BEGINNING
Hello everyone,
This is my first thread on Team-BHP and it's a long term review of my Skoda Rapid.
How It Began?
It was June 2015 and my college started up. I was using a Yamaha R15 at that time for my daily commute. The search for a car began when my dad became concerned about safety and the family needed another car too.
Cars Shortlisted By Me
1. Used Honda Civic.
2. Used Skoda superb.
3. New Honda City diesel (launched at that time).
Options Given By Dad
1. Skoda Rapid / VW Vento
2. Maruti Suzuki Baleno
The Selection War
My mind was fixed on the Honda Civic initially, but couldn't find a well maintained one. So dad and I came to the conclusion that we should buy a new car. My mind immediately started thinking about the Honda city diesel VX MT and dad also agreed for a test drive. After the trial, dad immediately rejected it considering head room at rear and he didn't like the suspension setup either.
I was upset at that moment and didn't bother to look at other cars. After a week, dad asked to me take the Rapid or the Vento. As a Skoda fanboy, I said let us take the Rapid itself.
The Test Drive
We reached Millennium Motors Coimbatore (now SGA Cars) and I drove the car. It was smooth and sturdy, but I dint get that tank like feel which I loved in the Octavia 1.9 TDi. I was not interested in the Rapid at that time, but agreed to take it anyways. I opted for the manual one even though the sales person and dad suggested that I go for the DSG
.
Booking
Dad booked the car in December 2015 - Candy White 1.5 TDI manual Style variant.
Delivery
After 15 days, I got a call that the car is ready for registration and I was happy all of a sudden. After all, I'm a car guy. Then we registered it and took delivery on January 5, 2016.
Initial Experience
1.At first I didn't like the car much. I always compared it to the Honda City and missed some features.
2.After 1,000 km, we went on a family trip to Mysore and I slowly started loving the car for its handling and everything.
Daily Driver
I started using the car regularly and had N number of road trips and finally, my college days came to an end in 2019. By that time, the car had completed 75,000 km.
Then I reduced the usage of the Rapid and started using other cars in our garage for while, but I felt most comfortable in the Rapid all the time. So, both dad and I are using it as a daily commuter to our office.
90,000 km Service.
1. The front suspension was worn out and we changed it.
2. Rear suspension bushes were changed.
3. Coolant expansion tank was leaking; changed it.
4. Brake pads were changed.
5. Regular oil service done.
1,05,000 km service.
Considering it was a major service, I thought of rejuvenating the car. By that time the headlamps and fog lamps had become yellowish, so replaced them.
1. The headlamp was cleaned and the outer lens was replaced:
Attachment 2252975
2. Notice the clean headlamp with new outer lens:
Attachment 2252976
3. Fog lamps cannot be cleaned, so replaced them with new ones. Got them from Boodmo:
Attachment 2252981
4. The coolant fluid was dirty. I flushed the radiator, cleaned it and filled it with new coolant (7 litres approximately). This was done at a FNG. Flushing and cleaning costed about Rs. 3,000 and coolant Rs. 2.000. I could immediately feel that the a/c was cooling very efficiently and the car would reach 90 degrees temperature after 4 to 5 km. Earlier, it was reaching 90 degrees at less than 2 km.
5. After finishing all this work, I left the car at the ASC. Considering it as a major service, the ASC requested me to change the following parts:
A. Timing belt along with water pump
B. Brake fluid
C. Engine bed
D. A/C belt
E. Regular oil service
F. Steering rack
After this service, the car felt like it felt on the day of delivery and it was very joyful to drive - so smooth and no noise. The engine mounting or the engine bed is a major part which I advise everyone to change after every 1 lakh km to maintain that new car feel. All the vibrations will be cut down. I experienced this in our Laura too.
Images of the replaced parts
1.Timing belt
Attachment 2252993
2.A/C belt
Attachment 2252994
3.Water pump
Attachment 2252995 Attachment 2252996
4.Engine mounts
Attachment 2252997 Attachment 2253009 Attachment 2253018 Summary
The Skoda Rapid is an excellent car and one could opt for it as a daily driver in my opinion. I appreciate my dad's decision now. The car has not shown one single error till date and it has been a fuss-free product. Now I'm strongly connected to the car and never think about selling it.
I'm attaching some pictures of my car as on date. Fellow BHPians, please pour in your thoughts about my thread.
Tinted with 3M RE50 and BK50 Attachment 2253019 The always neat and tidy engine bay Attachment 2253020 The front seats Attachment 2253021 The rear seat Attachment 2253022 The dashboard
Notice all the A/C vents are working and are not replaced
Attachment 2253023 The rear A/C vents (which broke in no time)
Attachment 2253024 Instrument panel Attachment 2253025 The alloy wheel
Simple and elegant. Upgraded tyres to 195/60 Michelin Primacy 3 ST
Attachment 2253026.
CONCLUSION
1. If well maintained, Skoda cars will never create any issue. I'm telling this from my own experience. The car has now completed 1,13,670 km and still shines like new. All of my cars are always foam washed at home with a Bosch AGT series washer.
2. Provides excellent fuel efficiency. I get an average of 20 kmpl on city and highway drives. My daily average running is 100 km. The mileage was calculated on full to full basis only. The MID however displays 22.5 kmpl.
3.
(i) A drawback, I feel, is that the front seats could have been a little wider.
(ii) The battery life is less compared to other cars. Only lasts for 2 to 2.5 years.
(iii) Should have provided a 6th gear.
(iv) The prices of the spares are on the higher side.
Overall it's an amazing car.
Thank You.
7th January 2022, 21:35
(1)
Thanks
