Petrol options headache

[raysablade]

My wife's Yeti is almost 3 years old, she loves her car and had planned to keep it for between 7 and 10 years from new as she has for all the cars she's owned over the last 30 years.  The problem is that she forgot to order a heated windscreen when it was new  and I can tell that scraping her car most mornings in the winter is getting her down. We live in a terraced house so garaging isn't an option.

 

Given that she likes everything else, it seems sensible to trade her car in for a new one. 

 

She's a low milage driver, less than 5000 a year, so a petrol is the only fuel for her however when she bought her first Yeti she much preferred the 1.4 engine on test drives and opted for that in Elegance spec. 

 

The only petrol options now are the 1.8 L&K and a 1.2 Elegance, and i'm a bit concerned that if she opts for the 1.2 she will miss the extra power and we'll be in the same situation of having to trade it in. I know that she could take an extended test drive again but that won't give her the feel of the car fully laden and thats where the concerns lay that led to the 1.4.

 

So i was wondering if anyone has traded down from a 1.4 to a 1.2 and noticed a worrying difference? 

 

I don't mind the extra cost of the 1.8 not least because the options she is going to want will bring a 1.2 Elegance close to the price of a 1.8 L&K but the ongoing insurance and fuel costs and potential cost of maintaining a 4WD system she is rarely if ever going to use over 10 years, are things i'd prefer to avoid. 

 

PS I suppose that retrofitting a heated windscreen is a non-starter?

Edited 8 February, 2015 by raysablade

[Ryeman]

If it is possible the retrofit sounds good.

[Llanigraham]

From the comments of others, the power of the 1.2 is quite surprising, so it may be worth having a long test drive in one.

 

It shouldn't be that difficult to retro-fit a heated screen. It really only needs a switch, relay and a simple circuit powered off an ignition controlled supply. It could be totally independent so doesn't "interfere" with the CanBus system:

 

Simplistic:

wire from ignition controlled supply through a switch to the coil side of the relay, then to earth (Can actually put the switch either side of the relay)

wire from battery, via an in-line fuse, to the switch side of the relay then to the windscreen

[nomdeplume]

Throw away the scraper and instead pour tepid water over the affected windows. It takes no time at all and is much cheaper than changing the car or retrofitting a heated screen.

[Shanco]

• 'Coopers of Stortford' are advertising a 'Deluxe ultra powerful Ceramic Car Heater' that they claim is excellent for defrosting windscreens 'in seconds'.
• Price at present has been reduced from £14.99 to £7.99 plus p&p of £4.99.
• May not be what you want but thought it was worth mentioning.

Shanco

[Carlodiesel]

Better still

Get her a piece of plastic cut to size. Shut ends into the doors & wiper blades at 12 o clock, will keep it in place.

 

petrol options now are the 1.8 L&K and a 1.2

 I think too the 1.2 is more than enough for any woman.

 

 

Re Heated screens,

One windscreen guy told me, their not all there are Cracket up to be.

I'll get me coat.

 

 

One point. If your car is now 3 years old, just change it, its only money.

Plus it saves paying for an MOT.

Simples.

Edited 8 February, 2015 by Carlo diesel

[Llanigraham]

Better still

Get her a piece of plastic cut to size. Shut ends into the doors & wiper blades at 12 o clock, will keep it in place.

 

petrol options now are the 1.8 L&K and a 1.2

 I think too the 1.2 is more than enough for any woman.

 

 

Re Heated screens,

One windscreen guy told me, their not all there are Cracket up to be.

I'll get me coat.

 

 

One point. If your car is now 3 years old, just change it, its only money.

Plus it saves paying for an MOT.

Simples.

 

Me thinks that Carlo likes living dangerously!!

[Totally Square]

I think you can get the 1.2 chipped these days too, probably up to near the standard 1.4 power. Just a thought. I suspect the 1.8 + 4x4 to be a bit overkill if the 1.4 is sufficient. Also agree with Carlos, the overnight screen cover might be good to try if you don't mind the faff of taking it on and off / the local riffraff will leave it alone.

[raysablade]

Better still

Get her a piece of plastic cut to size. Shut ends into the doors & wiper blades at 12 o clock, will keep it in place.

 

petrol options now are the 1.8 L&K and a 1.2

 I think too the 1.2 is more than enough for any woman.

 

 

Re Heated screens,

One windscreen guy told me, their not all there are Cracket up to be.

I'll get me coat.

 

 

One point. If your car is now 3 years old, just change it, its only money.

Plus it saves paying for an MOT.

Simples.

 

The car has to be parked on the street often 100 yards from the house so anything the fits on the windscreen is likely to last a couple of nights at best. 

 

My concern over the 1.2 is that she test drove both that and the 1.4 when she bought the current Yeti and preferred the 1.4.

 

She always hires Fords when she is away and she has a choice because she loves the heated screens. Quite how she forgot to order one for the current car is beyond me.

 

I agree its only money but with a 10K trade in its going to be cost between 13K and 17K to change and when i think that she kept her previous Honda Civic for 10 years and did less than 50,000 miles it's a bit of a choker.     

Edited 8 February, 2015 by raysablade

[Ryeman]

If you're seriously not wanting to renew look at a retrofit option as an obvious out.

[raysablade]

If you're seriously not wanting to renew look at a retrofit option as an obvious out.

 

I think her whole approach a bit mad but until now the sums have worked out for her. The way she looks at it is that if you buy exactly what you want you won't want to change it for a few years so you can depreciate it over a much longer period.

[Urrell]

The way she looks at it is that if you buy exactly what you want you won't want to change it for a few years so you can depreciate it over a much longer period.

+1

We have taken 18 months to decide on what car and model to have.

Also even though the car is loaded with extras we will have the value of them as it's the intention to keep it for 10 or so years, the same as our previous cars.

[Ryeman]

+1

We have taken 18 months to decide on what car and model to have.

Also even though the car is loaded with extras we will have the value of them as it's the intention to keep it for 10 or so years, the same as our previous cars.

As long as the 'all new' (?) model isn't too hard to resist.

[Carlodiesel]

Llanigraham

 

"Me thinks that Carlo likes living dangerously!!"

 

Yup

But, also practicably...

 

"She's a slow milage driver, less than 5000"   So that is why I suggested Plastic for the screen. Obviously not a high mileage user. Just used to get her to hairdresser & the shops..... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now Running for cover

Edited 9 February, 2015 by Carlo diesel

[hmibennett]

If there's enough spare cash to even think about laying out 13-17 grand to avoid a few morning scrapings, I don't know what the problem is!

[137699]

Retrofitting the heated screen should indeed be possible.

 

The system is licensed from Ford (who own the patent for the technology) and heated screens are regularly retro-fitted on Ford vehicles.

 

It will require a new climatronic unit and will need coding (via VCDS or similar). A wiring loom may be needed also.

[john999boy]

I'd just like to point out that it is possible for women to make sensible decisions Carlo. The best one my wife made was marrying me! ;-)

Anyway, back OT and I know full well how one little omission from the car's spec can cause problems. Only the OP (or his wife) can decide what the cost is in solving it though.

[raysablade]

I'd just like to point out that it is possible for women to make sensible decisions Carlo. The best one my wife made was marrying me! ;-)

Anyway, back OT and I know full well how one little omission from the car's spec can cause problems. Only the OP (or his wife) can decide what the cost is in solving it though.

 

Indeed and and plenty of food for thought here, thanks everyone.

 

Investigating retrofitting does seem a sensible first step.

 

The situation has made me realise how restrictive Skoda UK's options are.  

[ColinD]

Since when did gender have anything to do with capacity?

 

 

src: http://www.susiewolff.com/

Anyhow like most things in life you do adapt... so the lack of power between a 1.4 and 1.2 might on paper be some. In real life, won't be that much at all.

 

It might mean leaving it in gear longer up a hill or two, but she will adapt. If it helps I went from a 200+hp superb 4x4 to a 75hp citigo... The only time I notice the difference in 'grunt' is overtaking on A roads and up hills... Everywhere else, there is traffic. If it's an open road I can still be brisk, just differently.

 

I think the range options are such that one meets emissions, the other is what everyone after petrol will order.

 

 

HTH.

[x19]

Throw away the scraper and instead pour tepid water over the affected windows. It takes no time at all and is much cheaper than changing the car or retrofitting a heated screen.

Unless the screen is actually warmed up (and not using hot water for obvious reasons), whilst cold/tepid water will clear it in the very short term, as soon as the car is driven away in low temperatures it frosts/ices over again. I find this happens quite often with de-icer as well.

[ColinD]

You could look into a window surface treatment too. These essentially fill in the little gaps that ice clings too. Making it easier to clear.

 

Aqualpel is one, in the UK it's rebranded to Duxback. ALso helps driving rain disperse too. Can also be applied to the side windows, reduces icing there too, so less stuck windows.

[siloko]

I have to admit I thought the heated front windows was standard with the Elegance spec, we've just bought the lower SE and every one we looked at had heated front windows. Ours is just 2 years old maybe the standard spec changed over time?

[900000]

I would think a heated windscreen retrofit will be pretty easy. And I would not replace the whole climate unit just to get the correct button. That would be VERY costly - I'd say four figures costly including labour. Just get the windscreen (which should be about £500-600) and any competent auto-electrician will be able to wire it to a dedicated button with a timer switch (labour and fitting about £200 as a guess). Not rocket science this. You could even try to get a blank button to use one of the five under the heating and ventilation controls (assuming you have some free).

 

As to the 1,2: it is powerful enough one up for sure. But if her dismissing it first time around was due to the performance fully laden: then she's a sharp cookie. I can't think of anything worse to want to do a big long trip in than a fully laden Yeti 1,2 with that micro-engine to get me to safely overtake. It simply doesn't have the reserve power to do that safely. (And yes I have driven a 1,2 DSG with four people in it) So I would suggest you stay clear.

 

As to her never needing 4x4: you are wrong there. An all wheel drive system is like ESP. You never know how much it has saved your bacon because it will prevent you from having accidents in the first place. It just seamlessly puts the power down, rain or shine. You might both think you don't need it, but trust me it adds another layer of confidence to the Yeti. Try to get a dealer demo 1,8 L&K to replace your 1,4.

[raysablade]

Try to get a dealer demo 1,8 L&K to replace your 1,4.

 

Looking at the Skoda used stock and on Autotrader i'm wondering if there are more than a handful of these cars in the UK.

 

I'll make some calls at the weekend.

 

It does make you envy our continental cousins, i just checked Skoda.de and you can spec the 1.4 in manual or DSG in Elegance or L&K.

[Ryeman]

Looking at the Skoda used stock and on Autotrader i'm wondering if there are more than a handful of these cars in the UK.

 

I'll make some calls at the weekend.

 

It does make you envy our continental cousins, i just checked Skoda.de and you can spec the 1.4 in manual or DSG in Elegance or L&K.

Try living in the antipodes .....we get what we're given.