The problem I have with the new range of VAG "Yeti" replacement vehicles is that they continually grow in size - longer, wider etc. The same thing happens with most cars, just look at the growth of Golf's since first introduced. I appreciate that safety elements caused some of the growth but surely we are past that now? The current Yeti was the right size in that it maximised internal space within a relatively small footprint and higher driving position. Could hold 4 people in comfort with a reasonable sized boot (without the spare wheel). Easy to park, fitted within normal parking bay and fitted most garages. I really don't need or want a larger car. Maybe the rumoured Fabia crossover will work.

 

4 minutes ago, Expatman said:

The problem I have with the new range of VAG "Yeti" replacement vehicles is that they continually grow in size - longer, wider etc.

 

When the latest incarnation of the Polo was launched someone pointed out that it is bigger than the Mk 1 Golf!

All cars are getting bigger. Have you seen the size of the new Nissan 'Micra'?

Or indeed the various modern incarnations of the BMW MINI.  It's quite a shock to see an original Mini on the road these days, and to realise just how tiny it looks in comparison to modern "superminis".

but the increase in car size could be connected to bodies getting 'bigger' as well  -  mr blobby rules  :-((

2 hours ago, Frenchtone said:

but the increase in car size could be connected to bodies getting 'bigger' as well  -  mr blobby rules  :-((

Sadly that's true but at least the overweight should die early so helping the Health Service and Pensions to survive. Life expectancy is expected to fall despite what the PC brigade say about stigmatising the obese. 

19 minutes ago, Expatman said:

Sadly that's true but at least the overweight should die early so helping the Health Service and Pensions to survive. Life expectancy is expected to fall despite what the PC brigade say about stigmatising the obese. 

 

What an unpleasant post!

Edited 4 May, 20179 yr by oldstan
spelling (couldn't see properly over my vast bulk)

^ ^ oooohh you cynic you, think we came out the same mould!!

Edited 4 May, 20179 yr by Frenchtone

58 minutes ago, oldstan said:

 

What an unpleasant post!

It was not meant to be unpleasant but tragically it's true. We are becoming a nation of overweight people and the health implications that come with it - diabetes, heart conditions, joint failure etc. will all fall on the health service. We can choose to bankrupt ourselves or find a way of getting people to take responsibility for their weight. I look at photos from my childhood in the 50's and 60's and fat children were very rare. Look at them now.

Yes of course what you say is relevant and essentially factually correct... but the line ... 'Sadly that's true but at least the overweight should die early' is hardly the right way to get the message across.  I still rate it as unpleasant and tasteless... especially to those who, for medical reasons, struggle to maintain a good weight. 

 

We could drag this out, I'm sure, but I've made my point, hopefully without causing undue offence.

15 minutes ago, oldstan said:

Yes of course what you say is relevant and essentially factually correct... but the line ... 'Sadly that's true but at least the overweight should die early' is hardly the right way to get the message across.  I still rate it as unpleasant and tasteless... especially to those who, for medical reasons, struggle to maintain a good weight. 

 

We could drag this out, I'm sure, but I've made my point, hopefully without causing undue offence.

Agreed. No offense either way I hope.

I am convinced about the fat virus theory.

Obesity spread across America from the coast the way a virus would spread. It is a documented fact that chickens after catching a known virus eat themselves to death. Humans are more sensible and tend to just get heavy.

Interesting that the main news this morning was about eating disorders and people starving themselves to death. This is seen as a medical issue and is treated. Those overweight are just told to control themselves and left to their own devices.

95% of people who do lose weight then put it back on over several years so eating less does not seem to work.

There is a terrible bias against those overweight which denies the true facts and prevents them getting the help they need.

I know threads always wander in a mysterious way from what they started out as, but is it time to get back on track. This could get a bit sensitive.

 

Colin

From what I read in a magazine interviewing someone from Skoda, the drop in the Yeti name was a mix of market research and aligning the various VAG marques. 

 

So all Skoda SUVs will be K...., VW T..., Seat A.... and Audi will be Q.... 

 

Whilst the original Yeti was unique at the time, it's looks didn't help sales. The face-lift has been around about as long as the original, but has sold more than 4x as many globally. 

 

I think that sums up why it was facelifted - as unpopular as that decision is/was with some. 

 

 

On 02/05/2017 at 12:35, Awayoffski said:

Who said anything about DIY'ers, if there is a demand for used YETI 2009-2017 there will be those with the gear and an idea to keep them going.

Nothing unique about them other than body panels and they are not going to be unavailable any time soon.

Other parts are VW Group Euro 5 or euro 6.

 My wife and I moved last year and used a garage in Devon for many years. The guy who owns it would agree 100% with this. It's a body, a chassis and running gear. 

He would lose no sleep over adapting any parts from any other vehicles to keep a car running. 

He adapted a Reliant Robin years ago. Put a Lotus Cortina engine in it! He builds 4 wheel drive vehicles using tuned Nissan 3.5 litre engines that make Landrovers look very tame indeed. 

Always a way. 

But possibly not legal as the car will have been stripped of all the components which it had to be built with to meet emission controls etc?

What we could do years ago is a lot less likely in the future. I have put bigger engines into my car myself in the past but it seems unlikely now unless I could find a suitable donor car complete with all emission control ancillaries

Eg a new car now will have to comply with Euro 6. I cant imagine dropping in an older 3.5lt engine would allow it to pass the mot!

Since this is a subject on what can be done, VW group euro 5 and euro 6 engines and drive trains will be readily available from breakers as they are now.

Even Euro 5 TDI's that have or not had the fix.

 

If you want a YETI anytime into the future it will just have to be a used one and in the UK you might have 50,000 or so knocking about for another good few years.

As to replacement Petrol or Diesel engines if you do not want used you can get a New / Refurbished VW Base Engine in a crate for a lot less than Skoda shows in the price of Warranty Invoices, and DSG or Manual boxes as well for less than the £5,000 you mentioned in a post for a rebuild.

 

If anyone has a Yeti 1.8TSI or buys one with a bad engine there is always the option of fitting a Audi TTRS engine or similar.

Good example of how in the Yeti Projects.

Edited 4 May, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

Undoubtedly cars have got bigger. My theory isn't just related to body size of us the driver.

 

People buy into a brand, and grow with it, young lady might buy a fabia, get a partner, a mountain bike and/or a child. If the car she loves can grow with her, then easier the new car choice.

 

Cars in general have gotten fatter for crash saftey, the pedestrian impact work, has lowered the nose and crash structures padded out door and pillar structures. The polo has gotten bigger, but the lupo filled the gap.

 

A volvo 940 is still a big car when you see it, and it's mostly air. What gets me is the 'new' estate generation have non flat floors in vag land. Unless you buy a horrendous variable floor bit of hardboard.

 

So cars have gotten fatter due to tech, safety, marketing and people, us demanding more comfort/space. Another good lineage to consider is the MX5, from the mk! to the mk whatever, lets say 2. Then the 2.5 US spec, bigger seats, heated seats, more toys like AC, in a rag top? Then the 1.6mkI and a 1.8mkII were level pegging round a track; I tried, then they got bigger again, a snug fit for a avg bmi 5'11'chap at best.

 

 

 

 

This is from 2009! Over a decade in design and safety since these were made, let alone designed; I assume the modus was designed.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, ColinD said:

I assume the modus was designed.

 

   

I thought they were made from left over bits of Scenic....

7 hours ago, ColinD said:

So cars have gotten fatter due to tech, safety, marketing and people, us demanding more comfort/space. Another good lineage to consider is the MX5, from the mk! to the mk whatever, lets say 2. Then the 2.5 US spec, bigger seats, heated seats, more toys like AC, in a rag top? Then the 1.6mkI and a 1.8mkII were level pegging round a track; I tried, then they got bigger again, a snug fit for a avg bmi 5'11'chap at best.

 

With the MX-5, Mazda are the only manufacturer I can think of who have bucked the trend. Given the current Mk4 is marginally shorter than the Mk1 and nearly exactly the same weight.... whilst still complying with modern safety standards.

On 05/05/2017 at 09:45, ColinD said:

I assume the modus was designed.

20 hours ago, Citigopher said:

I thought they were made from left over bits of Scenic....

 

Did you watch the video?  You don't get a five star NCAP crash rating by flinging a few bits together from a parts bin.  The Modus might not have huge aesthetic appeal (depending on your taste - and let's face it the Yeti isn't everyone's idea of a looker) but it seems to have been pretty effective at doing what it is designed to do.

 

The Espace vs Disco video linked from the one ColinD posted is interesting as well.  In it, they talk about how the Espace uses the A pillar and the sills to channel impact energy around the passenger cabin rather than through it.  Couple tricks like that with the modern tendency to fit airbags everywhere you look and you may begin to understand some of the clever juggling that designers have to do to make the metalwork and the ergonomics fit together.

 

Engineering vs marketing - who'd win in a fight?

Edited 6 May, 20179 yr by ejstubbs

 I did watch the video, showed it to a friend years ago who had a 940 for another week.

 

I wasn't questioning the engineering... function over form always wins for me. I was being picky when I said designed. I'm a software engineer, people ask me if I do websites, yes, oh your a web site designer... no I engineer, but it will be grey and straight lines. For design, you need person x. HTH.

 

No doubting the engineering required!

Someone I know tested their MK I Octavia's structural integrity a few years ago after an incident involving flooring a 2 litre auto towards a large major ring road sized lamp post, bus shelter and a fence & posts (caused by a medical incident) -  Fortunately NO ONE HURT except for a few seat belt bruises/marks 

 

However the attached picture shows how even on the MKI Octavia the impressive crumple zones where the bonnet end of the car consists of the main chassis (not visible in photo) and additional crumple zones under the front wing mountings (conveniently peeled out of the way by the accident!). The front cross member was pushed back a considerable distance and the front wheel/strutt was pushed hard against the NS door pillar. Assorted bearings were picked up from the crash site!! 

All doors opened an there was no accident intrusion of the interior - ignoring the air bag deployments!

 

 

I also still have a similar age Octavia which because of the above "testing" was happy to use when my son was learning to drive and afterwards when he was/is home from University. 

A bit more on it's replacement 

http://www.carshowroom.com.au/news/2018-skoda-karoq-debuts-oz-arrival-q2-2018/?utm_source=CSR+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0db31f2917-CSR+Weekly+Wrap+-+May+19th+2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f85b6ed6b3-0db31f2917-57838697