Warranty issue with brand new Yeti

[AndyC]

....+3. If I look really hard, can see it. Paint is intact.

Andy

[Stouff]

Sadly for me, my paint isn't intact. And the wee dent is really obvious on mine. It's maybe due to the lighter colour. Just saw one in the car park at Ikea in Pacific blue. It was a 10 plate and I couldn't see any dent. It must just be more obvious on some than others. And I've got the blemish to the right of the manufacturers mark, which has been crudely painted over with touch up stick.

Just for my own interest James, what would you do in this situation? I don't know if I want to risk a re-spray, but the car isn't right.

Cheers.

Stouff.

[allena]

Mine has a mark too. It isn't visible on the edge, but you can just about feel it when sliding a finger along. However, underneath - immediately underneath the edge - beneath what I can feel, there is a very prominent 'pimple' for want of a better word. But no paint blemish at all, Stouff.

Edited 5 April, 2011 by allena

[kibby]

Now I see it on mine, small dents no chip but hard to pick out in Steel grey.

It could be a palletisaton mark (bonnets stacked on edge in a metal pallet, manual or automatically loaded).

The pallet supports are generally plastic coated metal bars and in a fast paced environment leads to damage

if not nested in the pallet carefully. Probably packed vertically hence the edge damage.

Small pimple maybe splatter from spot weld??

Skoda probably take the view it is acceptable to the all but most discerning customer if it is part of their

standard process.

Edited 5 April, 2011 by kibby

[Trevorminor]

Mine has a mark too. It isn't visible on the edge, but you can just about feel it when sliding a finger along. However, underneath - immediately underneath the edge - beneath what I can feel, there is a very prominent 'pimple' for want of a better word. But no paint blemish at all, Stouff.

+1

I think it is to show up 'non genuine' Yetis

[Stouff]

You trying to say my Yeti is hooky! ;-)

[rockhopper]

I'm a little confused.....are we talking about the edge of the bonnet just in front of the windscreen (trailing edge) which is easy to run a finger along underneath, or the leading edge by the grille, which you can only run a finger along the underside when the bonnet is open?

[Stouff]

Trailing edge rockhopper. See my photographs earlier in the thread. I think I confused matters in my original post by saying leading edge when I meant trailing.

Edited 5 April, 2011 by Stouff

[rockhopper]

Trailing edge rockhopper. See my photographs earlier in the thread. I think I confused matters in my original post by saying leading edge when I meant trailing.

Thanks...missed the photo. Elsie the Helipad has the dent as well. no broken paint.

[kibby]

Maybe Skoda should monitor this forum to improve their quality control!!!!

[SamtVRS]

I work for VW and we get new cars in the workshop (obviously) and there always wrapped up like a christmas present BUT there have been several occasions where the cars have been damaged underneath the wrapping, so that makes no difference in my eyes to be quite honest with you. The reason its taking that long is more than likley due to time in the bodyshop, getting the paint and pending on the dent weather or not its in a position on the bonnet where it can either be smoothed out and resprayed or weather it will need replacing. But as long as they dont make you pay for anything, which i doubt they will i personally wouldnt worry about it.

We found that a batch of beetles, all from different delivery trucks had all got a mark on the rear wheel arch in the exact same spot! So Vw have to stand to it due to damage been done under their care kinda thing, so thats more than likely what your dealership will also have to organise.

Hope that helped.

[kibby]

I work for VW and we get new cars in the workshop (obviously) and there always wrapped up like a christmas present BUT there have been several occasions where the cars have been damaged underneath the wrapping, so that makes no difference in my eyes to be quite honest with you. The reason its taking that long is more than likley due to time in the bodyshop, getting the paint and pending on the dent weather or not its in a position on the bonnet where it can either be smoothed out and resprayed or weather it will need replacing. But as long as they dont make you pay for anything, which i doubt they will i personally wouldnt worry about it.

We found that a batch of beetles, all from different delivery trucks had all got a mark on the rear wheel arch in the exact same spot! So Vw have to stand to it due to damage been done under their care kinda thing, so thats more than likely what your dealership will also have to organise.

Hope that helped.

Looks like damage done before painted.

I would have thought your average dealers body shop could remedy without a respray but past experience

suggests if you ask them to do it you get a bigger bodge with a touch up brush than if you did it yourself.

[SamtVRS]

It looks like a manufacturing issue really more than anything. Maybe IF skoda do monitor this website and see several people complaining, or people just start going into dealers, they might do it under some kind of warranty thing or maybe good will it.

With where abouts it is on the bonnet, with it being on the edge, they would more than likely have to rub it down and they might even take the bonnet off to get a better finish out of it. Depends who you take it to really, i know when we send ours off (VW) to get sprayed for whatever reason we very rarely get any comebacks and 9 times out of 10 things like that are spotted before the customer even gets it so the customer is none the wiser because its already been resolved. Its almost like its a finishing point for the paint job or manufacturing process, and its in a pritty noticeable place, stupid if you ask me if that is the case.

[kibby]

It looks like a manufacturing issue really more than anything. Maybe IF skoda do monitor this website and see several people complaining, or people just start going into dealers, they might do it under some kind of warranty thing or maybe good will it.

With where abouts it is on the bonnet, with it being on the edge, they would more than likely have to rub it down and they might even take the bonnet off to get a better finish out of it. Depends who you take it to really, i know when we send ours off (VW) to get sprayed for whatever reason we very rarely get any comebacks and 9 times out of 10 things like that are spotted before the customer even gets it so the customer is none the wiser because its already been resolved. Its almost like its a finishing point for the paint job or manufacturing process, and its in a pretty noticeable place, stupid if you ask me if that is the case.

I think it is acceptable (if no paint chip/damage). On giving my Yeti a good polish I noticed a couple of slight

paint runs at the bottom corners (lower edge) of the front doors not noticable but I put a dab of paint on using a very fine artist brush as rough area was a potential rust ingress point...again impossible to see on completion.

I think if you get that picky we all would be asking for reprays on all our cars!!

Again I think asking for remedial work at this level opens up a potential can of worms and dis-satisfaction with the

outcome..

I don't like the though of respraying cars unless absolutely necessary.

If Skoda are not monitoring this very active forum they are missing a trick...They would get quality feedback

from a good cross section of buyers that are largely Skoda (Yeti) positive. Being a new Skoda purchaser I like

the car but I am keeping a open mind on quality/reliability issues based on mixed experience to date.

Bonnets, because of their high visibility are often 'tweeked' after the metal pressing operation by reworking with metal finishing tools, (often described as quality enhancement, sounds better!!) and sorting this issue would take seconds to achieve on a finishing line. Mostly quality enhancement is done to the top skin surface as this is prone to damage that is visible after paint. Modern paints highlight defects more than older non water based paints.

Steels that are pre-coated (cold coat zinc) at the mill obviously loose this coating if they are reworked prior to paint so manufacturers often galvanise the whole or part of body.

Over the years car panels have got thinner using high strength steels and are more prone to process damage.

Edited 5 April, 2011 by kibby

[garth514]

just a thought...Is this "blemish" not in the area where the wiper arms foul the bonnet if tilted away from the screen before placed in the park position? Possibly caused when being PDI's and polished before handover?

Garth

[kibby]

just a thought...Is this "blemish" not in the area where the wiper arms foul the bonnet if tilted away from the screen before placed in the park position? Possibly caused when being PDI's and polished before handover?

Garth

Good thought!

[ejstubbs]

My 2010 model Yeti also has the mark. Same as James - not really visible but noticeable to touch. Maybe it shows up more on the darker colours?

The "blemish" isn't visible on my Black Magic Pearl 2010 Elegance but I could feel it when I checked this morning. Actually it felt more like it was under the trailing edge rather than on it. There is no paint damage. I reckon it's a manufacturing mark, unlike the paint damage the OP found which I agree does look like it could have come from the wiper blade.

[YETIFIRST]

Apologies if this isn't quite 'on topic'. My Yeti lives out of doors and, because I hate dusty/gritty windscreens and the scratches that result when you use the wipers, I wash my windscreen every morning. I noticed that the driver's side wiper arm touches the rear of the bonnet and will eventually scrape the paint off. The solution was to cut 2 inches off one of those cheap,U-shaped rubber door protector strips - still available on eBay - and put it on the trailing edge where the wiper arm makes contact. The wiper arm seems not to mind and the paintwork is much happier. I think that there's an alternative wiper park position which I've not mastered yet but am happy with the low tech solution for now.

Richard T

ps. I know that my neighbour thinks that I'm a pretty sad case but who cares!

[SnowYeti]

Sounds like the wiper arm has been put on the wrong place on the spline, just needs removing and put on again at the right angle. Take it to dealer, should do it while you wait, only takes 5 mins.

[wakev]

the wipers will hit the bonnet its the same on all the yetis not a fault, when you turn the engine off and before removing the key flick the wiper stalk down and the wipers will go into the service position and not hit the bonnet. to return them turn the ignition on and move the wiper stalk down again. simple

[servicepoint]

mine too

Noticed it on collection and only visable from in the car. A proper inspection in the dealers showed that it was fully coated in paint and unnoticeable from anywhere else, I put it down to the paint process, the bonnet would have to be suspended or held during painting, maybe at this point.

Me being me, every Yeti I have been in close quarters with is similar .

[Norry]

mine too

Noticed it on collection and only visable from in the car. A proper inspection in the dealers showed that it was fully coated in paint and unnoticeable from anywhere else, I put it down to the paint process, the bonnet would have to be suspended or held during painting, maybe at this point.

Me being me, every Yeti I have been in close quarters with is similar .

Checked my 2012 Candy white Yeti and cannot feel or see any marks on the trailing edge of the bonnet.

[servicepoint]

Checked my 2012 Candy white Yeti and cannot feel or see any marks on the trailing edge of the bonnet.

Reckon I've looked at about 6 or 7 (sad I know ) they all had similar.

You maybe got lucky or they picked it up at QC and re-sprayed the bonnet.

[The Hood]

My week one 2012 model does not have any dent on the trailing edge but does have a small hole dead centre just underneath it. It looks like a drainage hole to allow any liquid that gets into the seam to escape. The seam/fold with the hole looks like it is intended to stiffen the training edge.

[The Plumber]

My first Yeti had no dent on the rear edge of the bonnet but my current one does; small and dead centre. Tooling mark from the manufacturing process most likely and quite a number of Yeti's have it.

TP