Hello everyone!

 

I have had a real soft spot for the Skoda yeti for a long time and now find myself in the position to need/want/get one.  There is one for sale locally (NE Scotland) which i'm going to try and view with my wife and baby this week.  its a 2015 outdoor se 4x4 2.0tdi.  It looks really clean in the dealer photos (they always do) and claims to have full Skoda history but I have a few questions and wondered if anyone could advise.

As this is 2015 model, rusty/zinc inclusions on the door bottoms shouldn't be a worry?

The cambelt should have been done as it is over 5 years old?

The haldex oil should have been changed as over 50k miles?

Its decribed as one local owner which to be honest isn't a plus for me as i swore never to buy a car from this area of Scotland again due to the amount of salt used on the roads and rust on exposed steel, can anyone comment on how the yetis are for rust in general and where i should be checking when i view the car?

 

Any other sage advise is most welcome!  Oh and it doesn't have a sunroof which is one thing not to worry about!

 

Chris

Rusty lower door section always an issue on some and always check the haldex Is actually working

My 2017 car has at least 2 spots of zinc inclusions.

Changing the Haldex oil is not enough, assuming this is the latest mk5 Haldex it needs to be opened and the mesh screen cleaned when serviced. Many garages don't do this.so it can fail anyway due to oil starvation even if the oils was changed when due. This is not in the service schedule so typically not doe, (As per the earlier Mk4 version with the replaceable filter, which Skoda denied existed and hence did not change, writing off many units after the 3 year guarantee expired.

Cambelt is due at 5 years, so it depends whether it is 5 years old yet, and if it was recently, was it done.

 

For rust, all you can do is look underneath and assess for yourself.

@gotomuzzi

Welcome to the forum.

?

Who is selling it?

& where does the service record show as being done?

If @ Victoria Garage Maud then great, if Skoda Specialist Cars John Clark Group or Arnold Clark then check check check what was done

 

The haldex should have been serviced, so you want to see an invoice / receipt that it was at 3 years / 30,000 miles or so or be prepared to do it because a FMDSH needs to show it as done as not all owners get told it is needed and they need to pay over and above minor or major services.

The brake fluid should have been changed by now and is schedule for a 2nd time, has that been done.

Budget for that as well.

 

I have never particularly noticed the North Easts roads and salting having an adverse affect on vehicle in the way of rust on the body or underneath as people in the North East pay more attention in general to cars prep pre and post winters.

As an owner of a 2014 tdi 4x4 in NE Scotland I’d say the winters haven’t been too harsh, certainly not rust wise. Rear discs scored and replaced early but that’s common on yeti’s as this ironically was pointed out on its second service by the dealer.

 

Haldex is interesting as the main dealer simply advises it needs changed, you can simply say no.

 

My motor stays in the garage mostly (Have a company car) apart from a good run to ensure the DPF clears....35k and no issues.

My Yeti is the exact same year and spec and came from the same region.

 

It has several zinc inclusion spots on the door bottoms but you have to look for them, being a solid colour blue I'm not too concerned.

 

Rear discs and front backplates very very rusty and had to replace immediately, the rest of the suspension, sub frames etc have a lot less rust than my MK2 Octavia that had lived near the beach in the south of England but it may have spent longer there and was an older vehicle.

 

I think aside from the consumable discs & backplates rust will not be an issue but wont know for another 5 years, the Octavia that looked really bad on the subframes etc was not terminal and every nut & bolt undid with some initial resistance but the threads were still plated.

 

Cant think of any other environmental issues.

Went to look at the car today, disappointingly there were some rust spots showing up on the lower doors and the cam belt hasn't been done.  I forgot to ask about the Haldex service but i will email and ask them tomorrow.  Had a very limited test drive due to Covd-19 restrictions but car drove well.  Could i contact Skoda with the reg number to see what work had been done or would I need the VIN for that?