allena

Some people will remember that I have been having ongoing problems with SKODA in France over my Yeti. Last week, they replaced the carpet (following rectification of a leak that flooded the driver's footwell.) The standard of work is aweful, IMHO. Here for example is an image of the carpet finish under the driver's seat: and this under the passenger's seat: These areas of 'carpet' are immediately beside the outside seat runner bars. Can anyone tell me how this compares with their Yeti carpet? I'm also interested in the thickness of the carpet which I would say is 1/8" thick at most. Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

I wanted foils fitted before my car ever went on the road, here in France. Unfortunately the supplying dealer couldn't be ar*sed, and so I am still suffering, because it is quite clear that dealers can't fit them as well as they get fitted in the factory. I took photos on Friday which clearly show streak like scratches under the foils. I believe these scratches were made by the dealer when the area was cleaned prior to fitting the foils. There are a couple of scratches having the same 'trajectory' outside the area of the foils, too, which is why I reckon this was done when the dealer cleaned the paintwork. I've had the foils fitted twice, now. Both times there was some kind of discoloration beneath the foils, that did look like moisture trapped under the plastic - the last dealer told me this was discoloration of the adhesive layer which would disappear over the course of days. It did. I think it took about a week for it to totally clear. But there still seems to be some discoloration where the foil wraps around the very edge of the door - but none on the inside of the door (where it is actually difficult to see the foil.)

Well, I've got an 2.0TDI 110 Ambition if you need any info. (It is an excellent car - unfortunately, in my case, being wrecked by incompetent service.) :(

Only that living in rural France I had the same problem with my Merc (B Klasse - ground clearance and suspension). Sadly I went through two subsequent cars before I found the Yeti. I reckon my SM will go up my rough earth drive (23% slope) in tickover! It is more sure-footed than any car I've previously driven/owned in 50 years of driving. Even so, I went for the 2x4 version - I'm very happy with it. Almost everyone falls in love with the SM - so why would you being mad? Of course you can't compare them for their appeal if you are a sports car fanatic.

I just thought I'd share my happiness in finally getting some after-sales service for my 3 month old Yeti, here in France. :yes: Although I have sent thanks to the people I've been in touch with at Skoda(CZ) and VW(FR), I can't help feeling that 3 months is a too long a period for a purchaser to wait, but there we are. I now have the protective foils fitted in the same position on each side of the car(!) and in the correct positions to protect the rear doors (that should be so difficult?) And they have cured the "construction fault" that was causing the driver's footwell to fill with 'water'. I wasn't able to extract a better explanation for the fault - though I suspect, as others have discovered, it was probably caused by a damaged or obstructed air conditioning drain pipe. The dealer who carried out the works ('Pericaud' dealership in Brive le Gaillarde, Correze.) has a sign hanging up in their workshops. Roughly translated it says "Remember, the customer is King! He pays your wages and expects perfection!" I thought that was a good sign from the off (excuse the pun)

@ rockhopper: Ever had any firemen use it in your client's car parks, by any chance?

Sounds disappointing to me. I have done just a bit over 2000Km and no sign of any oil being used at all. I'm surprised that different cars with the same engine could use different amounts of oil: with the technical standards used in production these days, you'd think that there would be a uniformity wouldn't you? You could understand it if someone just disregarded the advice of how to run the engine in, but otherwise?

I'm a bit obsessed about keeping my SM gleaming clean (sad!) Can't say that I've had the 'must sit in it feeling for a while' but then I had an almost new Seat Ibiza as a courtesy car last week. Oh, how wonderful it was to get back in the Yeti at the end of the day!!!! It reawakened the many reasons why I chose the Monster in the first place - particularly as last Thursday marked the first time I had a pretty near-perfect SM after 3 months of hassle with SkodaFR from new.

I was behind you 100%, Gordon. It would have left a very bad taste in my mouth too! I believe I'm correct in saying that had you placed your order before their October policy change, then they would have been in breach of contract had they made no earlier notice to you. Anyway, glad it has been resolved. You are a very generous man, though: the fact that they tried it, would only have demonstrated to me a poor attitude to customer relations. Incidentally, in France it is not permissible to make a purchase in cash greater than 3000 Euros... yes, for money laundering rules. Lot of difference between 6K Sterling and 3K Euros though, eh?

@rockhopper : yes, I get the same problem around that part of the door. Since this is where the protection film gets wrapped around, my guess is that it is a known. (Ahem... of course, when I say its where the film gets wrapped around, that's if the foils have been fitted properly... unlike mine!!!!) @AndyC : yes, I've noticed this too. And when there's been any mud on the road, and it has dried, you can see the residue of the sediment on the black on that part two. Presumably it runs down the inside of the bumper, since there's a gap between the back edge of the number of the rear bodywork panel beneath the hatch. I must investigate whether it gets to the hidden tow bar?????

I concur about how much moisture carpets will hold. Indeed most fabrics will. However, in my case I do have rubber mats (Yeti ones from Germany, with a rim) and only beneath the driver's is the carpet sopping wet. When I say, sopping, I am not exaggerating. I have dried the carpet a number of times (as much as is possible with a bag load of dry rags) but a day later after use (dry weather or not) the carpet is as wet again - and mainly in the flat portion just in front of the seat. So I have some kind of leak... somewhere, and what drew my attention to it was the extreme amount of condensation - particularly on the windscreen in the mornings. I admit that we use the aircon nearly all the time, but we did so with my previous three cars that all had aircon (they are really the norm here, rather than a sun roof), and not one of them gave rise to abnormal internal moisture, at all. :( Having said all this, I sent positive thoughts that ejstubbs' problem is not a defect.

You've certainly done a great job with that vynil. I see they do wood grain ......

Thanks for the tips, folks. Lady Penelope beat me to the remark about animals licking off the peanut butter. Haven't seen any badgers around here, but the wild boar could do some real damage getting at the peanut butter with their tusks! On a serious note, an elderly French friend (now, sadly, departed) gave me a tip to remove road tar from bodywork: you can use an old pair of tights or a stocking dipped in a little butter. I use that method and it really is effective.

@ Llanigraham: Not such a bad idea, really. It is certainly one that I've considered. I'm near Sarlat la Caneda in Aquitaine (24) and my next planned trip is in early May. Door to door from my home here to my UK destination, and return, is a 2,450Km(1500 mile) journey, though. Luckily (thanks to the EC) we all have pan-european warranties, so something of a warranty nature would be covered. But I don't fancy living with a saturated floor pan, rotting carpets, et cetera for that long. :( Besides, why should I let the blighters get away with it! Hope you have good holidays.

It was the condensation on the inside of the windscreen on my Yeti that led me to discover the driver's footwell was saturated (L/H drive- for what it's worth). I reckon that would have been frost, had it been cold enough.

No, don't apologise. It was funny... I'd go so far as to say clever, too.

I'm just wondering if other people have the same problem I do, or have found an answer to it: It concerns keeping the black plastic bumpers, side strips, and sill sections clean (or at least looking black). I have a preparation I bought in the UK (Mer "Bumper and External Vinyl Cleaning Gel") which has worked exceptionally well on two other cars but doesn't seem to with the Yeti. Any tips?

@900000: I do see the humour in that, but I must confess I'm pretty grumpy about it this morning. Just sent off yet another email to Skoda CZ. I'm amazed at the apparent 'autonomy' that VW France have (Skoda CZ tell me they are the concessionaire for Skoda in France). You'd think that Skoda CZ would be a bit more proactive about a complaint which they themselves admit is unsatisfactory. But there we are, I've on spent 25,000Euro on a car I can't get good service for... why should they worry!

God, I wish I had dealers like in the UK!!!! I've finally had my foils fitted (by a dealer I have no confidence in, but was appointed by VW France - so I had no choice) after a long and bitter struggle that included intervention by SKODA CZ. When I picked my Yeti up, not only had the foils been fitted in different positions - i.e., three-quarters of an inch off the bottom of the door on the right side, and an eighth of an inch on the left - but there were liquid bubbles trapped underneath the foils. That unsatisfactory situation took about 10 weeks to get to, in the end. I've complained, of course, but am now in the position (once again) of waiting for someone to get off their **** and actually do something about it. Skoda CZ say they've instructed VW France to act on it, VW France haven't even answered or acknowledged my emails. I've also got wet carpet in the driver's footwell, and I'm waiting on a response about that too. :( If only we had a James (of Allams) in France! :(

A happy new year everyone. I remember reading other people have experienced this fault - where the footwell carpet is soaking wet all the time. I wonder if some kind soul can tell me if this is a recorded 'recognised' fault with the yeti? Perhaps a case number or something? Best wishes.

For what it is worth, I had this problem with a Renault Grand Modus. I was convinced it was the body flexing, and after all kinds of DIY attempts - like spraying around the seals and so on - took the car into the dealer under warranty. They replaced the two gas struts, and for about 50Km all was silent. But then it started again - as did a series of visits to the dealership to cure it! Finally, one day when it was particularly driving me nuts, I pulled into a random Renault dealer in desperation. They knew the problem immediately and greased the actual latch mechanism. Hey presto it was gone. I'd have bet their solution was wrong... but the proof of the pudding........

Great sympathy for you. I had a terrible such experience in France with my Yeti... and for me it destroyed my confidence in the dealer. In my view - even from the cleanliness angle - if they can't get that right, what confidence can you have that they've correctly carried out things mechanical which aren't visible? I can well understand your feelings. I was told there wasn't a PDI check list. In my opinion that was a lie. As was the lie that a set of rear door protective foils cost the dealer 511 Euros. He (the manager) must really have thought the grass was growing out of my ears!

I don't have sunroof, alarm ... or LEDs :(

@ Great Yeti: Thank you very much for the images. Have sent you a message.

Could someone who has a photo of these fitted, show what the foils look like at the back edge of the door (that's the vertical edge) please? I'd be very grateful.