My Yeti is now more than six years old and whilst I've no thoughts of changing it for the foreseeable future it is beginning to exhibit some of the problems of increasing age - as is its owner. And that got me to thinking about what a valuable forum this has proved to be over those years. Forum members patiently answered my questions and concerns when I was trying to decide whether to buy a Yeti or not and once I had bought it the forum was a vital supplement to the handbook for the "what does that do?" questions - it seems I wasn't alone with the length of the I Didn't Know The Yeti Did That thread and it was probably 18 months before I found out all its quirks and foibles. Because of the advice of some of the most respected members of the forum at that time I negotiated 16" wheels for my Elegance - personal choice and I still don't regret it - and having replaced the tyres twice this decision has saved me over £100 a set compared to the 17" equivalent. One of the tailgate struts became very squeaky during the extended warranty I'd paid for but the local dealer I'd purchased the car from (and who did the servicing) refused to replace it under warranty despite an email from Skoda UK saying it was covered but were happy to do one strut for around £110 including labour. I'm not very practical with cars but a quick check on the forum and a few days later fitted two new struts for £30 and 5 minutes work saving £80, a forty mile round trip and a half a day waiting in the dealership. 

 

Later on I had a strong oily smell in the car but lifting the bonnet couldn't see anything obviously amiss. A local garage spent a couple of hours looking for the cause but drew a blank. In fairness they didn't charge me for their time. A second poke under the bonnet and a pipe that looked like it ought to be fixed moved! Back to the forum and it was a breather pipe valve had broken, apparently a common problem on these engines. Armed with forum members advice I ordered and fitted the new part - 10 minutes and less than £10 delivered. I'm sure the main agent dealer could have diagnosed the problem and made the repair but thanks to you guys I would think at least £80 labour, probably at least another £10 on the cost  of the part saved and a wasted day and 40 mile round trip avoided. This is the thread I followed (you may have to copy and paste)

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/435685-oily-smell-in-car-skoda-yeti-12-tsi/

 

 And finally in the last few days I've been a bit concerned to hear a "nylon cogs stripping themselves" noise from the vicinity of the fuel flap when locking and unlocking the car. Back to the forum where I became very concerned to read that if the locking system fails in the locked position it can't be reached from either inside the car or up through the wheel arch (even if I knew how to remove and replae the necessary parts without doing more damage). I could see an urgent and expensive visit to a local garage coming up as occasionally I have to do 400+mile runs in a day and the thought of the mechanism failing when needing to refuel at 10 o'clock at night 100 miles from home wasn't a happy one. Reading on there was advice how to "break" the lock if necessary as it's the only way to get access to make the necessary repairs but then some very clearly laid out instructions about how to replace the unit before disaster strikes - and only requiring a suitable Tork bit and some gentle but firm brute force. Yesterday following that advice I removed the old unit (so the flap no longer locks) and placed an order to Hortons for a replacement (£40 including delivery) and by next weekend all will be back to normal - total time yesterday less than 15 minutes. I'm guessing the forum advice saved me at least anoth £80 in labour, probably extra on the cost of the part and being without the car for a day. For anyone concerned with a sticking flap or "odd" noise and thinking prevention is better than cure the link to the advice I followed is

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/383230-fuel-filler-flap/page/3/

 

So I'd just like to say thank you to the forum members as a whole who have been very free with their advice and experiences to the benefit of everyone but especiially those more technically minded members who have spent the time (and in some case endured the hours of frustration) of remedying problems and then taking the time to post very full and clear explanations for the rest of us to follow. 

 

 

Hi Paul!  From memory, I think you were one of the latest (even the last?) to join the UK16"SpecialBuildClub.  A dwindling membership now, as guys move on - seven or eight years, now.  Good to know you're still happy with your hard-won wheels.  Myself, I still have twinges of regret for parting with my original 2.0 140 DSG 4x4 but it became rather a luxury when our caravanning days came to an end.   The precious 16" wheels, now on my 1.2 DSG, are about to have their third set of rubbers, to catch up with you!   Just for interest, what tyres are you on now?

 

 

Brian

Hi Brian. I was certainly one of the last in the 16" SBC if not the last. Presumably as cars have moved on there are a few people driving around on the "wrong" wheels - they may be a bit confused when they put in their reg number on some of the tyres sites! Part of my reasoning for choosing them was being much easier to clean than the 17" options - and so it's proved to be when I do get around to giving the poor beast a bath.

 

I've just bought my second set of Michelin Cross Climates.  It started with a puncture in one tyre which led to thinking about whether the cost of a repair would be better spent on a new tyre but I didn't want new rubber on just one corner so that meant a pair and with winter coming on I thought "s*d it - what's the point of being old and retired if you can't treat yourself" so it ended up as a full set from Black Circle Tyres! The last set still had a fair bit of life in them if I'd settled on the puncture repair but I still got 30,000 miles out of them so I'm not complaining. (Thinking about it, another saving thanks to the forum. I'd never heard of BCT not only did I save about £100 on having 16" rather than 17" wheels but buying from them also saved around another £50-£80 compared with local prices). 

Nice to hear of your satisfaction with your Yeti and successful DIY repairs 

 

Have a look on oponeo for tyres, they can often better the likes of black circles and mytyres on price. They also supply wheels if required

3 hours ago, Paul52 said:

Hi Brian. I was certainly one of the last in the 16" SBC if not the last. ....

You're right!  I've had a look into Ye Olde Crystal Ball ( a bit misty nowadays): 

quote

 

Brijo

Posted 24 January, 2014

.....AFAIK, Paul52 was the last to successfully order ex-works 16's, delivered May 2013.......Just for possible interest, the original known UK16"SpecialBuildClub membership was as follows: 

Full UK Members
The Plumber 110 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Candy White / Nov 10-Apr 11
Expatman 1.2 / El / DSG / 2WD / Lava Blue / Jan 12-Mar 12
My MINI me 140 / El / DSG / 4 x 4 / Silver / Aug 11-Apr 12
SnowYeti 1.2 / El / Man / 2WD / White / Feb 12-Jun 12
Nokiauk 140 / El / DSG / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Mar 12-Jul 12
Runswick Stag 110 / SE / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Mar 12-Sept 12
Brijo 140 / SE / DSG / 4 x 4 / Muscovado / Apr 12-Sept 12
Vegit8 140 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Apr 12-Oct 12
ATCO 140 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Jul 12-Oct 12
Paul52 1.2 / El / Man / 2WD / Metallic Green / Mar 13-May 13

 

unquote

 

I'm pretty sure there are three of us left, with just a possibility of one more. 

 

Sorry to take you off the wider Yeti topic. 

 

 

Edited 17 November, 20196 yr by Brijo

2 hours ago, Brijo said:

You're right!  I've had a look into Ye Olde Crystal Ball ( a bit misty nowadays): 

quote

 

Brijo

Posted 24 January, 2014

.....AFAIK, Paul52 was the last to successfully order ex-works 16's, delivered May 2013.......Just for possible interest, the original known UK16"SpecialBuildClub membership was as follows: 

Full UK Members
The Plumber 110 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Candy White / Nov 10-Apr 11
Expatman 1.2 / El / DSG / 2WD / Lava Blue / Jan 12-Mar 12
My MINI me 140 / El / DSG / 4 x 4 / Silver / Aug 11-Apr 12
SnowYeti 1.2 / El / Man / 2WD / White / Feb 12-Jun 12
Nokiauk 140 / El / DSG / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Mar 12-Jul 12
Runswick Stag 110 / SE / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Mar 12-Sept 12
Brijo 140 / SE / DSG / 4 x 4 / Muscovado / Apr 12-Sept 12
Vegit8 140 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Apr 12-Oct 12
ATCO 140 / El / Man / 4 x 4 / Steel Grey / Jul 12-Oct 12
Paul52 1.2 / El / Man / 2WD / Metallic Green / Mar 13-May 13

 

unquote

 

I'm pretty sure there are three of us left, with just a possibility of one more. 

 

Sorry to take you off the wider Yeti topic. 

 

 

Just to let everyone know I have bought 2 Yeti’s and spec’d 16” wheels on both. First in 2012, contacted Skoda UK and they said  'no problem’ intercepted the dealer order at the factory and made sure car was delivered with 16” wheels as I wanted. In 2017 realising that the Yeti was being discontinued and as I couldn’t find anything as good to replace it I ordered a new Yeti in March 2017 (1.2 Tsi DSG SE-L with extras) and again Skoda UK were happy to intercept order and deliver it with 16” wheels, even got the Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres I wanted!

This year I have changed tyres to Goodyear Vector All seasons Gen 2 because I am getting a bit too old to change to winter wheel/tyres then back to summer wheel/tyres twice a year. The Vector all seasons give a smooth compliant ride and are particularly quiet on all types of road - even concrete motorways on which the Efficientgrips would hum loudly. Incidentally I got the Vectors from Oponeo, quick delivery to fitter and no problems at all.