yeeeetiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

[netpenthe]

when available?

WHEN

[BlackOctaviaRS]

It's available first week of October - I spoke to a dealer today.

[Illy]

Available to order or have stock in Australia?

[BlackOctaviaRS]

Available to have stock in Australia - I spoke to Mentone Skoda in Melbourne, and they advised that their dealership is bringing in 20 Yetis to start with.

[woofy]

There is apparently someone trading in a RS wagon on one at Richmond, and also someone lined up for the same tradein on an RS Fabia when they eventually come. Anyone in here?

[NotYet]

I was told that each Skoda dealer will start with a small allocation of Yetis (up to about 20). (What is the collective noun for Yetis?) They had to specify how many of those they wanted in each model (front wheel drive 77TSI or AWD 103TDI), and nominate options (including manual or DSG) and colours. The first batch of demonstrators (up to about 3 per dealer) are expected in showrooms in about mid-September 2011. The rest will trickle in from October onwards.

One Skoda dealer in Melbourne (not Mentone) told me that they have been allocated 20, of which 14 will be 103TDI. Most of the TDIs will have DSG (I think they said 10 of the 14). Most of the initial batch will be optioned up with things like metallic paint (I was told this will be $460), sat-nav (a whopping $2890), sunroof ($1990), front and rear parking sensors ($990), bi-xenon headlights ($1490) and leather. That means the on-road price for most of the AWD models in the inital allocation will be in the mid- to high-$40ks :eek:

Nevertheless, dealers seem confident that those ones will be snapped up, so don't expect heavy discounting.

There will be some scope for swapping between dealers - so that if Dealer A in another State has, say, the silver 103TDI with DSG and sat-nav but no sunroof that you want, Dealer B in your State might be able to swap a manual Lava Blue one with a sunroof for it. Each dealer should have access to a list of all configurations allocated to dealers throughout Australia.

On the other hand if you order a bespoke configuration after September, expect a 6-8 month wait. (That is the current waiting time in many other markets such as the UK.)

If you jump in now for a bespoke order, before they hit the showrooms, you might get one sooner. I have pre-ordered one and the current indications are Dec-Jan for delivery (i.e. 4-5 months from order).

Note that the current brochure on the Skoda Australia web site lists 10 colours, but you can order a Yeti in the other four MY2012 colours listed on Skoda sites in other countries (see Skoda international web site (http://www.skoda-auto.com)). The other colours are Rosso Brunello and Safari Beige (which have been around for some time on Skoda vehicles) and two new colours, Malachite Green and Terracotta Orange. (Terracotta Orange is more accurately called Bronze in the UK, and incidentally quite a good colour in my view - there is a picture of a schmick-looking Yeti in this colour with a black roof in the Skoda international Yeti brochure.) I have read, however, that there is a delay for Rosso Brunello because the supplier of that paint was affected by the tsunami in Japan.

Skoda Australia has not yet published a list of accessories or prices, but if you look at Skoda UK (http://www.skoda.co.uk) you will get an idea of what will be available. The prices for accessories are likely to be much higher here though. For example, I was told that an extra Spitzberg 7.0J x 17" alloy rim would be about $450 in Australia, compared to £153 (about $A240 at current rates) in the UK. Might be cheaper to import it myself.

MDI - that is, an iPod/iPhone connection - won't be a factory fit until next year; in the meantime it might be available only as a $600 dealer fit. At that price, I'd say save your money if the standard auxiliary socket and bluetooth are sufficient for you; otherwise go for an aftermarket option.

Happy Yeti hunting!

[Jake02]

I have pre-ordered one and the current indications are Dec-Jan for delivery (i.e. 4-5 months from order).

Thank you very much for that, it's nice to finally see some info about the Yetis trickle in. What spec, if you don't mind me asking, did you order (engine, colour, options etc)?

[K1W1]

Nevertheless, dealers seem confident that those ones will be snapped up, so don't expect heavy discounting

I'm not sure whether it's you or the dealer who is in fairy land but within days of these things hitting the floor anybody who can't get $4000 off will be a fool who should be parted with their money.


MDI - that is, an iPod/iPhone connection - won't be a factory fit until next year; in the meantime it might be available only as a $600 dealer fit. At that price, I'd say save your money if the standard auxiliary socket and bluetooth are sufficient for you; otherwise go for an aftermarket

The MDI is simply a proprietary USB interface and seeing as they charge around $200 for the same interface on the same radio system in other Skoda vehicles your chain is being yanked so hard I'm surprised that you don't have whiplash. Don't forget that the $600 you have been quoted DOES NOT include the $100 they will want to charge you for the cable that you need to connect the interface to the device when you do your budgeting.

[BlackOctaviaRS]

I'm not sure whether it's you or the dealer who is in fairy land but within days of these things hitting the floor anybody who can't get $4000 off will be a fool who should be parted with their money.

Couldn't agree more - if I end up deciding to get one, I'll be going at them hard for a decent discount (+corporate pricing).

[VAG newbie]

I'm not sure whether it's you or the dealer who is in fairy land but within days of these things hitting the floor anybody who can't get $4000 off will be a fool who should be parted with their money.

It depends on how many "fools" are out there. Not everyone is aware of corporate discount, not everyone uses car broker, if each dealer are only allocated with 20 or so Yetis only, and they are as good as they are, it's possible we might not see much discounts.

But at the same time, most fools won't buy a Skoda. They won't even walk into a Skoda showroom. These fools are most likely purchase a Korean car and still thinking they are supporting Aussie jobs. You know which brand I'm talking about.

[VAG newbie]

I'm not sure whether it's you or the dealer who is in fairy land but within days of these things hitting the floor anybody who can't get $4000 off will be a fool who should be parted with their money.

It depends on how many "fools" are out there. Not everyone is aware of corporate discount, not everyone uses car broker, if each dealer are only allocated with 20 or so Yetis only, and they are as good as they are, it's possible we might not see much discounts.

But at the same time, most fools won't buy a Skoda. They won't even walk into a Skoda showroom. These fools are most likely purchase a Korean car and still thinking they are supporting Aussie jobs. You know which brand I'm talking about.

[Zelig]

One Skoda dealer in Melbourne (not Mentone) told me that they have been allocated 20, of which 14 will be 103TDI. Most of the TDIs will have DSG (I think they said 10 of the 14). Most of the initial batch will be optioned up with things like metallic paint (I was told this will be $460), sat-nav (a whopping $2890), sunroof ($1990), front and rear parking sensors ($990), bi-xenon headlights ($1490) and leather. That means the on-road price for most of the AWD models in the inital allocation will be in the mid- to high-$40ks :eek:

Thanks for the heads up on the cost of those options.

Do you how much Leather will be ?

[NotYet]

What spec, if you don't mind me asking, did you order (engine, colour, options etc)? G'day Jake. I have ordered 103TDI AWD with bi-xenon lights (no other options). It's Malachite Green. Yes I know green cars have poor resale value! It was my partner's choice. Personally I would have gone for the Terracotta (Bronze). But I figured it was better to take the resale value hit (given that we expect to keep it long-term) than have years of hearing, "I hate this colour. What possessed you to get Terracotta rather than that nice green?".


Do you know how much Leather will be ? Sorry Zelig, I didn't ask and wasn't told.


The MDI is simply a proprietary USB interface and seeing as they charge around $200 for the same interface on the same radio system in other Skoda vehicles your chain is being yanked so hard I'm surprised that you don't have whiplash. Don't forget that the $600 you have been quoted DOES NOT include the $100 they will want to charge you for the cable that you need to connect the interface to the device when you do your budgeting. As for "yanking the chain" I am just reporting what I was told by a dealer. The main point is that they will be a relatively cheap factory fit option from some time next year. In the meantime I'd say get an aftermarket one if you really want it.


I'm not sure whether it's you or the dealer who is in fairy land but within days of these things hitting the floor anybody who can't get $4000 off will be a fool who should be parted with their money. Maybe you will be right Kiwi. The point I was really trying to make was about the dealers' expectations of likely demand. One dealer told me in late July (that is, maybe two months before any cars arrive) that they had already pre-sold 8 of their allocated 20. Another said two weeks ago that some dealers have already pre-sold their entire allocation. Maybe some of that is dealer spin, and maybe the "early adopters" are not a reliable indicator of demand later in the year. But the indications of strong demand don't surprise me given that (a) the numbers are small, (b) there are big wraps on the Yeti, (c) there are long waiting lists in other markets, (d) the Yeti fills a gap between the Dualis/ASX/ix35/Sportage on the one side and Tiguan/X1/Mini Countryman on the other, and (e) this segment of the market remains buoyant. But Skoda Australia have been known to over-estimate demand in the past (e.g. Roomster, Octavia Scout manual).

[Big banana]

New guy here who is going to buy a yeti. Im hoping the smart boys here can help me with a few queries. Incidentally I test drove the 103TDI (or equivalent) recently when in Europe. Suitably impressed.

Looking at the options, the only thing I want is the MDI, can this be fitted after market cheaper? If so by who?

Also, I'll be wanting a tow bar and a dealer said this would be around $1500 which seems a bit much. Can this also be fitted after market and if so by who?

Thanks for any help than can be provided.

Bb

[woofy]

I don't think there is any spin on the Yetis already sold, I know some dealers here have people literally waiting for theirs to come in. With stock so tight worldwide, they aren't going to need to discount at all.

[NotYet]

Looking at the options, the only thing I want is the MDI, can this be fitted after market cheaper? If so by who? Hello BB from a fellow newbie.

A lot of people in Britain are asking the same question. If you Google "Yeti MDI" you will find a number of answers - see particularly several posts in the forum at Briskoda (http://briskoda.net). At present most still involve DIY solutions - e.g. see detailed instructions here (http://www.drbig.co.uk/projects/yeti-mdi-retro-fit/).


Also, I'll be wanting a tow bar and a dealer said this would be around $1500 which seems a bit much. Can this also be fitted after market and if so by who? This is an ominous sign of the gouging to come on Yeti accessories in Australia. In the UK, a genuine towbar costs no more than about $A1100 fitted. Even so, people in the UK have found cheaper aftermarket options - I suggest you Google "Yeti towbar".

A company called Ironbull (http://www.ironbull.com.au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=118&category_id=31&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=83) is already offering a towbar for the Yeti in Australia. No doubt there will be others too. But you would need to check what additional preparation is required before installing something like this (e.g. wiring harness, ECU mapping). There is a lot of discussion in Briskoda (http://briskoda.net) forum posts on this topic.

[Jake02]

G'day Jake. I have ordered 103TDI AWD with bi-xenon lights (no other options). It's Malachite Green. Yes I know green cars have poor resale value! It was my partner's choice. Personally I would have gone for the Terracotta (Bronze). But I figured it was better to take the resale value hit (given that we expect to keep it long-term) than have years of hearing, "I hate this colour. What possessed you to get Terracotta rather than that nice green?".

Oh lovely! And I think that green is actually really nice (for a green anyway :P)! Could I ask, what's the standard radio on the Yeti 103TDI 4x4? The brochure says it's the Swing system but I can't imagine them putting such a basic system in a $40k car, especially when the fantastic Bolero system is available.

[NotYet]

Could I ask, what's the standard radio on the Yeti 103TDI 4x4? The brochure says it's the Swing system but I can't imagine them putting such a basic system in a $40k car, especially when the fantastic Bolero system is available.
It is surprising that they use the Swing, when even the mid-spec SE MY2012 model in the UK gets the Bolero. In Ireland the Bolero is an option on the mid-spec Ambition model and included on the top-spec Experience model. In NZ, the 77TSI gets the Swing as standard, but the 103TDI gets the Amundsen.

The Amundsen has a touch-screen, 8 speakers, and accepts an SD card but has no hard drive and can't play DVDs. It has sat-nav capability (assuming you run the maps from an SD card or CD), but since this is not mentioned on the Skoda NZ site query whether there are maps for Australia or NZ?

In most respects the 103TDI for Australia is quite well-equipped - e.g. Bluetooth, climate control AC, driver and passenger lumbar support, steering wheel mounted controls. So why do we get rain-sensing wipers (the answer to a question no-one asked), but not the Bolero or Amundsen? The inclusion of the Swing system (at least in the initial allocation) must be Skoda's way of encouraging buyers to upgrade to Columbus.

BTW, manuals for each system (and the Yeti owner's manual) are available for download from Skoda Resource Bank (https://mediaportal.skoda-auto.com/resource/documentation/manuals/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2fresource%2fdocumentati on%2fmanuals%2fen%2fYeti&FolderCTID=0x012000B97B65C85804644C9CFD91588B4A0B8 5&View={5F8895A9-DC6C-4250-BC1F-ADE6076A3046}).

[RSwag]

I don't think there is any spin on the Yetis already sold, I know some dealers here have people literally waiting for theirs to come in. With stock so tight worldwide, they aren't going to need to discount at all.

That's an odd statement, I'm sure the vehicle will be popular but to yhe point that dealers will get RRP for every car they are initially allocated?? I highly doubt it!!

Skoda at the moment is a take it or leave it option in the Oz market, their is no real brand awareness/desire at all. People will look at it but they will do so whilst looking at several other brands. Just take the dualis for example, mid $30k on road and you are getting 4x4, privacy glass, , bluetooth, CVT, 18" alloys, moon roof, 7seats and full leather. In the Skoda you get 4 tyres and a steering wheel.

I'm exaggerating but the point is that people are not dumb, they realise there are many good alternatives out there and that if they are paying retail they are paying to much and on a brand that is on the fringe I can't see it being the gold mine some dealers are making it out to be.

That said good luck to them though, if they can get people on paper for RRP half their luck!!

[woofy]

Funny enough we were debating seriously looking at a dualis + 2 but they seem to be plagued with quality issues. If most of the allocated stock is already sold, why would they discount when people are buying them sight unseen? Eventually they might but not if they are selling.

[Jake02]

That's what I was going to say. Wow you get all that on a Dualis but the reality is still that they're not selling. They're as boring as b*****t, there's no diesel option and what we get here is very limited to overseas (I'm still surprised they brought the +2). We looked at a Ti 4WD when we got the RS and it was only $2k less in reality, and the RS is wayyy more car. I also see the Yeti's rivals as Rav4, Tiguan, Forester etc because they can actually (mildly) do the off-road thing, Dualis cannot at all!

[onyertod]

Recently had an X-Trail with CVT at our place for a month.

Dont know if I could ever get used to the transmission.

That said a DSG takes a while to master, but now I love it.

[woofy]

I don't like the DSG while reverse parking, or really for reversing at all, I can never tell when its going to kick in, mainly as I'm used to either normal autos where they hill hold and then just go, or manuals where you control exactly when the clutch bites.

I have had a few instances parallel parking and having to reverse up a hill into the spot and found it really hard in the DSG Octavia I normally hire.

[bobski]

I don't like the DSG while reverse parking, or really for reversing at all, I can never tell when its going to kick in, mainly as I'm used to either normal autos where they hill hold and then just go, or manuals where you control exactly when the clutch bites.

Agree with that. Weakest part of the DSG. I haven't done it often enough on a hill to come up with a technique. Invariably every time I do it, I forget its a problem and have that moment where I expect reverse to kick in and it doesn't. Then I hit the brake and we rinse and repeat :P