oldstan

I just had another look at the infotainment issues that you blokes experience. I can see 21 PAGES of comments about the "Update to 1669 Version" I could have been tempted by a new Octavia Estate but if I add this topic to the countless DSG topics that I'm very conscious of ..... ?? I honestly can't believe a company as vast as VAG - who have been making cars since the old King dies .....

I wish I could offer a sensible reply to TheWanderer. If it were those warning bongs (i.e. over the speed limit and straying over the white line etc.) then I might have said look at Renault (or Dacia, but nothing sporty with Dacia) .... because they have a dash mounted switch with which you can easily turn the warning bongs off - however it's not exactly that we're talking about. I would say that reviews of the Toyota infotainment often offer a degree of appreciation of their system insofar as they still off actual physical controls for the heating/air con. And say the screen isn't too bad regarding ease of use. I'm not looking forward to having to get used to the screen myself but everyone else has had to get used to it so I guess I will, given time. What I'm less happy about with VAG is them sticking to three years warranty. That plus the apprehension of owning a DSG out of warranty. Very recently I was told of a Golf R owner having to pay over six grand for a repair to his DSG box .... and his was a 2 litre which would have had a wet clutch in it, and there's a long held belief that wet clutches are more reliable than dry (although I did, recently see, on here, a post that suggested that the opposite was the case ?? ). There may be a school of thought that suggests Toyota's 10yr warranty plan is just a clever means of ensuring Toyota main dealer servicing for 10 years but for those of a cautious disposition it's quite an attraction and, to me, suggests a degree of confidence in the product I haven't, yet, made a decision and remain open to opinions be they positive or otherwise.

I just scanned through this thread, as well as trying to research (via Google) whether the Octavia (and also the Seat Leon estate as it's vaguely similar albeit a bit smaller) is considered "reliable". Most of the motoring websites love the Octavia but, equally, most criticize the infotainment and lack of real buttons and switches as we used to have in days of old. Same with all manufacturers, it seems. As well as looking at the VAG products with a view to buying a new one, I have found that the Toyota Corolla Touring (the estate version) is in a similar class, sizewise, and I can't see anything like the same degree of critical judgement of Toyota's technolgy and reliability as is found with VAG (and Octavia particularly). If anyone takes any notice ofmotoring press surveys you would be disheaterened with some Octavia or VAG results .... but not everyone does take notice. It has to be said though that reading through the above thread - and having an element of familiarity with DSG boxes - I'm leaning a bit towards something other than an Octavia. Which doesn't accord with the sheer volume of them currently in use with the Emergency Services, who must, surely, give them hard use and yet still you see Octavias adorned with blue lights in the hundreds.

Thanks. No, the problem is she can't lift her leg over the passenger door sill of the Yeti (which is 420mm from the ground). A door sill which is, say, 360mm off the ground is just about OK. Hence the Leon or Corolla. A Jazz is close and my little Hyundai i10 is OK too I did detail this in the initial post of this thread. But that now seems a long way back.

All received with thanks. And if I add the gist of what's been said here to the gut feeling I currently have then my conclusion is, yes, I'd be happier with a 1.8 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touring Sport (posh for an estate) ... in base "Icon" trim - coz it has 16" wheels and none of the stuff I neither need nor want. A Seat Leon estate (1.5 DSG) has very similar dimensions to the Toyota and probably fits the bill closer than an Octavia as the Octavia is tad wider and my garage door opening is tight.... but the same DSG questions hang in the air. Since starting this topic the good lady has been told to report for an urgent MRI scan and it's probably prudent to see what her mobility prognosis is before doing anything else. Further thanks for all the interest and assistance.

If I'm spending nearly £30,000 of my own money on something I'm going to do more in terms of trying to get it right than simply buy it and hope to enjoy it. Briskoda has, for all the time I've been a member, prided itself on in depth conversation about detail .. sometimes in much detail in order to arrive at a conclusion. My enquiry was reasonably simple and revolved around what type of DSG was fitted to a particular range of cars. It transpires that the answer isn't necessarily that straightforward so forgive me if my enquiries appear unnecessarily pedantic.

All received.👍

There's most certainly nothing like nine years cover included in any of the VAG products. Off the top of my head Toyota / Lexus give a basic 3 yrs but if serviced at a Toyota dealer they extend the warranty for a further year at a time up to ten (I don't think that includes breakdown cover though). Similar thing with Dacia and Suzuki - up to 7 yrs. Kia - 7yrs Hyundai 5 yrs MG 7 yrs

I'm very confident I'm guilty of over-thinking this whole thing. But if I'm going to spend getting on for £30k on a car I want to try to get it right. My current Yeti and the little Hyundai i10 1.2 petrol i also have were bought new in 2011 and have been great but the Yeti might have to go and I want to try to get the right replacement. In all honesty I'm thinking I stand the greatest chance of not getting it badly wrong by moving away from VAG and going with a base model 1.8 Hybrid Corolla Touring Sport (the estate car version) ... their engine and transmission seems to be well proven, extremely economical and Toyota have enough confidence in their product to offer an ongoing 10 year warranty (if serviced at a main dealer). I don't mind spending time researching and am grateful for advice received but get the feeling that's where I should be looking further. I could be wrong though ... I can only do my best (which sometimes isn't all that wonderful)

Thanks for the above. But can I ask again for the data print out where it will tell an argumentative salesman that the 115 PS Tdi 2 litre diesel engine has a DQ200 attached to it. I just spotted in an article online that that same engine (the 115PS) exhibits 300 Nm torque in the graph it displays. And we know that the DQ200 only, apparently, served engines up to 250 Nm. Believe me, these are only snippets I picked up ... I don't make any claims of expertise at all.

All received, yes, thank you. AND I didn't know that the 115 PS version of the 2 litre diesel is fitted with DG200 dry clutch. I don't know where you spotted that but I haven't been privy to that little snippet in all the checking I've done. That defeats the whole point of my enquiry because I would only want the Icon version (for one or two reasons) and, unless I'm mistaken, the Icon only comes with the 115 PS ... so i might as well have the 1.5 petrol with the DQ200. (and take the two years extra warranty). Would you be good enough to show me that in black and white so that if and when I mention it to a Skoda salesperson I can have it in writing when he says he doesn't know.

No, strangely enough I haven't been through all of those topics ... my enquiry was about the Octavia diesel, asking if they all had wet clutches, thinking that they were more reliable than dry ones ... which was my belief having read so many instances of dry clutch issues as opposed to the wet versions. I fully acknowledge that my information may be ill conceived and that DQ200's are now the more favoured option ... I simply wasn't aware of it. If so I stand corrected. It's just that wherever I look in the motoring press or online I kept seeing that wet is best and dry is, well, ... less best 😊

I spent some time trying to see evidence of the wet clutch being less than reliable .... and the dry clutch being the more reliable option and wherever I look I see that popular opinion dictates that the wet version holds up considerably better than the dry ones. Which is what I've long believed to be the case. Help me out. I'd like to see something a concrete.

I honestly didn't know that. I have always thought (rightly or wrongly) that the wet ones posed less of a risk than the dry. I was very much aware that the dry was maintenance free and that the wet needed oil changes but apart from that have assumed the wet to be the ones to go for if looking for reliability. The thing that initially encouraged mt was the fact that so many Octavias are used by Police and Ambulance services. not to mention minicabs - and they're not noted for mollycoddling their cars. As mentioned, I would definitely take the extra two years warranty whichever model I chose ..... but it's a tiny bit disappointing that more manufacturers (inc. VAG) don't show more confidence in the way that Hyundai, Kia, Toyota etc. do. Heck, even Dacia have extended warranties up to 7 yrs. Slightly odd that Renault have gone back to a shorter warranty length, I rather thought Renault was on the up and up.

I'm having second thoughts. I only do low mileage with one regular weekly 15 minute 60mph 'A Road' journey there ... and then the return journey. At the moment the rest is local stuff at low speed. I guess that's not great for a 2 litre diesel. And diesels aren't exactly simple bits of kit. I was only thinking of a diesel because they have a wet clutch, not a dry one. I don't need one for mileage reasons. As I said earlier, mine has been fine but DSGs don't have a fabulous rep. for simplicity and for being bombproof (or cheap or easy to fix). The only attraction is the VW dealer (who services Skodas) is nearer than the Toyota dealer - and they collect and deliver for routine services. But I'm thinking that, in itself, isn't the most sensible reason to choose a particular make and model.

You don't paint a pretty picture there. If that's the case with the wet ones then presumably you would look even less favourably on the dry ones?

Hello. Have owned the (2011) Yeti from new (and been here all that time.) its a 1.2 dry clutch DSG with 45,000 miles on it. It remains fault free and immaculate and continues to give good service. I have written on the Yeti forum about my wife's trouble with her leg .... getting it over the (fairly high) door sill when entering the car now that she has a medical issue. I am toying with cars that have lower door sills .... examples being the Toyota Corolla or Seat Leon - probably in estate form. Both have door sills around 365mm from the ground. The Yeti is 420mm from the ground. The Octavia (on paper) shows up as 385mm from the ground. We can easily drive to a dealer and check in the flesh - but if she CAN get in to it easier than the Yeti then it might be a possibility. The Seat Leon estate doesn't come as a diesel estate auto ... only a 1.5 hybrid DSG with the dry clutch. Maybe the dry clutch is as right as ninepence now and shouldn't be a concern - it's just that the wet clutch is, to the best of my knowledge, acknowledged as being more reliable. A bit of homework would obviously be in order, but there are some stand-out queries from the outset ........... one being putiing my head in the lion's mouth insofar as buying another DSG. My present one is great but my understanding, over many years of following the matter, is that if you DO happen to get an issue it can be a nuisance. I'm fairly certain that all diesel versions will be a wet clutch DSG ???? but want to be 100% sure. My own dry clutch DSG has been fine since it had the manufacturers recall (change of oil and software update whilst within warranty) but I'm obviously aware of the possibility of DSG's causing issues out of warranty and costing a small fortune. I would take out the extra two years cover if purchasing a new Octy and maybe that is enough precaution given I'm 75 next month and five years warranteed protection might be thought sufficient. Alternatively, Toyota will cover a Corolla estate for 10 years if serviced by a Toyota dealer every year. That's quite a good scheme for those of a cautious disposition. Seat is much the same as Skoda As a matter of interest the Fabia, Scala, Karoq and Kamiq all have sill heights higher than the vehicles mentioned above. She has tried them all. A Honda Jazz is OK and our Hyundai i10 is also OK but she is really struggling with the Yeti so it's looking like something needs to happen. In the short term she is currently using a leather belt formed into two loops with which to yank her leg up and over the door sill, but it's not ideal. Ta for any thoughts about ownership of an Octavia (estate).

Thanks - and apologies, both at the same time. I didn't notice Expatman's post but have now seen it and taken notice of it. Very pertinent advice. Especialyy given the violent nature of the way one of my earlier cars was taken from me. I think I've spoken of it. Regarding the note from Paul, above .... yes, thanks for that. In fact I have recently had a personal message from another contributor, to whom I've replied, thanking him for his suggestion..... which was extremely similar to your's, Paul, concerning the possibility of some sort of "leg lift". Since receiving the suggestion I've formed one from one of my trouser belts. It's simply a leather type belt which at one end is formed (riveted) into a loop of sufficient size to get a shoe through (and with a small piece of leather riveted at the point where the join is in order to hold the loop "open" somewhat.) ---- and at the other end of the belt I've moved (riveted) the buckle part-way along the belt and used it to form another (adjustable) loop which the Mrs. can use as a handle to grasp the thing. It seems to work just fine and she will try it out a few more times before we decide whether go to the expense of a replacement car. It might not now be needed. I suppose, as has been pointed out, there will come a time when the Yeti has to go, but maybe it's a good idea to hang on to it if she can get by with the leg lifter. There is this dichotomy whereby I still like the car being higher from the ground but where she now finds that to be a problem and maybe the time will come when something happens to resolve it. But I hadn't thought of the leg lifter idea so thanks all round, fellas. By the way "Dichotomy" is word of ther day. 🙂

Many thanks for the above. Agreed a Scala is an obvious one to look at. As indeed I did a fortnight ago..... the floor to sill is too high. So is the Fabia and, of course, so is the Kamiq and Karoq. On paper the Leon has the lowest sill of them all. I haven't actually put the tape measure to the Leon yet but on paper it's OK. She has tried getting into a Corolla (which happened to be an estate) and it was OK - and on paper it's also OK. And the Estate has a good size boot too (as does the Leon Estate) and it's automatic. Appreciate the advice re. Autotrader. Certainly didn't fancy Ebay and I haven't got a Facebook account and have had little luck with my limited experience of Gumtree - but hadn't even considered that anyway. My Yeti is 2011 1.2 DSG SE with cloth seats and no modifications or extras other than the steel wheels and Goodyear AllSeasons (if they were to be offered with the car) 45,491 miles. No paintwork at all, no accident damage. Spare wheel unused. Muscovado colour (sort of gold metallic). I'm fairly confident about finding a buyer given it's condition, mileage and provenance but would need to get a couple of opinions regarding value. I did just one online check on a website and looked at others on offer on Autotrader and it seems as though the ones of a similar age (older and younger) with one owner and mileage in the 40k's go for a premium - which is encouraging. One or two of the nicer sounding ones had some really high prices, but that's always the case is it not? Anyway, further thanks .... your thoughts were helpful.

I hadn't realised there was an actual section just for cars for sale. Or if I did know I'd forgotten.😧 That's helpful, thanks.

My Mrs. and I both think the world of our Yeti, and 15 years is a long time on a forum. I've never kept a car so long. Bought it new from Marlborough Skoda in West London in April 2011. It was worth the journey from Devon at the time. They have long since gone. In that time quite a few members have (obviously enough) come and gone and people have been incredibly helpful and amicable. It's one of the good forums. But, nothing stays the same and we get older and the aging process brings it's ups and downs. Actually it's my Mrs. who has mainly prompted this diatribe, so blame her, not me 🙂 It's starting to look like I will have to part ways with the Yeti and go for something else. The good lady has, in fairly recent months, been told she has something called Lumbar Canal Central Stenosis. Or thereabouts. In her case, one of the problems caused is, when entering the car, being unable to lift her leg high enough to clear the passenger door sill (which, incidentally, is 420mm from the ground). It's becoming a problem. The raised height of the Yeti has been a wonderful thing all this time - and remains so for me - but no longer for her. I have trawled through the sill height of practically every new car in the UK. It needs to be something like 365 or 370mm from the ground rather than the Yeti's 420mm and not many reasonable sized hatchbacks or estates have a door sill that low. Most new cars nowadays seem to be SUV type configuration and are higher than the traditional saloon or hatch used to be. I might finish up part exchanging it against the new car or using 'We Buy Any Car' or something similar. Maybe Autotrader. Or might offer it here to see if it gets any interest. I'm reluctant to advertise it for sale privately on something like Autotrader due to the preponderance of tyre kickers and time wasters and in 2003 I was 'car-jacked' when selling a car privately and swore I'd never put myself in that position again. It's currently got my 16 inch steel wheels on it with four almost new 215/60/16 Goodyear All Season tyres fitted but to sell it I'll put the OEM 17 inch Dolomite alloys back on it and will likely sell the steelies independantly from the car sale with the 4 Goodyears on them. I pinned a possible replacement down to a Seat Leon hatch or estate or a Toyota Corolla hatch or estate. The Kia Ceed is OK but they just stopped selling them. A Golf hatch comes close (ish) re. sill height but I'm leaning towards a bigger boot and there's no new Golf Estate. A Jazz comes close re. sill height but it's a bit small (but it does have those handy Magic rear seats). I want another automatic and would, ideally, like a spare wheel. An EV is tricky due to severe difficulty in running cable to a wallbox. A petrol ICE or Hybrid is OK. Max length roughly between 3.4 and 3.7 metres. Max width to get it in the garage is 1800mm or a fraction more .... 1850 is too wide. Yes, I agree, I'm fussy. If anyone can think of any alternatives to my possible choices ot Seat Leon Estate or Toyota Corolla Estate then speak now or foreverhold your peace .... but remember the door sill height has to be 370mm or less from the ground. Lastly I would seek advice from anyone with any knowledge of selling a car that has private plates on it (which mine does). Does it look suspicious to a prospective purchaser to sell a car that has just had a new reg. number put on the car prior to sale? Or is it perfectly acceptable? When new the car was registered with my own personal plates on it therefore there isn't an "original" number issued by the DVLA to be put back on the car (which is the scenario quoted by the DVLA advice on their website when applying to put the plate back on retention). Obviously I have every scrap of paper ever issued regarding purchase of the car and subsequent servicing etc. If the car goes to 'We Buy Any Car' do they arrange to have the private plate put on retention and a new number issued and put on the car. Clearly if part exchanging at a main dealer when buying the replacement new car they would deal with it. At least I assume they do?? Sorry for long post. Oh, I mean't to ask .... if I were to have a private person come round to my house to view the car it's fairly obvious they will say they want to drive it. Given my experience in 2003 when a "prospective purchaser" visited and finished up driving off with the car and with me on the ground with various injuries ..... I'm somewhat hesitant. Furthermore there's the question of a stranger driving the car without me knowing they are genuinely insured. In fact they wouldn't drive the car without proof of insurance. What do others do?? Ta.

Are we really still talking about possible issues with that gearbox after all this time? Yes I had the juddering early in my ownership of the DSG 1200cc Yeti, bought in 2011. It's done 45,000 (careful) miles now and remains OK but if I were to change the car the 1500cc Karoq would be an option ...... but after all this time I still see loads of references to the possible problems that could arise with the dry clutch DSG. Skoda still only offer three years warranty. As opposed to Toyota, Hyundai and Kia for example. If it was a minor repair that we were talking about then you could overlook the matter but it's not. The showroom directly opposite the VW/Skoda one in Newton Abbot sells KIa (the cars with 7 years warranty). And I still haven't forgotten the VW Service advisor ringing me to tell me that my Yeti (which they had in for servicing about 12 years ago) needed new front brakes. And those same front brakes are STILL on the car. I don't need to replace the Yeti as we speak. And it doesn't go to that same dealer. I shall try to keep it with me as long as possible, despite fancying something like a new Karoq.

Just went up to ask my trusted indie man. He knew straight away. It's just a stabiliser to stop any vibrations. Nothing to do with the electrics. Maybe I'll try to remember to get him to replace it next time he has the car. There's a thread on a Toyota forum. Same thing. Even a photo of a very similar looking thing. Thanks for the replies.

I turned the heated mirrors on and waited five minutes. Got to be honest and say I didn't know whether I would feel a detectable warmth or not (I've never felt them to see how hot theye got). I don't think I could detect any increase in the temperature of the glass. So it's possible they don't work. I do believe I can see a glimpse of the nearside clip at the bottom of the housing and that mirr9or doesn't get any warmer than the drivers side. Maybe neither work. It's decidedly warm out and not much opportunity to test to see if they actually work. When it next goes in for a service I'll get the fella to check.

That's a thought. I'll try it when I get home.