Skoda Kodiaq - Good shooting vehicle?

[hendrix's rifle]

As to fixing the L200, the mechanic is saying that getting a reliable replacement engine is always a gamble. I could spend £4k on a new piston set and re-bore, but there could turn out to be cylinder head or valve damage so that would be £4k wasted. The bodywork needs about £2k of work to tidy it up, so it's bordering on uneconomical. He reckons it's worth £2.5k as it is and I'm already down £1.1k for a turbo refurb and refit, which was ultimately unsuccessful. Hard to know what to do....

If the engine is being rebuilt then the head will be inspected, skimmed + pressure tested before anything so you wouldn't be down 4k, it would be however much they charge to strip the top end down. It would be immediately obvious if there was any substantial damage.

I'd probably take a punt on a second hand motor from a reputable source. There will be a number of written off l200's out there which the engines were perfect in. It sounds like your garage don't wanna do the work if I'm honest or wants a cheap pick up to resell. An Engine swap won't take long at all in that.

 

[TITANIUM]

If the engine is being rebuilt then the head will be inspected, skimmed + pressure tested before anything so you wouldn't be down 4k, it would be however much they charge to strip the top end down. It would be immediately obvious if there was any substantial damage.

I'd probably take a punt on a second hand motor from a reputable source. There will be a number of written off l200's out there which the engines were perfect in. It sounds like your garage don't wanna do the work if I'm honest or wants a cheap pick up to resell. An Engine swap won't take long at all in that.

Love my Jimny - goes many places . But yep, not much space etc.
I hear the Kodiaqs are good though.

 

[EdgarF]

I’ve used one for over 5 years now. More than adequate for forest/farm tracks and I have had up to 3 fallow in the boot. Mine is the Scout version. No longer made. It came with 19inch wheels. I changed to 18 inch as no off road tyres were available in the larger sizes of wheels. The offroad tyres that I use (Avon) give much better traction in muddy conditions. If you stick with 19 inch wheels, I gather that Michelin Cross Climate tyres are pretty good, although not as effective cross country as using a proper off-road tyre. Avoid the panoramic sunroof. There are recorded instances of water flooding into the footwells due to a known problem with sunroof drainage. I know from personal experience and my local Škoda garage has quoted me £750 to have the drainage tubes replaced. Also, try and keep the cost of the vehicle (before discount) if buying new to below £40K, otherwise you’ll be hit with the luxury (sic) car tax for the first 5 years of ownership. The Kodiaq is also a very comfortable daily drive and great for long distance motoring. I have the heated steering wheel and seats, which are a godsend in winter, especially after a hard days stalking.

 

[Heym SR20]

These days if you consider ever having to take a car into city centres in the UK or anywhere in Europe you really need LEZ compliance. Euro 6 for a diesel, Euro 4 for a Petrol.

It also does vary as to which City. London its a charge -£12.50 per day, so you can go in and just pay the fee. Fine for the odd trip.

Glasgow, and from June, Edinburgh, its a penalty fine. Go in you get fined. Go in again it doubles - etc etc etc.

I love the fact that my Toerag is a Euro 6, even though is a big V6 with exhaust pipes big enough to house a city councillor or two.

 

[Andy seatrout]

Have a look at the mk2 Touareg - I’ve had mine nearly two years and it’s brilliant - similar money to an equivalent Kodiak ( they were my other serious option to replace my 2010 plate xc90 which I drowned) bigger boot and as a true five seater more room in the back row seating…. Fast and fairly economical for a V6….

 

[MountMeru]

Very happy with Kodiaq over the past 4 yrs...plenty boot space for all game, and large backseat area for gear. The extra 2 seats are not practical unless little kids hop in...fine for school runs etc but thats it.
With twin plastic trays in boot can easily get 6+ roe in. Fallow / sika no problem. Have had red stag in too (quartered and laid on a large tarp). Fairly economical for a large car (mine is diesel - 500miles on a tank) and tows quad trailer with ease. A very comfortable family car too and a pleasure to drive. Never had an issue in wet, mud, snow....but know your limits where you can take it as clearance is not that high. And dogs stay warm on the way home after a long wet day!

 

[JTO]

.
I run mine on the tyres supplied as standard.
I don’t think there’s much point in fitting off road rubber, it’s not really an off road car.
Standard tyres keep me out of trouble.

Not Pirellis, are they?
My Yeti had them, and three of the four had the treads let go before they had done 30,000. The last one did £1300 of damage to the bodywork when it let go on the M3.

 

[paul o']

If thats the one with a flat boot floor there is no place for a spare wheel ? maybe getting them mixed up

 

[slider]

These days if you consider ever having to take a car into city centres in the UK or anywhere in Europe you really need LEZ compliance. Euro 6 for a diesel, Euro 4 for a Petrol.

It also does vary as to which City. London its a charge -£12.50 per day, so you can go in and just pay the fee. Fine for the odd trip.

Glasgow, and from June, Edinburgh, its a penalty fine. Go in you get fined. Go in again it doubles - etc etc etc.

I love the fact that my Toerag is a Euro 6, even though is a big V6 with exhaust pipes big enough to house a city councillor or two.

Surprising what is Euro 6, my L200 pickup makes the grade

 

[Outandabout-goneshooting]

My wife has the 18 plate scout version and has used it with no issues up until last week....

When the dsg gearbox went and has ended up costing £4k to replace in a car with 45k on the clock.

They, along with many other cars using dsg gearboxes in the VW family of cars are apparently known for it.

Not trying to put you off- it's been fine on forest tracks and the like but can't say I've ever taken it off road in anger.

Just be aware of the above- Google Skoda Kodiak dsg gearbox failure and you'll see what I mean!

 

[slider]

My wife has the 18 plate scout version and has used it with no issues up until last week....

When the dsg gearbox went and has ended up costing £4k to replace in a car with 45k on the clock.

They, along with many other cars using dsg gearboxes in the VW family of cars are apparently known for it.

Not trying to put you off- it's been fine on forest tracks and the like but can't say I've ever taken it off road in anger.

Just be aware of the above- Google Skoda Kodiak dsg gearbox failure and you'll see what I mean!

There seems to be a particular age of DSG boxes that had problems, all late 2017 and into 2018.

 

[nick.308]

Do you really want to share your space with wet dog smells and keds crawling off your deer for your family to find the next day?
I would stick to the pick up. BTW I have a hilux and a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV. One is the work horse and the other is the family car. The one downside to the pick up is its slow to nip around in but then I can throw all sorts of nasties in the back and dont care.
The hyundai santa fe seems a well built car and I would have another. Its a 2016 2.2 litre diesel 200bhp. I do have 2 friends with skoda kodiaks and both seem to like their cars however I would still stick to my hyundai . Mainly because I would only buy a DSG gearbox if I was desperate.

 

[AGR]

I'd like to hear more about one of these please, if anyone is running one as their shooting vehicle.

My 017 plate Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian just died. The engine ate a thrown turbo bearing. My mechanic says to scrap it. I think that I'm done with Mitsi's and pick-ups. The truckman hood kept getting broken into and wasn't watertight. The two dogs got chilled on trips back from the marsh, and I couldn't easily transport anything long. That and the fact that it's a "light goods vehicle" and I got fined for going through the Rotherhithe tunnel.

I wondered if a Euro 6, seven seat 4WD SUV type would suit me better? It would have to take the odd fallow.

Was looking today at a 2 something plate in Nissan X-trail or Kia Sorento but the Kodiaq came up as possibly a better option. Not pretty though......

Have you tried euro parts for an engine. Friend of mine replaced his (ford) engine through them.

 

[Dunwaters]

Not Pirellis, are they?
My Yeti had them, and three of the four had the treads let go before they had done 30,000. The last one did £1300 of damage to the bodywork when it let go on the M3.

They are, Scorpions..so far no problem

 

[Beretta V]

Speak to Trevor @ Ivor Searle. I’ve fitted several of their engines over the years!
Always been good on price and their work is brilliant.

 

[pob]

Have you tried euro parts for an engine. Friend of mine replaced his (ford) engine through them.

I haven't, but my issue is getting it fitted. I've found a couple of options, none of them quick. I am going to take a punt and do a supply and fit in Coventry (Midland Engine Parts, Kingfield Road, Foleshill) on a 51K unit from a scrapped L200. I've seen some really good reconditioned engines, like from Ivor Searle, but they don't offer fitting and I have fallen out of love with that motor and really fancy a Skoda Kodiaq.

A relative has offered to help me out with a replacement, but it's a Range Rover Evoque, so I think that I am going to have to very politely decline their generous offer. I'm a self-proclaimed deer stalker, not a hairdresser. And I live in London so it will be a bugger to insure and it WILL get nicked.