Hi all.first of all apologies for the silly question.

I've had my used tdi 140 bhp Yeti since Saturday and it's my first car of this size/type. (Coming from a BMW 1 series)

I love the Yeti so far but would like to share a couple of things I noticed and I'm not sure if they are just normal..

1) the Yeti feels heavy...in particular in first and second gear the vehicle feels really heavy. Once in third the drive feels much smoother

2) the front Dunlop tyres look deflated. I've checked the pressure twice already and it's fine however the two front tyres look a bit flat to me.is it because of the weight? They are currently at 32 psi...should I inflate them more? I've read different recommendations about this.

3) drives and sounds a bit like a van and is not the most silent of cars

You will have to forgive me for the silliness of my comments but I'm really new to suv type of cars and didn't know what to expect. Having said all of the above I do love the car [emoji4]

Hi

All of the above is normal and nothing to worry about.

1. You will find the gearing very different in any SUV-type vehicle compared to something like a 1-series. You don't say which engine 1-series but if this was petrol then the effect will be even more so.

2. As long as you have checked your pressures (with two different gauges if you're unsure) then leave alone. You don't want to drive on overinflated tyres. A slight deflated look (esp on the front wheels) is typical and will be again more noticeable if your 1-series was on runflat tyres.

3. Again you are comparing chalk and cheese. I don't think that the Yeti is that noisy but compared to some cars (esp a petrol BMW for example) is may seem a bit louder. The. Yeti has relatively wide wheels as well which will add the the sound. Any taller vehicle can feel very different to a car. CoG will be different and suspension will have more give in it that in a lower sportier car. Also the more upright driving position will make the car feel different.

You have not described anything that sounds odd to me so don't worry and enjoy your new toy!

(PS - I went through the exact same thing when I switched in the past from a Mondeo to a Freelander and from a Merc to the Yeti)

Cheers

Rog

Hi & Welcome,

 1. My 170 TDI, I have used the select auto 1,2,3,4 around town, and I learnt't a long time ago,

     when Diesel's are new , the more Rev's are better.

 2. My Tyre Tech advised to increase all 4 tyres to 40 psi. , Ride is a little harsh but not uncomfortable.

      I have done 1200KM in 1 day, and my "Snowman" felt like  I had just stepped in to it.

 

3.  Depends on whether Windows are down or up.

1. Someone else will have to help you on this one - I have the DSG and it feels very sprightly.

2. I have my fronts at 35psi and rears at 44psi. This is the "loaded" setting but I always run my cars at the upper settings - the tyres look more inflated and it doesn't affect handling or comfort adversely but will improve fuel economy.

3. I would prefer MORE engine noise - there's not enough of it for my liking so I find myself looking at the rev counter to work out when to instigate a gearchange.

Thank you all for such quick replies..and sorry if I won't reply individually to each of you but I'm at work using tapatalk on my phone

The 1 series was a 118d M Sport so run flat tyres, hard suspensions etc.

The yeti engine makes some sort of "rolling" noise...is this normal?

Regarding the tyres and based on your comments I might have to add an extra 2/3 PSI...

My very first ride was a 6 hours drive from Truro to Harrogate

Do you guys think I should give it a bit more revs in the first two gears considering the weight of the car? I'm always quite cautious with revving as my small brain thinks that by keeping revs to a minimum I look after the engine better [emoji16]

1st gear is quite low, so normally on level ground should only be used to get the car rolling then into second, no point revving in first you won't gain anything.

By the way, this is what I went for.

It's in immaculate condition and although the mileage is quite high the car has been well looked after and driven on motorways...last year also got gear box, clutch and flywheel replaced.

I got it for 10k. What do you all think? http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=291243701616&globalID=EBAY-GB&alt=web

I just want to be sure that mechanically it's as immaculate as the rest...But hard for me to say being new to this type of vehicles..

The only thing I want to change is the wheels as I'd like some Annapurna ones and would also like to add the Bluetooth module (any advice on that will be appreciated. Also if you know of anyone in Yorkshire who could do the work)

Edited 25 September, 201411 yr by c1181427

Looks a good buy, and that number plate must be worth a bit!

 

If you look inside the petrol cap there are a list of the tyre pressures need. I run mine at the fully loaded setting all the time.

How much life is left in the Dunlops? I find that many tyres get noisier as they wear down. That may also be the cause of the "rolling" noise.

 

Remember that you are now driving a diesel 4x4, not a petrol saloon. First especially is lower geared for use in inclement conditions, so you don't need to "hold" the gear for long. Second is slightly higher, then third you can really let it get it's legs.

1st gear is quite low, so normally on level ground should only be used to get the car rolling then into second, no point revving in first you won't gain anything.

 

This.  On page 175 of the owner's manual, under Shifting gears and saving energy it says: "Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear."

 

2) the front Dunlop tyres look deflated. I've checked the pressure twice already and it's fine however the two front tyres look a bit flat to me.is it because of the weight? They are currently at 32 psi...should I inflate them more? I've read different recommendations about this.

 

It's quite normal for the front tyres to look a little flatter than the rears and, yes, it's because of the weight of the engine & transmission at the front.  My old Impreza used to be like that as well.  You'll get used to it.  It doesn't mean that the pressures are wrong (though you should always check the pressures regularly, of course).

 

I wouldn't increase the pressure just to make them look less flat.  In fact, I personally would not suggest running pressures other than those recommended by Skoda and/or the tyre manufacturer.  A significant minority of Yeti drivers find the ride a bit harsh; increasing tyre pressures is only going to exacerbate that (or make it noticeable if it wasn't before, depending on whether or not you were sensitive to it to begin with).  These guys reckon running higher than recommended tyre pressures has snuff all benefit for fuel economy.  The downsides to running the tyres at too high a pressure are poorer grip and uneven tread wear.  At the end of the day it's your choice, but you should be aware of the implications before deciding what to do.

 

3) drives and sounds a bit like a van and is not the most silent of cars

 

Having come from an Impreza, the Yeti is a certainly noticeably different drive.  The higher stance does make it more prone to body roll on cornering, but the surprising thing for me is how well controlled it is in the Yeti compared to some other SUV-style vehicles.  I can't hustle it along Scottish A roads with quite the same brio that the Impreza allowed, but it's still perfectly capable of 'pressing on' when conditions are favourable.

 

The Yeti is decidedly not like a van in terms of the visibility that the higher driving position gives you, because it has glass where a van has metal.  It's also superior in that respect compared to a great many other small and medium-sized SUVs, for which the current, inexplicable fashion seems to be to have letterbox-sized rear windows.

 

In terms of cabin noise, the Yeti is far quieter than my Impreza used to be (though it's true that the Scooby's cabin noise might have deteriorated imperceptibly slowly over the eleven years I owned it).  Yes, the engine is noticeable, but then it is a comparatively large diesel in a fairly compact engine bay.  (I don't know if the 1.6 is any quieter?)  OTOH you're not paying for prestige brand levels of refinement.  (As an aside: I once had a diesel Octavia as a courtesy car when the Yeti was in for a service.  I didn't realise that the engine was actually running when I first sat in the Octavia, it was so quiet.  As soon as I started driving it, though - OMG, the racket!  The Yeti was far more relaxing to drive in comparison.)

 

I'm not sure what a "rolling" noise might be like.  Are we talking a ball bearing rolling a sheet of glass, a Double Gloucester cheese rolling down a hill, or a drunken sailor rolling back to his ship?  If the engine revs seem to be fluctuating at idle then that might not be right.  Otherwise, not sure.  If you could record it and post the sound clip on here, other owners would be able to tell you pretty quickly whether or not it sounds right.

Looks a good buy, and that number plate must be worth a bit!

If you look inside the petrol cap there are a list of the tyre pressures need. I run mine at the fully loaded setting all the time.

How much life is left in the Dunlops? I find that many tyres get noisier as they wear down. That may also be the cause of the "rolling" noise.

Remember that you are now driving a diesel 4x4, not a petrol saloon. First especially is lower geared for use in inclement conditions, so you don't need to "hold" the gear for long. Second is slightly higher, then third you can really let it get it's legs.

Unfortunately the car didn't come with that number plate

The tyres are almost new to be honest. plenty of tread left.

I guess (and hope) it's just me and I just need to get used to it.

I'm tempted to stop at the local Skoda garage on my way home today but what could I ask them? To check if the car sounds "fine" ?

Ejstubbs, I completely agree with your comments on tyres.

As for the rolling noise it's hard to tell unfortunately..

For its size it is a heavy vehicle and due to its height, and common to 4 coil sprung SUVs, the ride is sporty firm.

The heavy diesel over the low profile fronts in particular need closer to 40psi and depending on the load possibly the rears also.....at least that's my experience with it.

Only point I have to add, is to make sure you check tyre pressures when they are cold.

Even a short journey will put some warmth into them and increase the pressures a bit; if you set them when warm, as they cool down the pressures will decrease a little.

If you do decide to increase the pressure in your tyres, please dln't go over the maximum stated in your fuel flap for your engine type. Over inflated tyres will wear out faster and will decrease your grip amd can therefore be dangerous. Tyre and vehicle manufacturers don't just guess these pressures!

Cheers

Rog

Edited 25 September, 201411 yr by rriggs

Think that my tyres were inflated to the pressure given when last tested ,on a good road ,I'm more than happy with the ride and I am still I mpressed with smooth and quiet ride.

Do you guys think I should give it a bit more revs in the first two gears considering the weight of the car? I'm always quite cautious with revving as my small brain thinks that by keeping revs to a minimum I look after the engine better [emoji16]

The CR Engines like to rev, don't be afraid of pushing it as a new engine, as the car is "learning" for the first 3000 miles it's better to drive it fairly hard. That's the advice I was given from the Skoda tech when mine was new and it certainly helped run the engine in.

For me, lots of welly in the 3/4K range to get the rings to bed in and avoid glazed bores.

Your 118d engine probably felt better than the Yetiäs because the car was lighter, it was RWD and the engine was smoother and quieter. It may just take a while to learn the new gearing and optimal revs for changing gears. On the other hand, I imagine that the ride quality and road noise is far better in the Yeti. I find mine to be incredibly quiet and relaxing, especially after I have been driving my other car (which I also use on the track).