Should I Let My Son Make Laura A Part Of Our Family?

[MotorMom]

Here I am, asking my car loving kids/ fellow Team-BHPians for their frank and sensible opinions…
As you all know Boom has zeroed in on three cars to buy…
1. Skoda Laura
2. 2006 Honda Accord V6 MT/AT
3. Honda Civic
As all we Team-BHPians know that nobody has any clue as to when the 2006 Honda Accord V6 will be launched in India, even though this is a lovely choice, I really don’t think it’s wise to bank on this car especially when Boom wants to buy a car latest by June/ July 2006. Boom already calls the Civic a Taxi just like he calls the Corolla, Octavia and Optra “The Most Boring But Sensible Taxis one can buy”, but as an all-rounder I think the Honda Civic is the most sensible car to buy keeping in mind our traffic conditions and maintainance costs. We test drove the Laura yesterday and I must admit that we both liked the car a lot and Boom has almost become a parrot that chirps only one word “DSG”, but at the same time. he also whines endlessly about not getting the 2.0 engine. I really don’t mind the 1.9 engine as I feel in our traffic conditions it’s pretty good enough. However, what really worries me about the Laura are the following points:
1. The side mirrors which have indicators on them can’t be opened and closed at the touch of a button (a feature even the 2003 Corolla has) when mirrors are the first thing that get banged at traffic signals and even when the car is parked… Cost of each mirror INR 7,000/-
2. Xenon headlamps… While they are an excellent safety feature while driving at night, if anything happens to them the cost of one headlight unit is INR 40,000/- (set = INR 80,000/-)
3. Parking sensors… Parktronic is for both front and back of the Laura… What happens if the bumper get bumped? We all know the bumpers and mirrors are the first victims on our roads.
4. From what one of my friends who was one of the first few to buy the Skoda Octavia when it was launched tells me, the spares of a Skoda aren’t cheap.
5. Boom doesn’t want to wait for the manual Laura as he says the best bit about the Laura is the “DSG".
6. We will be using this car to go our office and come back from office during rush hour.
Having said all this and keeping in mind that Laura is a wonderful car which we both have come to like, what do you all say… Shall we go for it and if not, what car do you all suggest?

[dogdiga]

Your signature is making so much more sense now.
If i had to choose, i would pick the Civic.

[abhibh]

2006 Honda Accord V6 MT/AT All the way. Civic is not launched yet so cant really say about that but Honda any day over Skoda.

[adya33]

after spending nearly 19 lakhs would you liked to be asked questions as
"hey your octivia is a bit different how come?"

Althought I personally give more importance to interiors than exteriors (as that is where owner will spend most of his time) but selling a car which looks like cheaper variant is crazy from Skoda, I would say

Out of given choices I would say got for Accord. As you have said it yourself that it will be used to go to office and back so mostly comfort will be priority.And Accord is a proper D segment car, not a C+++ car forced into D segment
2006 model don't know when it will be launched, but current one is pretty good too.

Also any specific reason going for V6?
If performance isn't top priority then even 4 cylinder version is pretty good.
both 4 cylinder & V6 have pretty much same features (V6 gets cruise control and other stuff)

As for prices of spares, Skoda has expensive spares.
And with expensive car comes expensive parts

[tsk1979]

Skoda is very very expensive on parts. Its the elephant of your signature.
As for Civic, pick up the Jan issue of Autocar India. Honda will be starting production at Noida soon. this means made in india parts which are "cheap".
80000 for a set of headlights means that in case of a minor bang insurance will give you just 40000!
My vote goes for the Civic.
1. Cheaper spares 2. Better suited for our traffic conditions 3. Better service network

[Abhay]

I agree with adya here....I would rather go for the Accord V6 (even current one in case you are in a hurry) or wait for news on the Civic.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Abhay

I agree with adya here....I would rather go for the Accord V6 (even current one in case you are in a hurry) or wait for news on the Civic.

Too late...Boombastic brought Laura home yesterday.

How's your daughter-in-law behaving, MotorMom?

[nitrous]

Aunty, Boom loves the radical new civic and Honda spares are not very low compared to european marques. So, wait till the new accord and civic are launched. Dont hurry at ur decision

[adya33]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Too late...Boombastic brought Laura home yesterday.

How's your daughter-in-law behaving, MotorMom?

I think you missed (Peek-A-Laura)this post

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Too late...Boombastic brought Laura home yesterday.

How's your daughter-in-law behaving, MotorMom?

no steeroid, you are mistaken. Boombastic, just went for a date with the may be bride (laura)... still caught amongst laura/accord/civic.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by adya33

I think you missed (Peek-A-Laura)this post

Thanks adya33....I guess that spares Laura the problems associated with being an unwelcome d-i-l

I'm quite surprised that you allowed him to put sindhoor on a prospect, though...

[GTO]

If you can wait until June / July 2006 - WAIT! The new Camry may be here by then, and rumors are abound that they will get the pricing closer to Accord levels this time around.

Also - the new Accord may well be here by then.

GTO

[ported_head]

If I were ever to be stuck in a similar situation (How I wish!), my heart would say the Laura. I have reaffirmed my faith in the Skoda "built like a tank" cliche. The interiors though a but drab for some, does wonders for me. And I'd give probably anything to own a latest piece of tech like DSG, probably more than anything else. The PD is quite intriguing too, also because everybody else is going the Common Rail way.

I'd say there are two ways of looking at this. One is, the opportunity to own the latest bit of technology, DSG and PD et al. Albeit, it's bound to come for a price. Someday the DSG may go bonkers, and you can pretty well be sure that it will cost a fortune to fix, insurance notwithstanding. But, you could not keep thinking about the expenses you might incur when something goes wrong, and probably enjoy the wonders of DSG and PD motoring. The Accord V6 motor isn't even an i-VTEC, though I don't know what plans they have for the 2006 model. It also comes with an usual slushbox, though it's not as bad as it sounds from what I've heard.

Skoda has been consistently upping the game when it comes to reliability too, but that has always been Honda's home game. Skoda parts are expensive no doubt, but I haven't heard much about the Accord's prices yet.

I was going through the ACI spare parts survey, the Accord mirror costs about 6000 bucks too. But isn't the Octy's mirror internally heated types? What about the Accord's? Octy's Bi-Xenon's costs close to 40K, expensive, ACI says Accord V6's xenons cost only 9500 bucks??? I find that really hard to believe, considering they've probably conveniently used the prices for the Accord 2.4L. There are inconsistencies all over the place.

Since you are out in the market to buy a Luxury car anyway, I would probably pick up one that lets me experience the latest in motoring tech, and boy have I been lusting for the DSG. The costs are in no way going to compare to that of a Lower/Upper Midsizer. Let's face it, in India an Optra could waft you in equal luxury, but there is something extra that we are looking for, aren't we??

Is the extra 4 lakhs ( damn, is it really that much more??) justified? When we already pay quite a bit more for expensive cars in India anyway, I would probably fork out the extra cash.

P.S. I wonder if I've been any help to Motormom??

[shuvc]

Originally Posted by MotorMom

1. Skoda Laura
2. 2006 Honda Accord V6 MT/AT
3. Honda Civic

Lets say the OTR prices for these cars would be around
1. 19L, 2. 16.5L, 3. 12L

Shall I presume then that you are looking at a wide price band .. if so, I would stretch a bit further and get the Skoda Superb.

[GTO]

ACI says Accord V6's xenons cost only 9500 bucks???

I dont think the Accord has xenons as standard fitment.

GTO