Wait for face lift version or buy now?

[monkey182]

I am looking to change to a Yeti, but shall I wait for facelift version?

It's whether I can let my Vrs go past 3yrs old and PX value etc etc.

Currently my local dealer is giving me an 8% Disc on 140 4X4 SE.

Thoughts..?

[hmibennett]

Difficult decision. I opted to change now to an L&K Yeti as I got a really good deal on my current (2 year old) Elegance and decided that prices will drop when the facelift comes in (as well as my current car being 9-10 months older by hten). I know the 'old' version will still be worth less as a trade-in when the facelift is out, but I reckoned it made sense to 'position' myself with a top spec model two years younger than my current one ready for when the next change comes around.

[BossFox]

Are you after a financial opinion only?

My concern at the moment is if the facelift is bland like the other newer models, Rapid and Octy mk3.

[monkey182]

Money and looks ?

[Dinski]

I also decided to change now as I got a good deal from the dealer, plus I also don't like the idea of the yeti looking the same as the octy and so on, not a fan of the citigo look and I imagine the face lift will go down tha route.

Obviously the decision is yours, weigh up pros and cons. It's a tuff decision.

[The Plumber]

With the new model to model design cloning approach Skoda appears to be currently following, I would go for a current model, unless your into new fangled tech, which will probably make it's way into a facelift Yeti from the Octy III (mind some of this is bound to be blocked by SUK for the UK market).

Quite sure too that a facelift Yeti will shoot up in price. Again SUK seem to think new model introductions make a good cover for noticeably large price increases over previous/similar models.

My humble view on it anyway.

TP

[BossFox]

Money and looks ?

Well financially you are going to be better to change now as the PX price will fall and you'll have haggling room on a current model.

Looks wise you can only guess as there are no official pictures of what it's going to look like.

Just plenty of guesswork, rumors and some magazine artists impressions guesses.

New one will be around the end of the year and prices often go up a few percent on the 1st January, even without it being a new model.

[shrub]

I hope that it doesn't shoot up in price or I'll have to look elsewhere... but then where to look? Fortunately there are a lot of £14-16k crossovers coming onto the market this year (Suzuki S Cross, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008....). Time will tell if they appeal anything like the Yeti does. Hopefully the increased competition will make Skoda consider their pricing carefully.

Edited 10 February, 2013 by shrub

[BossFox]

The Rapid is proof to me that as Skoda become more mainstream with a history of awards they are forgetting the value for money a bit.

It's simple business... if you can sell more products than you can make, how do you earn more?

Hopefully the complete lack of interest in the Rapid will have woken them up.

Time will tell.

[gbpxg01]

Next year will be a 'face lift' not a new model. If it was a brand new model I understand your concern but for a face lift it's marginal imo.

[Freshacre]

The Rapid is proof to me that as Skoda become more mainstream with a history of awards they are forgetting the value for money a bit.

It's simple business... if you can sell more products than you can make, how do you earn more?

Hopefully the complete lack of interest in the Rapid will have woken them up.

Time will tell.

I'd an interesting conversation with a couple of the chaps at Skoda Sinclair. One commented that, given the success of Skoda and the desirability of the products, they "forget" the value for money bit and start lifting the prices to a place where either they begin to lose sales, or they end up like Ford and Vauxhall having to discount like crazy to secure sales. Like most of us on here, I suspect, one of my main reasons for buying my Yeti, and now the Superb has been the outstanding value for money that the cars represent. I reckon that it isnt an easy conundrum for SUK to solve because UK is one of the very few markets globally where car sales have been buoyant, relatively. The salesman was quite genuinely concerned, and it was out of a deep loyalty to the brand as opposed to merely thinking of his profits.

The other comment from a more senior man concerned the Rapid and its sales - and the perception of it by potential buyers. The first chap had said that buyers come to look at the Rapid, are impressed, but then find that it is "too big" compared to their expectation of its size, particularly alongside the Octavia. More than a few has said that for the money they'd be as well just to buy the Octavia, at the moment. It sort of sounds logical. However, during discussion with the gaffer on this very point, he became quite animated. His point was that when the Rapid is seen alongside the NEW Octavia, which is where the long-term strategy places it, it no longer seems as big and the difference in size is much more obvious. It looks like a timing issue because the current Octavia just seems a far better buy than the Rapid, but later this year when the NEW Octavia is available, the Rapid will have a much more clearly defined slot to fit into in the overall picture of sales. There is an undoubted logic in this, and if one considers the other cars due to be launched one gets a better feel for the relative sizes and costs in their overall vision.

[yetifabia]

I think the Rapid has confused the issue. Skoda have absolutely dropped a clanger by introducing it before the new Octavia for the reasons that Freshacre sets out. All will seem much clearer when the new Octy takes over.

In terms of value for money, who really competes with Skoda? Someone mentioned recently that the Ford Kuga is competitively priced so I went to the Ford site and specced one up to the level of my Yeti and the Ford still came out as £2K more expensive! I'm pretty sure the depreciation will be worse and you have to put up with what Ford laughingly call "customer service " to boot. Given that the Yeti is clearly the best car in its class, it represents tremendous value for money in my book and would still do so even if it cost the same as the Kuga.

[bilun777]

You're right Yetifabia.

I visited the Darkside the other day bacause the Tiguan has a tasty looking 160bhp 1.4 tsi engine.

By the time I'd specced cruise control and xenon headlights ,to get close to the yeti, it was the wrong side of £26K.

The Audi Q3 starts at about that, and you then have to add just about everything.

[OldBoy]

Hey everyone. Kinda old post but thought I'd add my comment too in case this is of help to other ppl confronted with the everlasting question "buy now or wait for the facelift".

I have actually already put my order for the current model as its the car that I pinpointed out since back in 2010 first laid eyes on it cruising on an austrian road. It still is my favorite by far in terms of looks compared to the rest of the current competition and given its value for money I think I did good. In the end of the day both my taste and my wallet wont suffer from the "I did wrong feeling" I think. Although I knew there is a facelift coming up I didnt want to wait cause apart from the value in terms of money I really need to like the car I own so I didnt wanna risk getting a facelift version which looks like it wont be like the one I seen and loved in the first place. Might not turn out to be the case though and maybe they make only subtle changes in which case I wont mind at all and still be a happy owner of my Yeti. But if they go along the rapid design lines then I will thank myself forever I did what I did. Bottom line is that if the changes are subtle then I can live with that but if the changes are along the newer lines then I wont like it and I will have to go after a second hand car which is not I want at this point. Of course its a matter of personal taste and again I need to point out I am one of those who do weigh much of a car's appearance in order to decide if thats the car I'd like to picture me driving. Hope this helps a bit instead of confusing you more.

Having said that now I will only have to wait and see how it turns out yet I know that when my lil monster is finally delivered to me I will be a very happy fellow no matter what. Love and caring will make her happy being with me too

[Kingsley]

What's all this about Skoda forgetting value as they become more popular? I don't think that is true at all. i well remember when the Yeti was launched some writers said the better models were somewhat overpriced. I have been following the prices since the beginning and now we are waiting for delivery in August of a 2 litre diesel 4x4 elegance heavily loaded, and in Switzerland, at least, it came out a lot cheaper than my earlier estimates for a fully loaded car. There is a generous 2000 franc 'clever bonus' plus a whole bunch off the optional extras. Frankly we get a decent offroader with a good quality interior, superior build quality, a car in fact far superior to all the overpriced BS offered by Land Rover, unless you need serious mud plugging, and for much less money. A car with tons more character, too. What's not to love, as they say? Most probably the facelift will be a sharper looking car, but we love the current model, and I have asked the dealer to make sure we have the good old green badges too!

[ernieb]

I think the current L&K in any engine/gearbox option is good value for money.

[nrgb]

I think the current L&K in any engine/gearbox option is good value for money.

I entirely agree. We tried a few cross-overs/SUVs but settled on ordering the current Yeti L&K because it was discounted (for June), lots of kit & vastly better then our outgoing Fabia.