The Beasty being in for its first service, I have just got home with a 1.8 TSI Yeti courtesy car - most impressive performance. Felt much like my 140 TDI did in a Golf format. One thing I have noticed particularly is that the brakes feel much firmer and considerably more responsive than The Beasty's. Does the TSI have uprated brakes, or a different brake setup, do we know? I think the brake assembly does look a tad different viewed through the spokes of the, admittedly different, alloys, but can't be sure.

I have called the dealer and asked 'em to check mine out, anyway - they feel distinctly softer to me and praps there's some air in there somewhere, or something..:| .

I believe they both use the 288mm front disk setup but TP put up a post in the Yeti tech section which should confirm. I think the 1.8tsi is underbraked so its interesting what you say. Having said that, I didnt think the 140 brakes were strong either but I guess its comapitive to what you are used too. The 170 is the only ive driven now that I thought the brakes were adequate on and they use the bigger 312mm setup.

Thanks for that - I'll check out TP's notes - I should've known/guessed. This TSI has only done 700 miles, but I have to say the brakes feel good in comparison to most vehicles I can recall. You feel that sort of taut elasticity of good brakes immediately - at least I did on this, compared with mine!

The pheasant I just avoided on Saturday night was very grateful to the standard of Yeti brakes. A full on emergency stop with a slight swerve, all done with perfect manners from the Yeti meant that the pheasant could walk away, soon to be shoot unfortunately, and my conscience was clear. Brakes are something you soon get used to on your own vehicle and a different feel can throw you. I kangaroo in my wife's Citroen as I find them too sharp but she is fine.

Yes, the fact that the brakes are freshly bedded in with far fewer miles than your pads and fluid have Id think would be the reason why they 'feel' better. Interestingly I borrowed the local dealers Fabia VRS estate and the brakes on that look to be the same 288mm setup that my Yeti uses... what a difference the lower kerb weight of the VRS makes to the braking effectivness! Repeated high speed stops in the Fabia were no problem at all and again like the OP suggests; they just felt newer and firmer. (the VRS only had 1400 miles on the clock)

The pheasant I just avoided on Saturday night was very grateful to the standard of Yeti brakes. A full on emergency stop with a slight swerve, all done with perfect manners from the Yeti meant that the pheasant could walk away, soon to be shoot unfortunately, and my conscience was clear. Brakes are something you soon get used to on your own vehicle and a different feel can throw you. I kangaroo in my wife's Citroen as I find them too sharp but she is fine.

Good grief, you do that for a pheasant?

I take their heads off!

Pheasant is safe from the guns now - until autumn!

I avoid as well, if safe to do so!

Value of a pheasant £2.50 - cost of number plate £10, daren't even contemplate cost of new light unit

The consequences of mess on the bumper, paint work, feathers in the radiator, smashed lights and I have to admit that I don't like squashing animals, even stupid ones like pheasants who try to run under your car wheels. Soft townie that I am. Incidentally, I was well aware of what was behind me or in front of me, ie nothing, as I would not cause a crash to save an animal no matter how cute they were.

Edited 28 March, 201115 yr by EdmundBlackadder

I once hit a pheasant in an Audi TT* at around 50 mph - did all sorts of damage to both parties. This was in Wiltshire; I drove on to London and more or less forgot about it, but was sharply reminded when I got to townie-land and pulled into a petrol station: I hadn't realised the front of the car was covered in blood and guts, and people started pointing and screaming in horror. Most embarrassing.

*clarification of poor syntax: I was the one in the Audi; the pheasant was on foot.

I hit a pheasant on my VFR once. When I managed to find a safe place to stop and assess the damage there was a delicious smell of roast bird coming from the exhaust manifold! Cost me about £20 in replacement bodywork fittings, and even bent a couple of the brackets out of true.

The Beasty being in for its first service, I have just got home with a 1.8 TSI Yeti courtesy car - most impressive performance. Felt much like my 140 TDI did in a Golf format. One thing I have noticed particularly is that the brakes feel much firmer and considerably more responsive than The Beasty's. Does the TSI have uprated brakes, or a different brake setup, do we know? I think the brake assembly does look a tad different viewed through the spokes of the, admittedly different, alloys, but can't be sure.

I have called the dealer and asked 'em to check mine out, anyway - they feel distinctly softer to me and praps there's some air in there somewhere, or something..:| .

When I test drove the Yeti before I bought it, every time I braked it felt like the car was about to stand on its nose, so fierce was the effect compared to my previous Volvo V50. Not sure if I've now got used to them, or they've 'softened', but I've absolutely no complaints about their effectiveness

The interesting rationale for the difference between the brakes on the courtesy TSI and my TDI that I got from the dealership, on picking up the now serviced Beastie this evening, is that it is accounted for by the difference between the petrol and diesel engines, even thought the brake components are similar. The story I was told, details of which I can't recall, was around the precise way the vacuum used to provide the power assistance is provided/sourced, on the diesel versus the petrol engine, and this is an observation general to these power sources. Sounded plausible how it was explained, and perhaps our Gurus can comment?:wonder:

I hit a pheasant on my VFR once. When I managed to find a safe place to stop and assess the damage there was a delicious smell of roast bird coming from the exhaust manifold! Cost me about £20 in replacement bodywork fittings, and even bent a couple of the brackets out of true.

Not car related but a couple of months ago we heard what we thought was a large explosion in the house - ran around looking at gas boiler , cooker etc , went out to check the roof, and then found a pheasant has flown through the double glazing unit of our bedroom. What a mess !!

Was hung, plucked and eaten later - no lead shot therein.

Not car related but a couple of months ago we heard what we thought was a large explosion in the house - ran around looking at gas boiler , cooker etc , went out to check the roof, and then found a pheasant has flown through the double glazing unit of our bedroom. What a mess !!

Was hung, plucked and eaten later - no lead shot therein.

At the risk of going way off target, years ago I had an x-ray of my pelvis after getting banged about in a rugby match. The doc looked at the x-ray photo and said "Have you been eating pheasant?", then showed me the little white dot on the photo that was the piece of lead shot inside me. Another x-ray a week later and he said "You'll be pleased to know it's gone now"

I remember hitting a pheasant in my old Golf Mk1. It dented the front of the car - the box section below the grille. That was a 60mph impact....It could not be be fixed at the time. it then went round and round the wheel before being spat out somewhere behind me. I doubt if there was much left for the next person along to eat

The interesting rationale for the difference between the brakes on the courtesy TSI and my TDI that I got from the dealership, on picking up the now serviced Beastie this evening, is that it is accounted for by the difference between the petrol and diesel engines, even thought the brake components are similar. The story I was told, details of which I can't recall, was around the precise way the vacuum used to provide the power assistance is provided/sourced, on the diesel versus the petrol engine, and this is an observation general to these power sources. Sounded plausible how it was explained, and perhaps our Gurus can comment?:wonder:

Interesting response. :S Id also love the technical gurus to cast their view on this one also...

I remember getting out of our fiesta to go and test drive a silver 140 tdi at Palmers Watford (first time I had seen the sunroof on the Yeti!) , got to the top of the road and ended up having to stand on the brakes to stop it! I lot of it is what you are used to in other cars that you drive, there's no doubt in my mind however that the 170 Yeti had superior braking ability to the other models I test drove. :yes:

The 170 has the larger 312mm brake discs and stops very well. The only time(so far) I've really tested them was when someone pulled out in front of me from a blind entrance. Some of the Yeti's electronics must have cut in, and the car stopped dead. Had to go home for a change of underwear.

Andy

I remember hitting a pheasant in my old Golf Mk1. It dented the front of the car - the box section below the grille. That was a 60mph impact....It could not be be fixed at the time. it then went round and round the wheel before being spat out somewhere behind me. I doubt if there was much left for the next person along to eat

Aha, minced pheasant, my favourite!

The interesting rationale for the difference between the brakes on the courtesy TSI and my TDI that I got from the dealership, on picking up the now serviced Beastie this evening, is that it is accounted for by the difference between the petrol and diesel engines, even thought the brake components are similar. The story I was told, details of which I can't recall, was around the precise way the vacuum used to provide the power assistance is provided/sourced, on the diesel versus the petrol engine, and this is an observation general to these power sources. Sounded plausible how it was explained, and perhaps our Gurus can comment?:wonder:

Sounds a very interesting possibly plausible explanation, so weird it has to be true?

IMHO the CR140 and 1.8TSI with 288mm front discs are 'underbraked' and would be much better off, considering their performance, weight etc., with the 312mm setup of the CR170. The other aspect it the pads.

I find that the OE pads are too sharp and light in normal use, particularly around town, but do not provide enough consistent strong stopping power when being used hard and are thoroughly warmed up. Even my wife commented on their sharpness, compared to her Roomster.

Sounds a very interesting possibly plausible explanation, so weird it has to be true?

IMHO the CR140 and 1.8TSI with 288mm front discs are 'underbraked' and would be much better off, considering their performance, weight etc., with the 312mm setup of the CR170. The other aspect it the pads.

I find that the OE pads are too sharp and light in normal use, particularly around town, but do not provide enough consistent strong stopping power when being used hard and are thoroughly warmed up. Even my wife commented on their sharpness, compared to her Roomster.

+ 1

Couldnt have said any of it better myself!

I certainly feel that the CR140 brakes, compared to the courtesy TSI I drove, could be improved a lot. If the story about the difference in vaccum pressure/sourcing on the petrol versus diesel engines is true then, IMO, they need to think about uprating the brake components in the 140 diesel option - like to the same as the 170.

Some of the difference I felt is likely accounted for by the newly bedded in pads etc, but the contrast was too marked to be just that, I think.

Good grief, you do that for a pheasant?

I take their heads off!

:rofl: you're going to give us Welshmen a bad name , yesterday I slowed down for a hen crossing the road, the **** had enough sense to stay where he was.

:rofl: you're going to give us Welshmen a bad name , yesterday I slowed down for a hen crossing the road, the **** had enough sense to stay where he was.

Hopefully my SM is made of sterner stuff, but I tend to avoid or even slow down for pheasants since (many years ago) hitting one totally wrecked the front wing of the 2CV I had at the time.

I had an incident a couple of weeks ago when an idiot just stopped without warning on a 40mph road. before decideing he actually needed to go into a bus lane and go illegally through the wrong set of traffic lights to turn left down a slip road, instead of just carrying on and veering left as he was supposed to do.

I was very impressed with how the vehicle stopped under complete control with the computer management taking over and applying maximum possible braking. Biggest concern was whether or not the vehicle behind was going to hit me!

I had an incident a couple of weeks ago when an idiot just stopped without warning on a 40mph road. before decideing he actually needed to go into a bus lane and go illegally through the wrong set of traffic lights to turn left down a slip road, instead of just carrying on and veering left as he was supposed to do.

I was very impressed with how the vehicle stopped under complete control with the computer management taking over and applying maximum possible braking. Biggest concern was whether or not the vehicle behind was going to hit me!

Last weekend I came off a slip road on the M3 and was actually dissapointed with the way I had to press pretty hard on the brakes to stop in time.

2.0 CR110

Might give them another "stress" test when I'm alone on a road.