[BUSA]

Originally Posted by babhishek

I guess the Optra Magnum Diesel has no discounts. Thats the only one without discounts, as far as I am aware.

Yup no discounts on the Magnum, it has waiting period so no discounts, diesel cars usually dont have discounts.

[ravimittal]

R u really gettin laura elegance for 15.45!..the ex showroom price here for the same is 14.9.. never heard of skoda dealers giving discounts atleast here in Hyd. Go for Laura its much better in looks and features like cruise control and 4 air bags!

[rangaraj]

Originally Posted by maxbhp

• The two cars that you have zeroed in your quest for the next car belongs to two different catogories , so its no fair to compare it side by side .

I keep seeing notes mentioning that the Optra has to be compared with Octavia and not Laura - and i dont see why! What makes the Laura belong to a different category just because it is priced as though it is in a different category???? It is not more powerful, it is not larger, it is not of a different fuel type.. so what makes a whole bunch of you keep saying that it should be compared with the octavia and not the laura! I am not a great fan of the optra, but this argument of pricing alone (due to one vendor over inflating their pricing) decides categories is absurd..

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by rangaraj

I keep seeing notes mentioning that the Optra has to be compared with Octavia and not Laura - and i dont see why! What makes the Laura belong to a different category just because it is priced as though it is in a different category???? It is not more powerful, it is not larger, it is not of a different fuel type.. so what makes a whole bunch of you keep saying that it should be compared with the octavia and not the laura! I am not a great fan of the optra, but this argument of pricing alone (due to one vendor over inflating their pricing) decides categories is absurd..

Just that the Laura has a lot more than the Optra like the DSG transmission, interior luxuries etc.

[Rodeo]

Originally Posted by anant.arora

Hi rodeo ,thanks for the suggestion . I 've gone through some of your posts in the threrad 'TD Chevy magnum' and if i am not wrong you own a magnum ,right ?

So how come you suggest a Laura when most of the bhpians are against it ? Any particular reason ? not happy with yours ??

thanks .

To start with I hv Lancer and Palio (both diesel). I have noticed even being segement(s) higher, the detailing is not done in car. Most disappointing thing is the turbo lag to start with. It does not have few features like drive-by-wire like palio which is very helpful when you switching between cars and you not used to the clutch (avoids the car to stroll)... Even if u see minor details like if hit wiper for less than a sec in palio or lancer or any other car, the wiper goes till end and comes back but in Optra it gets stuck couple of inches above which is annoying... The delayed wiper has timing adjustment which again not precise... I cannot see ODO meter in day or early evenings.... I need to switch on the light as fonts are not too bright... If i put the stearing up then i need to lean forward to see ODO meter which i think is not very good design...

Few more things like Palio has side protection on windscreen , so water will not come in when wiper on.. that is missing in optra... I dont drive with windows down when its raining but sometime if you use wiper with windows down then water comes in...

I dont find A/C as chilly as Palio or Lancer again and i have got it checked and it has no problem what so ever. It cools the car but not the way like my other 2 cars where i can keep blower in minimum but this is not the case with magnum...

Again it took me close to 10 weeks to register my car... i had to chase showroom here and GM office on 3030 8080 to get it done (RTO approval was missing till now)... The car does not feel as if it can hold it self for too long... Over all not a great feeling but i had no choice at this budget... I have no regrets also but that good feel is missing.

Another area is FE... now my car is giving 11km/lt without pushing it too hard... When Octavia & Lancer can give 15lm/lt being equal or much heavier. My palio gives 14km/lt... I am driving on same roads, same traffic and same style...

In other cars I can drive atleast in 3rd or 4th gear in city but Optra you cannot go higher than 2nd in city like hyd during office hrs... Also so many features missing like FTE, Climate control,...


If you look at small details like me then you might not like Magnum otherwise it will be different story...

[maxbhp]

Originally Posted by rangaraj

I keep seeing notes mentioning that the Optra has to be compared with Octavia and not Laura - and i dont see why! What makes the Laura belong to a different category just because it is priced as though it is in a different category???? It is not more powerful, it is not larger, it is not of a different fuel type.. so what makes a whole bunch of you keep saying that it should be compared with the octavia and not the laura! I am not a great fan of the optra, but this argument of pricing alone (due to one vendor over inflating their pricing) decides categories is absurd..

Rangaraj , Power is no way to differentiate category , People having more moolahs with them may want better quality . Going by your of space even the current gen C220 would belong to the same class as Optra . Is it ? No ! , Anyway if you want to see them both in the same segment you can , its your free will

[rangaraj]

Originally Posted by maxbhp

Rangaraj , Power is no way to differentiate category , People having more moolahs with them may want better quality . Going by your of space even the current gen C220 would belong to the same class as Optra . Is it ? No ! , Anyway if you want to see them both in the same segment you can , its your free will

Is the categorization of C segment, D segment etc. determined purely on price? I know the Laura is a class apart from the Optra (or the Civic or the corolla all fall into the same category) but not a category apart. Worldover the Skoda is positioned against these cars, but in India they have priced it in the category of the Accord, and that does not place the laura in the accord/camry category . By category, i meant segment and thats the point i am trying to make..

[deepakvrao]

Worldover the Skoda is positioned against these cars, but in India they have priced it in the category of the Accord, and that does not place the laura in the accord/camry category . By category, i meant segment and thats the point i am trying to make..

Rangaraj,

With due respect IMO the Laura is probably a shade better than an Accord or at least in the same class. Build is solid, engine is great with diesel economy, transmission is better than an Accord V6 AT, features are a lot more. The only [again IMO] feature in which the Accord beats the Laura is space but then if you are buying this for self driving I would much prefer the compactness of the Laura. OK the V6 has a better 0-100 [I think] also.

A few months ago I got an Accord V6, 18 months old, 13K km, mint condition with not a scratch at 12.5L. I was tempted but I passed the offer on to my friend who is now extremely happy with the car. So what flicks his switch may not switch mine etc etc.

The Civic, Corolla and Optra do not even come near the Laura.

Now if you are talking about VFM then the Optra Magnum probably is the leader in its class but as far as features go its not even comparable to the Laura.

Just my 2 bit.

[dockap]

Any day the magnum man everyone who has sat in both of my cars agrees
excellent suspension very very comfy and super power
only adv laura has over the magnum is the extra features like rain sensitive wipers,light sensetive headlamps traction control etc and of course laura gives you the solid and safe feeling like driving around in a tank but my choice is the magnum

[kdeepakk]

seeing the problems faced by Laura owners.....i recommend Magnum...Now GM has a long term vision & want to grow in market

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by kdeepakk

seeing the problems faced by Laura owners.....i recommend Magnum...Now GM has a long term vision & want to grow in market

Care to elaborate? Now you have me worried. Have there been a lot of complaints?

[BUSA]

Guys a Accord is a D + Segment Car and Optra & Laura are D segment cars, though Skoda thinks otherwise.

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Guys a Accord is a D + Segment Car and Optra & Laura are D segment cars, though Skoda thinks otherwise.

How would you define the segments?

[anant.arora]

Thanks to each one of you for the suggestion . I took a long test drive of the Laura and 've decided to buy Laura elegance because i feel it is overall a better car with many useful features but the reliability is in question ?? After reading some recent posts it seems that the Laura is not a very reliable car ... If laura owners could help me please ?

Originally Posted by kdeepakk

seeing the problems faced by Laura owners.....i recommend Magnum...Now GM has a long term vision & want to grow in market

Please elaborate ? Reliability is a major factor when i decide to buy a car and i 've heard some issues in the Laura but i am not aware how major/minor the problems are .... Please share the horror stories(if any) .

Thanks .

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by anant.arora

Thanks to each one of you for the suggestion . I took a long test drive of the Laura and 've decided to buy Laura elegance because i feel it is overall a better car with many useful features but the reliability is in question ?? After reading some recent posts it seems that the Laura is not a very reliable car ... If laura owners could help me please ?



Please elaborate ? Reliability is a major factor when i decide to buy a car and i 've heard some issues in the Laura but i am not aware how major/minor the problems are .... Please share the horror stories(if any) .

Thanks .

Well.......................I've owned a one year old used Laura for 10 days now and there has been no disaster. So I can vouch for a car that is 1 year and 10 days old.

For pleasure of driving I guarantee that you will not regret your decision. Besides my dad has a petrol Optra and has not been happy with the local dealers service.