Stevieswops

Rainworth certainly came up trumps, in my view. Spoke to Johnathan in Parts and secured the following deal: a set of 7Jx16 steel rims with a set of Yokohama Geolanders a/ts 215/65 r16 98H fitted, balanced etc and delivered to my door for 460 pounds. I think that's a good deal after doing lots of research. Mind you, I've come to expect good service and competitive prices from Rainworth. Can't recommend them highly enough. SS

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice. It'll be a call to the insurance company first thing on Monday followed swiftly by sourcing some 7Jx16 ET45 rims (Rainworth on ebay?) and then some 215/60 R16 Yokohamas. Phew! But I still find it odd that Skoda, who make much of the 4x4 Yeti's off road capabilities in their advertising, seem reluctant / incapable of supplying as an option or even recommending off road tyres for their 4x4 vehicles. This was admitted to me verbally on the phone by a senior rep from SUK who said "we recognise this shortfall and we're working on it". We'll see.... Thanks again to all those who have helped - what a brilliant forum this is. SS

Thanks Guy. I have 2 questions: if I should look at getting 215/60, why not go for 225/60 or some other combination? is it because there is greater choice in 215/60? Next, SUK seemed to be saying that any size tyre other than 205/55 16 would jeopardise insurance and / or warranty in the event of mishap. That's what makes me reluctant to go against their directive. Appreciate your input. SS

Hi Everyone, I think I've have read every post in this thread and all other threads on the subject of winter / off road tyres for my 170 Elegance 4x4. I'm the first to admit to being a techno-amateur just looking for an easy solution to my tyre problem. I just need off road (rather than winter - assuming there's a difference?) tyres for my work. I train gun dogs and spend October to January each year negotiating Salisbury Plain type conditions: mud, hills, rutted tank tracks and more mud. I can get by for the remainder of the year on the factory Dunlop 225/50/r17 94W. Like many who have contributed to this thread, I set out to source off road tyres for my off road vehicle and was astonished to learn from Skoda UK that Skoda didn't supply such items. I received from Skoda UK exactly the same email reply as Pinkpanther received in post #94: the only authorised size of wheels / tyres for off road / winter use are 7J x 16 wheels with 205/55/r16 94H tyres. There are very few off road options in this size. This directive from Skoda has left me even more bewildered! TP and others have provided much useful info in this thread in which I've read that 225/65s are OK to fit and more plentiful. But I don't want to go against a very clear directive from Skoda for fear of invalidating insurance and/or warranty. Bottom line: I would dearly like a steer on what the best options are for off road tyres (not winter) in 205/55/r16 profile. I'm going to ring Rainworth who supplied the car and see what they'll quote me for 4 wheels (I've seen their eBay offer but reckon I can squeeze a couple of quid more out of them) and then ask them for their off road tyre advice. Here's hoping! Apologies for my ignorance. SS

Hi Everyone, I never thought I'd ever own a Skoda. Like many others who don't know better, I was put off by the badge. But here I am on the brink of taking delivery of my first ever non-Japanese 4x4. I train and show gundogs for a living and was looking for a capable 4x4 to transport me & the dogs around the country. I test drove the Mitsubishi L200, the Nissan Navara and the Toyota Hilux before settling on the L200. Following the Clarkson video, I had visited a Skoda dealer to look at a Yeti but dismissed it as it didn't appear to have the off road ability I was looking for plus - the badge! I then received a phone call from Skoda offering me a 5 day test drive and urging me to take the vehicle off road. All I had to pay for was the insurance and fuel. I accepted the offer, but fully expected to see the car flounder on the tank tracks of Salisbury Plain. When I took the car out to put it through its paces, I asked my friend to follow me in his Hilux to pull me out when (not if) I got stuck. 3 hours later, I was convinced. The Yeti, on road tyres, just kept going and going and going, negotiating terrain which had been impassable to a Navara the week before. I was gobsmacked. The only disadvantage over the others was the relative lack of ground clearance, but selection of ground and knowing my own limitations should make up for this. Then, when I took the 170 Yeti demonstrator on a motorway run, I averaged 56 mpg on a 250 mile run! But the feature that eventually swung it for me was the amazing versatility of the load space and seating configurations. I will need to have the rear seats folded up most of the time to accommodate the dog crates, but with minimal effort and time, the car can be converted from a dog carrier in to a carrier of 5 adults in comfort. The only hurdle I have to overcome is how to create a flat load area when the seats are folded, as I have the spare wheel as an option (a necessity for the sort of driving and places I go!). Any ideas on how to fill in the "step" would be very welcome. Anyway, I cancelled the L200, ordered the 170 Elegance Yeti with most of the bells and whistles and all the off road accessories from Rainworth in Mansfield and now the wait is almost over! They are delivering to my door on the 10th (I hope!) and I can't wait to get going. One of my first tasks will be to source some All Terrain boots before I venture on to Salisbury Plain again - especially after all the rain we've had! Anyway, I'm delighted to become a member of the BRISKODA community and forum and, judging from most of the threads I have read about this remakable car, I don't think I'm going to regret my decision. Stevieswops