UK 16" Special Build Club - Membership Closed?

[Paul52]

OK I know this threads now getting a little long in the tooth but having just hit the second anniversary of joining the UK 16" Special Build Club (May 29th 2013) I was just wondering who is still left from this elite group and still on the forum and whether we have any new members who don't realise they have joined! So, if you have a pre-loved SE or Elegance Classic Yeti and are wondering why your wheels look smaller than other people's, then hold your head up high - you've got a car that beat the system!!

[Brijo]

Oh well said, Paul52!  I, too, am 'getting a little long in the tooth' and had forgotten the anniversary.  The regular members here may be a bit thin on the ground but not all are posting (one of my contemporaries was around a couple of days ago). 

 

It seems that I'm still here.  Annie's 16" Moons have been shod with Kleber Quadraxers (mountain-and-snowflake all-seasons) since last August, replacing the unlamented OEM Conti's.  It might be guessed that the combination suits our local driving conditions (horrendous) but I've found it to be equally happy in the occasional extended motorway journey, too. 

 

I'd still give Škoda UK a bouquet for saying 'Yes' ten times. 

 

Here's to the next year :beer:

[Expatman]

Still going strong on original 16" Moons and Conti's at 33,000 miles. Mind you it is shod with winter Nokian's on 16" steelies from November to March. I have about 4.5mm of tread left on the Conti's so will be changing to something else before the summer is over. Thinking of Goodyear efficient grips but will wait to see what is best deal on one of top rated tyres when I am ready to swap.

Longer term problem is that when the Yeti is due for replacement I doubt I will be able to get another one with 16" wheels, so perhaps a move to another make unless Skoda significantly improve the ride comfort on 17" wheels - still have problem of more expensive replacement tyres though. 

[vegit8]

Ah ha.....

Being one of the lucky 10 I still love the 16's as much as I did from day1.

We are now considering moving to the dark side (An Octy estate - I had one before the Yeti)

So I am now back at the start point again.

 

I have 2 options as I see it, if I just chop the Yeti in - get the dealer to swap the wheels on delivery, I'll take the hit on replacing new tyres for part worns, by my OEM Conti's have low mileage as 6mths of the year they are in the garage and have about 6mm tread left.

 

Secondly - i'll try convincing Skoda UK to change the order at the factory, the benefits of this is that it will leave the factory with the correct sets of codes on the build label, just in case anyone ever looks at this!

 

Sorry Bri - Have loved the Yeti, but we intend to do a lot of touring over the next few years and the DSG Octy just seems a better car for those journeys!! 

[Brijo]

Especially good to see you here, Geoff, as you and I are the only ones to have held a UK16"SpecialBuildClub Meet (http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/254819-special-build-first-ever-meet/ for the record!) 

 

No need to apologise, my friend!  Time passes, and circumstances change.  If the Yeti has Gott to go, he's Gott to go but I don't know how Annie will take it :'(  

 

We haven't had the opportunity to call in, when passing - it always seems necessary to do the journey without undue delay.  This year, perhaps, if you're at home? 

[runswickstag]

I`m still here as well! had an issue with the log in procedure for a while and had to reset everything! so, yes, we still have our Yeti on 16" wheels, original Conti`s did 18000 miles and were replaced for Goodyear Wrangler HP, these have now passed the 18000 mile mark and still have around 4mm of tread left, so doing ok! sorely tempted at tyre change time to go up to a 65 series, but this will change things by 3% which is a smidge over the 2.5% recommendation........

On the strength of our Yeti, our neighbours bought a used Yeti adventure on 17" tyres and they describe the car as `firm` but isn`t that true of a lot of cars these days?

[vegit8]

well well, having ordered an octavia elegance (now called an SE L), I set about getting the wheels changed for 16's again. Followed the same principle as before.

A case has been raised and I was told the other day that after discussions with the factory, it's highly likely I'll get my wishes granted.

Furthermore, there are plans afoot to make the default wheel size for all Octavia's 16's.

In the latest catalogue for MY16 vehicles there are sets of data for emissions and consumption for each of the different rims sizes.

Apparently the 16's have lower emissions and better consumption figures than the larger rims.

Perhaps the same will happen for Yeti's, that way those who want 17's can have their way as well as those of use who don't like driving on rubber bands.

[Paul52]

Does that mean in the future the Octavia forum might host a thread "UK 17" Special Build Club" for that small number of b****y minded individuals that won't just take what they are offered on the configurator? 

 

Interesting what you say about the 16" showing better fuel consumption than the 17". I spoke to John Goode at Skoda Customer Services a couple of days ago and mentioned that I've  getting a consistent 40mpg brim-to-brim over the last few months (since about 15,000 miles). This is a rolling average over 5 fills (so about 2000 miles) and includes a decent mix of road types and speeds. He seemed quite surprised it should be that good, particularly as its an Elegance with the added weight of a sunroof and usually carrying at least two adults. Too late now to do any meaningful comparison between similar cars on different tyres but could it be the extra mpg is down to the smaller tyre size? Cheaper tyres and better mpg - what's not to like?

[vegit8]

Interesting what you say about the 16" showing better fuel consumption than the 17". I spoke to John Goode at Skoda Customer Services a couple of days ago and mentioned that I've  getting a consistent 40mpg brim-to-brim over the last few months (since about 15,000 miles). This is a rolling average over 5 fills (so about 2000 miles) and includes a decent mix of road types and speeds. He seemed quite surprised it should be that good, particularly as its an Elegance with the added weight of a sunroof and usually carrying at least two adults. Too late now to do any meaningful comparison between similar cars on different tyres but could it be the extra mpg is down to the smaller tyre size? Cheaper tyres and better mpg - what's not to like?

 

My long term consumption figure for the 140 4x4 Elegance on 16's is 41.9 - as you can see by the link at the bottom of my posts....

[Merlinman]

From new, and driven 'enthusiastically' my CR170 with some mods has delivered 41.0 over 33k miles - happy with that, given it's less than streamlined shape and weight!

[Ootohere]

Bump.