Following threads lately about knocks / groans / rattles of late............

I was looking at our Yeti this weekend and have to say am most impressed with the fit and finish of the exterior. The panel gaps and shut lines are superb with the plastic bumpers alingning perfectly with the body and generally perfect uniform gaps between panels all round.

Also the paint finish is excellent!

Makes our Yeti's look like really well engineered pieces of kit from the outside.

Not just ours either, noticed it on the photo's people have posted of their cars.

Well done Skoda, sure I read somewhere that for the Yeti the panel gaps are better than many Audi's...am I imagining that are have others heard this too? :wonder:

Edited 7 June, 201016 yr by octy888

Following threads lately about knocks / groans / rattles of late............

Well done Skoda, sure I read somewhere that for the Yeti the panel gaps are better than many Audi's...am I imagining that are have others heard this too?

Hi octy888,

I belive your correct; also come across this snippet of information, unfortunately I forget where. Think they are built to one of the highest standard sets used within the VAG group.

Just need to iron out these cabin noises on the odd Monster or two, which I think will come in time as the overall design is as you say very good.

Regards,

TP

Following threads lately about knocks / groans / rattles of late............

I was looking at our Yeti this weekend and have to say am most impressed with the fit and finish of the exterior. The panel gaps and shut lines are superb with the plastic bumpers alingning perfectly with the body and generally perfect uniform gaps between panels all round.

Also the paint finish is excellent!

Makes our Yeti's look like really well engineered pieces of kit from the outside.

Not just ours either, noticed it on the photo's people have posted of their cars.

Well done Skoda, sure I read somewhere that for the Yeti the panel gaps are better than many Audi's...am I imagining that are have others heard this too?

Nice to hear you sounding more positive about the monster. Fit and finish do seem well up there in the quality stakes. Having had an Audi for a couple of years, I can't say I could point out anything about the exterior that's significantly lower quality. It would be fair to say the interior materials did seem higher quality in the Audi but then that's probably just because there was more of an abundance of leather.

I hope a pattern to the niggly rattles can be established so they can be pinpointed and addressed by Skoda although so far, like Trevorminor, I'm not aware of any in mine yet (only done 100 miles so far though).

I hope a pattern to the niggly rattles can be established so they can be pinpointed and addressed by Skoda although so far, like Trevorminor, I'm not aware of any in mine yet (only done 100 miles so far though).

From my perspective, the pattern is already established. I do not have any squeeks or rattles, but did have a loose clamp on the connection between the turbo and the downpipe. If I think of the different rattles described here, and the un-fastened screw discovered in Pat's windshield frame, it all seems to be a question of assembly worker disciplin, not design. There may be some teething troubles as well, as the production has not run for very long, and there seems to be a common thread as well in that the problems encountered are in difficult to reach places. It certainly took some ingenuity to access the bolt on the turbo clamp - socket wrench on top and a second socket from the bottom - with the floor pan off and several flex links on the nearly 1000 mm long extension. This might be even more difficult on the assembly line, as there is not usually too much access from the bottom. Maybe a clamp design change to fix the nut on the clamp, so it can all be done from the top?

Unfortunately the only thing we and the local dealers can do about this is bringing the problems to Skoda's attention - best with the cost of fix included as waranty repairs.

Edited 7 June, 201016 yr by Agerbundsen

Following threads lately about knocks / groans / rattles of late............

I was looking at our Yeti this weekend and have to say am most impressed with the fit and finish of the exterior. The panel gaps and shut lines are superb with the plastic bumpers alingning perfectly with the body and generally perfect uniform gaps between panels all round.

Also the paint finish is excellent!

Makes our Yeti's look like really well engineered pieces of kit from the outside.

Not just ours either, noticed it on the photo's people have posted of their cars.

Well done Skoda, sure I read somewhere that for the Yeti the panel gaps are better than many Audi's...am I imagining that are have others heard this too? :wonder:

You're right, and as I've mentioned before, the rubber door seals are much more extensive /complex than my old 2002 Audi for instance. If you haven't already, take a close look at the number of parts used, inside and around the window, quite impressive and well engineered, if you 'engineer' rubber? There is no gap around the rear edge of the drivers door and centre pillar, just the well fitted rubber seal. I've never noticed this on a car quite like this, or am I being stupid?

Might be due to a worry about wind noise with more upright but compact SUVs. Clearly sorted on the Yeti.

Suffering from a few little paint chips already, but I only noticed this because I AM cleaning the car now. One thing I have noticed - the shiny black plastic trim, rear corner and behind rear door, have small surface scratches, nothing serious, but someone - not me - has polished it once with a probably dirty polish cloth. What's the best way of looking after this kind of surface or fixing it? Anyone cleaned their car yet? How many times???

Just take a look at the paint finish on most BMWs and the 5 Series 'orange peel' in particular to appreciate how well built the SM is.

Since our first Fabia, all of our Skodas have been of excellent quality and if anything are getting better each time. I deal with lots of different makes of cars in my work and can honestly say that fit and finish of Skodas is only beaten by the likes of Bentley, Aston Martin and RR.. There are few other makes that even equal Skoda. Those that do are down to the use of more expensive materials rather than actually being put together better.

I came across a two year old BMW 5 series a few weeks ago that I honestly thought had been 'rung' because of such a dodgy paint job. I was simply staggered when I found out that whilst its history was a bit questionable, the paint job was from the factory. The transporter driver that collected it said that these faults were pretty typical.

I am convinced that if ET visited again and was asked to judge the value of cars, he'd put the Skoda near the top of the list. The UK is really weird in the way that many people sneer at Skodas as if they are a 4 wheeled version of the Reliant Robin.

I know of a couple who were given a 2 year old Fabia by a Dad who was buying a new Roomster. His daughter flatly refuses to travel in it, let alone drive it but son in law loves it! Problem is that Dad will soon be passing his now 2 year old Roomster to daughter and son in law, as he is buying a Yeti. Apparently it is a totally taboo subject as to what they will now do with two Skodas.

Much sense is being spoken here (might have turned into Yoda). If these rattles were a design fault then more of us would suffer from them. I believe that they are the result of careless assembly (partly I am sure due to the volume of cars that Skoda are now having to pump out). My SM feels very well made with only the odd little intermittent noise now and then. The rubber door seals are very noisy in warm weather though although some research into this suggests it is more likely my fault for cleaning the door shuts with a cloth covered in wax. A little rubber protector and I believe (and hope) that he will be much quieter. There is also a noise from the boot but it sounds like the spare wheel or one of the polystyrene boxes shifting slightly. I will have a play around at the weekend.

Much sense is being spoken here (might have turned into Yoda). If these rattles were a design fault then more of us would suffer from them. I believe that they are the result of careless assembly (partly I am sure due to the volume of cars that Skoda are now having to pump out). My SM feels very well made with only the odd little intermittent noise now and then. The rubber door seals are very noisy in warm weather though although some research into this suggests it is more likely my fault for cleaning the door shuts with a cloth covered in wax. A little rubber protector and I believe (and hope) that he will be much quieter. There is also a noise from the boot but it sounds like the spare wheel or one of the polystyrene boxes shifting slightly. I will have a play around at the weekend.

Although my Yeti doesn't seem to have any permanent rattles or squeaks, it does have a couple that come and go (from the plastic panel between the speedo and tacho, and from where the dasah meets the A pillar). They seem to be weather/temp dependant. The excellent radio does mask them.

When we had our M-B SLK, my wife put little noises like this down to "character".

An interesting point regarding door seals. I haven't had this on my Yeti but it could be a problem on the SLK with the number of seals on the folding roof. M-B had a hugely expensive product to clean the seals but many SLK owners, self included, used an excellent product called Gummi Pflege (literally "rubber cleaner" in German) which can be bought through Ebay, e.g.:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Einszett-Gummi-Pflege-Rubber-Care-Stick-100ml-/390196075885?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ad97f9d6d

John

Whooohooo..........an unwanted noise our Yeti does NOT have.....noise from door seals! :beer: :cocktail:

I must get some Gummi Pfledge, now I know why the polish I sometimes see used in our house (not often enough) is called Pledge, thanks for that. Now I'm sorry to have mentioned all my noise problems, seems petty. It was always a good car anyway, it was never in doubt. Even my Audi had a few, I don't think their are many cars that are groan free.

Now my dash noise seems to have gone (even when going over the most extreme speed bumps, thanks I expect to the super hot summer) I can appreciate the good things more, the ride, peppy performance, great driving position, superb gearbox and of course - the price. All the reasons why I bought it in the first place.

While we (you) are bashing other brands, I had a weekend in a new BMW 730d a year or so back, lovely ride, but horrible build and material quality inside. Not as good as the Yeti. Not much fun either for all that cash. I also had a week in very new MB ML320 which made some awful mechanical noises, wasn't my problem so didn't mater, but if I'd spent £42,000 on a car like that I'd be less than happy. Was big though and got me interested in SUVs, but not the big ones.

Here are my favourite little things about the Yeti I've not seen mentioned -

Love the way you can see the big suspension arms (?) when approaching from the rear, big chunky and agricultural.

Love the high roof profile and the way it starts in a very sharp angle (no gentle curve) at front doors and top of windscreen. Unusual.

Big door mirrors, very safe. Great for lane changing.

Brilliant ventilation system, never stuffy.

Great lights, you only notice that when you come from a car with dull yellow lights- Audi A4. Especially on dip, the Yeti's still effective.

Cheap insurance.

There are other things, but I don't want to appear too obsessive. Not on this forum!