Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi - Service Experience - Unfair practice - Europa Motors, Pune

anandpadhye · 13th January 2010, 11:17

Hello guys,

I am thinking of buying the Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi in Pune. Which dealer is better in terms of integrity, technical competence, service setup, everything?

Also, how to verify the month and year of manufacture of the new Laura?

Appreciate all the help!
Anand

anandpadhye · 15th January 2010, 10:54

Anybody there?
Last time when I was in the market for a used Tucson, team-bhp experienced a glitch and I could not create a new thread...this time I can, but no advice is forthcoming!

Come on team-bhp....

arun1100 · 15th January 2010, 10:59

First of all, are you sure you want to buy a Skoda?? Please go through all the Skoda Ownership threads in Team Bhp.

sukiwa · 15th January 2010, 11:04

Better be with Pashankar i.e. Europa Auto.

Read recent buying experience from pune here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...-tsi-back.html

I am sure 'Asset Auto' would not have handled this kind of situation that well.

SPARKled · 15th January 2010, 11:27

Wow!! a Team-BHPian is actually buying an expensive Skoda??

All the best and I wish you best of luck for a trouble free, dealer woe free and a happy motoring.

anandpadhye · 17th January 2010, 10:21

Went to Europa Motors (Pashankar) to check out their servicing center (workshop, bays, paitshop, body shop, etc). This is supposed to be a better dealer than Asset Auto I am told...however,their service center area is just average size. I am used to Honda and Hyundai service over last 5 years and Deccan Honda, Kothari Hyundai and Sanjay Hyundai - they all have huge and well equipped service centers. If Europa (Pashankar) is the latest Skoda dealer/service center, then Skoda has a long way to go I must say :-(

However,I am told the other dealer (Asset auto) has even more disappoining service setup...

Can some existing Skoda owners in Pune throw some light on the service center experience at both these dealers?

BTW, whole last week, Europa guys followed up with me to get the booking done and when I really visited the showroom yesterday, they said Laura Tsi is out of stock!!!

I really miss the transparency and pleasant experiences I had at the Honda and Hyundai dealerships...

In fact I visited Pashankar's GM dealership en route to check the Cruze and I liked the clean and friendly behaviour of the sales guys. They took me to their stock yard so that I could have a look at Cruze AT (their Cruze AT demo car was outfor a TD).

Why? Skoda why?
Why so suspicious in your overall business?

amoghchaphalkar · 20th January 2010, 20:17

anand - europa is your best bet. Stay away from Asset.

I repeat the same question : You sure you want to go for Laura ?

R2D2 · 20th January 2010, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

However,I am told the other dealer (Asset auto) has even more disappoining service setup...

I really miss the transparency and pleasant experiences I had at the Honda and Hyundai dealerships...

Negative experiences even before you buy the car and you still want to go in for a Skoda Laura? Comon Anand, logic and the tons of feedback on TBHP should suggest otherwise. I would recommend a VW Jetta instead if you wish to experience that solid build quality.

One of my colleagues bought a Laura TSI. Oh that car is good no doubt. He's aware of the issues with after sales and service but went in for the car none the less. I await his feedback post the 1st free service.

Cheers!

anandpadhye · 22nd January 2010, 10:09

Amogh and R2D2,

Thanks for the inputs.
Yes, even I am tilting towards Europa.

Well, that 1.8Tsi engine is awesome. The problem is the company and dealer ethics as we have been hearing on TBHP:-(

BTW, VW does not offer that 1.8Tsi engine and the Audi A4 is simply out of reach for me. Which other car has such a punchy engine (I had great expectations from Honda, but they seem to make car engines just like motorcycle engines...you have to rev high to extract power which is disappointing...the civic i test drove - just does not pull and revving it beyond 5000/6000 RPM in Pune is not practical at all...)?

I know, I know :-)

Friends, save me from commiting this mistake.
I am trying hard to convince myself - I am even looking for a used Octy RS (or the lower trim Octy 1.8Tpi). They go for 4/5 lakhs for 2004/5 models...even 50,000 rupees of critical service to get them back in nice health will save me a huge money...the problem is not many are available...

Cheers,

amoghchaphalkar · 22nd January 2010, 10:21

why are you not considering an used Honda Accord V6 ?

anandpadhye · 22nd January 2010, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoghchaphalkar

why are you not considering an used Honda Accord V6 ?

CHecked that out at a couple of used car dealerships.

They all cautioned me that Accord V6 3.0L comes only with AT and gives 4/5 kmpl. That would be just too expensive for me. And I can not buy a car only for a short pleasure drive on a Sunday morning :-)

sukiwa · 22nd January 2010, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

I am trying hard to convince myself - I am even looking for a used Octy RS (or the lower trim Octy 1.8Tpi). They go for 4/5 lakhs for 2004/5 models...even 50,000 rupees of critical service to get them back in nice health will save me a huge money...the problem is not many are available...

do you want to check out N_C's Octy vRS if it's still available?

Team-BHP Classifieds - Skoda Octavia vRS - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

anandpadhye · 22nd January 2010, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sukiwa

do you want to check out N_C's Octy vRS if it's still available?

Team-BHP Classifieds - Skoda Octavia vRS - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

Hey Sukiwa,

Thanks for this. I will check this out right away.
Cheers,
Anand

iSpoke · 11th February 2011, 11:01

Hi Anand,
So which car you brought finally? I'm also from Pune and interested to know the feedback for Europa Auto. Please update here if you already started new ownership thread, it will be helpful for the same reasons you started it!

anandpadhye · 11th February 2011, 11:42

Hi,

Yes, I bought the Laura Tsi - from Europa in Feb 2010.
The reason I chose Europa was - their TD cars are MH12 registered, while TD cars of Asset Auto are NL (Nagaland) registered - as far as I could search, I did not find any Skoda dealership in Nagaland...so I was a bit doubtful in dealing with them.

Also Europa showroom in Wakad has good ambience while Asset on Bhandarkar Road is too congested...

Europa offered me good discount @85K.

Ironically, I got my first service done from Asset Auto (Wagholi workshop). I had been to Europa a couple of times in last one year for rear parking sensor and some rattling related issue and I saw their service scene was pretty chaotic. They were behaving as if they did not have time for anything in the world. Also, they told me first service for Laura Tsi would cost around 7500, while Asset guys told me it costs around 5000!

The Asset workshop in Wagholi is huge, and they did a very good job with the first service - very tidy, efficient, clean and professional. They worked on all the door panel rattles and took two days but fixed almost all of it - took countless trials on bad roads around Wagholi and did not cut any corners.

I will start my own ownership thread - now that I have stories to tell

.

13th January 2010, 11:17	#1
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi - Service Experience - Unfair practice - Europa Motors, Pune Hello guys, I am thinking of buying the Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi in Pune. Which dealer is better in terms of integrity, technical competence, service setup, everything? Also, how to verify the month and year of manufacture of the new Laura? Appreciate all the help! Anand
	() Thanks

15th January 2010, 10:54	#2
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	Anybody there? Last time when I was in the market for a used Tucson, team-bhp experienced a glitch and I could not create a new thread...this time I can, but no advice is forthcoming! Come on team-bhp....
	() Thanks

15th January 2010, 10:59	#3
arun1100 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,087 Thanked: 5,575 Times View My Garage	First of all, are you sure you want to buy a Skoda?? Please go through all the Skoda Ownership threads in Team Bhp.
	() Thanks

15th January 2010, 11:04	#4
sukiwa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: pune Posts: 2,377 Thanked: 2,562 Times	Better be with Pashankar i.e. Europa Auto. Read recent buying experience from pune here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...-tsi-back.html I am sure 'Asset Auto' would not have handled this kind of situation that well.
	() Thanks

15th January 2010, 11:27	#5
SPARKled Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 1,110 Thanked: 656 Times	Wow!! a Team-BHPian is actually buying an expensive Skoda?? All the best and I wish you best of luck for a trouble free, dealer woe free and a happy motoring.
	() Thanks

17th January 2010, 10:21	#6
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	Went to Europa Motors (Pashankar) to check out their servicing center (workshop, bays, paitshop, body shop, etc). This is supposed to be a better dealer than Asset Auto I am told...however,their service center area is just average size. I am used to Honda and Hyundai service over last 5 years and Deccan Honda, Kothari Hyundai and Sanjay Hyundai - they all have huge and well equipped service centers. If Europa (Pashankar) is the latest Skoda dealer/service center, then Skoda has a long way to go I must say :-( However,I am told the other dealer (Asset auto) has even more disappoining service setup... Can some existing Skoda owners in Pune throw some light on the service center experience at both these dealers? BTW, whole last week, Europa guys followed up with me to get the booking done and when I really visited the showroom yesterday, they said Laura Tsi is out of stock!!! I really miss the transparency and pleasant experiences I had at the Honda and Hyundai dealerships... In fact I visited Pashankar's GM dealership en route to check the Cruze and I liked the clean and friendly behaviour of the sales guys. They took me to their stock yard so that I could have a look at Cruze AT (their Cruze AT demo car was outfor a TD). Why? Skoda why? Why so suspicious in your overall business? Last edited by anandpadhye : 17th January 2010 at 10:23.
	() Thanks

20th January 2010, 20:17	#7
amoghchaphalkar BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 636 Thanked: 703 Times	anand - europa is your best bet. Stay away from Asset. I repeat the same question : You sure you want to go for Laura ?
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 10:09	#9
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	Amogh and R2D2, Thanks for the inputs. Yes, even I am tilting towards Europa. Well, that 1.8Tsi engine is awesome. The problem is the company and dealer ethics as we have been hearing on TBHP:-( BTW, VW does not offer that 1.8Tsi engine and the Audi A4 is simply out of reach for me. Which other car has such a punchy engine (I had great expectations from Honda, but they seem to make car engines just like motorcycle engines...you have to rev high to extract power which is disappointing...the civic i test drove - just does not pull and revving it beyond 5000/6000 RPM in Pune is not practical at all...)? I know, I know :-) Friends, save me from commiting this mistake. I am trying hard to convince myself - I am even looking for a used Octy RS (or the lower trim Octy 1.8Tpi). They go for 4/5 lakhs for 2004/5 models...even 50,000 rupees of critical service to get them back in nice health will save me a huge money...the problem is not many are available... Cheers, Last edited by anandpadhye : 22nd January 2010 at 10:13.
	() Thanks

22nd January 2010, 10:21	#10
amoghchaphalkar BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 636 Thanked: 703 Times	why are you not considering an used Honda Accord V6 ?
	() Thanks

11th February 2011, 11:01	#14
iSpoke BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pune Posts: 360 Thanked: 121 Times	re: Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi - Service Experience - Unfair practice - Europa Motors, Pune Hi Anand, So which car you brought finally? I'm also from Pune and interested to know the feedback for Europa Auto. Please update here if you already started new ownership thread, it will be helpful for the same reasons you started it!
	() Thanks

11th February 2011, 11:42	#15
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,309 Times	re: Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi - Service Experience - Unfair practice - Europa Motors, Pune Hi, Yes, I bought the Laura Tsi - from Europa in Feb 2010. The reason I chose Europa was - their TD cars are MH12 registered, while TD cars of Asset Auto are NL (Nagaland) registered - as far as I could search, I did not find any Skoda dealership in Nagaland...so I was a bit doubtful in dealing with them. Also Europa showroom in Wakad has good ambience while Asset on Bhandarkar Road is too congested... Europa offered me good discount @85K. Ironically, I got my first service done from Asset Auto (Wagholi workshop). I had been to Europa a couple of times in last one year for rear parking sensor and some rattling related issue and I saw their service scene was pretty chaotic. They were behaving as if they did not have time for anything in the world. Also, they told me first service for Laura Tsi would cost around 7500, while Asset guys told me it costs around 5000! The Asset workshop in Wagholi is huge, and they did a very good job with the first service - very tidy, efficient, clean and professional. They worked on all the door panel rattles and took two days but fixed almost all of it - took countless trials on bad roads around Wagholi and did not cut any corners. I will start my own ownership thread - now that I have stories to tell . Last edited by anandpadhye : 11th February 2011 at 11:43.
	() Thanks