Yeti 1.8TSI - good idea, or not?

[Mikeymustard]

Hi all, I've recently been looking for an older motor with 4x4 capabilities. The OH has decided that diesel is a no no so it must be petrol.

I had originally decided on a Suzuki grand vitara, but I've kinda fallen for a bright red yeti in the same garage as a suzi I was looking at. 

Having done a bit of research, I've come across a few examples of engine problems in the 1.8, particularly regarding oil consumption and timing chain issues.

Is there something I can look out for (and anything else I might need to check), or are these engines just best avoiding?

Obviously, being an older car (I think it's got about 120k on it) nothing's problem-free and there's always an element of pot luck about it.

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

Look more at the possible 1.8TSI issues with the thread at the top of the Octavia Mk2 Section.

Then look at the available service record of the Yeti, and any warranty history.

How often has the Haldex had a service. Has the Diff had an oil change ever.

[silver1011]

I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole...

 

 

[delitfol]

Walk away, we sold ours after its oil consumption started increasing hugely, we tried everything but in the end, turned out to be the piston rings, pouring in some oil thickner like wynns held it for a short while so we got rid.  0.5L > 1L every 100 miles in the end.

 

The engine code the Yeti has for the 1.8 TSi is the worst of the bunch in terms of the model affected, the audi code CDAA.  

If you were to want to buy it, personally, i would ask for a 1 day loan, check the oil level when cold, then go and drive it 500 miles somewhere on the motorways with some revs, then let it cool and re-check the level.   Very likely it will need a clutch at that mileage also and the turbo dependent on its life. If they wont let you do that, i would walk.

[delitfol]

Another tip, start it from cold with a helper holding a piece of plain white paper to the exhaust, the exhaust will have oil in it if the rings are going and it will spit when started. 

[Mikeymustard]

Ok, well thanks everyone for your frank views 🙂

After finding a report on a US GTI site from an engineer explaining the issues with the tensioner panel, I'm definitely gonna give this one a miss.

 

However...... I've quite taken to the idea of a 4x4 yeti, so I've started to lean on the OH that a diesel wouldn't be such a bad idea after all! Would I be right in thinking the three iterations of the 2L are basically the same engine with different turbo and/or injectors?

[Mikeymustard]

Ok, well thanks everyone for your frank views 🙂

After finding a report on a US GTI site from an engineer explaining the issues with the tensioner pawl, I'm definitely gonna give this one a miss.

 

However...... I've quite taken to the idea of a 4x4 yeti, so I've started to lean on the OH that a diesel wouldn't be such a bad idea after all! Would I be right in thinking the three iterations of the 2L are basically the same engine with different turbo and/or injectors?

[Mikeymustard]

Sorry my edit went horribly wrong 😊

[Llanigraham]

Question, why do you want a 4x4?

[Mikeymustard]

50 minutes ago, Llanigraham said:

Question, why do you want a 4x4?

Because having the 4x4 button makes me better than my next door neighbour 🙄

I'm not sure if I should feel offended by your question but I'm sure you've asked it in good faith and I'll answer it as such: I'm a volunteer ranger on one of our local aonb and sssi's, and my partner is a gardener and also does volunteer restoration and maintenance at another beauty spot. 

I originally thought Vitara because they have the low range box (and we don't fit in a Jimny) but are still reasonably cheap to run (at least compared to say a landy) and reliable (again, looking at you landy). 

Having recently seen one of my partner's volunteer chums drive her yeti up a track that I would not have believed a mere car could go if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I started investigating the possibility of something that might be fun to drive on road as well as off, while bringing running costs down to car levels

[Ootohere]

Vitara are very capable as a AWD (there are FWD's), the engines are also, and gearboxes be them Manual, Auto or DC.

(Age dependent Vitara had different 4x4 systems.)

 

 

[Llanigraham]

3 hours ago, Mikeymustard said:

Because having the 4x4 button makes me better than my next door neighbour 🙄

I'm not sure if I should feel offended by your question but I'm sure you've asked it in good faith and I'll answer it as such: I'm a volunteer ranger on one of our local aonb and sssi's, and my partner is a gardener and also does volunteer restoration and maintenance at another beauty spot. 

I originally thought Vitara because they have the low range box (and we don't fit in a Jimny) but are still reasonably cheap to run (at least compared to say a landy) and reliable (again, looking at you landy). 

Having recently seen one of my partner's volunteer chums drive her yeti up a track that I would not have believed a mere car could go if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I started investigating the possibility of something that might be fun to drive on road as well as off, while bringing running costs down to car levels

No offence intended, but we have had people come on here who think that having a 4x4 is going to be the cure-all to all the problems winter can bring, and as you obviously know that isn't the case. The 4x4 Yeti is surprisingly effective off-road, as I know, and as you have seen, and is damned good fun on-road as well.

And there is no 4x4 button!! It's all done by magic.

[kenfowler3966]

The Yeti doesnt have a 4x4 button, it is a permanent 4wd with a haldex unit at the rear to send more power to the rear if required. Under normal use most power goes to the front wheels, but when needed the haldex clutch engages almost instantaneously to send power to the rear wheels.

The higher spec models have an off road button. This helps wth starting off on steep or slippery ground and allows the car to maintain a set speed downhill with no input from the pedals

[Sad555]

Dare I say be careful if choosing a 2.0l dieselgate engine that has had the FIX and may come with DPF and EGR issues that are now out of the 2yr warranty.

[Mikeymustard]

22 hours ago, Llanigraham said:

No offence intended, but we have had people come on here who think that having a 4x4 is going to be the cure-all to all the problems winter can bring, and as you obviously know that isn't the case. The 4x4 Yeti is surprisingly effective off-road, as I know, and as you have seen, and is damned good fun on-road as well.

And there is no 4x4 button!! It's all done by magic.

I was just pulling your chain a bit sorry 😉.

 

Again thanks everyone for your advice. As far as an oil burner's concerned, I'd heard they'd done a bit of a knee jerk after dieselgate; besides, as a regular visitor to bristol I don't think I could take the chance of being banned from the city  centre so a diesel's a bit of a no no. I think the proposal to ban diesels may be severely watered down but even so?

 

 

[Brijo]

It's been said here before, but appropriate tyres are a priority in bad conditions, 4x4 comes second.

[Mikeymustard]

56 minutes ago, Brijo said:

It's been said here before, but appropriate tyres are a priority in bad conditions, 4x4 comes second.

 

[Mikeymustard]

@Brijo which is why I was a little surprised that it's almost impossible to get offroad tyres for the yeti. 

 A/Ts on the Troopers I used, I've seen the evidence that winter tyres are better than A/T in snow, but I've also seen an X5 with winter tyres floundering on a bit of wet grass (they do that a lot!). So it's horses for courses there 🙂

[Ootohere]

Important word there is X5.  Then Trooper.

Really nothing in common with a Yeti.

 

It is not almost impossible to get offroad tyres for a Yeti.

So what size are you talking, and is it Mud Tyres or All-Terrains you would be talking about?

 

Maybe you mean Snow Tyres are better than A/T's in Snow than Winter Tyres. But Winter tyres mean different things to different people.

Like the Members in Norway maybe to those in the UK.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/420674-newbie-all-terrain-tyres

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/221396-winteroff-road-tyres-beefier-side-walls/page/2/

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/474351-all-terrains-on-a-yeti

 

Edited 5 January, 2020 by Roottootemblowinootsoot

[Llanigraham]

2 hours ago, Mikeymustard said:

@Brijo which is why I was a little surprised that it's almost impossible to get offroad tyres for the yeti. 

 A/Ts on the Troopers I used, I've seen the evidence that winter tyres are better than A/T in snow, but I've also seen an X5 with winter tyres floundering on a bit of wet grass (they do that a lot!). So it's horses for courses there 🙂

 

You can get AT's in the 16" size, but to be honest I've got to places on the standard 17" tyres that has surprised many people. The biggest problem is people do not know how to drive them in those conditions. You have to keep the power on, and even increase it slightly as soon as you sense wheel spin; too many people ease off slightly and that turns "off" the Haldex system.

[silver1011]

On 03/01/2020 at 23:40, Mikeymustard said:

Ok, well thanks everyone for your frank views 🙂

After finding a report on a US GTI site from an engineer explaining the issues with the tensioner pawl, I'm definitely gonna give this one a miss.

 

However...... I've quite taken to the idea of a 4x4 yeti, so I've started to lean on the OH that a diesel wouldn't be such a bad idea after all! Would I be right in thinking the three iterations of the 2L are basically the same engine with different turbo and/or injectors?

 

What is the drive for a diesel?

 

The 1.2 TSI and 1.4 TSI engines are really, really good.

 

Sure, the torque isn't there, as it is with the diesel engines, but output wise the 1.4 TSI is rated at 150PS.

 

If you are intending to go a long way off the beaten track and need the torque, or are planning to tow a lot then fair enough, but if not and if your annual mileage is less than 20,000 miles I'd be looking to avoid EGR, DPF and other potentially problematic emissions related components and go with a petrol.

 

The 1.4 TSI in my Kodiaq is our first petrol engined car for a long time, after many diesels and it is an absolute peach. Silky smooth, eerily quiet and well proven reliability wise.

 

I'm not sure what your budget is? Given the 1.8 TSI you were looking at had covered 120,000+ I'm guessing lower than this one, but it ticks a lot of nice boxes, rare colour, 1.4 TSI, 4x4, main dealer warranty, low mileage and Laurin & Klement (L&K) trim...

 

 

If it has to be 4x4 and your budget won't stretch to £15,000 then it'll have to be a diesel.

 

Personally if I had to choose I'd sacrifice 4x4 for the 1.4 TSI engine and invest in a set of premium all-terrain tyres.

[Paul52]

On 04/01/2020 at 11:19, Mikeymustard said:

I'm a volunteer ranger on one of our local aonb and sssi's, and my partner is a gardener and also does volunteer restoration and maintenance at another beauty spot. 

 

For what it is worth before I bought my 1.2TSI Yeti I had a chat with one of the forestry staff working on the Goodwood estate in West Sussex. He told me they had a number of the 4WD Yetis on estate work and his experience had been that although they might not manage the most extreme conditions that a Landrover might they performed very well on the estate and were holding up under pretty severe use.  It sounds like your requirements could be similar to the estate's.