Another Shocker from Skoda

shuvd · 24th February 2009, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasudeva

Alternately, buy 4 M-800 of 38-39bhp for 8 lakhs!!!!. Total bhp>150

Good idea. But, please educate me

. How do I drive four cars together? Really want to know.

Ravveendrra · 25th February 2009, 00:23

This thread is getting to be rather ridiculous. Someone posts the fact that one particular dealer is giving a discount on some merchandise. I would have thought that we would have gotten on the phone and informed anyone we knew who were looking to buy that product, about the deal and saved our friends some money. After all some people do buy the cars in question.

Instead, we see some mindless and libellious bashing of a brand, this is clearly way out of order and might also be illegal. I fail to see what is wrong with a discount being offered. AFAIK everyone all over the world does it at some time or the other (except the bespoke and limited run guys like Ferrari, Lambo etc.). Some marques do it as a matter of routine - either a straightforward discount, or cheap financing, or freebies like accessories, insurance etc. thrown in.

If the cars are unblemished and the regular warranty is being given (unchanged - meaning no different from the warranty on the regular priced sales), I think one would get going and help someone save money.

Cheers,

shuvd · 25th February 2009, 00:43

, sorry Mods. Please excuse.

@ Ravveendrra - You are ignorant! What you don't understand is:

Tata can't do anything wrong.
Toyota can't do anything wrong.
Honda (probably) can't do anything wrong.
Mitsubishi India can't do anything wrong.
Hyundai can't do anything wrong.
MUL CANNOT do anything wrong.

Skoda - Whatever they do is wrong. HAS to be, period

.

Ravveendrra · 25th February 2009, 01:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvd

, sorry Mods. Please excuse.

@ Ravveendrra - You are ignorant! What you don't understand is:

Tata can't do anything wrong.
Toyota can't do anything wrong.
Honda (probably) can't do anything wrong.
Mitsubishi India can't do anything wrong.
Hyundai can't do anything wrong.
MUL CANNOT do anything wrong.

Skoda - Whatever they do is wrong. HAS to be, period

.

If that be the case - Ignorance is bliss and enlightenment. I choose to be ignorant.

Cheers,

flipsyde · 25th February 2009, 01:21

I think you guys are really pushing the Skoda joke to the limit. Many of you who have posted on this thread really reflect what SHUVD has said in his earlier post.

Look at it this way, you're now getting a discount which you can use to replace parts failing in the years of ownership. I think Karlos made it clear that there has been no change in the warranty terms because of the discount. So you do get 3 years warranty on the car. Dubious or not, warranty is warranty.

The discounts are for people who wanted to buy a Skoda but were looking at a bargain. Those of us who think that they are a waste of time and money needn't comment about what a rubbish badge Skoda is turning out to be. There are many other threads to do the same.

I personally would never buy a Skoda for its cost of ownership. Not just because I can't afford it but also because I don't have to. There are many other options to look at in the market today.

Thats enough off topic.

The Laura costing almost a lac lesser seems interesting. But how come none of the other dealerships across the country are offering any such discounts? I am sure every dealership would have a couple of last years cars left in their stock yard.

vasudeva · 25th February 2009, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvd

,

Skoda - Whatever they do is wrong. HAS to be, period

.

My opinion of Skoda has been what it is based on the following:
1. Looks: great (Octavia still looks neat)
2. Bad buying experience: arrogant and don't care attitude of dealers when I was in the market during late 2006/early 2007. They really did not want to take care of my concerns, either about the car or about the TD.
3. What I have read here over the last 2 years. If even some of that is true, I do not have the money, patience, or a spare servant/driver.
4. A Skoda owned by my wife's sister husband-His opinion, good FE; but very heavy in initial gears. Bought it as it was coming at a low price (Jalandhar) and had a 60K free service. My view: looks solid and neat, but closing the boot requires a lot of effort from short-statured people like me.
5. A person living in my apartment complex had an Octavia. Recently bought a Fabia. Obviously, his comfort levels were higher, and he has more info. than a potential buyer. For why he has a 2nd Skoda car, and I do not want one, there is a famous scholarly article that explains my behaviour. That is `The Market for Lemons..' (1970) by George Akerlof, a 2001 Nobel prize winner in Economics.

ACM · 27th February 2009, 17:31

The Price offer information seems to have gone of on a tangent.

My Take:

JMD (3 centres in Mumbai) has seemed to be polite and knowledgeable my interactions with them till date.

Yep warranty support is required but they do seem to honour the warranty - Used it quite a bit in the last month before the warranty ran out.- 2L odd.

The revised price is something that they should have done a long while back.

The 150 Bhp petrol is a great deal that those prices.

bblost · 27th February 2009, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasudeva

That is `The Market for Lemons..' (1970) by George Akerlof, a 2001 Nobel prize winner in Economics.

Thanks that is an excellent article.

Google terms used: pdf 'The Market for Lemons'

Ravveendrra · 27th February 2009, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasudeva

.......
but closing the boot requires a lot of effort from short-statured people like me.
.....
For why he has a 2nd Skoda car, and I do not want one, there is a famous scholarly article that explains my behaviour. That is `The Market for Lemons..' (1970) by George Akerlof, a 2001 Nobel prize winner in Economics.

The Laura has a little pendant or handle hanging inside the dickie (boot) to make it easy to close, particularly for 'short statured people'. I do not know if the other cars from Skoda have this.

That theory outlined in that paper is the basis for the marketing and advertising guys to tom-tom about - 'repeat customers' and 'customer retention'.

Cheers,

GTO · 28th February 2009, 12:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

This thread is getting to be rather ridiculous. Someone posts the fact that one particular dealer is giving a discount on some merchandise.

Instead, we see some mindless and libellious bashing of a brand, this is clearly way out of order and might also be illegal. I fail to see what is wrong with a discount being offered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvd

Tata can't do anything wrong.
Toyota can't do anything wrong.
Honda (probably) can't do anything wrong.
Mitsubishi India can't do anything wrong.
Hyundai can't do anything wrong.
MUL CANNOT do anything wrong.

Skoda - Whatever they do is wrong. HAS to be, period

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flipsyde

I think you guys are really pushing the Skoda joke to the limit. Many of you who have posted on this thread really reflect what SHUVD has said in his earlier post.

Most of us love the Skoda RS, accept that the Skoda Laura is a fantastic diesel car and that the Octavia was great for its time. In fact, we are going gaga over the new Superb, especially its supposed pricing. What is the problem then?

Look at the larger picture : This is NOT about 15 posts on Skoda-bashing. It is what Skoda has brought onto itself with absolutely useless policies (including lack of control over dealerships). This is not about Skoda bashing on a single thread on Team-BHP, it is the general word on the street.

Skodas image has taken a massive dent, and then some more, especially in the past 3 years. The management openly acknowledges this.

revhappy · 28th February 2009, 12:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasudeva

... there is a famous scholarly article that explains my behaviour. That is `The Market for Lemons..' (1970) by George Akerlof, a 2001 Nobel prize winner in Economics.

I tried reading that article and it went straight on top of my head.
Thank god I am a software engineer and not an economist

WAGON_R · 28th February 2009, 12:20

there have been lots of problem with the vehicles also. i know couple of people who had problem with their cars and skoda dealerships were bad in dealing with them.
one out of those was a politician and he bashed the showroom manager blue and black. it was then they addressed his warranty issue.

vasudeva · 28th February 2009, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by revhappy

I tried reading that article and it went straight on top of my head.
Thank god I am a software engineer and not an economist

It is very tough to get a hang of mathematical economics. Since I did my MA in that, it compulsorily had to be read, understood, and applied. That article was cited in Akerlof's Nobel prize.

bhp1 · 28th February 2009, 13:04

The other day I reading the spare price comparo. in Autocar, it did not come as a surprise that the Fabia's spares basket was akin to Endeavours which is aprox. double its price otherwise.
Reading this made me feel happy as I did not go in for the Fabia, for which at one time I had made up my mind!

bblost · 1st March 2009, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by revhappy

I tried reading that article and it went straight on top of my head.
Thank god I am a software engineer and not an economist

I left the calculations part.
But the text by itself is quite a good one.
A different perspective to how markets work.

But I cannot understand why anyone would want to make a bad product intentionally. Of Course I think in a big market made up of many small players its possible. But the auto market that needs investments of large amounts of capital. The world is so interesting, I change my my perspective and discover a new world.

25th February 2009, 00:23	#32
Ravveendrra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,391 Thanked: 446 Times View My Garage	mindless bashing at work again. This thread is getting to be rather ridiculous. Someone posts the fact that one particular dealer is giving a discount on some merchandise. I would have thought that we would have gotten on the phone and informed anyone we knew who were looking to buy that product, about the deal and saved our friends some money. After all some people do buy the cars in question. Instead, we see some mindless and libellious bashing of a brand, this is clearly way out of order and might also be illegal. I fail to see what is wrong with a discount being offered. AFAIK everyone all over the world does it at some time or the other (except the bespoke and limited run guys like Ferrari, Lambo etc.). Some marques do it as a matter of routine - either a straightforward discount, or cheap financing, or freebies like accessories, insurance etc. thrown in. If the cars are unblemished and the regular warranty is being given (unchanged - meaning no different from the warranty on the regular priced sales), I think one would get going and help someone save money. Cheers,
	() Thanks

25th February 2009, 00:43	#33
shuvd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 1,081 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	, sorry Mods. Please excuse. @ Ravveendrra - You are ignorant! What you don't understand is: Tata can't do anything wrong. Toyota can't do anything wrong. Honda (probably) can't do anything wrong. Mitsubishi India can't do anything wrong. Hyundai can't do anything wrong. MUL CANNOT do anything wrong. Skoda - Whatever they do is wrong. HAS to be, period .
	() Thanks

25th February 2009, 01:21	#35
flipsyde BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 644 Thanked: 84 Times	I think you guys are really pushing the Skoda joke to the limit. Many of you who have posted on this thread really reflect what SHUVD has said in his earlier post. Look at it this way, you're now getting a discount which you can use to replace parts failing in the years of ownership. I think Karlos made it clear that there has been no change in the warranty terms because of the discount. So you do get 3 years warranty on the car. Dubious or not, warranty is warranty. The discounts are for people who wanted to buy a Skoda but were looking at a bargain. Those of us who think that they are a waste of time and money needn't comment about what a rubbish badge Skoda is turning out to be. There are many other threads to do the same. I personally would never buy a Skoda for its cost of ownership. Not just because I can't afford it but also because I don't have to. There are many other options to look at in the market today. Thats enough off topic. The Laura costing almost a lac lesser seems interesting. But how come none of the other dealerships across the country are offering any such discounts? I am sure every dealership would have a couple of last years cars left in their stock yard.
	() Thanks

27th February 2009, 17:31	#37
ACM Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,745 Thanked: 4,361 Times View My Garage	The Price offer information seems to have gone of on a tangent. My Take: JMD (3 centres in Mumbai) has seemed to be polite and knowledgeable my interactions with them till date. Yep warranty support is required but they do seem to honour the warranty - Used it quite a bit in the last month before the warranty ran out.- 2L odd. The revised price is something that they should have done a long while back. The 150 Bhp petrol is a great deal that those prices.
	() Thanks

28th February 2009, 12:20	#42
WAGON_R BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 60 Thanked: 0 Times	there have been lots of problem with the vehicles also. i know couple of people who had problem with their cars and skoda dealerships were bad in dealing with them. one out of those was a politician and he bashed the showroom manager blue and black. it was then they addressed his warranty issue.
	() Thanks

28th February 2009, 13:04	#44
bhp1 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NA Posts: 513 Thanked: 4 Times	The other day I reading the spare price comparo. in Autocar, it did not come as a surprise that the Fabia's spares basket was akin to Endeavours which is aprox. double its price otherwise. Reading this made me feel happy as I did not go in for the Fabia, for which at one time I had made up my mind!
	() Thanks