Hi All

Bought my new BMW 320d coupe m sport a year ago. It's white with red leather and has a lot of toys including i drive and sun roof.

However Ownership has not been plain sailing, the car has had dreadful rattles coming from the doors/windows and after 5 visits to a useless dealer I have had to take

advice from a BMW forum in order to get it sorted. Combine this with a hard ride and difficult driving in the winter' with rear wheel drive' I would never buy another BMW.

If I did not have another year to pay I would be looking to change.

I have seen a few Yeti's now and think they look totally awesome. I often dream about ordering a 170bhp elegance with columbus (once you have had a hard drive for music

it would be impossible to do without!) 12 speaker sound system and a sunroof. I quite fancy green with black leather. My experience with white is that it chips very easily maybe

because metallic paint is harder.

Anyway enough of the dreams I have the BMW for another year but then I am going to get a Yeti!

Does anyone know of any new options/engines that may be coming in the next year or so?

I would also be interested to hear from Yeti owners who may have in theory downgraded from other so called premium brands!

Thanks Michael.

Hello and welcome, i'm sure someone will be along soon to answer your questions.

Moved from a MINI which was constantly back to the dealer to a 1.2 TSI Yeti SE. Had it a month and the quality is superb. You won't regret buying a Yeti and you won't feel you are downgrading either.

Hi Mickey and welcome to the forum.

My father took delivery of a series 1 BMW back in April and is very happy with it.

I can recommend the Yeti as a worthy upgrade from your BMW.

Skoda now are emerging as a premium brand and their cars now command better build quality that BMW & Audi :yes:

You can indeed get a Columbus system with a built-in 30Gigabit hard drive at a eyewatering £1400.xx odd.

Electric memory seats and electrically folding door mirrors have now been added to the accessories list, but sunroofs are still taboo.

The Yeti also enjoys the one of the best 4x4 system money can buy

In short..........................go for it :yes:

Hi All

Bought my new BMW 320d coupe m sport a year ago. It's white with red leather and has a lot of toys including i drive and sun roof.

However Ownership has not been plain sailing, the car has had dreadful rattles coming from the doors/windows and after 5 visits to a useless dealer I have had to take

advice from a BMW forum in order to get it sorted. Combine this with a hard ride and difficult driving in the winter' with rear wheel drive' I would never buy another BMW.

If I did not have another year to pay I would be looking to change.

I have seen a few Yeti's now and think they look totally awesome. I often dream about ordering a 170bhp elegance with columbus (once you have had a hard drive for music

it would be impossible to do without!) 12 speaker sound system and a sunroof. I quite fancy green with black leather. My experience with white is that it chips very easily maybe

because metallic paint is harder.

Anyway enough of the dreams I have the BMW for another year but then I am going to get a Yeti!

Does anyone know of any new options/engines that may be coming in the next year or so?

I would also be interested to hear from Yeti owners who may have in theory downgraded from other so called premium brands!

Thanks Michael.

We traded in a Golf Plus SE DSG for our Yeti 1.2 SE DSG and have not regretted it for a second. Although we did not have any problems with the Golf, the Yeti is in our opinion of equal quality, amazing value for money and a better car all round. We know some earlier buyers have had the odd rattle, but we have had none at all, probably as it's 2011 model and the niggles have been ironed out. To date we have had no problems whatever, the 1.2 engine and DSG gearbox give us all the performance we want, the cornering is very stable, and we both still enjoy driving it, and cannot recommend highly enough.

Hi All

Bought my new BMW 320d coupe m sport a year ago. It's white with red leather and has a lot of toys including i drive and sun roof.

However Ownership has not been plain sailing, the car has had dreadful rattles coming from the doors/windows and after 5 visits to a useless dealer I have had to take

advice from a BMW forum in order to get it sorted. Combine this with a hard ride and difficult driving in the winter' with rear wheel drive' I would never buy another BMW.

If I did not have another year to pay I would be looking to change.

I have seen a few Yeti's now and think they look totally awesome. I often dream about ordering a 170bhp elegance with columbus (once you have had a hard drive for music

it would be impossible to do without!) 12 speaker sound system and a sunroof. I quite fancy green with black leather. My experience with white is that it chips very easily maybe

because metallic paint is harder.

Anyway enough of the dreams I have the BMW for another year but then I am going to get a Yeti!

Does anyone know of any new options/engines that may be coming in the next year or so?

I would also be interested to hear from Yeti owners who may have in theory downgraded from other so called premium brands!

Thanks Michael.

I traided down from a VW Bora V5 nearly 6 years ago and now on my third Skoda.

The Yeti is by far the best so far - no problems at all after 8000 miles (not that I had problems with the Octavia or Octavia Scout either for that matter).

I can vouch for the 4x4 system being one of the best on the market too!

The 170's a peach of an engine and still gives me a smile every time I give it a little right foot ;-) and you get 42/43 Mpg to boot!

Hi

Having owned Audi A4 avants and saloons for the last 10 years I was a bit wary of changing of changing to Skoda but after 1 Fabia ,1 Rooomster and just changed to a Yeti I can honestly say I have no regrets.

No major problems with the Audis but loads of small niggly faults eg smelly aircon despite numerous visits to main dealer, upholstery marks at the slightest sign of clean water and this from new ,creaking and groaning dash which according to the dealer was just normal bedding in process , and they expected me to believe that, plus loads more.

My Yeti is only a 1.2tsi S but the quality inside the cabin and the eterior is 1st class, so impressed might see if the budget will run to a more upmarket model next time ,yes you can be old and still enjoy toys.

If you get a chance don't think twice go for it.

In your area next week Hob Hole Drain on a fishing holiday so if you see a steel metalic grey Yeti with private plates give us a wave.

If you want a 170 in a years time, best order it now. the waiting time -according to my dealer - is already 7-8 months!

Andy

Hi All

Bought my new BMW 320d coupe m sport a year ago. It's white with red leather and has a lot of toys including i drive and sun roof.

However Ownership has not been plain sailing, the car has had dreadful rattles coming from the doors/windows and after 5 visits to a useless dealer I have had to take

advice from a BMW forum in order to get it sorted. Combine this with a hard ride and difficult driving in the winter' with rear wheel drive' I would never buy another BMW.

If I did not have another year to pay I would be looking to change.

I have seen a few Yeti's now and think they look totally awesome. I often dream about ordering a 170bhp elegance with columbus (once you have had a hard drive for music

it would be impossible to do without!) 12 speaker sound system and a sunroof. I quite fancy green with black leather. My experience with white is that it chips very easily maybe

because metallic paint is harder.

Anyway enough of the dreams I have the BMW for another year but then I am going to get a Yeti!

Does anyone know of any new options/engines that may be coming in the next year or so?

I would also be interested to hear from Yeti owners who may have in theory downgraded from other so called premium brands!

Thanks Michael.

Hi Michael,

Had my SE 110 TD. Yeti since June this year. Downgraded in (terms of size) from a Mazda full size people carrier. This is my first VAG car and I was really suprised by the quality ride and interior of the Yeti. I think what attracts most folks to this particular crossover is the price, low kerb weight = low emmisions and the fact it's slightly smaller, than say a qashqai and very easy to park. I use any excuse to drive it! Hand on heart, it's the best car I've owned

Ultimately your desicion should be made on a test drive at your local Skoda dealer. You will not be dissapointed!

Welcome!! I don't know where to start about the Yeti. I have driven a fair few cars, before the Yeti I had a 1996 Audi A6 2.6, so I am not sure whether you would call that downgrade??

However, I have regular use of parents 320i and X5 and to state the obvious, the Yeti is not as good as those in some areas (bear with me on this)

What drawn me to the Yeti was originally the looks, I just want one, they are much more interesting looking than any of the other faux-4x4 or "crossovers", when I saw one on the telly, I thought I really want one!

Well so of me go to the dealers, first dealer didn't have one in the showroom or anywhere so went to the next dealer and first impression was a surprise, it is much smaller than I expected and I thought that is really expensive for a car this size!

But, when I got closer, I realised that it could be that the wheels caused the disillusion (and later research on the net shows that it is the same size as the Cashcow and only a little shorter than the Tiguan)

What then really surprises me is the sheer quality of the door thumbs, firstly the door has a really good weight to it, it feels similar weight to the BMWs and the thumb is just beautiful.

One thing I look for is a perfect driving position and everything is adjustable, steering wheel tilt and rake etc. So I was happy, however it was not until I drive it I realise how spacious it is inside. I could fit 4 people in comfort (never tried with 5 so don't know) and all their luggages!

As a guy in my early 20s, I didn't really pay too much attention to the flexibility of the interior, however after owning it for nearly 6 months, I really like how the rear seats slide forward and back, to me that is perfect for carrying larger loads!

To drive, it is hard to compare to the BMWs, they normally have quite heavy steering which I like, but having said that, the Yeti is extremely nippy and also steering is quite lively (you could feel bumps on road and the limits, though I have yet to experience it, those 215 tires stick to the road like glue). It has minimum body roll, comaring to the X5, handling is definitely more lively and fun.

To go back to the quality of the interior, if you have read reviews you would know that the interior is praised for its high quality, to be really padentic, the buttons are softer than the ones in the BMW would is more "spring-loaded", but really that is down to personal preferences.

Some tiny details that you may be interested when comparing to the BMW is the soft material on the Yeti, the only soft material used in the interior are the Dash (very BMW like, squidgy but not being too soft, like the Golf's) and also the armrest on the doors, which are lined with (I think) vinyl and not the usual itchy cloth. Obviously almost all parts that you can touch on the BMWs are soft and that is very pleasant but the Yeti is quite a lot cheaper, and compares well to larger cars such as the Passat (Dash material is virtually the same, but Passat also has soft touch door tops).

If your BMW is a M-sport version then I guess tire roar would be very similar to that of the Yeti. The reason that the Yeti is cheaper than the rivals (or even the Tiguan) is because of the cheaper material they use in areas that you don't really care or access often. The bonnet does not use hydraulic struts but old fashion stick, the door tops are hard plastic, door pockets are not lined with carpet, the glove box is not trimmed. However, I keep asking myself, "how often would I open the bonnet and would it really matter?" and to be absolutely honest, the seating position does not really allow you to put your arm on top of the doors, so it does not matter to me at all. More interestingly though, the car has rear seat pockets! These useful storage areas are disappearing in many of cars of similar size for some strange reasons.

I would strongly recommend that you take a look at the other competitors and you will be surprise of the quality and value you get from the Yeti! I know the price is higher than what many people would expect to pay for a Skoda, however it is cheaper comparing to the Golf with similar spec and is a lot cheaper than the Tiguan (which by the way has hard plastic top on the rear doors!). The reason I bought the Yeti as I said is due to the looks but also, when I come to think about it, the excellent realiability track record and if you go for the petrols, timing chain (like the BMW) and quite reasonable fuel economy.

I owned an Audi A2 for 7 years and traded this for a BMW 123d M Sport Coupe in January.

I'd looked at a lot of cars Q5, Tiguan, TT, Cashcow, Scirroco, Golf, 3008 etc etc. In passing I happened to call in at a Skoda dealers and low and behold there in he showroom was the Yeti. Having looked over it I must say I came away very impressed.

I couldn't convince my better half to go with the Yeti and eventually saw the Bemmer which had virtually every extra you could think of and bought it. I threw away all the brochures I'd accumulated over my search but strangely enough, for some reason I held onto the Tiguan and the Yeti brochures.

I never really took to the BMW. The ride was rock solid with the run flats and sport suspension. It was great to driver on good quality roads but sadly they are few and far between. I was constantly on the lookout for potholes and missed the practicality of the A2. Just simple things like taking garden rubbish to the tip trying to transport bulky items from the shops was a constant chore.

So after 6 months enough was enough and I bit the bullet, had a couple of test drives in the Yeti, sold the BMW and ordered the SM. I'm still trying to win over my wife but hoping the Yeti will do that once he/she (haven't decided yet) arrives.

Watch this forum to see how we get on, good luck with your deliberations and lastly a big welcome to the Yeti enclosure.

I came from a Volvo, which sees itself as a premium mark although in reality is somewhere between standard and premium, and also test drove a BMW X1 before choosing my Yeti. The quality of the Yeti is very high, the switches and controls are well made and not cheap. The car is solid, the doors thunk when closed and all feels very good. It does not have some of the little touches, so well described by My Yeti, but then if you match specs with an equivalent BMW it is around £10k cheaper so you would not expect it to. However, do you feel short changed in a Yeti, absolutely not. The diesel engines are the same as those used throughout the VW group and are a match for anything BMW can offer, when matching engine size for engine size. Having recently spent a weekend being driven around in a 3 series tourer, 2.0d, I found nothing in the refinement or engine that made me feel the poor relation.

The Yeti is well worth a test drive, if you don't like one after that it is fair enough but it certainly stands up in terms of being a very good quality car.

My Yeti has yet to arrive but I am coming from a pretty rare beast a Malaysian import Alfa 156 GTA with Sele gearbox. I guess Alfa kind of occupies the middle ground with the likes of Saab/Volvo as compared to ‘Premium’ BMW However saying that if you were to ask anybody from Alfa’s RWD period they would most certainly look down upon BMW/Audi as mass market tat.

Leaving that aside and taking the Alfisti blinkers off, the Yeti is built to a much higher standard than my old GTA. With the exception of the leather – far superior on the Alfa, the interior is simply far better appointed and screwed together. The Alfa was 100% reliable but I would not have been surprised if an electrical maladay had struck it down and equally unsurprised if the dealer had been shocking in its attempt to repair. I understand things are getting much better quality wise but I would certainly expect that dealer interaction Skoda wise to be as good if not better than BMW – the surveys seem to bear that out as well.

Very silly to compare the handling as the cars are poles apart plus the Alfa was running on Koni FSDs, Eibachs and had a Q2 LSD but I was still amazed at the Yetis competence. Something that tall has no right handling like that. I have driven an X3 and in no way did it induce the grin that the 1.2 Yeti I test drove did.

Pointless comparing the engines as The Alfa had the best V6 ever put in a device with 4 wheels and the Yeti will be my first diesel (a 140), trips in a Passat with the same engine have convinced me I will get along with it just fine.

In short I can see no issues going from BMW to Yeti – unless you are concerned about perceived social status.

And you certainly won’t become a mobile chicane come the descent of the white fluffy stuff.

I had 2 BMW 5 series -a 523i and a 530d, both tourings, before upgrading to my Octavia Mk2 L&k estate. I missed the quiet inside the cabin (I understand theYeti is quieter than the Octavia) and it took quite a while to get used to front wheel drive. My e39's were definitely the ultimate driving machine, steering and handling wise, but I am comparing a car, Octavia base model approx £15k with a badge name which would have cost over double.

I am really impressed with Skoda, which is why I'm buying another, and my first ever new car. I wanted an economical 4wd diesel auto and the Yeti is one of not very many available. Would have bought a scout last time if it hadbeen available with auto.

I am very happy with my decision.

Mike

In short I can see no issues going from BMW to Yeti – unless you are concerned about perceived social status.

Here on SMOC, we don't follow the trend, we SET the trend

I traded a BMW 120d M Sport for my Yeti 1.2 Elegance.

To be honest they are both very different cars and like the 1 Series, the Yeti is a great car. The 1 series is a fine car and I still really like its quirky styling; that's probably one of the reasons that I bought the Yeti. I think the Yeti is best around town and in rural areas, the BMW felt rock-solid on the motorway.

Having owned many 'premium' cars; I do enjoy the inverse-snobbery of owning a Skoda although you will find many people who would rather buy a car for its badge e.g. (BMW X1) rather than the product and hence have a negative preconception of the Skoda brand. The Yeti is a good antidote to the large SUVs and I hate the image of BMW X5s, Range Rover Sports etc.

I find the Yeti 1.2 to be ideal for the urban jungle and motorway journeys doing approx. 40mpg in all scenarios and its elevated driving position and ground clearance are very useful and performance is more than enough to keep up with the traffic.

Buy the product and not the badge.

Hi All

Bought my new BMW 320d coupe m sport a year ago. It's white with red leather and has a lot of toys including i drive and sun roof.

However Ownership has not been plain sailing, the car has had dreadful rattles coming from the doors/windows and after 5 visits to a useless dealer I have had to take

advice from a BMW forum in order to get it sorted. Combine this with a hard ride and difficult driving in the winter' with rear wheel drive' I would never buy another BMW.

If I did not have another year to pay I would be looking to change.

I have seen a few Yeti's now and think they look totally awesome. I often dream about ordering a 170bhp elegance with columbus (once you have had a hard drive for music

it would be impossible to do without!) 12 speaker sound system and a sunroof. I quite fancy green with black leather. My experience with white is that it chips very easily maybe

because metallic paint is harder.

Anyway enough of the dreams I have the BMW for another year but then I am going to get a Yeti!

Does anyone know of any new options/engines that may be coming in the next year or so?

I would also be interested to hear from Yeti owners who may have in theory downgraded from other so called premium brands!

Thanks Michael.

My current car is similar - a 3 year old white 320i convertable with grey leather. My problem with the beemer is that it is just too big / heavy.

The new Yeti is a month or so from rolling off the production line!

It certainly says something about Skoda's image rehabilitation that we're talking about their cars and BMW's in the same breath.

Skoda now are emerging as a premium brand and their cars now command better build quality that BMW & Audi

Coming from a Skoda, through a BMW and now on an Audi I can't agree with you at all. The Octy I had was a fine car and in many ways superior to my 123D, but Skoda is not emerging as a Premium brand. VW and Audi would never allow that to happen and it is simply not true in my opinion.

I believe Skoda has emerged as the 'man in the knows' VW/Audi, but the quality of materials used in the cabin are not as good as in the Audi. The running gear may well be all but identical, but the many differences can easily be seen. I don't believe that the Audi I own gives anything like the same value for money that my Skoda did, but it is furnished with a much higher grade of materials in many places.

Mind you it doesn't have that brilliant little perspex ticket holding clip that my Octy had :(

Coming from a Skoda, through a BMW and now on an Audi I can't agree with you at all. The Octy I had was a fine car and in many ways superior to my 123D, but Skoda is not emerging as a Premium brand. VW and Audi would never allow that to happen and it is simply not true in my opinion.

I believe Skoda has emerged as the 'man in the knows' VW/Audi, but the quality of materials used in the cabin are not as good as in the Audi. The running gear may well be all but identical, but the many differences can easily be seen. I don't believe that the Audi I own gives anything like the same value for money that my Skoda did, but it is furnished with a much higher grade of materials in many places.

Mind you it doesn't have that brilliant little perspex ticket holding clip that my Octy had :(

Sorry, you're wrong on both counts.

The build quality on the Skoda brand now is as, if not better than other marques in the VW range, and other marques too. Go and see for yourself, the evidence is there and you just need to know where to look.

An I DO believe that Skoda are emerging as a premium brand, thats dictated to by the customer not the company.

Sorry, you're wrong on both counts.

I think everyone is entitled to their opinions and especially on something like quality which is very much a perceived subjective thing. Having been to many, many a motor show in my life and being just back from the Paris show I can tell you I have sat in very many a car. Nothing but nothing comes close to the perceived quality in an Audi, unless you start paying Bentley or Rolls Royce levels of money.

As to Skoda being an upcoming premium brand: think again. VW is not happy with the stolen sales and Skodas will be decontented in the future. So we should enjoy our high spec beasts since the next Yeti, Superb etc won't be to this level of quality ever again. See this article from Automotive News:

Skoda dealers are upset about de-contenting

October 13, 2010 06:01 CET

Volkswagen AG's effort to reposition Skoda beneath its VW brand has angered the Czech brand's dealers.

The de-contenting of the vehicles is hurting customer satisfaction, said Thomas Peckruhn, chairman of the Skoda dealer association.

VW's management believes Skoda has moved too close to its main brand and is luring its customers away from VW.

VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said the company will reduce Skoda production costs by cutting back on equipment levels.

"We cannot have a [skoda] Fabia with a higher value instrument panel then the [VW] Polo,†he said at the Paris auto show.

Skoda is VW Group's entry-level brand, and the technically similar VW models cost thousands of euros more than a comparable Skoda.

Skoda dealers don't agree that the brand attracts customers who would otherwise buy a VW.

"We conquer customers from French brands such as Peugeot and Renault, including Dacia,†Peckruhn said.

He said Skoda will lose sales if its cars are decontented. "It is impossible to believe that customers will not notice something like that."

A public debate over the repositioning of Skoda is also damaging, Peckruhn said.

As an example, Skoda's Climatic semi-automatic climate control system with a cooled glove box has been cut. This extra feature was a particularly popular selling point in dealerships.

On the Superb, the brand's higher-end mid-sized model, the umbrella integrated in the rear door – likewise a highly regarded feature – can now only be ordered as an accessory.

And on the new sporty Fabia RS, xenon lighting can no longer be ordered at extra charge. It was standard on its predecessor.

Edit: Format fail cut and pasting from Automotive News

Edited 25 October, 201015 yr by 900000

Coming from a Skoda, through a BMW and now on an Audi I can't agree with you at all. The Octy I had was a fine car and in many ways superior to my 123D, but Skoda is not emerging as a Premium brand. VW and Audi would never allow that to happen and it is simply not true in my opinion.

I believe Skoda has emerged as the 'man in the knows' VW/Audi, but the quality of materials used in the cabin are not as good as in the Audi. The running gear may well be all but identical, but the many differences can easily be seen. I don't believe that the Audi I own gives anything like the same value for money that my Skoda did, but it is furnished with a much higher grade of materials in many places.

Mind you it doesn't have that brilliant little perspex ticket holding clip that my Octy had :(

Skoda may not be a "premium brand", but it seems I am one of many moving away from the likes of BMW, Merc, Audi etc. on the grounds that their products are no longer sufficiently better (or in some cases aren't better at all) to justify the extra price tag. Over time I think the "premium" / "mainstream" distinction will blur as car-makers outside the German 3 catch up.

I might have gone for another VW Golf GTD or Tiguan but speccing them to the same equipment level as standard on my soon to be built Yeti would have pushed the price close to £30k.

That's a good £5-6k more than the Yeti at list!

VW's are overpriced and the build quality is no longer visibly better than Skoda.

I suspect it's all about VAG group profits?

And yes I do think Skoda's recent success has been hurting VW - if I'm typical?

Sorry, you're wrong on both counts.

The build quality on the Skoda brand now is as, if not better than other marques in the VW range, and other marques too. Go and see for yourself, the evidence is there and you just need to know where to look.

An I DO believe that Skoda are emerging as a premium brand, thats dictated to by the customer not the company.

I have looked at, sat in and driven many Skodas over the last few years and can't see what you think is superior build quality? As an ex car saleswoman and having sold exec/premium models, I believe I have a good eye for quality. Skoda's build quality is very good and broadly speaking seems similar to most of the VW range. But having bought an A4 there are obvious differences, That isn't an attempt to justify the boated price of the Audi, as I don't think I can logically do that, but you are most fortunate if you believe the quality of the Skoda is better, you will save a lot of money in the future.

Skoda may not be a "premium brand", but it seems I am one of many moving away from the likes of BMW, Merc, Audi etc. on the grounds that their products are no longer sufficiently better (or in some cases aren't better at all) to justify the extra price tag. Over time I think the "premium" / "mainstream" distinction will blur as car-makers outside the German 3 catch up.

I think on grounds of value for money, buying an Audi or VW over the Skoda is almost impossible to justify. In fact I went for the Audi in the end because it had the 3.0TDi and Quattro, it just wasn’t possible to get permanent 4x4 and the bigger diesel in a Skoda. The Audi is ridiculously expensive for what it is, but does give something back in the form of ‘good looks’, performance and some seriously high end features (I had to sell all 3 of my livers to afford some of the toys though!). The materials used are general excellent and the feel of many of the controls is superior to that of Skoda’s’ (not the indicators though ), but again, at what cost? I am not sure I would spend this much again on a car, as it is impossible to rationalise the purchase and think it is likely I will downsize the next time I change. It may well be a Skoda, but I won’t kid myself it is a Premium quality vehicle as I think it’s a cut price VW with similar BQ and more space inside (rough generalisation). My Octy II was as well made as the then current Golf and had almost the same mechanicals and features. The interior was similar to the Golf’s too in terms of quality, only a couple of hard plastics hidden away showed any sign of cost savings.

As for the blurring of Premium and Mainstream models, I doubt the big 3 would want the distinction burred until they see a profit in it.