[nileshch]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

That does not look like an OE part. Also it is fixed using a plastic tie band!!

Latheesh that is an OE part. It was fixed using cable ties because it came off after it brushed against a large stone. In fact, even the workshop guys do the same jugaad. Unless, of course, you want to go for a replacement.

[torque18]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

I checked again at KR Puram VW Showroom, they need Vento VIN number for selling any parts.


Any Vento owners can help.

Fortunately that is not the problem here. VW service staff here is quite friendly and never refuses me any part. We don't have Skoda's presence here so the friendly nature of VW staff is reassuring.

Anyway, I will put the pic on the vento thread also. Lets see what they have to say

[ddriver]

Saw this ad in today's newspaper. I guess the Skoda team has started working towards building confidence in their brand. Any inputs?

[Kartik Kumar]

Originally Posted by ddriver

Saw this ad in today's newspaper. I guess the Skoda team has started working towards building confidence in their brand. Any inputs?

Guess I must be but it was confusing to me when I was explained that when I went for a test drive last Saturday (a couple of days back). Its called the 5 by 5 experience, but they charge extra for the 5th year maintenance and charge for the 5 preventive maintenance as well. Added to the EMI so this means that you must take their financing for this scheme to apply or it is not offered.

[Manas5]

I got my 1st year service done (16750km run) for my Rapid TDI last weekend. Total service cost came to Rs. 6671. Except for the delays caused due to unavailability of pollen and air filters, which delayed the service delivery by 3 days, the overall experience was good. Glad to see skoda improving their after sales :-)

[santoshr]

Originally Posted by Manas5

I got my 1st year service done (16750km run) for my Rapid TDI last weekend. Total service cost came to Rs. 6671. Except for the delays caused due to unavailability of pollen and air filters, which delayed the service delivery by 3 days, the overall experience was good. Glad to see skoda improving their after sales :-)

I totally agree. My tail light was broken and I had ordered for it, reached kinda late than the alloted time and so requested by advisor to see if he can speed up the process.

Got the tail lamps re-fitted and out of the garage with all the paper work done in less than 10 minutes. I agree there wasn't much work but I am happy enough that they atleast recognized my sense of urgency and decided to act upon it.

I would say they are definitely improving, even got a feed back call later that week wanted to check if all my complaints were met and all.

1750/- for the RHS tail light, pretty decent I would say.

[ashw_r]

Originally Posted by santoshr

1750/- for the RHS tail light, pretty decent I would say.

Hi santoshr, your post comes at just the right time for me. I had my car's LHS tail light broken. Did you perchance ask about the cost of the LHS tail light as well? Was the cost 1750/- all inclusive?

Cardekho listed the price above 5k (karnataka) -> http://www.cardekho.com/skoda-rapid/...arts-price.htm

I will be calling tafe access soon but wanted to cross check.

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by ashw_r

Hi santoshr, your post comes at just the right time for me. I had my car's LHS tail light broken. Did you perchance ask about the cost of the LHS tail light as well? Was the cost 1750/- all inclusive?

Cardekho listed the price above 5k (karnataka) -> http://www.cardekho.com/skoda-rapid/...arts-price.htm

I will be calling tafe access soon but wanted to cross check.

As per the PDF posted in below post, tail light costs around 2900/-. This was posted in March 2012... So I believe the price would have come down further.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2730526

[ashw_r]

Tafe gave a quote of 1850/- (incl. Rs.150 installation charge).

[santoshr]

[quote=ashw_r;3243110]Hi santoshr, your post comes at just the right time for me. I had my car's LHS tail light broken. Did you perchance ask about the cost of the LHS tail light as well? Was the cost 1750/- all inclusive?
quote]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

As per the PDF posted in below post, tail light costs around 2900/-. This was posted in March 2012... So I believe the price would have come down further.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2730526

Originally Posted by ashw_r

Tafe gave a quote of 1850/- (incl. Rs.150 installation charge).

Yup, that's what I paid. A hundred and fifty for the installation. The only problem is that these things are not readily available atleast here in Pune. I had to wait for a couple of weeks for tail lamp to show up. They did promptly call me, but ya.

[Nikz]

Marvellous review. Hats off.

You have explained it 'why' to go for a Rapid [hoping Skoda to improve its after sales !!] on Indian roads and the review is completly unbiased.

I recently took the test drives of both Vento and Rapid. The Czeck suspension impressed me a lot on most of the potheholes and over bumpy roads than the German. Vento could have got a much stiffer pillar to support its executive body.

Another sriking feature is the precision of the steering, that too on long speed drives. Even though it lacks Leather wrapper & Steer mount controls, its looks pretty royal,easy to handle and accurate on Skoda than VW.

Skoda has reduced the bootspace and increased the rear legroom using that space, which I believe is more useful on normal situations.

The rear seat of VW is much less slanting than Rapid, which might gift the passangers with slight back pain on long drives.

For Vento the front and rear glasses are tinted while the new Rapid has all the 6 tinted !
[Correct me if I am wrong. I was explained like wise by the dealer.].


With the new liesure model on roads, Skoda outshined the rivals in features that too for 60K lesser pricing !! Skoda gets leather seats, bluetooth, rear view camera and many more in Liesure model. But, I still dont understandwhy Skoda think 'USB port' as such a costly luxury affair on a 11 L car !!!

[DeKay]

Originally Posted by Nikz

I still dont understandwhy Skoda think 'USB port' as such a costly luxury affair on a 11 L car !!!

Why does it matter? It has a SD card slot.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Why does it matter? It has a SD card slot.

It can be a nuisance because pen-drives will need to be replaced by mmc instead, and the SD card slot cannot be used to charge phones, etc.

Separately, I have a new brochure from Škoda that states that the Rapid Elegance now has a leather wrapped steering wheel. Is that true? Says so on the Škoda website too, www.skodarapid.co.in.

[DeKay]

Originally Posted by VeluM

It can be a nuisance because pen-drives will need to be replaced by mmc instead, and the SD card slot cannot be used to charge phones, etc.

Separately, I have a new brochure from Škoda that states that the Rapid Elegance now has a leather wrapped steering wheel. Is that true? Says so on the Škoda website too, www.skodarapid.co.in.

You've got a separate port to charge phones, don't you? I think it is a personal preference. I for one, prefer having a SD card slot.

Yes, the Elegance now comes with leather wrapped steering wheel and a leather wrapped handbrake level as well.


I had a doubt regarding the leisure variant of the Rapid, as per my understanding, the leisure variant, which has 5 extra features, namely:
1. Parking sensors
2. Rear camera
3. Navigation
4. Door sills
5. Leatherette Seats

Are these extra features only available on the Ambition variant or we can get these features on the Elegance as well?

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by DeKay

You've got a separate port to charge phones, don't you? I think it is a personal preference. I for one, prefer having a SD card slot. Yes, the Elegance now comes with leather wrapped steering wheel and a leather wrapped handbrake level as well.

Yeah, but then I will need to plug the phone in to charge without being able to play music off it by using it as an external storage device. It is a small inconvenience to someone who has been used to doing things a certain way. Change is always resisted, initially

Wonderful news about the steering wrap. That was one feature I really wished it had, cos one can't really get the OEM quality or finish in the after-market, and there is also the risk of something going wrong and that's the warranty out the window!

Are the OEM speakers good enough or should one upgrade immediately? Since the head unit has no pre-outs, will have to change that too as I will be installing an amplifier and sub later. Need to space out my expenses, hence the query.

Originally Posted by DeKay

I had a doubt regarding the leisure variant of the Rapid, as per my understanding, the leisure variant, which has 5 extra features, namely: 1. Parking sensors 2. Rear camera 3. Navigation 4. Door sills 5. Leatherette Seats Are these extra features only available on the Ambition variant or we can get these features on the Elegance as well?

The extra features are only available on the Ambition variant, though one can pay for the add-on sand get them on any other model, with the exception of the navigation system with wireless reverse camera.

This apparently is because the navigation system is Škoda-branded, and one is sent with every leisure edition. That's what the sales people told me, but I haven't verified it from any other dealership.