Hi all,

So I'm trying to help my parents with getting some new cars.....

My Dad wants a new Mercedes E200 SE (fine) the spec is quite clear....

Then for my mum (and more appropriate for here) they are looking at getting a Yeti, now my dad really wanted to have a petrol yeti, but looking around it seems there is only one petrol yeti 4x4 is this right?

It seems that if you want a Yeti 4x4 is has to be diesel?

Also what's the difference between the normal yeti and the outdoor? Or is it just a special model?

So I have seen on orangewheels you can get a 2.0tdi se outdoors for around £18k is this a good price? (Not really up on Yeti prices?)

Sorry if these questions have been asked before! But thanks in advance for any help :-)

Dave

They are identical bar the outdoor has black mouldings on the door, lower sills and bumpers...to make it look tough.

 

Does she want/need an oil burner (diesel) and does she want/need a 4x4. There are 2 petrols,1.2Tsi and 1.8Tsi.

They have never needed a 4x4 before but they have just moved into the middle of no where with very small lanes, hills etc....which some times flood a little also their house is up a small hill with just a track :-) so I guess during winter the 4x4 would come in handy!

Good to know that it's just cosmetic differences! But it does seem if they want 4x4 it will have to be a diesel! Tbh petrol would be preferred if there was a 4x4 version reasonably priced!

There is a 1.8 petrol 4x4, but whats wrong with a diesel. Performace is great and cheaper to run.

 

The torque from a diesel makes for much smoother and quieter driving, and I think would be better in poor conditions as well when using the 4x4 drive.

Nothing wrong with a diesel, for some reason he just seemed to want a petrol lol I'm sure he will settle on a diesel, as I think they are quite set on a Yeti :-)

And as you say lots of positives regarding running costs for the diesel!

Best bet is to get a test drive , specially your Dad, in order to be convinced how much like a car these drive.

Before you rule out the petrol engines, there are various threads on here about how able the Yeti is in bad weather (including snow and ice) when fitted with winter tyres (and there seems to be quite a lot of evidence that 2WD and winter tyres will usually outperform 4x4 and the tyres it rolled out of the showroom on). Depending on how your mother intends to use the car (annual mileage, mainly short trips or long journeys etc.) don't necessarily rule out the 1.2 petrol - there are plenty of us on this forum that find it is more than sufficient for our needs. Although you will get better mpg from a diesel if the car is mainly going to be used for short trips on slow roads you might want to think about the DPF and regeneration issues before you make your decision. Suggest some research and then try and get decent test drives for any permutation of 2/4 wheel drive and engine (and gearbox - manual of DSG?) that seems to best fit your needs.

What you will get is the 'must have 4x4' owners telling you that's what you need when in fact it's only used 5% of the time...some think it's operating ALL the time. Meaning you are dragging it around 95% of the time. You will never get to test drive all the engine and drive variations in the conditions that you think might come about concluding that you will probably choose something that is 'over the top' for what is required. Cast your mind back to the 2FWD mini's that won all those rallies in the 60's. 

 

Not forgetting the E200 is only 2WD.

There is a 1.8 petrol 4x4, but whats wrong with a diesel. Performace is great and cheaper to run.

 

The torque from a diesel makes for much smoother and quieter driving, and I think would be better in poor conditions as well when using the 4x4 drive.

 

Sorry but I totally disagree with the those statements.

If you do low mileage then petrol's are cheaper than diesels to own and run.

I've had both diesels and petrol's and petrol cars are much quieter and smoother to drive.

If your parents do short journeys they will have a problem with the diesel in winter, you need to drive about four/five miles before the heater starts chucking any heat out and about six/seven miles for the engine to get to temperature

Regards all

Juan

Diesels only save cost over tens of thousands of miles and are presently under close scrutiny because their pollution levels are about to be the subject of EU legal action. The 1.2 2wd petrol is capable of anything which an ordinary older driver should attempt to do and with winter tyres will ensure terrific mobility. I've had both diesel 140 and petrol 4x4s and the petrol is the better drive. 4x4 in ordinary road use gives a real advantage-traction in poor conditions where 2wd may lead to scrabbling. and understeer on damp roundabout exits or where field drainage may affect country lane grip. Taxation based only on CO2 emissions has made diesel driving superficially and temporarily attractive.The Haldex 4x4 system is seamless and transfers drive between front and rear as needed, unlike older forms of 4wd there is almost no downside.

I will never forget pootling around London in snow -rare but amusing-in a fiat 127and being held up by a merc trying and failing to get out of a kerbside parking   spot as it gained some grip and then swung around 45 degreea and blocked an entire street! 

Motoring organisations  recommend that only buy a diesel if you now intend to exceed 16,000 miles a year as the initial cost & fuel price difference will not make these worthwhile come selling after 3-5 years.

This mileage used to be less in the - good old days- when petrol & diesel were very close in price, having just left Diesel engined cars after 20 years because my annual milage has dropped from around 21000 to under 10 per annum, Diesel just does not make any sense anymore specially with the addition on DPF's to these engines.

Motoring organisations  recommend that only buy a diesel if you now intend to exceed 16,000 miles a year as the initial cost & fuel price difference will not make these worthwhile come selling after 3-5 years.

 

That is purely a recommendation based on economics though (and economics based on a number of assumptions, such as people being happy to treat capital cost and running costs equally).

 

But clearly there are other reasons why you might prefer one to the other. Some people like the extra torque that diesels typically deliver, some the fact that you can get better performance for lower CO2 with the diesel, some that petrol-engined cars are quieter and a bit more refined, some that petrol doesn't have bring any notional DPF issues in tow and so on. People decide which model to buy on many other grounds than pure economics.

Some people like the extra torque that diesels typically deliver,

 

 

Having just come from a 3.6 V6 Superb I can tell you now that for driving around town, the low down torque of the diesel is an absolute joy.

 

Apprecaite the V6 is naturally aspirated, but the difference is astounding.  I really did miss the 170CR engine mated to the DSG box.

The price between petrol and diesel is closing again. Only this morning I filled up the Audi with petrol and noticed that diesel was just 2P a litre more expensive, this was at the Stevenage Asda branch. The same here in Dorset, the garage over the road from the office has diesel at almost the exact same price as diesel. The initial cost of the car maybe more, but then at resale you would currently get 90% or more of the difference back with a better trade-in. A8 diesels have a 1.5K+ premium over a petrol model of the same age at the moment.

You might also want to consider running costs and VED. I drove petrol engined cars until 5 years ago when I bought a 1.9tdi Roomster and I'm now on my second diesel Yeti and you'd have to drag me shouting and screaming back to petrol engines! 

If economy is of concern then I found the 110ps 2wd Yeti to be the best non-Greenline engine for fuel consumption, 47mpg over 3 years of ownership including about 15% towing a caravan. VED was also only£125. The Greenline diesels give far better mpg with the 1.6 engine.

 

My annual mileage is circa 8k and so far I haven't had any DPF problems and I don't even think about the economics of petrol v diesel, nowadays I go for stress free living and my current 140ps DSG 4x4 gives me what I want albeit with a slight financial penalty.

Fred

Hi Guys,

I've read all the posts.

 

1. For short distances, I agree that Petrol is better.

2. Been a Diesel "Freak" since 1980, My "Snowman" in the first 12 months averaged 570 KM "full tank to Red line, now at 2 years 30,000 KM averages 700 KM.

    The DSG Box is great  and I maintain my Rev's  between 1500/1800 KM Minimun, a diesel needs to work, to be provide best effiency .

 

Towing my Van only drop about 10/15%.

That is purely a recommendation based on economics though (and economics based on a number of assumptions, such as people being happy to treat capital cost and running costs equally).

 

 

Here’s how I decided that even with me doing only 7000 miles a year a diesel Yeti should cost me less overall than a petrol one.  The figures were true in April when I did the sum. I bought from savings, and do treat capital and running costs equally nowadays.

The 1.6 Greenline diesel should do 61.4mpg (mine actually is at 66mpg so far). so fuel costs £720 a year (at £1.389/litre)  The car costs £19605 (without discount) and annual tax is £30.

The 1.2 petrol should do 44.8mpg so fuel costs £840 a year (at £1.324/litre)  The car costs £18110 and annual tax is £145.

 

Interest rates are trivial nowadays, so soon after 4 years the diesel starts to be cheaper. I tend to keep a car for donkeys years - far more than 10 if possible. I have no idea if the cost of maintaining and repairing a diesel Yeti is more or less than a petrol. My diesel Golf needed repairs only on parts that are common.

Edited 4 August, 201411 yr by dutyhog

Sounds like break even is quicker than I thought 28000 miles ish-about as long as I expect to keep a car-so valuable only if resale is better-and so long as the present trend of banning/charging for access to cities doesn't change current market expectations.

Hi daveface, just to chuck my 2pence in;

I add to 'Paul52' comments, your parents should test drive different versions even if it means going to different dealers.

Your parents are going to pay a fair lump of money and I presume they plan to keep the car for a while (years).

You have diehard owners/drivers for both camps of petrol or diesel, your parents need the test drives and not just for 10 minutes or so.

If costs, both purchase and running are not a major factor, it may depend on what your parents are used to as petrol and diesel can both be messy.

I'm a diehard diesel owner/driver and have been over many years and different makes of cars. I won't buy a car unless it's diesel auto.

Cor! BRISKODA guys give you a lot to think about when you post a question, don't they?

All very interesting, I was weighing up before settling on my 1.2 perol FWD. Delighted as I recently posted, even though I'm doing more mileage than anticipated having just retired. You'd think less mileage after retirement, wouldn't you?

+1 to comments about winter tyres on a FWD being more effective than 4WD on normal tyres. Video on Autocar website shows the improved stopping distance. You'd save a lot on the initial purchase price, too.

A lot depends on personal preference, diesel/petrol. If money doesn't come into initial purchase price, just beware DPF regeneration, not a warranty item! You could always take their car out for a thrash, couldn't you?

You'll enjoy that.

Let us all know how your decision making process is going.

It's already been said but diesel isn't just about economy. It never ceases to amaze me the instant power available in any gear from my facelift Yeti. Admittedly it's a 170 but my previous 140 was still very good in this respect. My last none Yeti car was a 1.8 petrol Honda Civic - it was fast, no doubt about it but you had to rev the bollards out of it! I mean drop at least two gears to overtake anything on the motorway for instance. I will never go back to petrol!  

Hmmm... I'd love a 170 diesel 4x4 if funds permitted, I always plan my next car soon after purchasing one.

Am I unusual? Don't answer that!

What you will get is the 'must have 4x4' owners telling you that's what you need when in fact it's only used 5% of the time...some think it's operating ALL the time. Meaning you are dragging it around 95% of the time.

 

The rear wheels of a 4x4 Yeti are always driven.

The rear wheels of a 4x4 Yeti are always driven.

And the power vectored to them by the haldex system is varied -so on damp tarmac you have incomparable traction. It isn't like old style agricultural mud plugging systems. On my early Vitara for example 4wd was unsuitable on dry tarmac and only useful on loose or muddy surfaces.