[Behemoth]

Yes, there is a special place to stash it securely behind the rear seats. To put it there, first fold down the backrests of one side seat and the middle seat. The take out the parcel shelf and flip it around so that the side which faces the tailgate is inside and towards the bottom. Then just slide the parcel shelf into the gap behind the rear seat. You will find that it fits snugly. Now raise the backrests and it will further hold it tightly. Whole procedure takes not more than 2 minutes, once you have done it 2-3 times!

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

LOL! You too eh.
Yes we all pretty much go through the same thing.
But somehow me manage to click a few snaps of the ride atleast.
If proving too hard, carry a spare memory card. Only shoot your car pics on that card and keep the family.ones on a separate one. This sort of helps.
More on the wife on the other thread.
Team BHP and our Wives.
Hope to see you there.
Thanks Swanand for the kind words.

He he.. Now that's a good solution! I always carry a spare memory card for my Dslr, in case the first one gets full, just never thought of using it for this purpose! Will try this out next time definitely! I was going through my last travel pics from Naukuchiatal, and not a single pic of the Yeti was there and this family member was completely ignored. One reason could be that by the time the black monster reaches its destination, it is already brown and white with allthe dust that it picks up on the highways! How are other members managing to keep their Black SUVs clean? Wish there were some anti static coating which could reduce dust gathering - have not found anything like this yet.
Mdsaab,your thread on TBHP and wives is amazing and definitely recommend to all married members to go through to avoid the perils of being caught red-handed browsing TBHP!
Thanks!

[mdsaab]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

He he.. Now that's a good solution! I always carry a spare memory card for my Dslr, in case the first one gets full, just never thought of using it for this purpose! Will try this out next time definitely! I was going through my last travel pics from Naukuchiatal, and not a single pic of the Yeti was there and this family member was completely ignored. One reason could be that by the time the black monster reaches its destination, it is already brown and white with allthe dust that it picks up on the highways! How are other members managing to keep their Black SUVs clean? Wish there were some anti static coating which could reduce dust gathering - have not found anything like this yet.
Mdsaab,your thread on TBHP and wives is amazing and definitely recommend to all married members to go through to avoid the perils of being caught red-handed browsing TBHP!
Thanks!

Don't worry too much, a dusty looking Yeti will just add to the character.
I feel SUV's are meant to be rugged and all this dust, mud, grime add to the overall getup.
Glad you liked the thread. It was my first on T-BHP and it always brings a smile to my face. and Yes i have laughed out loud in the bathroom reading some of the posts on there. My wife will probably thing i am crazy.

[Behemoth]

First service update!
Got my Yeti serviced at around 12K kms (11 months after purchase), though official service schedule is 15K kms / 1 year whichever is earlier, I still preferred to get the Yeti serviced early as Gurgaon is very dusty and has bad roads.

Basic service, with Oil change (5.3K cost) Oil filter, Pollen filter change and tyre balancing, alignment and rotation done. Polishing and cleaning done and Teflon coating reapplied. Total cost came to Rs 7905.
Also, asked for the AC system to be checked for improving effectiveness. Road test was done with Diagnostic system connected to check the performance in traffic. Slight tripping observed at lower RPMs - escalated to Skoda Aurangabad for resolution (firmware update). Solution expected to be available after a few days.

Regards,
Behemoth

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Also, asked for the AC system to be checked for improving effectiveness. Road test was done with Diagnostic system connected to check the performance in traffic. Slight tripping observed at lower RPMs - escalated to Skoda Aurangabad for resolution (firmware update). Solution expected to be available after a few days.

What exactly is the issue with the AC?
Also what tripped? Kindly elaborate. Are you referring to a stalling issue? Could that be caused due to the JAG device you used?

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by dkaile

What exactly is the issue with the AC?
Also what tripped? Kindly elaborate. Are you referring to a stalling issue? Could that be caused due to the JAG device you used?

The AC tripping issue is a very peculiar issue which I have been facing since the beginning. The Yeti uses a Variable regulating valve (N280) for controlling AC gas flow and the load on the compressor. What happens in my case is that at slow speeds in 2nd gear, the flow rate is reduced to minimum 3% for a few seconds when the rpm drops below 1000rpm. This causes a momentary loss in cooling (20sec) after which the flow rate again increases and AC starts cooling again. This is discomforting only in heavy traffic and peak heat, where one feels the AC cutout immediately. This is mostly because of a signal from the Engine ECU that the torque requested on the engine is higher than the torque generated at that rpm, hence the ECU sends a load reduction command to the AC ECU and hence this happens. The solution to resolve this is a firmware reprogram for the Engine ECU, which will raise the torque output from the engine at low rpms. (Basically an engine torque graph remap).
Am expecting a solution from Skoda in a few days.
(This is not due to the VAGCOM which I have used as it is a diagnostic tool and cannot make any changes to Engine ECU firmware, or other controller firmwares!)

Nowadays, there is so much electronics and software loaded on the controllers that having the right firmwares to drive the hardware optimally is crucial , and the firmware has to be adapted differently for different climatic regions. My Yeti, probably being from the initial batches did not have this firmware adaptation done.

This is a regular process with most manufacturers and they regularly do firmware updates on installed hardware. (Even the Cruze had a ECU remap to reduce turbo lag in later versions)
Think of it like upgraded software versions to improve performance from your hardware! (as in computers).

Regards,
Behemoth

[selfdrive]

Great comparo Behemoth! I am not sure how I missed this thread.

I am glad to know the costs/ details of your first service and that nothing untoward came up. Wish a good and complete resolution for the tripping issue. Did you notice anything amiss before giving it for the service? How and when will this be rectified?

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Great comparo Behemoth! I am not sure how I missed this thread.

I am glad to know the costs/ details of your first service and that nothing untoward came up. Wish a good and complete resolution for the tripping issue. Did you notice anything amiss before giving it for the service? How and when will this be rectified?

Thanks Selfdrive! Yes, hopefully they should be able to do the update soon. I had observed this problem since the summers began and it was noticeable in peak traffic in summer heat. It is not really a hardware issue and is more like a tuning issue. Lets see how soon they are able to correct it. From my knowledge, it can be corrected by increasing the idle speed or idling torque. The Yeti is a well designed and built car, but for a good customer experience, the service should also be comparable. The dealers and service network really leaves a lot to be desired esp. In Gurgaon and Skoda should seriously consider completely overhauling its service network and dealers. Maybe they can coshare with VW, which they do many countries and establish a better standard of service. In India, we have experienced service from Maruti, Ford, Honda and Skoda and unfortunately seen the service levels falling when more and more cars are sold and there is hardly any upgrade of service facilities. The Indian consumers are taken for a ride and service and product performance standards are nowhere close to what they are globally. Lets hope the government takes some steps to improve this.

Regards,
Behemoth

[dkaile]

I strongly feel that Indian service stations (of most manufacturers) are still 'not' equipped to handle such complicated cars with high levels of electronics. Their expertise level in mechanicals is OK but when it comes to hard core electronics, its quite pathetic, to say the least, leading to overall customer dissatisfaction after having bought a world class product.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by dkaile

I strongly feel that Indian service stations (of most manufacturers) are still 'not' equipped to handle such complicated cars with high levels of electronics. Their expertise level in mechanicals is OK but when it comes to hard core electronics, its quite pathetic, to say the least, leading to overall customer dissatisfaction after having bought a world class product.

Yes, completely agree with you on this! The level of expertise in electronics and softwares is extremely limited at the service stations (all brands) and it is becoming more and more complicated. The Yeti for example had 18 separate Controllers (Intelligent control units) which control different functionalities of the vehicle. Below is a brief scan of the controllers done with the VAGCOM on my Yeti - it also does detailed scans on each controller.
01-Engine -- Status: OK 0000
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
04-Steering Angle -- Status: OK 0000
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: OK 0000
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: OK 0000
10-Park/Steer Assist -- Status: OK 0000
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
16-Steering wheel -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: OK 0000
22-AWD -- Status: OK 0000
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
42-Door Elect, Driver -- Status: OK 0000
44-Steering Assist -- Status: OK 0000
46-Central Conv. -- Status: OK 0000
52-Door Elect, Pass. -- Status: OK 0000
56-Radio -- Status: OK 0000
62-Door, Rear Left -- Status: OK 0000
72-Door, Rear Right -- Status: OK 0000

Most current vehicles now use these controllers (XUV500 also has around 18!) and the service technicians needs to be trained to handle these electronics.
Electronics was the weak link in most German and Japanese cars in the late 90s and even though reliability has been improved drastically, the level of after sales expertise is still very low in India.

Regards,
Behemoth

[_raVan_]

Thanks Behemoth for the review It is very unbiased and apt too.

However, I feel that if you could have involved a manual Civic, it would have gained a point. Also, I presume that cost of ownership (cost of maintenance + service) will be much better in Civic than in Yeti.

I noticed that you have done your first service done for Yeti. Can you compare the same with Civic?

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by _raVan_

Thanks Behemoth for the review It is very unbiased and apt too.

However, I feel that if you could have involved a manual Civic, it would have gained a point. Also, I presume that cost of ownership (cost of maintenance + service) will be much better in Civic than in Yeti.

I noticed that you have done your first service done for Yeti. Can you compare the same with Civic?

Thanks!
Yes, it's possible that the manual Civic may have gained one point from me, but it would have lost one point from my wife, who is the main user now! Reason being it's much easier for her to drive and she has this perpetual fear of rollback on an upslope if she has to stop (automatic doesn't roll back, while manual would!). This was one of the reasons for us to choose the auto version instead of the manual. The Yeti has hill hold control, so it anyway does not rollback on an incline (3 sec).

The cost of the maintenance of the Civic is comparably higher on an annual basis, as there is a service at every 5k Kms (5k minor service + 10K major service). If I recall correctly, the minor service (without oil changes) costs around 2800 and the major service with oil changes costs around 6500. So if we consider in a 15k interval, on an average we will have to do 1.5 minor + 1.5 major service every year, costing around 14K per annum. Add to that the fuel cost of around Rs 9 per km (70 Rs/L petrol and mileage of 8.5km/L) , if you drive 15000 km per annum, the cost is 135,000. Total running cost is Rs 150,000 per annum.
Comparatively for the Yeti, annual service cost is 8k and the fuel cost is Rs 2.5 per km (39 Rs/Lt diesel and avg of 15.5 Km/L) and for 15000 km per annum, the cost is 37,500 per annum. Total cost of running is 45,500 - this is almost 1 Lac less that the running cost of the Civic - and translates into a 8k per month difference in your expenses (post-tax money saving for most people!)
The driving distance of 15K kms which I have taken is an average for me and for different people it will vary (please apply the calculation based on your own driving cycles!).
(however..!! please definitely take the extended warranty on your VW/ Skoda /BMW/ Mercs etc if you are considering these cars, as the spares are very expensive compared to Japs!). Ideally one should look at a car for only a 4 year ownership period and take warranty to cover the full period and after the 4 years end, sell the car! One more tip, if you have 2 cars in the family, replace the cars alternately every 2 years - so you will always have a new car every 2 years and stay with the latest!

(This is purely my thought process and not intended to offend any of the readers who consider cars for long term ownership!
Straight from the heart of a car-fanatic.)

Regards,
Behemoth

[Behemoth]

An update regarding my Ac tripping issue. The scanning of my Yeti was done in a road test and it was diagnosed that the Ac compressor was not cooling enough and tripping. On 7th Oct the compressor was indented with Skoda Aurangabad. The compressor arrived at the workshop on 9th Oct, and was subsequently replaced in my Yeti on the 11th. After driving the Yeti for 2 days, I realized that the tripping issue was still present and on checking with Skoda, came to know that an ECU firmware update has been released to solve this issue. Got the firmware for the ECU updated today at the workshop and now the AC is perfect. The cooling effectiveness has more than doubled and it never trips. Even the new compressor which has been replaced is a new improved part code and a higher capacity screw type compressor.
Overall, I did have to take my Yeti to the service station three times to get this issue resolved, but I am happy that Skoda responded quickly to the part request and it was promptly replaced. Total additional cost to me in this process was the cost of compressor oil, Rs 1094, as it is a consumable.
I am happy that the Ac is perfect now and cools as effectively as the Civic's AC. So first service experience with Skoda has so far been pleasant (hope that I don't need to go back for another year, till the 2nd service becomes due.)
Regards,
Behemoth

[dkaile]

Great to see the pro-active nature of the Skoda A S S in this case. Seems they are trying to redeem their image. More such experiences will certainly push back the buyers towards Skoda which has some good products in their line-up.

[Behemoth]

Hi All,
Just came back from a long-ish drive (time wise!) from Bareilly over Diwali. Noticed a few things about the Yeti which I would like to share.

The Yeti was fully loaded with people and luggage during these periods (5 Adults + 1 kid + 1 dog ) + 80 Kg Luggage on roof rack. The suspension coped very well and infact the Yeti rides better when fully loaded. There was no bottoming out on any of the horrible speed breakers on the notorious NH24 route (our old Fiesta always used to bottom out badly on these stretches, even with just three people). It also rode very well on almost 50 Kms of extremely potholed roads, as we had to take a detour via Dalpatpur as the main NH-24 was jammed (12 hrs jam) between Rampur- Muradabad.

One word of caution for all people with roof racks - even we got stuck at a overhead barrier (very low barrier placed at a narrow river bridge) and luckily the carrier was not damaged. But we had to remove all the luggage off the carrier to get out under the barrier (there was no alternate route!)

The Yeti gave a fuel efficiency of around 14.5 Kmpl during the journey (due to bad traffic / full load and un-aerodynamic profile of luggage on roof). Generally I have noticed that roof luggage brings down the fuel efficiency by around 10%.

Overall the Yeti coped with the horrible terrain and the traffic jams very admirably and kept us comfortable even on the most demanding road conditions.

Regards,
Behemoth