Team-BHP - My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3
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I bought a 2012 Skoda Yeti 4x2 Ambition, with 61000 km on the clock, last month.

It all started - the hunt for another SUV, thanks to an untimely demise of my beloved ‘Scorpy’ about a year ago. ‘Scorpy’ served us well, for more than 7 years. In fact, saved us big-time from otherwise what would have been the disaster of lifetime. Related thread: My Scorpy
Shocker of an experience indeed. Paused for a while, reflected, learnt from it and then moved on.

(Fast forward)- About a year later !
A No-nonsense crossover. The 4x4 Elegance would have made even better – that additional confidence to start off from where the regular tarmac ends. Not sure why the name Yeti; I can’t see it climbing up the mountain like an "Abominable Snowman", but like its Himalayan namesake, the Skoda Yeti definitely is a rare sight.

A true classic ! :D
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1032.jpg
My 2012 Skoda Yeti 2.0TDI 4x2 Ambition

A short Endy episode !
Being out of the country for most part of the year, a new vehicle didn’t make sense. Through a friend of mine, got to know of a wonderfully maintained Ford Endeavour AT 4x4 on sale. The deal was closed quickly and the vehicle brought home on the same day. It was a 2011 model which had clocked around 86k km at the time.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-_dsc5978.jpg
My 2011 Ford Endeavour 3.0L AT 4x4

What I likedThe Not so Good Other points:Though driving this AT wasn’t as fun as my earlier MT M-hawk, I wasn’t planning to sell the Endy off soon. In fact at around 92000 km, I guess, I got the 1 lakh km service done. Changed most of the belts including the timing belt. The serviced costed close to Rs.45k. Spent another 21k and got black custom seat covers with additional cushioning + premium floor mats stitched at the trusted Leatherman @Palakkad. The vehicle was, both cosmetically and mechanically, in top shape.

Then, why did I let it go ?
It was just a few days after the 1 lac service, one evening as I was parking the beast in a small town in Palakkad, the gearbox simply gave up. I could slot the stick in to every single mode, but it wouldn’t change from ‘N’, as also displayed on the MID. Pushed the beast and parked on the road side. Called the SM who promptly sent a person within 30 minutes. It was around 7.00 pm, if I remember it right. The gentleman was the spare part manager who didn’t have any clue on the breakdown. Long story short, got a couple of technicians to arrive by 9.30 pm. The issue proved to be quite simple – a cable connecting the gear stick to the internal gearbox assembly was broken and dislodged. Got a sturdy zip tie and fastened the cable on to the gear stick after having the gears aligned, as a temporary solution.

The cable would cost around Rs.6000 but was not in stock. Took the vehicle to the ASC and got the zip tie removed and reattached the cable with a sturdy bolt. Placed an order for a brand new cable and left. Did travel some 1000 km after that before flying out of India eventually.
Being away from India, these two things kept me worried:Though the cause of the break-down wasn’t anything serious, the unavailability of the parts was a bit of a concern. Meanwhile, I was also thinking of upgrading the suspension with a comfort kit from either OME or Ironman. Called up Mr.Sam based out in Kottayam and discussed further on the upgrade. Either one would set you back by around Rs.1lakh, but again neither of them were in stock.

Decision time
Since my relocation back to India was uncertain, spending more on it didn’t make sense and started to think of letting it go for a ‘lighter on pocket’ stopgap car. Since the car was in top shape, getting a buyer wasn’t any difficult. With a heavy heart, the journey with the Endy had to be shortened. It fetched a decent price too.

P.S: The payment was done and the application for the ownership transfer was initiated at the buyer’s RTO office. While all these happened, I had forgotten that I had placed an order for that gear stick cable. I immediately called up the ASC at Palakkad. Since the part had arrived, I asked them to pick the vehicle and get it installed on the next day itself. Got the brand new part fitted and an overall vehicle inspection performed at Ford ASC. Confirmed ( on the KMVD portal ) the transfer of ownership and handed over the vehicle the following day.

What next?

Requirements: Vehicles considered:
Didn’t find a single Storme VX trim in the used market in Kerala .Would have bought home a brand new Safari Storme 400 VX- 2017 make, had the Tata dealer at Palakkad were prompt enough to respond and arrange a demo car. Put off by their laid back attitude and Tata lost a genuine customer there.

While in China, I visited a Ford dealership and checked out, in person, the Ecosport facelift. Though the fit-finish/material used were acceptable, the interior felt a bit too busy to my liking and claustrophobic too, much better than the first generation though. BTW, the China version comes equipped with a sunroof. Back home, the dealer had sent a demo car promptly. Both wifey and mom, after a short TD came back unimpressed. Ecosport was out from the list, though I still feel it to be the best in the segment.

Considered a new Duster 110 (D) AWD and a used Hyundai Santa Fe briefly - both got ruled out due to long term reliability concerns. While a 2014 Santa Fe ticked most of the boxes, couldn’t convince myself to plonk Rs.15L for a 1L km run Hyundai. Though provides class leading butter smooth ride and drivability, the overall interior quality and this thread along with safety concerns made sure that I stayed away Duster.

Wifey didn’t like XUV interiors + its ride; otherwise would have bought home a well maintained used 2016 XUV 5OO W10 for under 15 lakhs or a brand new W9/W10

The likes of Cretas/Nexons/Hexas/Crystas were not even considered. Just don’t like them at all- their styling/shape – not to my liking.
P.S: Wifey was hell-bent on getting a Crysta VX though.:)

I started feeling a bit restless owing to the fact that we were not able to zero in on any vehicle at all. We were just about a week away for a short vacation.

Yeti'd
One morning, I happened to bump into one Yeti on OLX/Kerala. Requested the owner for more pictures. Liked it and quickly asked my driver back home to make a visit to Kochi to check it out in person. He reached there and took the vehicle to Manikandan Skoda, along with the owner, for a quick inspection. The payment was made and the vehicle was brought home on the same day.

My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_09852.jpg

My initial impressions !- after having clocked some 2000 km last month.

Kilometers clocked when bought: 61000
Current ODO reading: 63000

The positives:
The Not so Good:

My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_0994.jpg

What is it like on the outside?

Though looks more like a car than a crude truck, the boxy exterior design does make it look muscular. Personally I loved the rear and side profiles. The front end might not be everyone’s taste though. The cladding on all sides have been body coloured by the previous owner, which I liked. Blacked out side window frame and pillars plus the tinted glass give Yeti that classic look. Couple of times I got stopped by people asking questions about the car.

My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_0883.jpg

The chrome surround for the radiator grill gives it a premium touch
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1034.jpg

Roof rails are silver coloured.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1014.jpg

The antenna has been placed at the back
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1023.jpg

The side view mirrors aren't as big as the ones on Scorpy and Endy, but do their jobs. They are electrically controlled, but not folded.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1011.jpg

The rear wash wiper – a boon during monsoons
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1025.jpg

Things like, the quality of material used and the fitment of even the wheel well liner/cladding, which most of the modern cars omit for cost cutting, are top notch
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1028.jpg

The front and rear bumper brush guards are silver coloured too. Notice the DRLs that have been turned on. The lower bulbs in the same housing are fog lamps. The stock set is quite powerful and I don’t see any need for an upgrade here.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_0989.jpg

PS: both my Scropy and Endy had to get their stock lighting kit upgraded !

The fact Sheet:

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Chassis & Body
Wheels and TyreMy pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1026.jpg

Comfort and Convenience (Exterior):
The upright body, tall roof, chunky roof rails and vertical tailgate mean the Yeti stands tall and very much a 'box on the wheel'. In addition, those big wheel arches mean more 'SUV' look.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_0990.jpg

On the inside:

My Endy was many a levels above Scorpy, when it comes to interior quality, fit and finish. Yeti takes it to another level. The soft touch in places and the harder plastics lower down actually make it more practical and premium. Every single switch/ button just functions on a light touch. No pushing/pulling, just tap instead; such is the quality. There is a learning curve on finding the right control buttons though, this one being the first European.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1036.jpg

Silver alloy design decor on front dashboard looks nice. Dual-tone front padded are the dashboard, centre console and door panels.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1048.jpg

Well thought out storage areas as well
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1041.jpg

Steering wheel:
The leather wrapped four spoke steering wheel, with signature chrome inserts on it, is a joy to hold. The steering can be manually adjusted for height and reach and again the sliding action is effortless. No steering-mounted audio controls on this variant.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1047.jpg


Entertainment System:Skoda Swing Audio Player

Single CD/MP3 with Radio player with 8 speakers. The set-up is just amazing to say the least, when it comes to sound quality. There is a dedicated AUX cable in cabin under the centre armrest. Nicely placed and convenient. My iPod classic worked flawlessly.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1042.jpg

Tweeters and speakers have been well integrated with 'tight' sound quality
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1040.jpg
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1043.jpg

Comfort and Convenience (interior):
Yeti will give you little to complain about in this regard. The front seats are spacious and the rear seating is good too. Both driver and passenger seats are supportive with lumbar support, slightly on the firmer side though. Both can be height adjusted mechanically. The rear seats are great for two adults- decent headroom and legroom.

Fact sheet:
The Vario Flex seats:
The flexibility of second row Varioflex seats can’t be missed here. One can remove any or all the rear seats such that you can have two captain seats or just one of them or none at all, extending the boot into a massive cargo area. The seats can be slid back and forth for leg room and reclined as well. The middle one alone can be folded down to function as your armrest with cup/can/small bottle holders. Quite a unique feature, I must say.

All seats in place:
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1050.jpg

Seats folded down:
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1054.jpg

All rear seats removed: Though a bit on the heavier side, removing them is quite easy I must say.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_1060.jpg

The Yeti’s square and upright styling makes it quite spacious for what is really quite a compact car on the outside.

Under the hood:

Engine & Transmission details
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-img20180206wa00162.jpg

Engine performance & driveability in the city:
Superb. Soft clutch, silky smooth accelerator pedal, silent engine, sharp and responsive steering and sharp and abrupt brakes - means a decent town car. The turbo lag isn't felt at low city speeds. The compact dimensions helps parking Yeti a breeze. The torque is adequate for city driving and the refinement and NVH levels at low speeds are superb too.

Engine performance & driveability on the highway
Initially, Yeti was launched in India with the same engine with 140BHP on offer. That was the 4x4 version. This variant has been detuned to 110BHP. That doesn't make it an underpowered car at all. It's only when you push it hard, the start feeling the need of that extra horse power. You still are very much in the business all the way until 100-110 mph. Only when you try beyond that, the engine starts to feels a bit strained. Didn't feel like pushing it above 120 mph, as the engine started to be heard inside losing out on refinement a bit. 100-110 mph at 2000-2100 RPM is the way to go on highways.

Driving is car like
This car is for practicality, not to beat those rude boys off the lights, as I stated earlier. Both Scorpy and Endy were torque monsters, but you can actually have a bit of fun with yeti as well. Slot in to the right gears, you should be at home. Initially I did manage to stall the machine a couple of times. Coming from the likes of m-Hawk and that 3.0L on the Endy, I was perceiving poor low end torque and could not cope. Now that I am tuned, it hardly is an issue. Still, one needs to slot in the right gear all the time. With my Scorpy, I could start moving even while on 3rd gear, not a great idea though. Such was the torque spread. The turbo lag isn't a concern, gets obvious only when you push it hard from stationary. This car is not meant for such exercise any ways. The driving position is high enough to give good visibility – better than Endy but not in the league of Scorpio. One of the reasons why I let my Endy go was the low seating in the first row.

Overall, the engine performance is excellent for city and just adequate for highway drives. Would love to have had that additional 30BHP any day though.

Gearshift & clutch
It’s a 5-speed manual. The 4x4 elegance (140BHP) gets a 6-speed which I thought I would miss on this variant of mine. The gear shift isn’t bad at all. No shudder at start or vibration. The Gear stick on my Scorpy used to dance through out. But I loved it along with the long throw. On Yeti, it is the other way around – smooth, effortless and short. But I prefer those on the big boys though, even if I had to put in some effort on the stick. The gearshift indicator is observed on MID when changing gear

Braking
Braking is one of the strongest points of yeti. The brakes are sharp and brutal - both at low and high speeds, confidence inspiring indeed. At low speeds, just give the pedal a tap, Yeti stops in no time. Great bit/feel and effectiveness. Its adequate at seeds as well. Coming from my Endy AT, the difference felt was instant and noticeable. It gets Ventilated discs upfront and rear solid disc brakes.

Overall NVH levels
The engine noise is very well controlled and up to 110kmph over even 120, you don’t get to hear the diesel growl at all. Up to 110 mph - silent,more petrol like. My Endy used to be crude in this regard. Having said that, the road/tyre/wind noise creeps is quite quickly as you pick up the speeds. May be the Apollo rubbers it is riding on. May also be the tall and boxy design being bad for aerodynamics. There is quite a lot of wind and road noise at speed, say from 90km/h which isn't great for long journeys. It is surprising as it does have decent cladding/insulation under the hood and on the wheel wells. For city driving, it is super-quiet and refined.

Suspension, Ride quality and handling:
Though came in pre-worshiped, this ‘box on wheels’ has already impressed me on many counts. It is by far the best family car I have owned, in terms of ride quality and handling. The 4WD version would have been perfect though. It rides with fluid smoothness, both at low and high speeds. The ride quality is a bit firmer than the likes of Duster, but way nicer than my Scopry/Endy (unsurprisingly). It was fun to drive along those roads to Munnar as the car was planted on the road even when pushed through those tight bends. Amazing grip levels:thumbs up
Safety features:
Steering
The steering is electromechanical power steering. The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force. With the electromechanical power steering, the steering assist is automatically adapted to the speed and to the steering angle.The steering can be manually adjusted for height and reach and again the sliding action is effortless. The steering while driving is sharp and accurate, better than even my Endy. Very light at slow speeds and weighs up nicely as you pick up speeds.

Ground clearance and turning radius:
Yeti ambition 4x2 gets a ground clearance of 180 mm and a turning radius of 5.0 m. The ground clearance is decent enough to sail over those potholes and speed-breakers on our Indian roads, but still felt ( may be psychologically) less prepared to do so – spoilt by Scorpy and Endy here. The turning radius is excellent and taking those sharp U-turns is a breeze.

Fuel Efficiency:
Excellent Fuel consumption. Consistently returned 16.5 km/L on average – mixed driving [tank- full methodl method]. Relaxed 60-70 kmph gives me up to 20.5 kmpL as per the trip computer. A normal easy 80-90kmph cruising gives a consistent 17.5 kmpl on highways.
ARAI fuel efficiency = 17.72 kmpl

Can Yeti stand up to the comparison with my Scorpy or Endy ?

Definitely not, when one talks of size and perceived ruggedness. In the first place, this Yeti 4x2 isn’t meant to go off the tarmac. That monocoque construction Vs the body on frame. Having said that, surprisingly, it is the Yeti which gives you that unsettling feel and ride comfort while driving over bad patches and undulated average Indian roads. It is simply built and bolted to last a life time.
My pre-owned Skoda Yeti | EDIT: Remapped by Wolf Moto & now Stage 3-dsc_0999.jpg

Bought a new comprehensive zero dep. from HDFC Ergo. Paid up Rs 28.7k. Learnt that Pinnacle Skoda has a tie up with HDFC, Oriental and National Ins. Went on to choose HDFC for obvious reasons, though either of the other two would have worked out to be a lot cheaper. Wanted to get one through Skoda for cashless claims, which didn’t materialise eventually. The reason being- more than 5 year old, not eligible.

Running costs?

Unsure as of now. Didn’t have to spend a paisa, apart from the fuel of course, in the first 2000kms. Decent fuel efficiency as well. Thanks to the fact that it is a 2012 make, with multiple users/owners, the long term reliability is definitely a concern? No faults and niggles to report as of now. Will be sending it in for a service in a couple of months. Will update here with the same once done. As of now, this Yeti stays and very well poised in for a long haul. :)

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

Hey mate, can you please share the purchase prices of both the cars for the forums reference please. Also the selling price for the Endy once you sold it.

Congrats on your Yeti. Wonderful car, nice review and great pictures :thumbs up
Wishing you a great and trouble free ownership.

Do you mind sharing the price ?

Congratulations! Being a yeti owner myself, I am surprised that you found the stock headlights excellent. I think the light throw is mediocre.

Also, did you get the rear bumper painted or it was done by the previous owner?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2000rpm (Post 4370778)
Hey mate, can you please share the purchase prices of both the cars for the forums reference please. Also the selling price for the Endy once you sold it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asish_VK (Post 4370783)
Do you mind sharing the price ?

:D
The Endy came in for under Rs. 9.0L. Had spent around Rs.1L for the service + seats etc and got sold for Rs.10L

Yeti came in for just under Rs.8.5L. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagpatel (Post 4370805)
Congratulations! Being a yeti owner myself, I am surprised that you found the stock headlights excellent. I think the light throw is mediocre.

To me, stock headlights + fog lights give very good throw and visibility. Haven't checked if the previous owner has done any upgrade, very unlikey though.
Quote:

Originally Posted by sagpatel (Post 4370805)
Also, did you get the rear bumper painted or it was done by the previous owner?

It was done by the previous owner

Wow!!! Was bit shocked to see the title because only few really understands the Yeti. Being from the automotive industry, I had done quite a few tests on Yeti and it did pass with flying colors. The performance and driveability are a class apart. The price at which you bought it is also great. Only concern is the ill-famed Skoda ASS. If you can find a good service center or a friendly neighborhood garage, it will be a happy relationship with the car.

Have some wonderful drives with the Yeti! Drive safe & CONGRATS.

Yeti! A looker in its own style :)

Congratulations sir! You’ve a stud at your porch now besides having bouncers like Endy and Scorpio.

Pics reveal the maintenance level of the previous own. Must have been an ardent automobile enthusiast to my eyes looking at how well the car is maintained - both interiors and exterior of the car.

Perhaps an alloy switch for a better set of tyres can enhance the look furthermore :) nonetheless, you’ve a brilliant mile munching times ahead with the stud!

Congratulations on getting your hands on a beautiful and unique vehicle. :thumbs up

The design of Yeti has aged quite gracefully. It doesn't look stale like a lot of cars from that time. I would go so far as to say that I find it almost iconic like Audi TT, VW Beetle, or LR Defender. It's a shame we won't get to see an evolution of this design language now that Skoda has decided to go with sharp and edgy lines with Kodiaq and Karoq (very good in their own right).

Quote:

Originally Posted by M35 (Post 4369061)
Under the hood:
Engine & Transmission details
  • 2.0 TDI CR Diesel Engine
  • 1968 cc
  • Power - 110 bhp @ 4200 rpm
  • Torque - 250 Nm @ 1500~2500 rpm
  • FWD
  • Manual 5 speed

140 bhp*. Excellent choice for a car if you are mostly doing city runs and tarmac. But you have slightly overpaid. Atleast a lakh. Immaterial though if you are satisfied with the buy. Wishing you happy miles.


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