We dont plan to have the car serviced by them as we live many miles away and have a great garage we use down in Reading.

My husband is not easily led and will make sure all documentation is in order and the car up to scratch.

thanks for the heads up

I bought unseen/tested from a dealer near my mother's place in nth worcs, the car was 6mnths old with 1800 miles - not had any probs with the car - i live over 500miles south with a big stretch of wet stuff between me and the dealership, minor problem sorted by my local french dealership, had to pay, the car warranty in france 24 mnths, so have had to reclaim via Skoda UK, this is the 3rd internet deal so far, all have been brilliant without hitch etc - highly recommend the route!

Agree with the Arnold Clarke (Scotland) issue. Brought a used Suzuki Ignis 4Grip from them, via a 3rd party (long story). Anyway, after a few days, the centre diff started started making strange noises and was determined it was on the way out (and only with a "supposed" genuine 28k miles). So yes, it does appear that they could be a bit of an iffy dealer.

 

Also, the "genuine" service book that was stamped up each year by Arnold Clarke (the car was 8 years old), turned out to be.......let's just say suspect.

 

If a deal sounds too good to be true then it probably is!

Arnold Clark are my 'local' Skoda dealer albeit 125 miles away. They have a bad reputation and that's part of the reason that I chose to drive 500 miles (to Rainworth) to collect my new yeti, saving £2.5k in the process. (Arnold Clark couldn't get anywhere near the price I got via carfile).

I won't be getting my car serviced by them either, I'll get it done somewhere in Central Scotland and tie in with a visit to family.

I thought that skoda uk were reluctant to let Arnold Clark have a skoda franchise because of the bad reputation. Heard stories a few years back that he acquired a skoda dealership and skoda withdrew the franchise?

Anyways, dont worry about buying over distance as the car will be covered by a skoda backed warranty for it's first 3 years meaning any uk dealer can carry out warranty work.

I bought my last 2 Skoda's, albiet brand new cars, from dealers far away. My Fabia came from Simpsons in Colne and my new Yeti from Trust in stourbridge. Both cars bought with big discounts that my local dealer could not match. Used my local dealer, Garland in aldershot for servicing and repairs including a warranty water pump replacement on the Fabia, no hassles at all!

If your husband is driving back down via the M6 then i can recommend trying to time a break at Tebay Services/Westmoorland farm shops. Quite possibly the nicest motorway services in the country! I regularly drive from Fleet to Glasgow and back when visiting the inlaws and we always try to stop at Tebay.

+1 for Tebay Services!

My first Yeti came from A C Inverness, this was at a time when Yetis were like hens teeth especially 1.8 TSi petrol's and the waiting time for a new one was +6mths. After much searching, I found that they had an ex Skoda UK 1.8TSi elegance with under 4000 miles on the clock. I did not deal with AC Inverness direct, the car was transported to Edinburgh branch and deal was done there. At this time the Edinburgh branch been opened for about 3 months but could not take card payments, so I had to walk along the road to a A C Renault dealer to pay, not impressed. As part of the deal I got a voucher for 3 free services, and having previously sworn never let AC near a car thought I would give them a chance, but after numerous times trying to arrange a service, I gave up, went to Chathams and never looked back. West End Skoda have now taken over Chathams and I had a pleasurable experience buying Yeti No.2 from them.So would I buy from A C again,probably not, unless they really had a car I wanted and it was still under manufacturers warranty, they really do have a bad reputation around here.

Today's the day! Hope all goes well and looking forward to the pictures.

I thought that skoda uk were reluctant to let Arnold Clark have a skoda franchise because of the bad reputation. Heard stories a few years back that he acquired a skoda dealership and skoda withdrew the franchise?

Anyways, dont worry about buying over distance as the car will be covered by a skoda backed warranty for it's first 3 years meaning any uk dealer can carry out warranty work.

I bought my last 2 Skoda's, albiet brand new cars, from dealers far away. My Fabia came from Simpsons in Colne and my new Yeti from Trust in stourbridge. Both cars bought with big discounts that my local dealer could not match. Used my local dealer, Garland in aldershot for servicing and repairs including a warranty water pump replacement on the Fabia, no hassles at all!

If your husband is driving back down via the M6 then i can recommend trying to time a break at Tebay Services/Westmoorland farm shops. Quite possibly the nicest motorway services in the country! I regularly drive from Fleet to Glasgow and back when visiting the inlaws and we always try to stop at Tebay.

Thank you Steve - my husband is at the garage as I type having flown up there this morning - can't wait to see the pictures and I will tell him about the Tebay Services

Good luck with your new wagon and hope all goes well ..hope your standing waiting with your camera at the ready 

Hi  Dancebluecat

I've been following your posts and I've no doubt that by tonight you and hubby will be over the moon with your new Yeti.

Quite a few of us on here travelled some distance to garages we only had a slight knowledge of, mainly because it was the best deal available.

My 1st & 3rd Yetis were bought from 80mls away but my local Skoda dealer does my servicing  and any warranty repairs needed with no recriminations about me buying elsewhere.

As O.C.D said keep us up to date and don't forget the pictures

Bob

I'm all for supporting your local dealer but have found consistently over the years that I have needed to travel all over the country to get a better deal and saved myself hundreds of pounds. The Yeti I have just bought is the first car in years (I have been changing cars every year lately but plan to keep this longer, in theory) that I have not had to travel at least 100 miles to collect. I have never had any problems buying over the phone from photos.

The only reason I got this Yeti from my local dealer was I wanted a particular colour and DSG and they were the only dealer I could find with one in stock. It had only come in the day before my test drive.

Re: Arnold Clarke debate. 

 

Just came across this review site of them - not good at all, and appears to confirm what has already been stated.

 

Interested to note that some of their cars appear to be imported from Ireland and therefore, do not benefit from the Skoda UK 3 year warranty............so maybe that's how they sell them cheap.

 

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews171231.html

Don't know anything about Arnold Clarke, but I've just been on their website and they seem to have a number of 13 plate 1.2 Elegance Yetis in Aqua Blue. I wonder where they all came from? They look like a batch as the registrations are pretty close to each other. Just curious really - you don't tend to see batches of Yetis like that.

Don't know anything about Arnold Clarke, but I've just been on their website and they seem to have a number of 13 plate 1.2 Elegance Yetis in Aqua Blue. I wonder where they all came from? They look like a batch as the registrations are pretty close to each other. Just curious really - you don't tend to see batches of Yetis like that.

Very suspicious - could be ex rentals?

 

Also noticed that they are advertising loads of FL yetis at 10% discount, then quoting 10.5% APR finance - what about the official 0% Skoda deal.....monkeys!

 

And, they have shown a FL on a "13" plate for sale, so that is incorrect as none here yet (well not on a "13" plate).

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/skoda/yeti/2.0-tdi-elegance-2wd-110-ps/13/ref/blk_povd0fgarod3r2rx/

Very suspicious - could be ex rentals?

 

Also noticed that they are advertising loads of FL yetis at 10% discount, then quoting 10.5% APR finance - what about the official O% Skoda deal.....monkeys!

 

And, they have shown a FL on a "13" plate for sale, so that is incorrect as none here yet (well not on a "13" plate).

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/skoda/yeti/2.0-tdi-elegance-2wd-110-ps/13/ref/blk_povd0fgarod3r2rx/

 

Mm. I have a tiny suspicion that mine might have been an ex-rental. I asked what the history of it was when I test drove it as it wasn't a local vehicle, and was only a year old. I was told the guy had changed it for a DSG L&K, but when I got the V5 after buying it I saw that it had been company owned, and the company (among other things) did rental. 4X4 Yeti seems a strange choice for a rental car though, so who knows?

 

Short of ringing the company up and asking (and they probably wouldn't tell me) I don't know how you find out, or what you do with the information. I'm sure one of the boxes you have to tick when you trade a car in is to say that it wasn't a rental, so I would imagine that the same would apply to the car you're buying. Dunno - just a niggling doubt really. I've got a good relationship with the dealer so I don't imagine it would be in their interests to p*** me off with a dodgy motor.

Could be that the Yeti 4x4 is a popular choice of rental if in Scotland.

Well our yeti has arrived safely at our house with my husband enjoying his adventure and liking the car too. Can't post pictures yet as it was dark when he came home, although I do have some from the garage that he took - will try to upload. Had a drive thus evening and it is smashing - only 2035 miles on clock, immaculate condition and is actually shark blue not aqua. Haven't properly seen the colour yet and cat quite believe we own a yeti! Tried out the heated seats already - whoop whoop - fantastic! We are very happy bunnies

Oh doh I can't remember how to post photos on here

Well our yeti has arrived safely at our house with my husband enjoying his adventure and liking the car too. Can't post pictures yet as it was dark when he came home, although I do have some from the garage that he took - will try to upload. Had a drive thus evening and it is smashing - only 2035 miles on clock, immaculate condition and is actually shark blue not aqua. Haven't properly seen the colour yet and cat quite believe we own a yeti! Tried out the heated seats already - whoop whoop - fantastic! We are very happy bunnies

 

Great news, pleased everything went well. Now don't forget to throw away your husbands razor if he wants to join the Yeti gang

Well our yeti has arrived safely at our house with my husband enjoying his adventure and liking the car too. Can't post pictures yet as it was dark when he came home, although I do have some from the garage that he took - will try to upload. Had a drive thus evening and it is smashing - only 2035 miles on clock, immaculate condition and is actually shark blue not aqua. Haven't properly seen the colour yet and cat quite believe we own a yeti! Tried out the heated seats already - whoop whoop - fantastic! We are very happy bunnies

Yo girl your like a child on Christmas morning its lovely to see.

Glad it all went ok for you, don't have the nerve to take this type of risk myself.

 

Mine is Shark Blue and its a lovely colour slightly darker than the Aqua Blue it replaced, the colour also changes depending on light sometimes looks silver other times a light blue and sometimes a medium blue.

 

Heat seated are great, only remembered i had them this last weekend! waiting for a frost so i can try the heated windscreen that i had as an option on mine..

Shark Blue is very nice.

Great outcome, now for some good weather to get a good coat of wax on.

You do realise washing and waxing is the ladies job and driving comes down to the man of the house.

Oh doh I can't remember how to post photos on here

 

Sounds like someone is a seriously happy bunny!  It's not very obvious how to post photos - I had the same problem a couple of days ago; I was looking for an "Attachments" button or similar. You have to click "More Reply Options" and then it appears at the bottom of the page! Now you have no excuse.