Hello from SW France

[Thwyllo]

Passat/Nissan Terrano driver here looking to buy a small all-round 4wd keeper in spring; currently gravitating towards a late Yeti with a weather eye on the Octavia Scout.

[YS53]

Hi Thwyllo

Yeti seems a very nice car - we thought seriously about buying a Yeti recently but in the end bought a (sort of) 4x4 - a 2005 Honda CR-V 2.2 cdti exec.I took a risk on an older CR-V model as (1) I prefer the design (look) and (2)  No DPF etc.

Nice to drive,adequate power and does at least 40mpg - we have not done enough mileage in it to have an exact mpg figure yet 

The only thing I slightly dislike about the CR-V is the positioning/design of the gear lever,it seems a little awkward changing from 1st to 2nd,all other gear changes are fine.

[Thwyllo]

5 minutes ago, YS53 said:

Hi Thwyllo

Yeti seems a very nice car - we thought seriously about buying a Yeti recently but in the end bought a (sort of) 4x4 - a 2005 Honda CR-V 2.2 cdti exec.I took a risk on an older CR-V model as (1) I prefer the design (look) and (2)  No DPF etc.

Nice to drive,adequate power and does at least 40mpg - we have not done enough mileage in it to have an exact mpg figure yet 

The only thing I slightly dislike about the CR-V is the positioning/design of the gear lever,it seems a little awkward changing from 1st to 2nd,all other gear changes are fine.

Useful feedback - thanks. I have to admit that Honda tops the reliability stakes - my experiences with my Passat haven't exactly enamoured me with the VW marque so maybe I'll take a look!

[YS53]

I did not mean to put you off a Yeti - I really do like them.

I guess it depends on how capable you need your 4x4 to be - and also that the later (newer) CR-V is not IMO as attractive to look at.

And of course you probably do not want such an old car LOL.

The CR-V has quite a clever drive system and is only 4 wheel drive when it needs to be,but it is not a serious off roader.

 

rgds YS

[Thwyllo]

Not at all, it's a bit more complicated as usual! The Yeti ticks a lot of boxes but I'm still torn.

 

I live in SW France a few miles from the Pyrenees and while I don't do serious offroading these days, I still like to do forest tracks and moderate stuff when the mood takes me. And since I've just retired it's a choice between a decent runaround/ + older 4wd, or a newer all-rounder (4wd) and a cheap shopping trolley. We do 2-3 trips a year to the UK clocking up 3,000 miles at a time so that fuel economy is important.

 

The Yeti ticks a lot of boxes on the "newer all-rounder" list where I've also looked at the Hyundai Tucson. Then again, the idea of an older 4wd that I don't mind messing up is more appealing and the Honda's reliability record is a major plus there. Men and cars eh? I'll probably end up with a bloody Mazda MX-5! 

[YS53]

Ah yes I know the problem well 

We recently sold our Fabia 1.9 Tdi (which was my 'last diesel' LOL)

I retired 3 years ago and I had always intented to get some sort of 4x4/SUV for living back in Scotland.

With all the 'anti diesel' fashion for the last couple of years I fully intended to get a wee petrol car,but in the end I thought 'Bollards to it all' and bought the 05 CR-V.

I had ended up looking at older RAV 4's and Vitara's etc as well as CR-V's,I saw the CR-V exec locally and it was top spec  with all the toys - other than a pre winter service - all I have done so far is to rip out (carefully remove) the old Double Din Stereo/Satnav as the original satnav was clunky/hard work to use,anyway we have about 5 excellent garmin satnavs in the house !

I fitted a fairly nice Pioneer DD radio.

We also have a 2002 VW Polo 1.4 which we use for all the mundane trips/shopping/airports etc

 

rgds YS

[YS53]

4 hours ago, Thwyllo said:

 

I live in SW France a few miles from the Pyrenees

 

Sounds nice,I have not been down to the S of France for many years.

I drove a Hillman Hunter 1725 GLS (Holbay) down to the S coast in 1981 via SRN4 Hovercraft from Pegwell and over the Maritime Alps.

4 speed with electric overdrive - lovely old car just getting into its power band at 85mph in O'drive.

[Thwyllo]

They don't make em like they used to do they. If I could find a decent classic with no ECU or any of that nonsense for decent money I'd buy it. First. At I ever owned was a Bedford HA van, based on the old MkI Viva..I remember stripping and fixing a blocked carb by the roadside in Cornwall and with just a screwdriver and a pair of pliers - happy days.

 

I remember doing the hovercraft as well...why did we let things like that die?

[YS53]

32 minutes ago, Thwyllo said:

I remember doing the hovercraft as well...why did we let things like that die?

 

They were ultra expensive to run LOL - in good weather it was a nice short  (30mins ?) crossing,but they were a bit of a 'mare in rough/choppy seas as one could not get away from our fellow passengers throwing up LOL.

The trip we took with the Holbay Hunter went really well until we got back to N France and found out there was a full Gale blowing in the channel,H'craft cancelled - we managed to get on the last Ferry before they too were cancelled (I was in the RAF and had to get back) I left my then GF + her Aunt throwing up in the lounge - I kept going out on deck because I love rough weather,the crew kept chasing me back in LOL.

The last time I drove to France (1990's) we took the car over on the Fast Ferry from Newhaven (at that time).

Edited 27 December, 2018 by YS53