First time poster here. The time has finally come to retire our Fabia estate and we were initially torn between the Octavia and the Yeti. I really like the fact that the Yeti has a high driving position as we live in a rural location and the extra height will make the country lanes slightly safer. I also have a fairly long motorway commute.

 

We have found a privately listed 2012 SKODA YETI. SE. TDI CR 110 2.0 with a full service history and 86 000 miles on the clock. It is in good condition cosmetically except for a very small ding on the drivers door. We are pretty new to Yeti's and I wanted to ask if £4700 sounds like a good price for this model. We are on a fairly tight budget if paying cash but do have the option of paying more on some kind of finance. I have tried using car valuation sites but they seem to come up with vastly different numbers. We are wondering if an 8 year old Yeti is a fairly reliable choice or would it be worth paying more for a newer model. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. I can't advise on whether the price is fair or not - at that age there are so many variables I think it has to be "is it a reasonable price for me". As regards reliability mine is now seven years old, bought from new, and in that time other than tyres and  routine servicing  the only outlay has been recently for new discs and back plates for the brakes and two new front shock absorbers, picked up at MOT as an advisory for one of them weeping slightly so arguably done for my peace of mind rather than essential at this time. So I would say mine has been very reliable and judging by the many posts I've seen on the forum over the years most other regulars here would probably same the same. The only consistent problem I can think of, and it doesn't affect everyone, is the sunroofs have a reputation for leaking but this seems to be a design fault in the sunroof as I believe other VAG owners have experienced the same problem (and possibly other makes). If the car you are looking at has a sunroof check carefully around the headlining and in the footwells for any sign of water ingress.

I tried both the Mk2 Octavia and the Yeti when I was looking around back in 2013.  The Octavia was a nice car and heavily discounted as the Mark 3 had been (or was about to be) released. I was tempted. Then I drove the Yeti and was sold within 200 yards even though it was well above the budget I had set myself. I've never regretted it.

I hope that is some help and good luck making your decision.

2 minutes ago, Paul52 said:

Welcome to the forum. I can't advise on whether the price is fair or not - at that age there are so many variables I think it has to be "is it a reasonable price for me". As regards reliability mine is now seven years old, bought from new, and in that time other than tyres and  routine servicing  the only outlay has been recently for new discs and back plates for the brakes and two new front shock absorbers, picked up at MOT as an advisory for one of them weeping slightly so arguably done for my peace of mind rather than essential at this time. So I would say mine has been very reliable and judging by the many posts I've seen on the forum over the years most other regulars here would probably same the same. The only consistent problem I can think of, and it doesn't affect everyone, is the sunroofs have a reputation for leaking but this seems to be a design fault in the sunroof as I believe other VAG owners have experienced the same problem (and possibly other makes). If the car you are looking at has a sunroof check carefully around the headlining and in the footwells for any sign of water ingress.

I tried both the Mk2 Octavia and the Yeti when I was looking around back in 2013.  The Octavia was a nice car and heavily discounted as the Mark 3 had been (or was about to be) released. I was tempted. Then I drove the Yeti and was sold within 200 yards even though it was well above the budget I had set myself. I've never regretted it.

I hope that is some help and good luck making your decision.

 

Thank you for the reply Paul! It's great to hear that your Yeti has performed well for you. Our experience of Skoda's so far has also been excellent. This version does not come with a sun roof which does not bother us at all. We are pretty close to pulling the trigger but could stretch to a newer model if we decide that was the better long term financial option.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

There's a guy on a Yeti-specific Forum I frequent whose 2010 Yeti CR110 has covered 225,000 miles.  He has no intention of replacing it just yet!

3 hours ago, pumpkinpilot said:

We are on a fairly tight budget if paying cash but do have the option of paying more on some kind of finance.

 

In these difficult and uncertain times I would advise against entering into any financial agreement that is not absolutely necessary. A newer model would probably last you longer, but you would pay more for it. The one that you are considering sounds like a reasonable proposition.

 

5 hours ago, pumpkinpilot said:

 

Thank you for the reply Paul! It's great to hear that your Yeti has performed well for you. Our experience of Skoda's so far has also been excellent. This version does not come with a sun roof which does not bother us at all. We are pretty close to pulling the trigger but could stretch to a newer model if we decide that was the better long term financial option.

You are probably better off with the older CR diesel engine than a more "modern" engine encumbered with expensive and complex emissions equipment. The older CR engines are renowned for their longevity and reliability. And be happy you don't have a sunroof!

@pumpkinpilot

Welcome to the forum.

?

What is showing when you look at the Full Service History?   Good that there is that, if serviced to Manufacturers Schedule / Guidelines and not a History of not much being done.

 

Has it been an annual Oil & Filter Service so 8 of those so far, or has it been variable / flexible servicing?

Has the brake fluid been changed once or twice already?

A Fuel Filter changed, Air Filters, Cabin Filters, A/C service?

The water pump changed?

3 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

@pumpkinpilot

Welcome to the forum.

?

What is showing when you look at the Full Service History?   Good that there is that, if serviced to Manufacturers Schedule / Guidelines and not a History of not much being done.

 

Has it been an annual Oil & Filter Service so 8 of those so far, or has it been variable / flexible servicing?

Has the brake fluid been changed once or twice already?

A Fuel Filter changed, Air Filters, Cabin Filters, A/C service?

The water pump changed?

 

I have not looked at the service history myself yet as it was my wife who initially viewed it. I did ask if it had a new cam belt and water pump change and they said it had been done just before they bought it.  It has two owners and since they have had it (2 years) they have only done 12k in mileage. We are planning to go back for a second look today and I will get more details at that point.

When I used the car valuing site, What Car states the value as £4378 and Parkers has it at £3500-£4200 so I am starting to think we will need to get a decent amount off the price to make it a decent deal. Although not having much experience with car purchases I am unsure how much stock to put in these figures.

More important is what Dealers / Trader / Private sales are asking in Autotrader and other sites and are those cars selling at the 'Wish & Dream asking prices' 

or are they sitting unsold.

'What Car' & Parkers are on the side of the Motor Trade / SMMT, and not really in the buyers side of the road IMO.

Sometimes ridiculous prices compiled by whatever means.

 

Yeti are in demand though, especially good ones.

Check the Full Service History, look & Invoices / receipts & look for rust / paint work / repairs. Zinc Inclusion. Doors front / rear / bottoms.

8 minutes ago, pumpkinpilot said:

 

I have not looked at the service history myself yet as it was my wife who initially viewed it. I did ask if it had a new cam belt and water pump change and they said it had been done just before they bought it.  It has two owners and since they have had it (2 years) they have only done 12k in mileage. We are planning to go back for a second look today and I will get more details at that point.

When I used the car valuing site, What Car states the value as £4378 and Parkers has it at £3500-£4200 so I am starting to think we will need to get a decent amount off the price to make it a decent deal. Although not having much experience with car purchases I am unsure how much stock to put in these figures.

When cars get to that age (8 years) condition is highly relevant to price. A Yeti in good condition with service history and record of belt change will command a higher price than a typical vehicle with more signs of life and spotted service details. My guess is you're looking for something a bit better than 'average'?

I moved to a Yeti in 2015 after 11 years with a Fabia Elegance Estate.
You will not regret the the move, got into the Fabia after about a year with the Yeti and what seemed like a comfortable car for all that time was surprised by just how good the Yeti is.

19 minutes ago, Expatman said:

When cars get to that age (8 years) condition is highly relevant to price. A Yeti in good condition with service history and record of belt change will command a higher price than a typical vehicle with more signs of life and spotted service details. My guess is you're looking for something a bit better than 'average'?

 

I am fully aware that any used car is a a bit of a gamble but we are trying to do as much as we can to mitigate the chances of ending up having to throw a lot of money at. I think we hit a sweet spot with our last car as it was 6 years old in very good condition. Ideally we would like to hit some kind of sweet spot with our next purchase but with the current uncertainty in the world (and our current property) we are pretty nervous about over stretching ourselves. 

15 minutes ago, Urrell said:

I moved to a Yeti in 2015 after 11 years with a Fabia Elegance Estate.
You will not regret the the move, got into the Fabia after about a year with the Yeti and what seemed like a comfortable car for all that time was surprised by just how good the Yeti is.

 

We were originally looking for an Octavia but after a 15 minute test drive my wife is now firmly set on a Yeti

31 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

More important is what Dealers / Trader / Private sales are asking in Autotrader and other sites and are those cars selling at the 'Wish & Dream asking prices' 

or are they sitting unsold.

'What Car' & Parkers are on the side of the Motor Trade / SMMT, and not really in the buyers side of the road IMO.

Sometimes ridiculous prices compiled by whatever means.

 

Yeti are in demand though, especially good ones.

Check the Full Service History, look & Invoices / receipts & look for rust / paint work / repairs. Zinc Inclusion. Doors front / rear / bottoms.

 

Would that not mean that the evaluations on such valuation sites would be inflated? Or would they be more likely to keep them low to pay less for trade ins?

 

15 minutes ago, pumpkinpilot said:

 

I am fully aware that any used car is a a bit of a gamble but we are trying to do as much as we can to mitigate the chances of ending up having to throw a lot of money at. I think we hit a sweet spot with our last car as it was 6 years old in very good condition. Ideally we would like to hit some kind of sweet spot with our next purchase but with the current uncertainty in the world (and our current property) we are pretty nervous about over stretching ourselves. 

 

We were originally looking for an Octavia but after a 15 minute test drive my wife is now firmly set on a Yeti

Exactly, you are looking for the best balance between price and condition. Don't overstretch yourselves but if it's within your budget don't be too worried about paying a bit over book to get a Yeti in good condition with a known service history. How frequently have the current owners had it serviced?

1 minute ago, Expatman said:

Exactly, you are looking for the best balance between price and condition. Don't overstretch yourselves but if it's within your budget don't be too worried about paying a bit over book to get a Yeti in good condition with a known service history. How frequently have the current owners had it serviced?

 

My wife just told me that they have not had it serviced themselves yet as it has only done just under 12k miles in the 2 years that they have owned it. It was his wife's car and she has moved to an automatic Kia.

I did check the MOT history though and it has not flagged much for the last 2 years beyond brake pads and tires. In 2018 it was flagged that the front shock absorbers had a light oil misting. It did initially fail in 2018 due to the offside rear coil spring being fractured or broken but I think this is before they bought it.

The rear spring is a common issue

As are the others including 'misting', even on pretty new cars.

 

A Full Service History showing that not much servicing gets done from year to year is common as well.

As long as getting a MOT that is enough for many.

?

Was this the Dealer / Traders wife's car?

Edited 11 August, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

35 minutes ago, pumpkinpilot said:

 

My wife just told me that they have not had it serviced themselves yet as it has only done just under 12k miles in the 2 years that they have owned it. It was his wife's car and she has moved to an automatic Kia.

Okay, but at that annual mileage it really should be on an annual service plan. You could use that as a negotiating point because it needs a service. Other issues not deal breakers. How does it drive?

14 minutes ago, Expatman said:

Okay, but at that annual mileage it really should be on an annual service plan. You could use that as a negotiating point because it needs a service. Other issues not deal breakers. How does it drive?

 Apparently it drives very smoothly and quietly. The brakes were very sensitive and it handle the country roads very well. We have just put in a cheeky offer of £4100 and he came back with £4250 which seems very fair. I think we will shortly be part of the Yeti club! Many thanks for all your guidance.

Welcome to the Yeti club, you will find that members of this forum are a source of all knowledge Yetiwise!

Only thing I would do if I were you was to get your new Yeti serviced plus an A/C service and brake fluid change soon as you can. After that an annual oil and filter change should keep you in fine fettle. 

Good luck.

One thing to mention, I'm assuming you live and work in the country, if not be careful with a Euro 4 diesel.  Many cities and larger towns are tightening their emissions regs for driving into cities and you could find in a year or two you'd need a Euro 5 diesel to drive to work in the city.

 

Other than that the Yeti has ranked highly in the JD Power satisfaction surveys for years whilst in production.  So unless you buy a lemon you should have years of happy motoring ahead providing you look after the routine maintenance.

Town and city centres are dying, stores are closing and footfall is declining, soon they will become ghost towns unless Council's take action to entice people back. Demonising diesels and other forms of personal transport will simply accelerate the decline. Already the busiest sectors are out of town shopping with free parking, now with cinemas, restaurants and other entertainments. Powers that be don't seem to get it that people will not be lectured to and meekly obey their "betters" in a nanny state.

Hi,

 

My wife and I bought a new Fabia Monte Carlo in 2014 and thought it was a wonderful car it certainly was pretty in black over red. Before buying the Fabia we sat in a new Yeti in the showroom but we thought it would be expensive to run and maintain just for the two of us.

 

In 2016 we were invited to a Skoda VIP event. I took along CarWow printouts of the best two deals which were far better then the Skoda special deal; this saved no end of time as I handed over the details. There was a Black Yeti in the corner of the showroom it being a pre-reg with a huge discount of £3,500; customers were climbing in and out of it as the salesman did the usual thing disappearing into the office leaving us looking at the stunning Yeti. When he returned he said he could beat the CarWow figure by a big margin and said the pre reg Yeti would also come with the paint/upholstery treatment thrown in; we were amazed wondering why this superb Yeti hadn't been snapped up; of course it was ours; we got a fair trade in for our beloved Monte and we paid the balance in cash.

 

Riding in the Monte was like riding a skateboard; we felt every ripple in the road due to the sports suspension and rubber band low profile tyres; this Yeti though is a revelation; we step into it not down into it; it's got a lot of room and is just so comfortable; no more teeth rattling either over potholes. It's the Adblue model Yeti SE L 2.0L diesel. We're amazed that insurance is cheaper for the Yeti than the Fabia and with road tax at only £30 per year coupled with diesel economy we both have huge smiles on our faces. We have it fully serviced every year by DMK Wakefield; it's had all the necessary work done on it like brake fluid change and filters etc; servicing costs don't bankrupt us. We also have gap insurance on it taking it to six years old.

 

We usually trade in at three years old but no way are we parting with our wonderful Yeti which is simply brilliant for a modern clone of every other car now made; the Yeti has street cred really standing out but it's also a good all round performer; the only thing I've ever disliked about our Yeti is the automatic stop/start so for every journey however short I switch it off. Since 1990 this Yeti at four years old is the longest we've ever kept a car and we've no intention of parting with it unless it starts to cost a lot in repairs.

 

So in answer to your question buying any car second hand is always a gamble but if you're unsure do the RAC still do used vehicle checks? A nice Yeti will have you smiling every time you drive it. Good luck.

 

I washed the Yeti this morning and have polished it this afternoon; it scrubs up well and still looks like new with only 24,500 miles on it. It's a keeper.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

Edited 15 August, 20205 yr by Fabcol
Adding image.