Col, 8 years is nothing, and we bought a 'new' 7 year old one earlier in the year. My other half insisted on another and I know why.

 

If you are 77, your Yeti will run happily until 2037 (20 years old, parts supply will be fine) and you will be 77+13=90 in 2037.  Just keep the anti-rust going for you and the car 😀

I still keep asking myself, why do I want to change?

Just holding back from a new car till after the budget & new year.

But, more than likely going to go for a Yaris Cross, or maybe a Vitara. But I think Suz now have dropped the auto? 

Need to return to auto and what with cutting down the mileage drastically.

 

We have never kept a car this long, max has always been 3 yrs.. Plus, just need a change while we can.

 

Edited 23 October, 20241 yr by Carlodiesel

3 minutes ago, Carlodiesel said:

I still keep asking myself, why do I want to change?

Just holding back from a new car till after the budget & new year.

But, more than likely going to go for a Yaris Cross, or maybe a Vitara. But I think Suz now have dropped the auto? 

Need to return to auto and what with cutting down the mileage drastically.

A late, very low mileage 1.2 SEL Drive DSG Yeti sounds perfect for your needs 🙂 

Hi,

 

Many thanks Prezafab for your well thought out reply. I've browsed the web a number of times looking at new cars but after a short while my eyes glaze over with boredom; most modern new cars blend into the background all looking alike with a tyre at each corner; EV's are even worse with sheet metal panel front which is totally bland. I fully agree with you and our Yeti with care should see me out; I've finished polishing it this afternoon and just visited our local pharmacy in it;  Yeti's are such a pleasure to own and drive; however many times I look at other cars I always think what a brilliant car we already own.

 

I've just bought a car pressure washer through eBay at around £58 and also 5L foam at around £10; I have a large pressure washer but it's a pain setting it up. I wonder if the garage I now use to service the Yeti will hire me the use of one of the bays for half a day Saturday afternoon allowing me to do a proper rustproofing; it costs nothing to ask and will be considerably cheaper than paying for professional rustproofing; I've still got plenty of Bilt Hamber thin & thick rustproofing; all I need is to get under the Yeti in safety.

 

You and I Prezafab know only too well the amount of rain we receive in Yorkshire; not only do we need to rustproof our car we too could do with a good coating of rustproofing; 3 days consecutive dry days and we have an hosepipe ban; Yorkshire's a truly wonderful place to call home; I was born here and I'll die here.

 

Like you Carlodiesel; Bron and I have traded in our car at 3 years old or less and done so since 1991; Skoda upset us stopping Yeti production a year after we bought our new Yeti; we'd be on our third Yeti now and looking forward to a fourth new Yeti next year.  Our Yeti has scrubbed up like brand new.

 

I only looked at VW because of the way DMK in Wakefield wanted to replace the front pads and discs when they didn't need replacing so unfortunately DMK and Skoda are out of bounds to us.

 

I wonder what's in store for next time the Yeti needs taxing; it's £35 per year at the moment. I see on YouTube EV owners are now having to pay a lot more for their insurance so they are being punished at every turn?

 

Kind regards, Col.

I can't see the tax going up much in yours. Ours is £200 which isn't bad when you look at some older cars costing £735 a year. Also, My newer Audi is just coming up to 4 years old and I still have to pay another year at £600+ because the original owner paid over £40k new. It doesn't drop to £180 until its  5 years old, so it clearly has beggar all to do with emissions !

Hi,

 

I sympathize with you Prezafab; why should you pay more than anyone else who drives a car;  we can only drive one car at a time and most cars occupy similar road space. The government are behaving like Robin Hood robbing the rich but giving the money away on crackpot schemes.  I've just been on another forum I'm a member of;

 

 

How much industry and business has been lost due to VAT being added; we're being robbed from every angle.

 

I've just bought a pressure washer for use on our Yeti; my big pressure washer is too much hassle to set up just to power wash the car; I've also bought 5L of snow foam; under carriage cleaner washer attachment; electronic battery tester 12V/24V and another Bilt-Hamber S50 700ml aerosol.

 

Last year I used a lot of Bilt-Hamber for rustproofing but didn't manage to do the bonnet and tailgate. I used  Dynax-UB for the exposed areas and want to complete under the floor pan and cills; I've done the inner cills. This is why I've bought the new pressure washer with attachment; our Yeti is going to be very well looked after.

 

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

 

Having bought the Bilt-Hamber rust proofing canister with lance I was keen yesterday morning to finally rust proof the bonnet and tailgate of our Yeti before winter hits us. The Yeti lives on the driveway so is permanently outside; I lifted the tailgate and couldn't see a thing it was a black hole; all day yesterday it was dark and gloomy; I don't want to mess around with an extension lamp so I gave up. I should have known better because I live in Yorkshire; at least it wasn't bucketing down with rain. Today is also dark and gloomy;  Just me moaning. A bit of good news though; the new battery tester shows the battery at 100%.

 

Kind regards, Col.

Late to the party, only just found this thread - but just wanted to say I agree with you, Col, and particularly love the phrase "The world these days is a bad place but inside our Yeti is glorious peace" 

Yeti poetry indeed! May you go on enjoying it ☺️

I was like all you guys, had 2 Yeti’s from 2012 and bought the second in 2017 before they finished production. Took me ages to decide to swap for another car then ages more to decide what to buy. Yeti’s are hard acts to follow.

Eventually bought a new Mini Countryman and I have to say it is worlds different, quieter, smoother, more economical and more refined - but it was designed 15 years later than the Yeti so no surprise there. Honestly didn’t realise how much cars had advanced since the Yeti was launched. The Mini Countryman is a bit left field but anyone thinking of swapping their Yeti I would suggest you test drive one - like the Yeti they’re a bit different  from the mainstream.

Yeti was still a great car though.

I once got the last space on a Hebridean ferry with my Yeti (this saving a 5 hour wait for the next one) when a Mini Countryman had to come off as it was too big ! Only big on the outside though…  I can imagine it’s a good car to drive and hope you enjoy yours! but can’t help wondering why manufacturers can’t make something new with the near exterior dimensions but huge capacity of the Yeti?!  Then I might be interested in changing… 

Hi,

 

Yesterday afternoon after a huge struggle I finally removed the tailgate lower inner panel and what a fight it was with metal clips I thought were welded in. I'm indebted to "The Plumber" for his excellent post;

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/288429-removing-tailgate-interior-trim/#comments

 

I live in West Yorkshire which as usual is a black hole; yesterday and today just the same; yesterday I struggled to see what I was doing using a torch to locate the clips; this afternoon I thought I'd be smart so turned the Yeti around on the driveway the rear end now facing the valley; it was even worse but once again using a torch I masked off the lights and wiper motor etc not wanting to cover these with rustproofing. I then set about using the Bilt Hamber Dynax S50 with the wand; the wand was inserted as far as it would go into all the holes and openings and all were given a good dose.

 

I expected to find rust but was truly amazed to see the cavities and bottom inner lip still looking brand new; this really cheered me up and a good blasting of Dynax S50 should keep it this way. I tried taking images but even with the flash the results were poor. It was so dark at 3 o'clock I called it a day; I'll refit the cover at a later date; perhaps the sun might even put in an appearance but I'm not holding my breath. One thing is certain; I'll be greasing the metal clips before reinstalling the cover. I used an assortment of kit to remove the panel.

 

 

I used wallpaper scrapers; a knife and finally attacked the panel with one of the above; next would be dynamite; these panels are very difficult indeed to remove but if I need to remove it again next time will be much easier and quicker; the clips let go with a loud bang.  Just one screw to fully remove from the grab handle; the top inner clips took a bit of finding and getting free.

 

I don't know what kind of job I've done today because it was so dark but I put plenty of rustproofing on. What's happened to Screwfix website; I search for Screwfix and it brings up Amazon and others? I copied the picture from Toolstation.

 

It might be next July before I can work outside again and see what I'm doing;

 

 

I love Yorkshire but I don't love its climate. I should have kept my pit lamp and battery?

 

Kind regards, Col.

 

 

I  bought a set of those orange interior trim tools off eBay for a fiver. Our boot lock release needed replacing (quite easy really) earlier this year. 

 

From memory you just press in from the 'forward' edge first when refitting and work your way out. It should snap back into place when you tap it with the side of your fist.

Edited 2 November, 20241 yr by Prezafab

Hi,

 

Thanks @Prezafab for the tip.  As usual it was dark and overcast today so this afternoon I ran the extension lamp out to have a good look.  I thought whilst the panel is off I may as well use the rest of the canister; I've paid keen attention to rust proofing the inner bottom corners and all along the bottom joint putting a lot on; I've gone over the top and used the full canister just on the tailgate knowing it's now fully rustproofed.

 

I used a small brush and coated every metal clip with grease; trying to align the panel using the lamp was difficult at first but then I noticed a plastic post on the bottom of the cover near the center and also a hole in the tailgate to accept it; now it was a doddle; push the plastic post into place and as you rightly say the metal clips snapped home one by one; now I've had the panel off it will be great deal easier next time to remove it and the greased clips should help.

 

 

A very poor image but shows the tailgate to be like brand new; the variation in colour isn't rust it's how the factory sprayed the paint; I couldn't be more pleased finding it rust free. I've still got the bonnet cavities to rustproof  but doing the tailgate was hassle in the dark so I might wait until next year; it's possible the bonnet too will be rust free but I want to rustproof it anyway; better spending a bit of money now than a lot of money later. Using these Bilt-Hamber canisters with the normal spray head and also the wand fitted is incredibly easy but care is needed to catch any run off; run off can be removed with white spirit. It's not cheap but worth it.

 

 

I've  had a big pressure washer for years but it's too much work setting it up just for the car.  I've now got one of the above as an attachment for pressure washing under the car and also a brand new smaller pressure washer to use it with.

 

 

Having bought these two I thought I'd buy some snow foam which I've never used before;

 

 

With winter imminent  I wanted to check the battery condition so bought a battery tester; the battery is 100%.

 

Out of interest I needed to do a welding job on my Howard petrol rotavator; the rotavator is housed in hut up the steep garden and too heavy to get down to the workshop without dismantling it; I have an industrial Pickhill Bantam arc welder; this is too heavy to try to get up to the rotavator and it needs a 32A mains supply.

 

I've bought one of the above which is fantastic value and did the welding job in minutes; I've been arc welding for over 60 years and am very impressed with this tiny welder which I can now use in future in or out of the workshop. I like plenty of toys to play with. Our Yeti is a keeper as long as it doesn't start costing a fortune for spares or repairs; it's also good for the environment; with care it will last for many years.

 

Kind regards, Col.

 

Edited 3 November, 20241 yr by Fabcol

Just curious, Why do you need to apply a rustproof coating? I had 2 Yeti’s kept outside in North Yorkshire for over 12 years and never had any rust at all. Modern cars - including the Yeti - are pretty much rust proofed from new.

Hi,

 

Thanks for asking @Expatman A good question. My wife and I want to keep our Yeti in top condition for as long as we can.  I admit as it turned out I've gone over the top with rustproofing but I'm a dinosaur remembering when I owned a garage business in my twenties when cars like the Ford Anglia 105E's and many others of the time rusted as I looked at them;  it was common to open a Ford Anglia boot to find a pair of cart spring ends laughing at me. Yes cars are much better these days regarding types of steel used and the change from positive earth to negative earth.

 

Last year when I dropped the wing liners I found lots of leaves and debris behind the bottom rear corner of the front nearside packed against the cill end; I cleared this and with it dry I blasted lots of Bilt-Hamber heavy duty DYNAX-UB  all under the wheel arches and suspension parts I could reach.

 

 

I bought 5L each of Dynax S-50 And Dynax UB.  I'm doing the rustproofing for my peace of mind whether it's needed or not; it certainly won't hurt doing it. The Yeti is now telling me it's had more rustproofing carried out with the powerful smell whilst shopping this morning.

 

I want to avoid rust long term; I don't want to be faced with this kind of thing in years to come; not a Yeti but still a Skoda;

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNAaKQJi3r8

 

Kind regards, Colin.

Re debris, my Subaru was like that when I took off the sill covers to check for rust last year. Fortunately only a miniscule bit of rust where the rear edge bolted up, and not the notorious spread into the rear arches.

 

Back to the Yeti, I think it's just 'cosmetic' rust that you need to keep on top of preventing. Three of our Yetis have had the lower door corner rust bubbles which were repaired before they got really bad. Keep an eye on the door edge vertical rubber seals that get dirt and damp stuck behind tgem. I take them off every summer and clean out / dry.

Hi,

 

Many thanks for the tip @Prezafab I notice the back inner corners of the rear doors tend to gather lots of dirt around the seals. May I please ask; are the seals easy to remove and replace.  I've got a small touch up bottle with brush of black magic paint and have given the door bottom corners a coat whilst the corners were rust free rather than waiting for rust to appear and when I sprayed the door cavities last year I blasted a lot of rustproofing into the corners. I did slip up because I hadn't realized the canister lance fitted into the cill drain holes; a bit late after I'd drilled two holes in each cill top and plugged them. I'm concerned with what's happening behind the cill outer covers but I think these can't be replaced if removed?  I know I'm fussy and extra keen but our Yeti is a big part of our lives.

 

Kind regards, Col.