trying to buy a LHD Yeti

[BillN_33]

Hi Yeti owners - my first post -

I'm trying to buy a LHD Yeti that I want to be UK registered (140bhp mid spec 4WD) - It will be used in Europe a number of times during the year and will tow so a LHD vehicle is peferred

Called a UK Skoda dealer and they quoted me, (having spoke to Skoda?), an additional premium of £1,000, 50% deposit and a delivery time of 6 months to a YEAR - for a LHD vehicle

I spoke to a french dealer and he can supply one in 4 to 8 weeks - I can fly out to France to buy one at a similar price to the UK price, (French dealers offer discounts), but I then have to pay French registration tax, (their Carte Gris), plus a CO2 tax - around 1000 Euros- which is just a waste of time and money as I want it to be UK registered - it has to be UK registered as the drivers are UK resident and it would be illegal for them to drive a foreign registered car in the UK, apart from me not being able to get the vehicle UK insured on foreign plates.

Seems that the VAG are up to their "old tricks" - (i.e. not wanting to supply RHD cars in LHD countries - BUT now in reverse - not wanting to supply a LHD car to a UK customer) - this was judged "illegal" by the EEC in the past

Has anyone bought a LHD Yeti abroad and brought it back to the UK, buying it "tax free" and then paying 20% UK VAT - the French do not want to sell me a VAT free car

Cheers

Edited 27 February, 2011 by BillN_33

[900000]

Interesting conundrum... I'm not aware of anyone having done a deal as you propose on this forum. Seems a bit rich of them to charge £1000 just to get a LHD car. A car that might have been built on the line just ahead of the RHD one that goes on the same train, same ship, same port and exact same transporter truck to the UK... daylight robbery I say. But who to moan to?! I really don't know.

As to the waiting time that is the waiting time in the UK yes. I'd suggest you buy yourself a LHD Yeti in another European country - Eastern Europe to be more precise. Some people have ordered cars there WITH Sunroofs and had them within only a few months... Tax might be better for you too? OR even get it from the Czech republic itself?

But good luck. Hope you find a solution!

[BillN_33]

Interesting conundrum... I'm not aware of anyone having done a deal as you propose on this forum. Seems a bit rich of them to charge £1000 just to get a LHD car. A car that might have been built on the line just ahead of the RHD one that goes on the same train, same ship, same port and exact same transporter truck to the UK... daylight robbery I say. But who to moan to?! I really don't know.

As to the waiting time that is the waiting time in the UK yes. I'd suggest you buy yourself a LHD Yeti in another European country - Eastern Europe to be more precise. Some people have ordered cars there WITH Sunroofs and had them within only a few months... Tax might be better for you too? OR even get it from the Czech republic itself?

But good luck. Hope you find a solution!

Thanks for your reply - I find the price hike annoying - but what I find clearly disgraceful is that the indication of a delivery time is maybe a YEAR when a LHD car can be supplied in France in 4 to 8 WEEKS

any Danish members around? - apparently that is a good place to buy and you can get a flight from the UK

Edited 27 February, 2011 by BillN_33

[looby]

It's all due to the Stirling being so low against the Euro and other currencies.. :|

[Agerbundsen]

any Danish members around? - apparently that is a good place to buy and you can get a flight from the UK

Yep, here

You should be able to buy one tax free here and get temporary export plates, so you can drive it home to be registered. Also, Yetis have not sold well here, so there may be some good dals on existing vehicles in stock. Ambition is the highest spec imported, so 16" wheels and 140 HP are probably the most common.

Only 136 sold in 2010 here. Mine is most likely the only 170 HP version in the country.

Importer:

Skandinavisk Motor Co. A/S

Å koda

Park Alle 355

2605 Brøndby

+45 43 28 82 00

Edited 28 February, 2011 by Agerbundsen

[BillN_33]

It's all due to the Stirling being so low against the Euro and other currencies.. :|

How does that cause a delivery difference - 4 to 8 weeks in France or 6months to a year in the UK for a LHD car

as I said the price in France is similar to the UK, (model dependant)

Thanks for the Denmark info - I'll give them a call - if not I'll get one in France - they have some for 15 day delivery

[900000]

...as I said the price in France is similar to the UK, (model dependant)

Not when I went to the Paris motor show....... A 2,0 DSG 140 TDI was about €32,700 BEFORE options in France vs £23,000 over here.... See this thread.

[AnthonyB]

I don't know if I would necessarily go to the Czech Republic to buy. Here in Serbia I paid 17,700 euros for my 1.2 tsi experience with a panorama roof and bolero radio and the same car starts at 21,000 euros (without panorama or bolero) according to the price list from the Czech website. I also looked at prices of the Yeti in Montenegro and it is dirt cheap there.

Active Price in euros

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks 6G 11,990

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks DSG 14,080

2,0 TDI 81kw/110ks 5G CR 16,510

2,0 TDI 4x4 81kw/110ks 6G CR 17,730

Ambition

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks 6G 13,990

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks DSG 15,210

1,8 TSI 4x4 118kw/160ks 6G 19,460

2,0 TDI 81kw/110ks 5G CR 17,640

2,0 TDI 4x4 81kw/110ks 6G CR 18,850

2,0 TDI 4x4 103kw/140ks 6G CR 19,630

2,0 TDI 4x4 125kw/170ks 6G CR 20,500

Experience

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks 6G 15,470

1,2 TSI 77kw/105ks DSG 16,680

1,8 TSI 4x4 118kw/160ks 6G 20,940

2,0 TDI 81kw/110ks 5G CR 19,110

2,0 TDI 4x4 81kw/110ks 6G CR 20,330

2,0 TDI 4x4 103kw/140ks 6G CR 21,100

2,0 TDI 4x4 125kw/170ks 6G CR 21,980

You should be able to buy the car in any country and export it using temporary plates. I doubt many dealers will be familiar with the process though so I'm sure it will be quite the hassle.

As far as the 4-8 week delivery time, I think the French guy is just lying with the hope that you order from him and he can just apologize in 8 weeks when he tells you there was a mix up and it will be another 8 weeks. Maybe they have regular orders coming in and the color/specs that you want are included in the models they regularly receive.

Good luck with your endeavor!

[Allams Skoda]

Getting LHD Skodas of any variant is difficult in the UK. From memory they also come with the wrong headlamps so you'll need to change them to UK headlamps to pass the inspection to be UK registered. Although on an Elegance the 'tourist mode' may get round this?

[ukcruiser]

Although on an Elegance the 'tourist mode' may get round this?

I remember seeing a post about going the other way; someone taking their RHD Superb to Germany, i think it was; the Germans would not allow the Holiday mode to be set when testing the car, thus requiring new LHD headlights... but saying that, HID's are Illegal, and my previous (and wifes current!) cars all passed the MOT's.

Al.

[macakfric]

Also don't forget about differences between equipment levels in Europe and UK. For example there is no Elegance model in Serbia. Here top level equipment Yeti is called Experience.But it's not just the different name.Unlike Elegance in UK it doesn't have leather seats but it has RRP (and this isn't only difference).

[Llanigraham]

HID's are Illegal, and my previous (and wifes current!) cars all passed the MOT's.

Al.

Sorry, Al, but can you explain that comment?

If that is the case how does Skoda and nearly every other manufacturer get their vehicles through the C & U legislation. The only "doubtful legality" HID fitments are the after-market ones, which are now being checked with the MOT.

[Allams Skoda]

I think a lot of aftermarket xenon/HID conversions are illegal as you are supposed to have auto-levelling system on all HID headlamps and you also must have headlamp wash system which a lot of people don't do if they retrofit xenons. He is possibly refering to this?

[ukcruiser]

Sorry, Al, but can you explain that comment?

If that is the case how does Skoda and nearly every other manufacturer get their vehicles through the C & U legislation. The only "doubtful legality" HID fitments are the after-market ones, which are now being checked with the MOT.

Sorry to confuse

HID's (an aftermarket Gas discharge bulb, fitted into a Projector or Reflector headlamp unit, intended for Halogen bulbs) are Illegal for use on UK Roads.

(Fitted to my previous and wife's current car; passed all MOT's - most recently in November 2010 - altho, they are correctly aligned, and have 4300k bulbs - white, rather than Purple!)

Xenon units, MUST have Self leveling facility (or the car be self leveling) have headlamp washing and be of projector type. (of course, 100% legal)

Altho, early Volvo V and S 40's did have Factory Xenon lights, wich were of reflector, not projector type. wonder how they stand? ('99-'02 i believe)

Al.

Edited 28 February, 2011 by ukcruiser

[rockhopper]

If they are factory fitted then they will have passed C & U regs......

Mike

[john96]

Try Griffin tax free, they supply to the forces and expats, I have been quoted 500 quid extra for LHD, a wait of upto 6 months (get a diesel then!!) with a deposit of 20%. LHD lights come fitted.

[BillN_33]

I've stopped "buggering around" trying to get a LHD vehicle in the UK and have bought one in France

140 4WD Ambition, (SE in UK I think) - anyway it's the mid spec model

The colour I wanted - Met Grey with 17' wheels, (those on the Experience) - are they called Spitzberg

Had to pay the Euros 750 government charge for 4x4 vehicles and the Euro 500 for French registration

Euros 1,000 deposit and will pay a similar price to UK list as I managed to get a discount -

Collect in two weeks time

just need to get a tow bar fitted (in the UK) as they want a fortune for fitting one in France

Edited 3 March, 2011 by BillN_33

[900000]

Result! Glad you got it sorted in the end!

[BillN_33]

Result! Glad you got it sorted in the end!

Thanks Johann

tow bars seems a bit expensive - I had the same considerations when getting one fitted to my SAAB - canbus and all that - but I think that it was only £300 fitted, all in by the SAAB dealer - although he did say when I collected the car that it had taken a lot longer than they expected and had to take most of the rear bumber panels off, (the car is fitted with rear sensors) - they stuck to their original quote

looking forward to getting my hands on the Yeti - only had a 5 min test drive - but I was happy plus it is a vehicle that I have bought to do a specific job in Europe - i.e. explore the French and Spanish rural countryside, (we are now retired), plus pulling a small (motor) Bike trailer some of the time

- in the past 10 years I have had 4 SAAB 9 5 Estates, the latest being the 175bhp (dealer upgrade from 150bhp) 1.9TDi Vector Sport - I have always liked SAAB 9 5 Estates

Delivery - must have been lucky finding what I wanted "in stock"

[Dolcetta]

Hi - this is my first post.

I realise I am replying to an old post, but wondered if there are any LHD Skoda Yetis for sale currently out there  - 2.0 litre 148bhp, diesel 4WD.

Would be interested to hear if Denmark is still a good place to find one.

We live in Spain.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

Dolcetta

 

 

[Frenchtone]

try

www.leboncoin.fr

usually lots listed

[Dolcetta]

Thanks Frenchtone - worth a go!