[car.lover]

Originally Posted by BackInTheFold

Folks - good to see the Jetta horde taking shape.

It would probably be good if all of you could share the details on the offers in the "Current offers" thread so that many more people can see it. I'm currently negotiating with a couple of dealers also and will put up the best offers there.

In the meantime, could we return to normal programming for this thread? Anybody else think that Hyundai lost a massive opportunity to wean away D-sedan fence-sitters with mistaken Santa Fe pricing? Anybody else considering the A3 sedan which is rumored to be as spacious as the Corolla?

Thanks and regards,
BITF

Went to see the friendly neighbourhood dealer today. Had a good experience - and without negotiation, he has offered a 2L discount on the Highline AT (2013 manufactured and 2014 registered). No such thing on the 2014 manufactured vehicle. With discount, the vehicle is 20.5L OTR GGN.
(2L includes a buyback bonus of 50K, so if I decide not to sell my Civic through him, then the discount comes to 1.5L)

Will share this on the current offers thread as well

Secondly, went to Auto expo yesterday and had a good long sit / simulation of driving in a variety of cars including the new Altis, Jetta and A3. The A3 is terribly cramped in space and I found it even lesser in space than the Vento leave aside the Jetta or Altis.

Additionally, the Audi guys told me that the expected launch date is Jul-Aug of 2014.

[Familyguy]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Hi familyman.

The face lifted Jetta is ok display here in mumbai at showrooms. Try to get a dekko, the new look is striking and great.

When I was very seriously considering the Cruze, I too drew a blank with regards to a test drive. Not one dealership in mumbai had it available, and the one dealership that did have it available (JMD chevrolet) did so only for 2 days before they delivered it to a customer.

Don't know if the dealer is pulling a fast one w.r.t. the Cruze being made to order, but if it is, it's probably because of dwindling sales. Just for the record, I was promised a Cruze in any color of my choice in 15-20 days. I'm not sure it's being phased out as such, but it has received a second facelift, so I'd give it a year and a half, two years tops before it's replaced with something new. I'd say the same for the Jetta too though!

Hi

I am in Delhi, sadly! If I may ask, what made you not go for the Cruze?

[iliketurtles]

I didn't go for the Cruze because the space at the back and interior fit and finish did not do justice to its price tag. I sold my previous ride (a Honda City) and sought something a step up from it. The Cruze is loaded with features, but the interior finish and space just does not do justice to its price. The plastic quality was only on par with the City and interior space was very poor for this segment of cars. It doesn't compare to the competition in that respect. All it has going for it are the looks, it's sunroof, feature list and outright power.

The Jetta loses out on those 4 counts, but it has more space, better interiors IMO and delivers much better fuel efficiency as well. The Jetta's ride quality is also much better, which is what sold me. It's almost the complete package and does a lot of things very well.

[kgkaran]

Folks, I too am considering a Jetta this month. Is there anyone who has recently bought from Noida? Would like to know about any discounts/deals that may be available.

Also, is there any upcoming new facelift/ launch expected in this segment in the next few months?I have been reading about expected launches for cruze ane civic.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by kgkaran

Folks, I too am considering a Jetta this month. Is there anyone who has recently bought from Noida? Would like to know about any discounts/deals that may be available.

Also, is there any upcoming new facelift/ launch expected in this segment in the next few months?I have been reading about expected launches for cruze ane civic.

Right now, if you are considering something in the D1 segment, the Jetta is honestly your best bet. (close second in my books would be the Octavia)

The Cruze has already been given a facelift and the next generation will not see the light of day for atleast 2-3 years. Honda has no plans of bringing the Civic here and even internationally, the car in it's current form is no longer a solid competitor.

[graaja]

Friends,

Buying a car is proving to be really a tough nut to crack! Just when I was thinking that all my car selection woes are behind and was expecting the delivery of my Octavia 1.8TSI by end of March or early April, I was in for a rude shock. After already having waited for 3 months, I came to know from the dealer that the delivery of my car may happen (that too not guaranteed) only after May. A mail to Skoda asking on the delivery schedule has not elicited any response for the past 2 days. So, I am back seeking guidance from the expert community now on the subject "Octavia TSI vs. Jetta TDI". Let me summarize the situation:

Inspite of reading many posts of GTO where he strongly recommends diesel over petrol regarding German cars, I have been sticking to my choice of a Petrol car mainly due to the NVH levels. Because I am hard of hearing, I need a relatively quiet cabin to make any conversation possible. When I test drove the Octavia TDI, I felt there was this constant thrumming noise in the cabin which was very disturbing. So, I ruled out a Diesel and stuck to petrol. When it came to petrol, Octavia 1.8TSI was THE choice. Though there was always that nagging feeling about the reliability of the Octavia (from all those threads from failing Superbs, Adi's earlier problems with his TSI etc), the horror stories about Skoda A.S.S, and the fact that the Skoda dealer is about 30km away from my place, I still stuck to Octavia justifying to myself that the risks are worth the fun that I will get from driving the TSI and 7 speed DSG.

Now the delay in delivery! I believe I am in the same boat as iliketurtles was a few weeks back. He too was a petrolhead, had booked the Octavia TSI, but ended up with a Jetta TDI. And he is as happy as one could be. So, I have decided to revisit my Petrol vs. Diesel choice. I even get a feeling some Guardian Angel above is repeatedly sending me a message

I made the following comparision between Octavia TSI and Jetta TDI.



The main advantages of Jetta TDI are overall reliability, better A.S.S than Skoda, paddle shifts and the immediate availability. Considering the fun quotient provided by the 2.0TDI + 6 speed DSG combo will be comparable (if not the same) as that of the 1.8TSI + 7 speed DSG combo, the main disadvantages of the Jetta TDI are lack of sunroof, not so fresh look as the Octavia, lack of bixenons with AFS, lesser space and smaller boot. Of these, I think sunroof is not a big deal. The young look, bixenons and interior and boot space are going to be the major compromises I will have to make. Maybe these compromises are worth the peace of mind!

Now here are some questions that come to my mind while considering the change to diesel.

1. Exactly how much fun will I be missing when I choose the 2.0TDI vs. 1.8TSI in terms of power and acceleration? How rev friendly would the diesel engine be compared to the petrol? Also, how does the 6 speed DSG compare with the 7 speed DSG in terms of smoothness of shifting? I believe ride and handling for both would be the same as both have multilink suspension.
2. How much difference do the Bixenons with AFS make over the Xenons without AFS? Will there be any change in brightness levels? If the Xenons are as bright as the BiXenons, then I think I am fine with the lack of AFS. As I do lot of night driving, the brightness is very important.
3. Resale value: The Jetta 2.0TDI costs 23.1L on road vs. the 22.5L of Octavia 1.8TSI. After 5 years how much difference in resale value can I expect between the two? Resale value was never a concern for me. This is just to know how much I am gaining if I change over to diesel.
4. How much noise levels should I expect in the Jetta? In one of his posts iliketurtle mentioned that compared to Octavia TDI, Jetta TDI is very quiet. I will be doing a test drive today evening and will have a first hand experience of the noise. In case I still find some noise to be present in the cabin, should I just ignore it? Is it just a matter of getting used to? I would like to have inputs from other users who have changed over from petrol to diesel cars. What were your first impressions on NVH levels and how do you feel now?

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you once again for all your support through these difficult times!!

PS: I am taking a test drive in another hour's time. I will soon provide an update on my test drive experience.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by graaja

After already having waited for 3 months, I came to know from the dealer that the delivery of my car may happen (that too not guaranteed) only after May.

Good lord, that is one long wait. If you ask me, Skoda's non-responsiveness is a sign of apathy or lack of knowledge w.r.t. Delivery timelines. Either way, not good for you. I honestly feel you should vote with your wallet and cancel your booking.

Originally Posted by graaja

Inspite of reading many posts of GTO, I have been sticking to my choice of a Petrol car mainly due to the NVH levels. Because I am hard of hearing, I need a relatively quiet cabin to make any conversation possible. When I test drove the Octavia TDI, I felt there was this constant thrumming noise in the cabin which was very disturbing.

My wife felt that the noise in the Octavia was a bit loud too, although I'm not entirely sure I agree with her. I'd recommend a diesel for two reasons to you: lower running costs and more options to choose from.

Originally Posted by graaja

I believe I am in the same boat as iliketurtles was a few weeks back. He too was a petrolhead, had booked the Octavia TSI, but ended up with a Jetta TDI. And he is as happy as one could be.

You are absolutely correct. The only difference is I jumped boat after holding my TSI booking for a month and didn't wait as long as you have. I'm loving the Jetta and feel you should look at a diesel.

Originally Posted by graaja

The main disadvantages of the Jetta TDI are lack of sunroof, not so fresh look as the Octavia, lack of bixenons with AFS, lesser space and smaller boot.

I'm not 100% sure about the technicalities of it all, but the Jetta's lights do level automatically at the start of a journey and bend at speed to light up the road. The difference ok space at the back is true, although it's not much, and the boots main advantage in the Octavia is that it's a notchback. Not a biggie though.

Originally Posted by graaja

1. Exactly how much fun will I be missing when I choose the 2.0TDI vs. 1.8TSI in terms of power and acceleration?

Haven't driven the TSI, but by all accounts it is much better on this count. Mind you, the TDI is plenty powerful and fun to drive in itself. That it is more reliable, more economical to own and tunable is a massive advantage over the TSI

I drove down from mumbai to lavasa today, and the Jetta was so much to drive! I am looking forward to the drive back already.

Originally Posted by graaja

2. How much difference do the Bixenons with AFS make over the Xenons without AFS? Will there be any change in brightness levels?

Believe me, I do plenty of night driving myself and it is BRIGHT. If that is your concern, have no worries on that front.

Originally Posted by graaja

3. Resale value: After 5 years how much difference in resale value can I expect between the two?

Let me put it to you this way: with a difference of 60k, your difference in sale value will be more than covered by the differential in pricing of diesel and petrol. Moreover, the Jetta will be better off because it's a diesel car. Skoda petrol automatics are not to be bought if you have even the slightest concern over resale. Same for any petrol automatic, to be honest.

Originally Posted by graaja

4. How much noise levels should I expect in the Jetta? In one of his posts iliketurtle mentioned that compared to Octavia TDI, Jetta TDI is very quiet. I will be doing a test drive today evening and will have a first hand experience of the noise. In case I still find some noise to be present in the cabin, should I just ignore it? Is it just a matter of getting used to? I would like to have inputs from other users who have changed over from petrol to diesel cars. What were your first impressions on NVH levels and how do you feel now?

For a diesel, the Jetta is definitely very refined. My first impression of the Jetta behind the wheel was I wasn't compromising on NVH levels, even if it is a diesel. A distant noise of the diesel at work can be heard, but I don't feel it's an issue at all for me.

Since you have a hearing issue, I really feel the best answer to this is your own since this is so subjective.

I have always owned petrol cars prior to the Jetta and still feel that the Jetta is loud-ish, but that's the petrol head in me speaking. The Jetta does manage NVH levels very well, but remember that there is no substitute for having your own opinion on this!

Originally Posted by graaja

PS: I am taking a test drive in another hour's time. I will soon provide an update on my test drive experience.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts after a test drive. Seriously Graaja, switch over elsewhere. Don't let the Octavia hold you to ransom. This must be the universe speaking to you!



PS: I am taking a test drive in another hour's time. I will soon provide an update on my test drive experience.[/quote]

[drmohitg]

Slightly offtopic but I beg to ask that what is Skoda's monthly production capability? They are hardly selling any cars apart from a few hundred and still have a months long waiting list. Is this an actual waiting or just a deliberate measure to make the car appear more appealing?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Slightly offtopic but I beg to ask that what is Skoda's monthly production capability? They are hardly selling any cars apart from a few hundred and still have a months long waiting list. Is this an actual waiting or just a deliberate measure to make the car appear more appealing?

I think the root cause is the demand of CKD kits. I have been following briskoda forums and the long waiting period is present in all the European countries as well. There are instances of people waiting for more than 8 months (reminds me of the wait times for Ecosport). Maybe the number of kits allocated for India is getting smaller by the month and the supply vs demand gap is widening.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by graaja

I think the root cause is the demand of CKD kits. I have been following briskoda forums and the long waiting period is present in all the European countries as well. There are instances of people waiting for more than 8 months (reminds me of the wait times for Ecosport). Maybe the number of kits allocated for India is getting smaller by the month and the supply vs demand gap is widening.

I don't understand this. In a recession hit market, there is a car that is finding buyers. And the car company is unable to even allocate a few hundred CKD kits for India? Its not thousands but just a few hundred. What were they thinking before starting operations here? I feel such lack of planning and insight into the market is sheer ignorance, deliberate or otherwise. And this is not just about Skoda but all of them including VW, Ford etc.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Good lord, that is one long wait. If you ask me, Skoda's non-responsiveness is a sign of apathy or lack of knowledge w.r.t. Delivery timelines. Either way, not good for you. I honestly feel you should vote with your wallet and cancel your booking.

....

Look forward to hearing your thoughts after a test drive. Seriously Graaja, switch over elsewhere. Don't let the Octavia hold you to ransom. This must be the universe speaking to you!

Thanks for the clarifications mate. The test drive did not happen yesterday as the car that had been taken for another test drive in the afternoon arrived only late in the evening. They have promised to bring the car today. Fingers crossed.

And BTW, I received a response from Skoda 2 days after I sent them my mail asking about the delivery schedule.

"Greetings from Skoda Auto!!! Acknowledgement

At the outset we understand your concern and regret for the inconvenience caused to your good selves, if any. We have taken up the matter with the respective dealership and will revert back to you by way of further resolution at the earliest. Kindly bear with us till such times.

Trust your kind understanding on the same."

The whole point of writing to them was that the dealer had no clue about delivery dates. I don't know what they have taken up with the dealership on this matter. Just looks like a standard template response provided by some disinterested call center executive

Sorry about the rant, sometimes I feel I should just drop the whole idea of this buying a new car and live with my Getz for a few more years!!!!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by graaja

Thanks for the clarifications mate. The test drive did not happen yesterday as the car that had been taken for another test drive in the afternoon arrived only late in the evening. They have promised to bring the car today.



And BTW, I received a response from Skoda 2 days after I sent them my mail asking about the delivery schedule.



Sometimes I feel I should just drop the whole idea of this buying a new car and live with my Getz for a few more years!!!!

VW dealers can be notoriously lazy. Dangle a carrot in front of them. Get after them and ensure the car comes today. Tell them that you've already booked a car, but that you would consider a Jetta if the deal is right.

That response from Skoda was just a boiler-plate throwing you back to the dealer, who is already clueless. Leaves you stuck at square 1.

Don't give up just yet, good things come to those that wait, in your case a nice, meaty excise cut! Keep on fighting the good fight.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

VW dealers can be notoriously lazy. Dangle a carrot in front of them. Get after them and ensure the car comes today. Tell them that you've already booked a car, but that you would consider a Jetta if the deal is right.

That response from Skoda was just a boiler-plate throwing you back to the dealer, who is already clueless. Leaves you stuck at square 1.

Don't give up just yet, good things come to those that wait, in your case a nice, meaty excise cut! Keep on fighting the good fight.

Thanks buddy. I did exactly the same. I had told the VW dealer that I have already booked an Octavia and I am considering Jetta due to the delay in delivery of the Octavia. If they can beat Skoda in delivery, I am willing to immediately close the deal.

Today, as promised, the VW person brought the car to my residence, and I took it for a very long test drive (did about 40km). To describe my experience in one word - Exhilerating!!!

I loved the combination of the 2.0TDI engine and the 6 speed DSG. The acceleration is awesome. My only worry about the NVH levels also was ruled out. The NVH levels are quite manageable. Last but not the least, my wife is happy with the comfort level of the passenger seat (she was not happy with the Octavia's seat, and I had very difficult time convincing her).

Tomorrow, I am visiting the dealer to make the color choice and finalize the deal. The SA indicated that there are a couple of colors available for immediate delivery. Hope they don't throw any surprises tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

The petrolhead inside me is definitely sad to let go of the 1.8TSI. But maybe everything that happens is for good!

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by graaja

Tomorrow, I am visiting the dealer to make the color choice and finalize the deal. The SA indicated that there are a couple of colors available for immediate delivery. Hope they don't throw any surprises tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Congratulations. I have always been a fan of the Jetta specially with the new taillight design. a much better choice if you ask me compared to waiting endlessly for that Octavia.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by graaja

I took a very long test drive. To describe my experience in one word - Exhilerating!!!



The petrolhead inside me is definitely sad to let go of the 1.8TSI. But maybe everything that happens is for good!

Great to hear Graaja. On a lighter note, our buying stories took similar paths, but I played a t20 game and you're playing out a test match!

I understand the disappointment of losing out on the 1.8 TSI, but it's all for the best. Besides, it's a car that both your wife and you love with very few, if any, compromises. Congratulations, hope the last leg of your buying experience is a smooth one.