Which Car <13L

lamborghini · 10th June 2007, 14:25

Guys,
a question here. Is the Laura bigger than the Corolla in the backseat?

tsk1979 · 10th June 2007, 15:09

Sit and see! Things like comfort etc., are best decided by "test drive"

Ricky_63 · 10th June 2007, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Guys,
a question here. Is the Laura bigger than the Corolla in the backseat?

You have to TD the Laura to believe the features it has including rear legroom.......& as someone said about the Diesel engine noise. I do not agree with that. TD & see for yourself.

androdev · 10th June 2007, 17:45

I was waiting for SX4.. after it was launched, i was trying to get a good price on Corolla as I can get a better car for a little more money. I would have taken a corolla if the dealer had given a good discount.. they didnt give.. so I looked at Civic.. didn't like it much.. but then I thought its a safe 'investment' and I will learn to like it after buying it.. we all know it is possible ;-)

then I accidentally went to skoda showroom.. and opened the laura door!! and read and re-read all the horror stories of skoda onwers on the net.. i tried to get it out of my mind.. as u can see i am flexible on the budget front, but I am particular about the A.S.S and ownership costs. i really think skoda builds cars with love and it shows :-) maybe when I sit in a Benz or BMW sometime in future I wont be wonder stuck!

anyways.. I havent booked the laura yet. I am visiting my shrink to be ready for the day when some stupid auto guy will knock off my xenons (50K a piece!).. but if you want a car that pampers you and you are flexible on budget you will have a tough time skipping laura. btw, the size of the Laura is perfect for me so I never looked at Accord, etc. i also like the fact that all skodas look the same. lesser the bling the better for me. I would prefer a bottle of cold water to a digital speedo.

sorry about the rant.. got carried away.. my shrink advised me to express my feelings on online forums instead of talking to people at home :-)

coming to your decision.. if u got the $$$ go for Laura.. else I dont know.. I might just buy Honda city auto.. city, corolla, civic all look same to me.. time for my shock therapy.. please don't ban me!

androdev · 10th June 2007, 19:41

posted a loooong reply. dont see it.

have $$$$: Laura
have $: Honda city auto

in my opinion.. everything else must be compared against these two benchmarks to justify the price.

lamborghini · 10th June 2007, 21:39

Hey guys,
cars shortlisted are the Laura and the Corolla.
Going to see the Laura tomorrow. Lets hope it is good.
@androdev, how expensive are the parts? I mean how much would the bumpers cost and how much would the servicing cost be??

aseem · 10th June 2007, 21:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Hey guys,
cars shortlisted are the Laura and the Corolla.
Going to see the Laura tomorrow. Lets hope it is good.
@androdev, how expensive are the parts? I mean how much would the bumpers cost and how much would the servicing cost be??

The rear seats of Laura are nightmare in terms of legroom.... Just my two cents worth. I wouldnt buy a Laura even if someone pays me to have one as I had a nightmare of a journey with a 6 foot guy driving and me in the rear

androdev · 10th June 2007, 22:13

When I asked about the sparepart costs, the dealer was not forthcoming.. but there are some real life experiences posted on teambhp...

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/222676-post122.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/291178-post1.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...a-anymore.html

On the other hand.. Corolla dealer told me the headlamp costs 3K per piece!!

lamborghini · 10th June 2007, 22:15

@aseem - is it really that bad? My father and me are both 6+.

androdev · 11th June 2007, 10:15

@lamborghini - Corolla and Laura are my choices too. Corolla guys didn't give me discount that I expected.. i came to know they were giving 1 to 1.5 Lak discount on ex-showroom prices across all models.. maybe i am a bad negotiator, or they don't have much sales pressure after civic and I guess only fleet operators are buying Corollas. I would still buy Corolla if they give me the discount that I expect them to give. (Well.. I am asking for something that has already been offered!)

@aseem - i didn't find any issues with the rear leg room.. were you three people in the back seat during your drive?

backseat is only for two people.. strict no-no for 3rd person (because of armrest bump, exhaust pipe floor hump and rear AC vents). No issues with the leg room.. thigh support is something u might want to check out on a long drive.. it would be nice if some owners could give more info on rear seat comfort. i drive alone mostly.. so i didn't pay much attention to the backseat.

btw, it doesn't have electric ORVMs (u cant retract them with a push of a button)

Maintenance costs of Laura: Spare parts are expensive. But servicing costs are reasonable. Max 10K I hear. There is also a 2 year (unlimited mileage) warranty by Skoda. You wont feel the pinch unless there are some accidents, etc. I am not a skoda owner and I might be eating my own words soon :-)

Laura is a bad choice if you can not absorb those unexpected maintenance costs (not the routine ones) say your electric seats stop working suddenly, headlamps broke, timing belt snapped, airbags deployed and so on.

Corolla offers the rock bottom maintenance costs in its class. It is a very good choice if you are chauffeured on decent roads. Laura's VFM is in the front seats esp for people who read their car manuals.

TRANSAM · 11th June 2007, 12:48

lambo, i use a corolla AT and can honestly say its boring to look at but easier on the pocket than lets say a far more superior built car like the laura, but like androdev said, if one can absorb unexpected maintenance costs then laura is a great buy, if you want a Good rear seat, decent FE and lower *** costs, you should consider the Corolla.

rangaraj · 11th June 2007, 14:17

Have you been following the TD and the notes on the new Optra Magnum. Worth taking a test drive before you decide..You will end up paying 11.5 for the top of the line and have spare cash for mods..

ac 427 · 11th June 2007, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangaraj

Have you been following the TD and the notes on the new Optra Magnum. Worth taking a test drive before you decide..You will end up paying 11.5 for the top of the line and have spare cash for mods..

ya the optra maganum is a very nice bet. . considering the figures that it has. lots of power, good torque and good space. and cheaper than the boring octi.

androdev · 11th June 2007, 19:11

my therapy sessions did not help and i booked a Laura MT today. I am willing to face the Bangalore traffic torture in return for the occasional highway driving.

Having the same short list as yours (Corolla MT, Laura MT) I booked Laura for the following reasons:
1. I am willing to absorb the cost of accidental spares
2. I am OK to have a two seater backseat
3. I dont want bigger cars such as Accord,etc.

Am I a skoda sales person? No. It is just that Laura is like a nice little house with a good patch of garden in the front, tastefully and elegantly built by people who want to live in it by themselves. You always walk by that house and tell yourself I wish I owned this house. Or you say.. this is such a waste of space.. I could build 20 studio apartments in this area and sell/rent it for a fortune.

I am not saying the rest of the cars are studio apartments. But Laura is definitely like the house that I just described. They are never competetively priced becaue they know their product. That is why they got the most expensive variant Laura L&K DSG first to India and not the stripped down version. In fact I want a car of Gets size that costs 10 Lakhs with all features of Laura. We are not encouraging such products by equating VFM with BHP, Wheelbase, etc

When will my rant end?? Your shortlist of Corolla and Laura is good one. One is an excellent apartment and other is an excellent villa.

But of course dont force Laura on your family

lamborghini · 12th June 2007, 00:09

Hey guys,
we need an Auto so the Optra Magnum is out of the list.
As of right now, we have shortlisted two cars.
The Toyota Corolla AT and the Skoda Laura DSG.
I am going for a TD tomorrow with my mom and bua. Lets see which one wins.
I will ask the salesperson about the maintainance costs of the Laura.
@androdev - congrats on your choice

10th June 2007, 14:25	#46
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,164 Thanked: 5,937 Times View My Garage	Guys, a question here. Is the Laura bigger than the Corolla in the backseat?
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 15:09	#47
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,489 Times View My Garage	Sit and see! Things like comfort etc., are best decided by "test drive"
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 17:45	#49
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,255 Thanked: 25,287 Times	I was waiting for SX4.. after it was launched, i was trying to get a good price on Corolla as I can get a better car for a little more money. I would have taken a corolla if the dealer had given a good discount.. they didnt give.. so I looked at Civic.. didn't like it much.. but then I thought its a safe 'investment' and I will learn to like it after buying it.. we all know it is possible ;-) then I accidentally went to skoda showroom.. and opened the laura door!! and read and re-read all the horror stories of skoda onwers on the net.. i tried to get it out of my mind.. as u can see i am flexible on the budget front, but I am particular about the A.S.S and ownership costs. i really think skoda builds cars with love and it shows :-) maybe when I sit in a Benz or BMW sometime in future I wont be wonder stuck! anyways.. I havent booked the laura yet. I am visiting my shrink to be ready for the day when some stupid auto guy will knock off my xenons (50K a piece!).. but if you want a car that pampers you and you are flexible on budget you will have a tough time skipping laura. btw, the size of the Laura is perfect for me so I never looked at Accord, etc. i also like the fact that all skodas look the same. lesser the bling the better for me. I would prefer a bottle of cold water to a digital speedo. sorry about the rant.. got carried away.. my shrink advised me to express my feelings on online forums instead of talking to people at home :-) coming to your decision.. if u got the $$$ go for Laura.. else I dont know.. I might just buy Honda city auto.. city, corolla, civic all look same to me.. time for my shock therapy.. please don't ban me!
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 19:41	#50
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,255 Thanked: 25,287 Times	posted a loooong reply. dont see it. have $$$$: Laura have $: Honda city auto in my opinion.. everything else must be compared against these two benchmarks to justify the price.
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 21:39	#51
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,164 Thanked: 5,937 Times View My Garage	Hey guys, cars shortlisted are the Laura and the Corolla. Going to see the Laura tomorrow. Lets hope it is good. @androdev, how expensive are the parts? I mean how much would the bumpers cost and how much would the servicing cost be??
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 22:13	#53
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,255 Thanked: 25,287 Times	When I asked about the sparepart costs, the dealer was not forthcoming.. but there are some real life experiences posted on teambhp... http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/222676-post122.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/291178-post1.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...a-anymore.html On the other hand.. Corolla dealer told me the headlamp costs 3K per piece!!
	() Thanks

10th June 2007, 22:15	#54
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,164 Thanked: 5,937 Times View My Garage	@aseem - is it really that bad? My father and me are both 6+.
	() Thanks

11th June 2007, 10:15	#55
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,255 Thanked: 25,287 Times	@lamborghini - Corolla and Laura are my choices too. Corolla guys didn't give me discount that I expected.. i came to know they were giving 1 to 1.5 Lak discount on ex-showroom prices across all models.. maybe i am a bad negotiator, or they don't have much sales pressure after civic and I guess only fleet operators are buying Corollas. I would still buy Corolla if they give me the discount that I expect them to give. (Well.. I am asking for something that has already been offered!) @aseem - i didn't find any issues with the rear leg room.. were you three people in the back seat during your drive? backseat is only for two people.. strict no-no for 3rd person (because of armrest bump, exhaust pipe floor hump and rear AC vents). No issues with the leg room.. thigh support is something u might want to check out on a long drive.. it would be nice if some owners could give more info on rear seat comfort. i drive alone mostly.. so i didn't pay much attention to the backseat. btw, it doesn't have electric ORVMs (u cant retract them with a push of a button) Maintenance costs of Laura: Spare parts are expensive. But servicing costs are reasonable. Max 10K I hear. There is also a 2 year (unlimited mileage) warranty by Skoda. You wont feel the pinch unless there are some accidents, etc. I am not a skoda owner and I might be eating my own words soon :-) Laura is a bad choice if you can not absorb those unexpected maintenance costs (not the routine ones) say your electric seats stop working suddenly, headlamps broke, timing belt snapped, airbags deployed and so on. Corolla offers the rock bottom maintenance costs in its class. It is a very good choice if you are chauffeured on decent roads. Laura's VFM is in the front seats esp for people who read their car manuals.
	() Thanks

11th June 2007, 12:48	#56
TRANSAM BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 706 Thanked: 258 Times	lambo, i use a corolla AT and can honestly say its boring to look at but easier on the pocket than lets say a far more superior built car like the laura, but like androdev said, if one can absorb unexpected maintenance costs then laura is a great buy, if you want a Good rear seat, decent FE and lower *** costs, you should consider the Corolla.
	() Thanks

11th June 2007, 14:17	#57
rangaraj BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 570 Thanked: 10 Times	Optra Magnum? Have you been following the TD and the notes on the new Optra Magnum. Worth taking a test drive before you decide..You will end up paying 11.5 for the top of the line and have spare cash for mods..
	() Thanks

11th June 2007, 19:11	#59
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,255 Thanked: 25,287 Times	my therapy sessions did not help and i booked a Laura MT today. I am willing to face the Bangalore traffic torture in return for the occasional highway driving. Having the same short list as yours (Corolla MT, Laura MT) I booked Laura for the following reasons: 1. I am willing to absorb the cost of accidental spares 2. I am OK to have a two seater backseat 3. I dont want bigger cars such as Accord,etc. Am I a skoda sales person? No. It is just that Laura is like a nice little house with a good patch of garden in the front, tastefully and elegantly built by people who want to live in it by themselves. You always walk by that house and tell yourself I wish I owned this house. Or you say.. this is such a waste of space.. I could build 20 studio apartments in this area and sell/rent it for a fortune. I am not saying the rest of the cars are studio apartments. But Laura is definitely like the house that I just described. They are never competetively priced becaue they know their product. That is why they got the most expensive variant Laura L&K DSG first to India and not the stripped down version. In fact I want a car of Gets size that costs 10 Lakhs with all features of Laura. We are not encouraging such products by equating VFM with BHP, Wheelbase, etc When will my rant end?? Your shortlist of Corolla and Laura is good one. One is an excellent apartment and other is an excellent villa. But of course dont force Laura on your family
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 00:09	#60
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,164 Thanked: 5,937 Times View My Garage	Hey guys, we need an Auto so the Optra Magnum is out of the list. As of right now, we have shortlisted two cars. The Toyota Corolla AT and the Skoda Laura DSG. I am going for a TD tomorrow with my mom and bua. Lets see which one wins. I will ask the salesperson about the maintainance costs of the Laura. @androdev - congrats on your choice
	() Thanks