Thinking of changing from Diesel to Petrol

[Highlander19]

Hi I don't do high mileage anymore so thinking of changing from 2.0L diesel to 1.2L TSi SE L, don't know much about either the manual or the DSG versions and would welcome the usual helpful opinions and expertise please.

I to have not found anything I would want to replace my Yeti with.

Edited 25 July, 2020 by Highlander19

[domhnall]

I drove the 1.2 from 2011 until 2015 and it was great. I was sure I would need bigger engine but after a test drive I was convinced. It was fabulous!

struggled a bit when fully loaded on a hill but realistically you just dropped into 5th gear and it was fine

 

[twoladies]

Did this last year for various reasons.  Bought 1.2 same colour - and don't really notice any difference.  Both had DSG.

[Expatman]

I have had 2 Yeti’s, both 1.2 Tsi DSG’s. First bought in 2012 and second in 2017 when I knew they were being discontinued and couldn’t find anything I wanted to replace the Yeti with. The latest 4 cylinder 1.2 engine - I assume you are looking at a fairly recent model - is excellent, smooth, powerful, quiet and economical, I am getting a true 44+ MPG since new. The DSG on my 2017 Yeti is much smoother than on my 2012 car - particularly noticeable when quickly entering roundabouts for instance - but I suppose that is to be expected as it had a further 5 years technical development. I like automatics but if you prefer manual gear changing then the manual gearbox is reputed to be excellent. Though why anyone would want a manual transmission with our congested roads is beyond me, clutch-in clutch-out, clutch-in clutch-out ad infinitum -Why! 

If you can find one I suggest you look for an SEL Drive model - the run out Drive models had a host of useful extras - heated windscreen etc.

I changed from a 2 litre diesel to the 1.2 Yeti in 2012 and didn’t miss the diesel power at all - the 1.2 petrol is so much quieter and smoother than a diesel - and unless you are planning to tow or fill the car with heavy passengers and luggage regularly then the 1.2 will be perfect for you. Incidentally I got the car with 16” wheels which provide a smoother drive and have since fitted it with Goodyear Vector All season tyres which are much quieter than the original tyres and being All Season tyres provide an extra degree of security in colder seasons. 

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

My wife and I have a 2.0L diesel Yeti SE L bought in 2016. Our mileage is around 6,000 per year but until the virus we used to do a decent run of 50 miles or so each week which kept the car in good order and prevented sooting of the exhaust; it's the Adblue model.  Now the Yeti is just used for very local supermarket trips and as the virus lockdown got into about the third week the exhaust icon lit up on the dashboard?  I opened a police chatline and was granted permission to take the Yeti for a drive long enough to clear the exhaust on condition I didn't stop anywhere or take a passenger. Now still mostly used for the supermarkets we have a run in the countryside of 20 miles  once each week. We've got our diesel Yeti and we love it; being bought new we know it hasn't been abused; it's excellent on fuel and road tax at only £30 per year; servicing might cost a bit more than servicing a petrol Yeti but we don't care. In January 2018 we had four new Michelin Cross Climate tyres fitted and since then it hasn't snowed.

 

I'll never forget our wonderful government about 8 years ago condemning petrol cars as being dirty and price of diesel was reduced to encourage a swap to diesel; with diesels now promoted petrol cars were traded in so we certainly won't be parting with our lovely Yeti. We don't want an electric car either because we feel to buy electric cars is is heading the way white goods have gone; once the battery is no longer serviceable will such cars too become disposable items?  Electric isn't clean it has to be generated and if everyone changed to electric the power grid couldn't cope; during heavy winter we lose power? If everyone went for electric cars could we trust our government to keep electricity prices as they are; I certainly wouldn't; I could see a new high tax tariff being introduced. I'm just biased because the only person I trust is my wife.

 

Had brand new Yeti's still been manufactured we'd already have traded in a year ago but we wouldn't trade in our Yeti against a second hand Yeti. We could easily afford to buy a brand new Yeti but Skoda let faithful Yeti owners down; we'll keep our Yeti unless it starts to cost a lot for repairs then might swap to a Duster these not having lots of electronics to go wrong.

 

I can well understand your caution because to get it wrong could prove expensive. Good luck.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Fabcol

[Ootohere]

8 years ago was 2012.   Diesel was an average 137 pence a litre then in the UK and the government never reduced the price.

The UK can produce so much electricity from renewables and does not have enough storage capacity for what is produced or customers to buy / use it 

and those generating the electricity want it to be stored in vehicles and home and available to the grid.

Also the electricity used to produce hydrogen.

 

Those generating electricity can cope very well with supplying the 4 nations needs, but the UK governments are the problem in not assisting with super connectors 

but more than happy to encourage the import of energy in the way of oil, gas and electricity at very high prices and throwing billions to the French and Chinese to build the nuclear facilities.

http://gridwatch.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Roottoot

[Stubod]

Before getting our current Yeti (petrol), I had Octavias. Originally 2.0ltr diesel, but then changed to the 1.4 petrol due to lower  miles. Going back to a petrol engine after years of diesels was a real revelation. In real world driving there was hardly any difference between the 2.0 ltr diesel and the 1.4 turbo petrol other than I kept thinking the engine had stopped as it was soooo quiet compared to the diesel. The petrol was almost as tractable as the diesel and was quite happy to tootle around at similar low revs. (OK the diesel was marginally better going up steep hills fully loaded). Also managed to get very similar mpg out of the petrol, (44+mpg).

 

Last year I considered changing from my current 1.4 Yeti AWD to a 1.2 as I no longer really need an awd 1.4 and I wanted an auto, so I took a 1.2 dsg for a spin. Loved the auto box and well impressed by the performance of the 1.2 petrol engine so I would also recommend changing from the 2.0ltr diesel if you are not doing the miles and still want to keep the practicality of a Yeti...

[Expatman]

1 hour ago, Fabcol said:

Hi,  we'll keep our Yeti unless it starts to cost a lot for repairs then might swap to a Duster these not having lots of electronics to go wrong.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

Colin, modern electronics are extremely reliable and unlikely to go wrong compared to the emission control equipment and other mechanical parts of modern cars. The Duster is noisy and uncomfortable and built to a price. Looking at reviews it is certainly not the most reliable vehicle either.

Compared to cars in my youth modern vehicles are infinitely more reliable. Austin Allegro & Morris Marina come to mind!!

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

Thanks Roottoot. I don't know the exact years but I do know when we were driving our petrol car diesel was  cheaper and the government wanted to get drivers into diesel cars. I just guessed at 8 years but time flies whilst I'm having fun so it could have been considerably longer? 😄

 

I wonder what will happen to modern day electric cars in say ten years time when technology moves on; will new batteries still be available and at how much; will it be cheaper then to scrap the car than pay for a new battery? If there is so much spare electricity available then why are we paying so much for our household electricity? I remember having power cuts because the supply was over stretched; I forget the year/s but I do remember being without power sitting with candles for lighting. I can even go back to when I was a kid our cottage not having electricity until I was about five years old; we had gas and water laid on and coal fire.

 

Which is cheaper to produce; petrol or diesel? We've run our Yeti on BP Ultimate Diesel since we bought it. One thing we have noticed is that it used to be easy to obtain 60/62mpg on our Meadowhall shopping trip but we then installed the new Michelin All Climate Tyres and at roughly the same time had the Yeti serviced; now it struggles to read 52 mpg on the same journey? would this be the tyres or the VAG emissions scandal; I know the  programming was updated at the service?

 

https://www.bp.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/home/products-and-services/bp-ultimate-fuels/bp-ultimate-diesel-with-active-technology.html

 

What mileage has your Yeti covered Highlander 19; is it in good condition and did you buy it new? Just being nosy wondering how much it would cost you financially to swap to petrol after all your diesel Yeti is 2016 and you could only trade up one year to a 17 Yeti this being the newest Yeti available; didn't Skoda drop the Yeti in 2017?

 

Out of interest we used to own a Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo bought new in 2014; it looked fabulous in black over red and we liked it; it was petrol and we ran it for two years until we were tempted by the trade in deal against the Yeti. Riding in the Fabia was like riding on a skateboard it having very low profile tyres where we felt every ripple in the road. The Yet was a huge transformation and we would never go back to a saloon car. Our Yeti has just been serviced and MOT'd at four years old without the slightest problem. However I used a loan car to return home in; this loan car was a 69 plate Fabia; the first thing I did was to bump my head on the door frame; at the first traffic lights I stopped and the low fuel warning appeared; at the next lights the service warning appeared; it had about 4,600 miles on the clock and as I pulled up the handbrake lever I was surprised by how far the lever came up and the brake still worked. On acceleration I found the exhaust note to be tiresome. When I climbed out I was only just above ground level; Somehow this Fabia didn't seem a patch on our 2014 Fabia and I was glad to collect the Yeti. The Yeti is just so good and easy to get into and out of.

 

We're all different so it really comes down to making the choice and sticking with it. 

 

Thanks Expatman. Yes our old cars used to be really dire; I used to repair Ford 105E Anglias where the cart springs used to pop through the boot floor and the A frames let the doors drop; our UK cars though at the time were often better than foreign cars. owners of Alfa Suds used to stand and watch them turn to rust. Not just Ford but the cars you mention BMC group too bodywork used to fall off at least our modern cars are as you rightly say a great deal more reliable; no decokes either every 3,000 miles?

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

 

[Phil-E]

1 hour ago, Stubod said:

Before getting our current Yeti (petrol), I had Octavias. Originally 2.0ltr diesel, but then changed to the 1.4 petrol due to lower  miles. Going back to a petrol engine after years of diesels was a real revelation. In real world driving there was hardly any difference between the 2.0 ltr diesel and the 1.4 turbo petrol other than I kept thinking the engine had stopped as it was soooo quiet compared to the diesel.

 

Hehe. Yes we experienced the same. Our last petrol car was a Skoda Felicia 1.3 SPi (hardly a smooth or quiet engine being an old pushrod engine) and since then only had diesels.

 

So we've never had such a smooth and quiet engine. It too felt like the engine had cut out!

 

I'm kicking myself for not switching to petrol sooner. It's a joy to drive, quiet, smooth, plenty of power without having to thrash it (max torque on the 1.4 TSI comes from 1750rpm) and the economy is better than expected.

[Ootohere]

@Fabcol

There are 10 year old Nissan Leafs on the road now and still going. 

Then rust buckets like this and it is not batteries that are needed.

 

You and everyone else pay so much for your electricity because you are paying for the past and the nuclear that is no longer producing electricity and the waste is going to get buried someplace, but no longer just stored in Scotland.

You are paying to clean up the coal fired places and still paying to have coal on stand-by, and gas and oil, and diesel farms that have contracts to be on standby.  You are paying for the very expensive Nuclear under construction and the very high contract price to import electric and gas from continental Europe.  Then you are paying towards the Green Energy and the wind farms.

Through all that the customers north of Perth pay higher tariffs than you.

So where there is so much renewables produced and where the decommissioned Nuclear is and the plants due to close the electricity costs most, and that applies around Newcastle as well.

Good that there are 6 year interest free loans in Scotland to by EV's, and lots of Free EV charging points still.

The future is clearly seen in Dundee the EV capital of the UK.  Dundee Council are knocking the free charging on the head now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Roottoot

[TruckbusUK]

3 hours ago, Expatman said:

Colin, modern electronics are extremely reliable and unlikely to go wrong compared to the emission control equipment and other mechanical parts of modern cars. The Duster is noisy and uncomfortable and built to a price. Looking at reviews it is certainly not the most reliable vehicle either.

Compared to cars in my youth modern vehicles are infinitely more reliable. Austin Allegro & Morris Marina come to mind!!

Think I'd be much more worried at the woeful 3 star euroNCAP rating .... 3 stars in this day and age 🤢.... sure I read somewhere the duster is really a Renault Clio Mk1 platform .... its cheap for a reason, and not just because its built in Romania.

Edited 26 July, 2020 by TruckbusUK
typo and spelling

[Ootohere]

Plenty UK Dacia owners have replaced Dacia with Dacia and plenty have them as 2nd vehicles or 3rd in a household rather than running the Prestige Family car as a daily driver.  Look at some as you go about and see the kind of owner that have them and look after them, many look just like a Yeti owner type.

KISS is rather a good principle when it is just transport that is needed and you are leasing cheaply or just buying a keeper.

Dacia's somehow manage to be able to keep H20 out of cars and in the engines, and no steamy windows and freezing up glass inside 

also fuel flaps not freezing closed, that is 'Simply Clever'

or  maybe Vorsprung Durch Technik. Learn through the years and don't keep building in faults.

 

Romania and Czechia are not so very different, or Slovakia, Hungary etc. Workers in the car plants can be from any of those countries.

Probably the best car manufacturer in Czechia and Slovakia are Hyundai & Kia, the ones that can give longer warranties.

 

 

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Roottoot

[Highlander19]

Hi everybody, thanks for the relevant replies, but I think we are going a wee bit off topic here.

Can anyone give me pros and cons of manual or DSG 1.2 SE L, or should I just stick with what I have.

I really appreciate the depth of knowledge and expertise in this forum, with me not being so mechanically/technically minded.

 

 

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

I'm old fashioned; a dinosaur even and I don't want a mission control to drive around in; lots of electronics that I'll never use; the infotainment on my Yeti isn't used nor do I use a mobile phone and I don't need lots of sockets for must have electronic kit; I just need a reliable basic car. I fancied the Yeti because it has lots of things I do like.

 

It's easy to knock a Duster but I followed one on Friday and it looked a decent motor for the price; it definitely had some street presence unlike many modern cars; I've not even looked at buying a Duster or seen one close up but Duster's are breeding locally and why would a Duster be car of the year 2020 if it's as bad as its made out to be?

 

https://www.dacia.co.uk/vehicles/duster.html?&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=uk-d-t-def-newcar-duster-exact-01-2018-ao-im-go-duster_dacia_brand_exact&utm_term=dacia+duster&ORIGIN=CPC&CAMPAIGN=google_uk-d-t-def-newcar-duster-exact-01-2018-ao-im-go-duster_dacia_brand_exact&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjer4BRCZARIsABK4QeW2rwHNN2LEMktwT8h9LvPWBhhdDyoDf3MnLRTuZv0gKk2x5AFGBeIaAnaSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I hope the information given is correct about longevity of electronics and if this is proved correct then we'll be keeping our Yeti for some time. I have a high distrust of electrical items especially those with circuit boards; fine whilst working but expensive when they fail; a few years ago a friend had her car fail the MOT because of some electronic fault on an airbag; it cost her £700 just to get this fault repaired. We can kick these ideas around forever but we all pay our money and take our choice; I simply do not trust electric cars but then I don't smoke; touch alcohol or do drugs either and I can't stand sport.

 

My former workshop seen below.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Fabcol
Adding image.

[kenfowler3966]

We just use my wife’s Citigo for the very short trips to shops etc.

The Yeti doesn’t get used now unless it is a decent trip or I need the space. It can’t soot up if not used for short trips, but is great for going out on trips, on holiday etc. 
When you consider the cost to change why not just pick up a Citigo instead? We paid £8k last year for a 5 month old preregistration one with 25 miles on the clock.

I enjoy driving it as well, handles like a go cart!

[Ootohere]

@Highlander19

No doubt some Dealer / Trader would be more than happy to take your car in as a trade in, or someone would buy it.

I can see no reason for you to get rid of it to get a petrol manual or DSG Yeti unless it is to get cash money and a cheaper Yeti.

[Expatman]

1 hour ago, Highlander19 said:

Hi everybody, thanks for the relevant replies, but I think we are going a wee bit off topic here.

Can anyone give me pros and cons of manual or DSG 1.2 SE L, or should I just stick with what I have.

I really appreciate the depth of knowledge and expertise in this forum, with me not being so mechanically/technically minded.

 

 

You can stick with what you have, just remember to give it a decent long run frequently to avoid any DPF problems. If you choose to change to a newer 1.2 petrol you will not be disappointed and not have to worry about DPF or any emission associated problems. The manual version is likely to be a “safer” buy if you believe the concerns expressed about the 7 speed DSG box (do a quick search on this Forum and Google), however, no one I know has ever had any problems and I certainly haven’t had the slightest qualm about the DSG box. The pros of the DSG box is that it is simply less tiring to drive in traffic and everyday motoring, personally I would only have an automatic car as I don’t see the attraction of clutch in, clutch out repeatedly in traffic - maybe my 74 year old knees would complain! You just put it into D-rive when you set off and that’s it until you arrive at your destination. If it was me I would be tempted to look for the highest spec 1.2 petrol SEL Drive DSG I could find with a reversing camera, power drivers seat and variable boot floor. Reversing camera because until you have one you don’t know what you’re missing, power drivers seat because you can set the seat, mirrors etc just where you like them and then the seat remembers that setting, your partner can do the same and it remembers their settings and you can swap between the 2 (or 3) at the touch of a button. Variable boot floor because it gives you 33% more luggage space than one with a spare tyre yet has a flat loading bay floor for everyday use.

[J.R.]

Interesting to read of the economy you are all getting from the petrol engines & to hear of someone whos diesel MPG dropped significantly possibly after the emissions fix, does anyone else have any experience of this?

 

I have just moved to a 2.0 TDi 105hp Yeti from an Octavia 2 1.9 Tdi 105hp & before that a MK1 1.9 Tdi 110hp and both of them always returned 55-65 mpg.

 

The Yeti by comparison has been a real dissapointment, it had the emissions fix before I owned it and is also a 4x4, there is also a greater frontal area but if anything I drive this one much slower and with an even lighter right foot.

 

I do the same regular 20 mile round trips to the running club and the MPG was always within 2 or 3 each time, the Yeti does note even come close, the maxidot shows the average over 4 or more tankfulls at 47.3mpg but knowing they are often overoptimistic I also measure & calculate on a brim to brim basis as I did with the previous cars and the calculations are a consistent 43.5 mpg.

 

One thing that I have noticed is that on local short journeys around town the economy is probably better than the previous TDi's and I can do a 6 mile return trip under 30 mph in traffic, roundabouts etc and it will be up to 43 mpg (better than the Octavias) but get out on the open road at a constant 50 mph where the MPG should start really climbing and it does not change one bit.

 

I am really beginning to question if its due to the emissions fix or that the EGR etc is clagged up, the car feel fine so I dont really know if its worse after the emissions fix, its very nippy through the gears but mid range overtaking is poor by comparison but that may be due to it being underpowered at 105hp and the extra gear ratio making it feel nippier through the gears at lower speeds than the Octavias.

 

Has anyone else seen  a significant drop in MPG after the emissions fix and does anybody get significantly better MPG from a 4x4 Yeti?

 

I will get it remapped one day by Celtic tuning and if I have it done at their workshop they can roll back the emissions fix, has anyone else done this and was there a benefit?

[Sad555]

Mpg doesn’t sound that bad with that sort of run With the extra weight of 4 x 4,but the FIX did appear to effect the  lower powered 2.0l the most, in more ways than mpg from reading the posts at the time.

[EnterName]

14 hours ago, Expatman said:

You can stick with what you have, just remember to give it a decent long run frequently to avoid any DPF problems. If you choose to change to a newer 1.2 petrol you will not be disappointed and not have to worry about DPF or any emission associated problems. The manual version is likely to be a “safer” buy if you believe the concerns expressed about the 7 speed DSG box (do a quick search on this Forum and Google), however, no one I know has ever had any problems and I certainly haven’t had the slightest qualm about the DSG box. The pros of the DSG box is that it is simply less tiring to drive in traffic and everyday motoring, personally I would only have an automatic car as I don’t see the attraction of clutch in, clutch out repeatedly in traffic - maybe my 74 year old knees would complain! You just put it into D-rive when you set off and that’s it until you arrive at your destination. If it was me I would be tempted to look for the highest spec 1.2 petrol SEL Drive DSG I could find with a reversing camera, power drivers seat and variable boot floor. Reversing camera because until you have one you don’t know what you’re missing, power drivers seat because you can set the seat, mirrors etc just where you like them and then the seat remembers that setting, your partner can do the same and it remembers their settings and you can swap between the 2 (or 3) at the touch of a button. Variable boot floor because it gives you 33% more luggage space than one with a spare tyre yet has a flat loading bay floor for everyday use.

Note all new Skodas will have Petrol Particulate Filters, which are a petrol DPF. Simpler than the DPF, but a bit of an unknown quantity just now.

Also known as GPF (gasoline) and OPF (Otto)

 

[Expatman]

1 hour ago, EnterName said:

Note all new Skodas will have Petrol Particulate Filters, which are a petrol DPF. Simpler than the DPF, but a bit of an unknown quantity just now.

Also known as GPF (gasoline) and OPF (Otto)

 

You're right but Highlander19 is looking for a Yeti, no Yeti has a petrol DPF. So not something for him to have to worry about.

[EnterName]

27 minutes ago, Expatman said:

You're right but Highlander19 is looking for a Yeti, no Yeti has a petrol DPF. So not something for him to have to worry about.

My bad, I assumed he was looking for a new-new vehicle, I didn't see him specify he was looking for a Yeti in his posts.

I'll shut up now. :)

[Expatman]

1 hour ago, EnterName said:

My bad, I assumed he was looking for a new-new vehicle, I didn't see him specify he was looking for a Yeti in his posts.

I'll shut up now. :)

No bad, keep talking