BobbyG79

As per previous "farewell" post I recently took the difficult decision to trade-in the Yeti. I've gone for a Mercedes C200 AMG estate. I really struggled to find anything SUV-wise that compared to the Yeti. Cars, to me, are much more than just functional lumps of metal, and the car has to make me feel good about paying for it every month! (I tend to get a cheap loan and pay over 4-5 years, keeping the car for up to 10). The Merc definitely makes me happy, it feels a special car, and it also has a bigger boot which was one of the major reasons for trading up. I thought I'd miss the lofty driving position of the Yeti, but I've barely noticed....perhaps the biggest fear was parking the new car, what with it being a fair bit longer than the Yeti, and my lack of a driveway, but the damn thing parks itself!

Yep something like that. I must admit the Merc is definitely putting a smile on my face. Really need more reasons to drive it though... Had a great chat with the previous owner a couple of days ago which was fantastic. Hoping I get a call from Pixu’s next owner one day!

This week, after much deliberation, I finally said goodbye to my trusty parter, “Pixu” the Yeti. We all name our cars, right?! What a vehicle. Owned since 2012, this car has been truly magnificent in so many ways, and no trouble at all. I’d always intended to sell it before reaching 100k, and the attraction of a newer car simply became too strong in the end. I’ve replaced her with a Mercedes C200 AMG Line Estate. Fingers crossed for a similarly straightforward period of ownership (albeit a slightly more expensive one). Will be back when Skoda resurrect the Yeti! For sale here if anyone's interested: https://www.arocars.co.uk/cars/skoda/yeti/elegancetsi/484758/

I think I'm coming to the end of the road with my Yeti. It's been a fantastic car, owned since 2012 (it's a 59-plate). None of the current crop of similar SUV-type cars really match what I'm looking for. I find the Karoq a bit dull, and the Volvo (which I would love) is, as stated above, just too damn expensive. My latest consideration is to head into the estate-market, and top of the list is a Mercedes C200 AMG. They have a 1.5l v.mild hybrid motor, and tons of space as you'd expect. Some 2018 plates kicking about for ~£20k

Same here....the issue came back and it was fixed for £190-ish

It literally just went away the next day! Put it down to the battery which has always been dodgy to be fair :)

I've owned my 1.2 TSi manual since 2012 (it's a 59 plate). It had a new engine just before I bought it as a result of the aforementioned cam chain lengthening issues. Hasn't put a foot wrong since. I'm up to 86k and I have the car serviced every 10k. I've considered changing recently but genuinely can't think of anything else that suits my needs as well. Also it's only worth about £3-4k so I might as well run it into the ground! It's practical enough for my small family (2 young kids), short enough for easy parking (I have on-street parking both at home and at work), economical enough for my commute (25 miles on A roads), and very comfortable on a long drive.....it's even quite a fun drive, and once you figure out how to stay in the power band, the little 1.2 TSi can be a hoot, definitely not under powered at all. Put simply, I love this thing. Just wish I could think of what to buy next. My current thinking is a Volvo XC40 once I can get one for less than £20k on the 2nd hand market, but we're a year or so off that yet.

I have definitely found that dealers want to "play ball" a little more if you're going down the (in house) finance route

Yeah it's difficult once there's a seed planted and trawling Auto Trader becomes part of your daily routine! Good advice on the fact that my car's value is pretty much flat-lining, and if I'm honest I do enjoy the "zero-cost motoring" thing. My resolve will be tested no doubt when new tyres are needed, or indeed in the event of any large failure. I don't think the T-Cross is quite big enough for me. I love the Yeti size but if anything would prefer something slightly larger...I have 2 young kids who, along with their things, are only getting bigger. Maybe the T-Roc is worth a look, but it just looks a little gaudy for me. Appreciate the advice/comments :)

In a bit of a quandary at the moment. I can't decide whether to get rid of the Yeti or not. I have a 2009 1.2 TSi Elegance with 85k miles. I've owned it since 2012, and have really enjoyed my ownership. Trade-in price seems to be around £3k at best right now, and I can't help but think if I keep it much longer that "collateral" I have will disappear (I own the car outright). I'd intended to hang on for a Volvo XC40 but, since their release, I've been shocked at the price of them, and would have to wait another year or so before the model I want would fall within my price range (1.5 R-Design Auto) . I'll pay up to £25k for the right car, but would prefer around the £20k mark. I tend to finance cars by means of a loan. Anyway I've been thinking about alternatives and happened upon the Mercedes C-Class Estate which is available as a (very) mild hybrid glued to a petrol 1.5 engine. This definitely allays my fear of buying a car that will be worthless following the 8-10 years I'll keep it for. Problem is it's £25k at best, which if I'm honest is a little bit of a push. ...just thought Id share my current situation and invite comments from those who are/have been in a similar position. P.S. I just don't like the Karoq enough!

Problem has gone away....but for how long??!

Out of warranty sadly, hopefully not to steep a fix. Thanks for the replies :)

My wipers remain on intermittent (but without variable setting) when the stalk is in the “off” position. Any ideas?

I've had a 1.2 TSi for the past 7 years (albeit the older chain-driven variant). It's a cracking engine and is perfect for your style of motoring. The car's now done just over 80k (it's a '59 plate) and I'm really struggling to find reasons to get rid of it! Bought in 2012 for £12.5k, probably worth £4k now so it's cost me about £1,300 per year (not including running costs). All things considered it's been a very pleasing ownership experience, and it's not over yet!

Hi all, My wife's Fabia has suffered (for as long as I can remember) with the old "battery voltage low" warning, and Stop/Start hasn't worked since we first got the car. It was a pre-reg so I suspect the battery might not be in the best shape having sat idle in a compound for 6 months+ I therefore started to look at replacing the battery. A very quick look on Euro Car Parts resulted in a Bosch AGM battery for about £250! Are AGM batteries really necessary, and if so are they really that much more expensive? Bobby

Hi y'all, There's been rust forming around the number plate lights on the rear hatch of my 2009 Yeti for some time now. It's just starting to bubble up over the "lip" and onto the vertical section of the panel. It's clear this has happened because of the number plate lights themselves becoming a bit tatty/cracked. I've got some replacements but loathe to put them on until I've figured out what to do long term. Anyone got any ideas as to what I could do? I figure one option would be to replace the boot lid entirely, but wondered if this sort of thing could be fixable by a body shop? Also, is it possible to get hold of unpainted panels? Anyone else having a similar issue? (might be worth checking because it's pretty well hidden unless you're in that area to replace a bulb or suchlike).

There's definitely some way to go before I'd happily plump for an electric powered vehicle, but it's definitely a long-term aim. Just hoping my Yeti can last the distance. 8.5 years in and it's still going strong The local council is currently "developing an electric vehicle charging strategy" so I'll keep an eye on that.

We’re on annual servicing. Irksome yes, on such a low mileage car, but I definitely understand the importance of regular servicing (my other car is a 1.2TSi Yeti!). Going down the electric route is a fantastic idea, and it would definitely work for us. That is except for the fact we have on-street parking, and as such no option for a home charging point. In fact, I’m hoping some options are introduced to counter this issue as electrification gathers pace, because I’d be happy to replace my Yeti with a plug-in. Anyway panic over, the Skoda dealership are doing the service for £101. Seems I may have jumped the gun on the need for a major service Thanks all!

Hi all, my wife has a 2015 Fabia III (1.0 75) It’s coming up for 3 years old and as such, as far as Skoda is concerned, is due a major service, but the car has only done 3,500 miles. Im not sure a “major” is really required. What do people think?

I've actually just gone ahead and purchased some non-XL Goodyear Vector 4Season Gen-IIs (I've had the Gen-Is for a few years)

Many thanks as always, Briskodians. I shall go forth and purchase XLs with confidence

Do reinforced tyres provide a noticeably harsher ride? I'm about to purchase new rubber and there appears to be a better (and sometimes cheaper) selection of "XL"s, though I'm aware the Yeti isn't really what they're made for.

What's the deal with bump starting these days? I keep hearing that it can cause "engine damage" but wondering if this is a rumour AA guys spread to keep themselves in business??!!

My wife's just informed me that her car wont start this morning due to a flat battery....is there any reason why it can't be bump started? I'm vaguely aware of potential engine damage caused by such practice, but my assumption is that it would likely be an issue for more sophisticated engines. Need to decide on whether I pick up jump leads/charger on my way home from work!

I’ve had a couple of sets of GoodYear Vector 4Seasons and have been very happy with them. I think I’ll opt for the Gen2 version next. I’d like the try the Michelin CrossClimates, but they’re a fair bit more expensive, and when the (17”) Yeti tyres are already pretty steep, I can’t warrant the extra expenditure.