Hi all

 

Thought I'd post up and say hello...am considering buying a (used) Yeti, probably next year.

 

I apologise in advance as I'll probably ramble on without any particular point to make

 

Last cars have been, in order:

 

2003 Mk4 Seat Ibiza TDI Sport (PD130, remapped to ~170bhp)

2002 B5.5 Passat TDI Sport (PD130, remapped to ~170bhp)

2003 B5.5 Passat TDI Sport (PD130, remapped to ~170bhp)

and currently...

2007 Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI (standard 136ps)

 

The Focus has been my first departure from the VAG fold in around 10 years, and although it handles pretty tidily, it's a bit dull, and I'm missing being able to use my VCDS to it's full capabilities...

 

I've been reading about the Yeti for some time now, and I think it fits what I'm after.

I want:

 - something fairly quick. Am taken with the Yeti 170 plus a remap & DPF removal, which should put me comfortably over 200bhp.

 - something that's got a tad more ground clearance - I have a daily, 40-mile-each-way commute across the Derbyshire Peak District, starting around 6am in the morning. The routes round here often get a fair depth of snow in winter, and I'm usually out before much other traffic or gritting/clearing lorries. I've been using winter tyres for around 10 years now, and am totally sold on their capability - but the problem I usually face is ground clearance - often the underside of the car gets a right battering from the ridge of snow between wheel tracks, and I've got totally beached on one occasion. There aren't many cars that would offer me the type of performance I want, and MORE ground clearance, not less...

 - 40+ MPG. From what I've read, a 170 Yeti should still manage this. Depending on how I drive it obviously.

 - 4wd. OK I don't really NEED 4wd, as my years of driving 2wd with winter tyres have shown. But after years of fwd cars, I just fancy trying 4wd just to see what the difference is. And I can't wait to try 4wd with winter tyres up the steep hills into our village.

 - something that's not too barge-like in the handling department. From what I've read, for a 4x4, the Yeti's handling is half decent. I enjoy my driving on the twisting roads of Derbyshire. While I don't imagine a Yeti will quite have the prowess of the Focus, I managed OK with 2 x B5.5 Passat Estates (albeit on Bilstein dampers) and I can't see it being any worse...

 - something VAG so I can use VCDS to my geeky hearts content!

 - proper xenon headlights. Had them on the Ibiza and one Passat, they were superb. Bi-xenon would be even better.

 - heated seats - ahh how I miss the heated seats of the Passat on early frosty mornings!

 

I think a Yeti 170 4x4 Elegance should fit the bill perfectly.

Plus - I really like the looks of the Yeti !

 

Unfortunately, the apparent reluctance of the Yeti to depreciate means I'll be probably be looking at an early (2010?) model.

Am hoping by next year the prices will have dropped a little more, I believe there is a facelift due so that might help a bit.

 

There are some particular snippets of info I wonder if anyone can help with:

 

Clutches: with the old PD130 diesels, once you approached 280-290lbft torque territory, they started to slip. I purposely had my remaps tailored to limit the low-down torque spike to around 280lbft to avoid problems and not have to worry about clutch upgrades. I'm not familiar with the clutches used with the 170 diesels though. What's the general concensus with these, are the limits around the same, or any higher ?

 

Haldex units: Do these have any similar torque limits in the same way as the clutches do ?

 

Brake size: Do the 170 Yetis come with 312mm brake size as standard ? I carried out the 312 upgrade on my Ibiza and both Passats, very effective, would be good if it was standard!

 

Intercooler: Do the 170 Yetis have a half decent intercooler, or a poky little side-mounted one ?

 

Thanks for reading....comments / general chat welcome !

Welcome...

!70 TDI ?  Suits you Sir.....

There are several members on here with 200 bhp+  Yetis,and as far as I am aware, no problems at all.

Track days included. Enjoy.(When you find one.)

My Comments are inline from a 170 Yeti adopter, some may even be of use    

 

Check = box ticked 

I've been reading about the Yeti for some time now, and I think it fits what I'm after.

I want:

 - something fairly quick. Am taken with the Yeti 170 plus a remap & DPF removal, which should put me comfortably over 200bhp. Check but mine is standard with the DPF

 - something that's got a tad more ground clearance - I have a daily, 40-mile-each-way commute across the Derbyshire Peak District, starting around 6am in the morning. The routes round here often get a fair depth of snow in winter, and I'm usually out before much other traffic or gritting/clearing lorries. I've been using winter tyres for around 10 years now, and am totally sold on their capability - but the problem I usually face is ground clearance - often the underside of the car gets a right battering from the ridge of snow between wheel tracks, and I've got totally beached on one occasion. There aren't many cars that would offer me the type of performance I want, and MORE ground clearance, not less... Check 40 mile round trip should not give you DPF problems. My round trip to work is also 40 mils odd and in the last 3 years of driving DPF VAG cars so far no issues

 - 40+ MPG. From what I've read, a 170 Yeti should still manage this. Depending on how I drive it obviously. Check At legal speeds this is easy subject to right foot

 - 4wd. OK I don't really NEED 4wd, as my years of driving 2wd with winter tyres have shown. But after years of fwd cars, I just fancy trying 4wd just to see what the difference is. And I can't wait to try 4wd with winter tyres up the steep hills into our village. Check That's the best explantion of justifying 4WD SUV on any forum so far

 - something that's not too barge-like in the handling department. From what I've read, for a 4x4, the Yeti's handling is half decent. I enjoy my driving on the twisting roads of Derbyshire. While I don't imagine a Yeti will quite have the prowess of the Focus, I managed OK with 2 x B5.5 Passat Estates (albeit on Bilstein dampers) and I can't see it being any worse... Check Not as 'pointy' handling as the Focus by some margin but arguably up there for best in class

 - something VAG so I can use VCDS to my geeky hearts content! Check

 - proper xenon headlights. Had them on the Ibiza and one Passat, they were superb. Bi-xenon would be even better. Check Yeti Xenon candles are one of the best features of the elegance spec, and they look round corners

 - heated seats - ahh how I miss the heated seats of the Passat on early frosty mornings! Check They do take a little while to warm up in the depths of winter but very toasty by the time you get to work

 

I think a Yeti 170 4x4 Elegance should fit the bill perfectly. Check

Plus - I really like the looks of the Yeti !

 

Unfortunately, the apparent reluctance of the Yeti to depreciate means I'll be probably be looking at an early (2010?) model.

Am hoping by next year the prices will have dropped a little more, I believe there is a facelift due so that might help a bit. Possibly initially, part of this would depend on supply v demand although older cars will be a tad cheaper anyway

 

There are some particular snippets of info I wonder if anyone can help with:

 

Clutches: with the old PD130 diesels, once you approached 280-290lbft torque territory, they started to slip. I purposely had my remaps tailored to limit the low-down torque spike to around 280lbft to avoid problems and not have to worry about clutch upgrades. I'm not familiar with the clutches used with the 170 diesels though. What's the general concensus with these, are the limits around the same, or any higher ? No idea sorry but there is a Yeti owner here who had done ~90K miles without clutch issues if I recall correctly

 

Haldex units: Do these have any similar torque limits in the same way as the clutches do ? Probably but I have no idea, I have thus far not read of a Haldex problem (but I am a project manager with a 3 second memory  )

 

Brake size: Do the 170 Yetis come with 312mm brake size as standard ? I carried out the 312 upgrade on my Ibiza and both Passats, very effective, would be good if it was standard! Check Bigger discs on the 170 compared to the other diesels. Not sure about the exact diameter (See comment above)

 

Intercooler: Do the 170 Yetis have a half decent intercooler, or a poky little side-mounted one ? No idea sorry

 

Thanks for reading....comments / general chat welcome ! A pleasure

 

Without a DPF delete you will get over 200bhp.

312mm dia brakes are standard on the CR170, and a diddle to fit to the CR140. & 1.8TSI.

1.8 TSI good for 600bhp (see Octavia Boneville vRS for 227mph!) but Yeti_Man is running 350 Bhp in his 1.8.

That do for starters?

:lol:

Totally concur with 90% of what Hairball said in his reply. Only leaving 10% out because I have no personal experience of the TDi 170 4x4 - so can't comment on those specifics. No reason at all to doubt. Just not qualified to agree.

If it's any help at all - just did what you are contemplating - 3 months ago. Adopted a 3-year, 2010, 78k, teenage Yeti just coming off warranty.

110% delighted with it and absolutely no doubts it was the right choice for me and my family. SWMBO is actually main driver and she loves it! As (only) a 110 CR it's also cheaper to insure for occasional use by 1 other 20-year old driver and 1 provisional licence holder as 3rd and 4th drivers respectively, than the Grand Scenic dCi130 that it replaced. Yet has plenty of low-end torque for day to day use. Just lacks a little top end "grunt" for my tastes - but then I'm spoiled in that respect by "my" other car - the 330d (chipped)! And as I'm not the Yeti's main driver, that's fair enough.

Other candidates considered before the Yeti where:

- Another Scenic (OK the electrical component reliability is supposedly vastly improved over the 2003-7 era, but......???)

- A regular Qashqai

- A Qashqai+2

- C-Max (too bland!)

- S-Max (read bad reports on reliability of some. Dropped the idea like a stone after getting an insurance quote for the young drivers!)

Also liked the Yeti's quirkiness and the fact they're not two a penny like Qashqai - I see four of those before I've gone half a mile on any regular drive from my house!

So my recommendation would be - Go for it! Join the Snow Monster Appreciation Society!

Forgot to say in previous reply:

Interestingly in the light of earlier questions though - the independent specialist Skoda dealer who sold me the Yeti, decided it needed a new clutch before handing it over to me. Despite this being only a 110 and never used for towing. I didn't stop him putting in the said new parts! he mentioned it's something to do with the Dual Mass Flywheel vs. clutch interaction? No idea if he's right - but the (new) clutch is fine so far.

Thanks for the replies, I feel at home already

 

Will probably be another year before I actually get round to looking, but I'll continue lurking and reading so I know exactly what's what when I come to buy.

 

Saw a 2010 (59) 170 Elegance in Black on Autotrader at the weekend, one owner, FSSH, 67k miles, up for £13k by a dealer - so hopefully next year maybe something without rocket miles to be had for £11-12k maybe.