUV’s) or sinking down! The seat height of our Yeti is about right so need something with seat height from ground which is similar. T-Roc or T-Cross fit the bill but currently they are both sadly lacking in available options. For example no heated windscreen and over the last week the heated windscreen has been fabulous as it clears totally in the time it takes me to scrape the side windows enough for safe driving. Why is it not available on all cars as a safety measure?

Thanks - I understand your thoughts now. Sadly doesn’t improve the suitability for my wife.