YETIFIRST

Apologies if this has already been covered. I'm thinking of getting a (FL) Yeti SE 140 ps diesel. Are the dipped headlights any better than the pre-FL models? My current and previous Yetis were treated to some nice Philips + 100% bulbs which made a huge difference. The only drawback was the loss of skin on the back of my right hand and I'm hoping that access is easier on the FL models - has anyone tried a DIY bulb upgrade yet? Richard T

Thanks for the replies. During the test drive the speedo was reading about 5% fast at an indicated 70 mph. I often wonder whether tachometers are more accurate than speedometers, especially when I'm driving on a Gatso infested dual carriageway. When I was doing my mech eng training we used hand held tachometers to measure flywheel speeds (the chief engineer - ex Royal Navy - dished out punishment to anyone who called them rev counters) and they were guaranteed to be better than 1% accurate. I don't suppose that the car makers specify anything like that degree of accuracy. BTW, a dual carriageway near me has 2 inconspicuous black and white banded posts on one side of the road. A local traffic PC told me that they indicate the start and finish of a measured mile and that it is used for a quick and easy check on their speedos! It's such simple and effective idea - some freeways in California use it but drivers are given plenty of notice that they are approaching a DIY measured mile. Richard

I visited SMC Skoda in Exeter this morning to discuss a small problem with my 110 SE and, an hour later, had bought a low mileage 2012 SE+ 170. The 6 speed 'box obviously takes full advantage of the massive slug of torque and I was wondering if anyone can let me know what the 'mph per 1000 revs' figures are for the 170's gearbox ratios. Thanks, Richard

I'm thoroughly enjoying my 110bhp SE 2WD Yeti - 9 months old with 8800 miles; 47 mpg average and much faster than I expected. The DPF has been faultless, probably because I have at least one 60 mile run at 2200rpm plus every week. But, and there's always a but, I'm probably going to be moving house next year and my long runs will become a thing of the past. To avoid the DPF issues I've been considering swapping for the 1.8 TSI but am put off by the mpg and RFL Band/emissions. I'll need 4WD as my new home will be somwhere in the Welsh hills. I've been very impressed by the performance figures returned by the new(ish) VAG EA888 1.8 Turbo which I believe will be fitted to Octavia 3. Does anyone know if/when it might appear in the Yeti as the combination would be a perfect match to my needs? Thanks, in advance for any info. Richard

Apologies if this isn't quite 'on topic'. My Yeti lives out of doors and, because I hate dusty/gritty windscreens and the scratches that result when you use the wipers, I wash my windscreen every morning. I noticed that the driver's side wiper arm touches the rear of the bonnet and will eventually scrape the paint off. The solution was to cut 2 inches off one of those cheap,U-shaped rubber door protector strips - still available on eBay - and put it on the trailing edge where the wiper arm makes contact. The wiper arm seems not to mind and the paintwork is much happier. I think that there's an alternative wiper park position which I've not mastered yet but am happy with the low tech solution for now. Richard T ps. I know that my neighbour thinks that I'm a pretty sad case but who cares!

Thanks to all who posted advice regarding replacement headlight bulbs. I bought Philips X-tremeVision +100% bulbs on eBay for £19 and a long-handled adjustable mirror for £2. The job is still very fiddly but the mirror makes it possible. The dipped beam is a worthwhile improvement and the main beam shows a really big gain in reach and short range performance. I hope not to have to tackle the job again for a year or so. Richard T

Thanks for the comments. The local VAG approved body shop tried the 'heat application trick' and it seems to have worked a treat. I received a full tank of diesel for my trouble. Guess who will be inspecting the paintwork very closely on a weekly basis? Richard T

I'm collecting my new Yeti (110 diesel) next week and the first task will be to fit a pair of Philips X-treme vision H4's. The yeti handbook makes the task look easy!! I know that many of you have upgraded the headlights and was wondering if there are any awkward little problems ahead of me. I'm pretty competent as a rule but have biggish fingers and can be clumsy and I've learned, from previous posts, that some of the bulbs are hard to get at. All advice and tips will be very gratefully received. Richard T

I was collecting my new Steel Grey Yeti last week when I noticed a few lighter grey streaks just above the driver's door handle. After some time going through the "just some dry polish/we'll fix it when you can spare the car/never seen that before" routine with the salesman, the service manager was summoned to give an opinion. The streaks seemed to be between the clear coat and the colour coat and could not be detected by touch. I agreed that they weren't very easy to see but pointed out that, if all three of us could see them, it should have been possible to spot them during the PDI and fix things before the customer turned up. Anyway, having refused to accept the car as seen, 'photos were taken and e-mailed to Skoda. The car is now at the body shop after a diagnosis of "damage caused by water trapped beween the plastic shipping film and the clear coat which had found its way between the paint layers". The dealer's staff acted quickly and efficiently and I'm content at the moment. Interestingly, the problem is, apparently, known to Skoda. The old Toyota is back in service for a few days and I'm hoping that all will soon be well with the Yeti. I'll let you know how the story ends. Richard T

Many thanks for the info - that's the long gearing I was hoping for and the torque will definitely come in handy.

Hi, after 10 years with Toyota I'm looking forward to collecting my first Yeti on the 9th of March - nothing comes close to offering so much for the money. It's a factory fresh 110 bhp, 2 wheel drive diesel SE with the 5 speed 'box. I'm wondering about the gear ratios and I'd like to know if anyone can tell me the MPH per 1000 RPM figures as I find them useful guide to speedometer accuracy. Any information will be very welcome. Thanks, Richard T