Team-BHP > What Car? > Sedans


View Poll Results: Your choice?
Audi A3 85 21.68%
Skoda Octavia 164 41.84%
VW Jetta 143 36.48%
Voters: 392. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
  Search this Thread
221,915 views
Old 12th February 2015, 13:57   #166
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 295
Thanked: 380 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post

Well, the latest he is quoting is around 1.2 l off on the with-excise price but only 70k off the pre-excise price (40k cash discount + 30k exchange bonus). This is not exciting me enough at the moment, so I will wait to see what he says tomorrow.

Well this is another angle now! What is the exchange price they are offering? Is it a fair price or (like most dealers) is it lower than what market will give you? In my experience, the exchange bonus is really worth it only when you are trading an old, battered car with very little residual value. I did that with a 11 year old Ikon once and the exchange bonus helped me realise a better than market value. But in most other cases it merely compensates for lower value offered by the dealer for the old car and not too much more. Do assess this before considering this as a discount.

Frankly the way I see it, you are probably getting 40-50k off and not much more (assuming you are doing self insurance). You have to take a call whether this (or whatever the dealer finally offers) is worth it for a car manufactured 6 months back in a model which has been replaced now. In my personal view, it's WAY too overpriced. But it's your personal decision finally.

Only one thing I would say...don't be under pressure from the dealer. Once they realise that you are very keen on the vehicle, they have a way of holding out on the price even if there are no other buyers. You need to be prepared to call their bluff.
reverse_gear is offline  
Old 12th February 2015, 14:44   #167
Senior - BHPian
 
iliketurtles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Titwala
Posts: 1,507
Thanked: 4,834 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post
I have not seen any feedback on the forum with regard to the ride and handling of these tyres, which makes me feel I am not compromising on safety and stability in anyway. Are there members on the forum who did not do this and came back thinking they did the right thing, at least for the short term?
Chethan BG was quite happy with the NCT5's until he hit about 10k kilometers on his Jetta, after which the nice started getting more pronounced. I don't believe he had any issues stability-wise, drop him a line and see what he has to say!
iliketurtles is offline  
Old 13th February 2015, 18:21   #168
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pune
Posts: 208
Thanked: 102 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by reverse_gear View Post
Well this is another angle now! What is the exchange price they are offering? Is it a fair price or (like most dealers) is it lower than what market will give you? In my experience, the exchange bonus is really worth it only when you are trading an old, battered car with very little residual value. I did that with a 11 year old Ikon once and the exchange bonus helped me realise a better than market value. But in most other cases it merely compensates for lower value offered by the dealer for the old car and not too much more. Do assess this before considering this as a discount.
Well I have negotiated a discount equal to the exchange bonus they are offering, but I am actually not exchanging my old car, just buying the Jetta. So this is a pure discount from my point of view.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iliketurtles View Post
Frankly the way I see it, you are probably getting 40-50k off and not much more (assuming you are doing self insurance). You have to take a call whether this (or whatever the dealer finally offers) is worth it for a car manufactured 6 months back in a model which has been replaced now. In my personal view, it's WAY too overpriced. But it's your personal decision finally.
Yes the overall discount is 70k at the moment, since I am a freelancer, he is not ready to offer the 16k corporate discount to me. I am really tempted to throw caution to the wind, and go with the Octavia TSI, which was my first choice before I sat in a Jetta .

However, besides having a price tag of around 23l OTR, the running costs of the Octavia seem very high too, for example the insurance from the dealer is coming in at 75k, and I am not sure if they offer 2+2 extended warranty. Also at 23l, it may not be very far from the 2015 Jetta TDI DSG highline.

So, its still a waiting game for me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iliketurtles View Post
Only one thing I would say...don't be under pressure from the dealer. Once they realise that you are very keen on the vehicle, they have a way of holding out on the price even if there are no other buyers. You need to be prepared to call their bluff.
Yeah, I have a feeling they have already figured I am quite keen on closing this quickly. But nonetheless, there does not seem to be that extreme urgency from the SA to sell this last TSI, I am not sure why. I would have though he would flood me with calls, trying to sell his old stock asap. Clearly I was mistaken. Or maybe he is just way too busy preparing for the 2015 Jetta launch event on the 17th February.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iliketurtles View Post
Chethan BG was quite happy with the NCT5's until he hit about 10k kilometers on his Jetta, after which the nice started getting more pronounced. I don't believe he had any issues stability-wise, drop him a line and see what he has to say!
Yes that was my impression too, which is why I am tending towards sticking with the stock tyres for the first 10k Kms or so. Sorry for asking, but I have not yet figured how to drop PMs to members, maybe thats because I am in the initial membership phase where my posts are being moderated before putting on the group. In other words I am on probation .

Any inputs on the HU upgrade in the after-market in Pune forum? Any recommended places which would do this without affecting the warranty?
harryputtar is offline  
Old 13th February 2015, 19:23   #169
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 295
Thanked: 380 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post
Well I have negotiated a discount equal to the exchange bonus they are offering, but I am actually not exchanging my old car, just buying the Jetta.

So this is a pure discount from my point of view. Sorry for asking, but I have not yet figured how to drop PMs to members, maybe thats because I am in the initial membership phase where my posts are being moderated before putting on the group. In other words I am on probation .
PM mailbox is activated only after you have 25 posts, till when your posts will be moderated.
reverse_gear is offline  
Old 18th February 2015, 02:40   #170
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pune
Posts: 208
Thanked: 102 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by reverse_gear View Post
PM mailbox is activated only after you have 25 posts, till when your posts will be moderated.
Yes, thought so reverse_gear.

A quick update from my side, the SA called me to tell me that the last remaining 2014 TSI has finally sold, so I might have bargained too hard after all and ended up losing the opportunity to buy a 2014 VFM Jetta TSI.

The good news is now I am back in the game and can reconsider buying the TDI DSG which is what I always wanted hand on my heart. Also I can now choose from other colors, however to be honest I might again narrow down to the white is my feeling.

So the next step is to visit the dealership, choose a color, try to get some discounts (any suggestions how to manage this ), put a booking amount, and put the devil to rest.
harryputtar is offline  
Old 20th February 2015, 11:34   #171
BHPian
 
AirWind's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 998
Thanked: 404 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post messages that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the quality of this forum.

Please read our rules before proceeding any further. We request you to post ONLY when you have something substantial to add to a discussion.

Last edited by GTO : 26th February 2015 at 15:09.
AirWind is offline   Received Infraction
Old 20th February 2015, 18:35   #172
BHPian
 
heydj's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Rotterdam/Delhi
Posts: 534
Thanked: 734 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Skoda and VW may have loads of features etc but in terms of brand value nothing beats Audi. Moreover A3 has everything a person needs, it may have few gizmos less than others but makes up for it in terms of brand recognition. Think of it like this, for years Samsung phones have had more features etc but in terms of brand perception Apple rules.

At this price point it dosent matter much which car you choose as they all are really good and behind one another just in terms of few features and engine choices. If I was in the market for either of these Audi A3 would have been my pick every single time.
heydj is offline  
Old 22nd February 2015, 07:44   #173
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 108
Thanked: 181 Times

Mod Note : Foul language – whether used directly or indirectly - is STRICTLY prohibited on Team-BHP. A decent communication protocol must be adhered to. Foul language and the use of abusive words / photographs in posts / avatars / signatures / topics are STRICTLY prohibited.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further.


Quote:
Originally Posted by heydj View Post
Skoda and VW may have loads of features etc but in terms of brand value nothing beats Audi. Moreover A3 has everything a person needs, it may have few gizmos less than others but makes up for it in terms of brand recognition. Think of it like this, for years Samsung phones have had more features etc but in terms of brand perception Apple rules.

At this price point it dosent matter much which car you choose as they all are really good and behind one another just in terms of few features and engine choices. If I was in the market for either of these Audi A3 would have been my pick every single time.

heydj,
You can drive a car. Not a brand!

If someone has money to waste and wants something that's all show an no go, then the A3 is perfect. It is shorter, has lesser boot space, a much higher price tag, a higher operational cost and does not provide even the slightest better performance.

If you speak of an RS3, that's a different ballgame altogether, but paying more and getting less "car" is quite pointless.

Last edited by GTO : 23rd February 2015 at 10:55. Reason: See note in post
bharatsomany is offline  
Old 23rd February 2015, 18:26   #174
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pune
Posts: 208
Thanked: 102 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

So visited another VW showroom in Pune yesterday with the home minister. She straight away fell in love with the blue silk color, the comfortline of which was on display on the ground floor of the showroom. Although being inside the comfortline after experiencing the highline during the 2015 launch last week, was a bit of a let down.

Then we visited the first floor where we checked out a Black Jetta TDI DSG, alongside it was a Candy white Vento. When we came back down, the Blue was paling in comparison with the white Vento above. So my thoughts about the new Blue silk color is on its own it will look and feel very nice, but people will soon grow out of it, as it lacks that timeless elegant appeal which only the white can provide. And if I bought the blue color, I would soon be staring at other white Jettas cursing myself everytime I saw one.

As far as the costing of the new Jetta is concerned, I have fought tooth and nail to get some discounts on the DSG, but have come back with a big zero. So I guess I will have to bite the bullet and take the plunge, as I can find no other car in this segment, which is the right mix of safety, performance and looks.

I was in the Skoda showroom yesterday right after the VW showroom. Viewed back to back after the Jetta, the Octavia was a bit disappointing in terms of build quality and the feeling of premium-ness.

Just when we were about to head out, the Superb caught my eye, so I decided to have a dekko. What a car!!! There is only one word to describe the Superb, it is Superb. We just loved the amount of space in the car and little useful thoughtful bits like the sun-blinds. Alas, the TSI DSG 28 lacs on road, which makes it a dream car for us at present. Superb, one day we will have one of you!

So back to the Jetta again, planning to book the DSG today/tomorrow evening, will keep the group posted.
harryputtar is offline  
Old 27th February 2015, 01:07   #175
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pune
Posts: 208
Thanked: 102 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quick update on my situation, finally booked a Pure White 2015 Jetta DSG Highline today. The SA tells me if I am lucky I might get the car by the 21st of March.

Fortunately for us, there was a DSG available in the dealership awaiting delivery, so we could get our very first DSG test drive. The wife absolutely loved it, "there is no clutch!!!", "I dont have to do anything", and "I have all the time to watch out for the traffic" were some of her ecstatic comments. When I drove the car, it was a bit of a disappointment for me, as I have always always driven manuals, and the driving enthusiast in me was left wanting for more. Have other members also felt the same on their first automatic test drive, or is it just me?

Funnily since we have come back, me and wife have been going back and forth between

1) Continuing with the booking and going ahead with the DSG. Cons - really expensive now because of the facelift and the excise duty increase, my wife is convinced I hate the DSG.
2) Going for the TSI comfortline + a used Polo GT TSI option. Cons - we might end up never buying the Polo, mediocre music system on the TSI.

So still in a bit of a quandary on this, any inputs will be appreciated.
harryputtar is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 27th February 2015, 10:29   #176
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Rajeevraj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 4,604
Thanked: 17,633 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post
Quick update on my situation, finally booked a Pure White 2015 Jetta DSG Highline today. The SA tells me if I am lucky I might get the car by the 21st of March.

Fortunately for us, there was a DSG available in the dealership awaiting delivery, so we could get our very first DSG test drive. Have other members also felt the same on their first automatic test drive, or is it just me?

Funnily since we have come back, me and wife have been going back and forth between

1) Continuing with the booking and going ahead with the DSG. Cons - really expensive now because of the facelift and the excise duty increase, my wife is convinced I hate the DSG.
2) Going for the TSI comfortline + a used Polo GT TSI option. Cons - we might end up never buying the Polo, mediocre music system on the TSI.

So still in a bit of a quandary on this, any inputs will be appreciated.
I moved to a Vento TSI DSG from a manual. To me the simplification of the driving effort without compromising on performance and drivability (which the TSI +DSG enables) was very obvious in the first TD. Having said that, I don't think a short test drive can really bring out the benefits of the DSG. Only when you do some amount of driving, the benefits and positives of the DSG will come through. You also have the manual mode, if you want more control and involvement. So dropping the Jetta purely based on your impression of the DSG during the test drive, may not be the right approach. In addition, getting a good used Polo GT TSI may not be easy.

Slightly Off Topic: You mentioned taking a TD in a car kept ready for delivery. Personally my opinion is that one should never take TD's in cars being readied for other customers even if the dealer offers.

I for one will be very upset if I hear that a new car allocated and being readied for me is being given around for Test Drives.

Last edited by Rajeevraj : 27th February 2015 at 10:31.
Rajeevraj is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 27th February 2015, 11:05   #177
Team-BHP Support
 
Gannu_1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Madras
Posts: 7,169
Thanked: 20,185 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post
So still in a bit of a quandary on this, any inputs will be appreciated.
The Jetta is in a different league altogether! I remember D-BHPian vb-san commenting elsewhere, the real VW experience (the solid thud while closing the doors, driving refinement, interiors, safety features, features like cruise control, fatigue detection, adaptive bi-xenon projectors, paddle shifts etc.) begins with the Jetta and I wholeheartedly concur with his view. Last week, we got a first-hand experience of the facelift Jetta and I fell in love with the car. Coming from a stick shift, it may take a few days to get adapted to the DSG unit and the left foot resting all the while but believe me, if you do frequent highway/expressway drives, the DSG will pamper you especially with the cruise control. In the city with the bumper-to-bumper traffic, the DSG hesitantly shifts from the start but I felt this was much better than the heavy clutch which has a long travel. Your left leg would thank you if you opt for the DSG variant.

The Vento’s rear leg room is a bit more due to the extended wheelbase but otherwise it is just another Polo with a boot. More so now, with all the new engines (1.2 TSI, 1.5 TDI) available in both the cars. If you have the moolah, get the Jetta by all means.
Gannu_1 is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 27th February 2015, 16:59   #178
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pune
Posts: 208
Thanked: 102 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajeevraj View Post
I moved to a Vento TSI DSG from a manual. To me the simplification of the driving effort without compromising on performance and drivability (which the TSI +DSG enables) was very obvious in the first TD. Having said that, I don't think a short test drive can really bring out the benefits of the DSG. Only when you do some amount of driving, the benefits and positives of the DSG will come through. You also have the manual mode, if you want more control and involvement. So dropping the Jetta purely based on your impression of the DSG during the test drive, may not be the right approach. In addition, getting a good used Polo GT TSI may not be easy.
Thanks for the inputs Rajeevraj, its true that it was a really short drive, and it was hard to judge how I would feel about it on a longer drive through highways and through bumper to bumper city traffic, so I will reserve my judgment till I can get a proper test drive on a DSG.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajeevraj View Post
Slightly Off Topic: You mentioned taking a TD in a car kept ready for delivery. Personally my opinion is that one should never take TD's in cars being readied for other customers even if the dealer offers. I for one will be very upset if I hear that a new car allocated and being readied for me is being given around for Test Drives.
It did not quite strike me at that point, but now that you mention it I realise I would myself be quite upset if the same happened to me. So point taken, I will try to remember this the next time I am in this situation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gannu_1 View Post
The Jetta is in a different league altogether! I remember D-BHPian vb-san commenting elsewhere, the real VW experience (the solid thud while closing the doors, driving refinement, interiors, safety features, features like cruise control, fatigue detection, adaptive bi-xenon projectors, paddle shifts etc.) begins with the Jetta and I wholeheartedly concur with his view. Last week, we got a first-hand experience of the facelift Jetta and I fell in love with the car. Coming from a stick shift, it may take a few days to get adapted to the DSG unit and the left foot resting all the while but believe me, if you do frequent highway/expressway drives, the DSG will pamper you especially with the cruise control. In the city with the bumper-to-bumper traffic, the DSG hesitantly shifts from the start but I felt this was much better than the heavy clutch which has a long travel. Your left leg would thank you if you opt for the DSG variant.
Thanks for the awesome inputs Gannu, this is exactly what I wanted to hear about the DSG. Its a heart versus head decision now, at the back of my mind I do know, I will be a lot happier (at least my ankles will be a lot happier ) in the long term with the DSG. Besides its definitely more future-proof, even though Indians in general do not approve of either VW or the automatic transmission!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gannu_1 View Post
The Vento’s rear leg room is a bit more due to the extended wheelbase but otherwise it is just another Polo with a boot. More so now, with all the new engines (1.2 TSI, 1.5 TDI) available in both the cars. If you have the moolah, get the Jetta by all means.
Thanks again for the inputs, Vento was never in the picture, we were specifically looking for a small hatchback for city driving, but the way our thought process is going, we might actually drop that idea and stick to Jetta DSG for the moment.
harryputtar is offline  
Old 27th February 2015, 22:37   #179
BHPian
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 277
Thanked: 65 Times
Re: Audi A3 versus VW Jetta / Skoda Octavia?

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post

Fortunately for us, there was a DSG available in the dealership awaiting delivery, so we could get our very first DSG test drive. The wife absolutely loved it, "there is no clutch!!!", "I dont have to do anything", and "I have all the time to watch out for the traffic" were some of her ecstatic comments. When I drove the car, it was a bit of a disappointment for me, as I have always always driven manuals, and the driving enthusiast in me was left wanting for more. Have other members also felt the same on their first automatic test drive, or is it just me?
Awesome. So a brand new DSG kept for delivery is been given for test drives. How can anyone now have peace of mind when its quite evident that these dealers rampantly provide your cars to others for test drives. Kudos to VW. Keep it up.
an_and is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 28th February 2015, 10:23   #180
BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 426
Thanked: 78 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by harryputtar View Post
When I drove the car, it was a bit of a disappointment for me, as I have always always driven manuals, and the driving enthusiast in me was left wanting for more. Have other members also felt the same on their first automatic test drive, or is it just me?

So still in a bit of a quandary on this, any inputs will be appreciated.
Slot the gearbox into sports mode & floor it. Use the paddle shifts & believe me when I tell you, the enthusiast in you will be back on board! Its a pretty quick car. I didn't even realize that we were doing 140-150. The build & stability over shadow the speed but its fast no doubt.

It will be a change coming from a manual but you will love it. I used to swear by manuals but when I started driving an automatic from an i20 manual, I just couldn't go back. You're drives will be much more relaxed
Zahir is offline   (1) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks