Need Advice - Potential Laura Purchase

ajmat · 27th May 2009, 15:13

The cruze is coming - prototypes have been spotted in ARAI pune

GTO · 28th May 2009, 14:55

Quote:

The cruze is coming - prototypes have been spotted in ARAI pune

If international reviews are anything to go by, I think the Cruze is going to have its work cut out.

loving_alaap · 28th May 2009, 15:08

Sonata transform will definitely your best bet.

Reasonable FE, Excellent ***.

Go for manual Diesel if chauffeur driven.

Go for suoer automatic if self driven.

ajmat · 28th May 2009, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

If international reviews are anything to go by, I think the Cruze is going to have its work cut out.

Engines are dull. Steering bit dead but the diesel is highly regarded

harry10 · 28th May 2009, 16:50

HI,
I will suggest against Laura.
We have one in the family(top model) and some or other problem comes up all the time and money and time goes out like anything.

Sonata and Optra Magnum are very good options. Resale is on the lower side but then you can consider the money you will spent servicing Laura all the time may even out in the long run.
Also personally i love the drive and comfort of Magnum- any day better than Laura.

As someone suggested Toyota Altis is a very good option as well. I had not driven it yet but people around me swears by it. Its petrol but the money you save on buying this instead of Laura can be utilised on the petrol expenses.Plus you get ultimate peace of mind. Resale will be also better imo.
Take a TD of all these and then consult few knowledgable bhpians here and then make your mind as you will keep it for 4 years which is a good period of time.

Cheers!

androdev · 29th May 2009, 09:45

if cost of ownership is a prime concern, Laura is not the right choice. it will be on the expensive side to maintain even if you are not harassed by A.S.S. i don't mind spending little bit more, but can't stand cheating and substandard customer service. my experience during the last two years has been very good with the car and in spite of all the bad press, my own experience has not given me any reason to regret the purchase. hope it remains that away :-)

its a good car with very good manners and appeals to people who like to drive it themselves. its a pity skoda is making it so tough for people to own.

Pashin · 30th May 2009, 13:40

I suggest you hold on for some time. Although the Innova is a great car, its developed a Taxi image allround. I suggest you consider the following

1. Fortuner - if budget permits - you'll love it till the end, the kids will have a great time.
2. Captiva - Any thoughts on it?
3. Chevrolet cruze - Its a notch above the Optra, very well designed.
4. A Linea - extremely good car for the money

All The Best

loving_alaap · 30th May 2009, 14:16

Sonata IMO is one segment higher than Laura.

Laura falls in civic / corolla category (but overpriced)

Sonata falls in around accord category (but highly underpriced)

shankar.balan · 1st June 2009, 17:56

yes - read a review in one of the car mags latest issue - cruze is coming in a bit late given what it has to offer and the way the consumer expectations have moved miles ahead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

If international reviews are anything to go by, I think the Cruze is going to have its work cut out.

AirbusA340 · 1st June 2009, 21:19

The Laura has also been the choice for the Autocar report this month compared to the Altis, Accord and the Jetta.

Only the top end L&K version has the ultimate goodies but get ready for a missing sunroof!

All said and done, the Skoda after sales service and the expensive parts(which has been a horror for many owners) should be the only worry.

Think about it before you fix up on the laura. Otherwise it is a truly amazing car.

Ravveendrra · 2nd June 2009, 01:15

The Laura is a great car to drive and the equipment list is really long. Most complaints are about the A.S.S., if you have a good A.S.C. in your city or a good independent, you will do fine. Electricals/electronics are complicated and will brook no attempts to modify or interfere with them. A 1.9 Laura with a Pete's box fitted is truly amazing. If, I was to buy a Laura now, it would be the 2.0 L&K.

The car is built like a tank and still returns a decent FE.

Cheers,

CJP · 8th June 2009, 14:29

Folks,

Thank you all very much for the effort and time you have invested in helping me make a decision.

I think I'm far away from the Laura decision now, the more I read, here and other forums, the more am convinced that Skoda is one manufacturer to keep away from.

There are strong rumors in the blogosphere that Toyota is bringing the diesel version of the Corolla Altis to India. The rumor is that the D4D 2 litre engine, 20 kmpl with legendary Toyota quality and reliability - makes great sense. Am waiting eagerly for this one.

In the meanwhile, there is the Chevy Cruze - I was excited when I started reading in the blogosphere about the car, saw some pics. But right now with the US GM going Chapter 11, my enthusiasm has diminished somewhat. Even though a very close friend is a GM Dealer.

So here are my options / choices

1. Corolla Altis Diesel - still waiting for a date
2. Chevy Cruze - Sept. 2009
3. Sonata Transform - not excited about this one, not a very popular car, could have downstream issues with spares etc.
4. Jetta - distant fourth - way too expensive given feature set and capabilities. Also current volumes are not encouraging.

Comments? Thoughts?

thanks again, everyone

P.S. While this discussion in on, my trusty Accent CRDi has crossed 90K kms.

diffsoft · 8th June 2009, 15:16

CJP

Among the options listed (other than waiting for Altis Diesel), Chevy Cruze is the most attractive to me.

Rudra Sen, on the the Moderators had an impeccably maintained Optra in Bangalore and seemed extremely satisfied with it. Tells me that Cruze will be more fun and yet equally reliable.

I am glad you got off Skoda's products - my bad experience tells me that's one car maker to avoid!

Best

loving_alaap · 8th June 2009, 16:19

CJP,

Your preferences are correct.

But for corolla diesel, you have to wait for lonnnnnnnnng; otherwise, there is no option to it.

Wait for curze, TD or else, Transform.

AirbusA340 · 8th June 2009, 20:55

Hi,

Keeping the original peace of mind with Hyundai in view, the transform is a great car. It may not have the dashboard and the goodies like the laura but the reliability and after sales with hyundai is THE BEST. I have been so happy with the hyundai workshops(various ones) with all my Accents for a long time now.

I went for the Laura because the goodies attracted me and I was not a member of Team-BHP then. Had little info about it and two contacts told me that the car is great. When i test drove it, it felt good. Believe me, I have put up my Laura for sale now for various reasons and one of the primary ones is that I'm scared i'll have to start my trips to their service center

I'd rather have peace of mind and some other brand in the garage.

anyways, not to go off the topic too much...

The Cruze would be nice from the reviews but GM's state is not very promising. I would raise my eyebrows if you are waiting to buy that car.

Jetta comes from the same plant as Skoda. The dealerships maybe different but they are miniscule in number and there is hardly any information on how they are attending to real time needs of the customers. All said and done, it shares the same goodies and technology like the Skoda and nobody would really assure you that it would perform without a glitch for years to come.
BUT if their service is decent and without fraud, if you do not mind the spare and maintenance costs of the 'VW', I suggest you go for the Jetta. It has so many small things which will keep you engaged.

Overall, with the options you enlisted the Sonata transform is a great buy. Its sturdy and spares are not a problem. I recently got a new Viva bumper for my car. It took about 5 days but it had arrived in spite of the model having long gone off the showrooms. Thats Hyundai!

If you were too interested in a particular brand, then you would buy it irrespective of the problems hidden. You would consider them manageable.

Since you want an overall car, waiting--> go for the altis diesel, immediate buy--> go for the Transform.

all the best!

27th May 2009, 15:13	#16
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,866 Thanked: 27,982 Times View My Garage	The cruze is coming - prototypes have been spotted in ARAI pune
	() Thanks

28th May 2009, 15:08	#18
loving_alaap BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 808 Thanked: 9 Times	Sonata transform will definitely your best bet. Reasonable FE, Excellent ***. Go for manual Diesel if chauffeur driven. Go for suoer automatic if self driven.
	() Thanks

28th May 2009, 16:50	#20
harry10 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 2,713 Thanked: 3,628 Times View My Garage	HI, I will suggest against Laura. We have one in the family(top model) and some or other problem comes up all the time and money and time goes out like anything. Sonata and Optra Magnum are very good options. Resale is on the lower side but then you can consider the money you will spent servicing Laura all the time may even out in the long run. Also personally i love the drive and comfort of Magnum- any day better than Laura. As someone suggested Toyota Altis is a very good option as well. I had not driven it yet but people around me swears by it. Its petrol but the money you save on buying this instead of Laura can be utilised on the petrol expenses.Plus you get ultimate peace of mind. Resale will be also better imo. Take a TD of all these and then consult few knowledgable bhpians here and then make your mind as you will keep it for 4 years which is a good period of time. Cheers!
	() Thanks

29th May 2009, 09:45	#21
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,099 Thanked: 22,347 Times	if cost of ownership is a prime concern, Laura is not the right choice. it will be on the expensive side to maintain even if you are not harassed by A.S.S. i don't mind spending little bit more, but can't stand cheating and substandard customer service. my experience during the last two years has been very good with the car and in spite of all the bad press, my own experience has not given me any reason to regret the purchase. hope it remains that away :-) its a good car with very good manners and appeals to people who like to drive it themselves. its a pity skoda is making it so tough for people to own.
	() Thanks

30th May 2009, 13:40	#22
Pashin BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 142 Thanked: 200 Times	I suggest you hold on for some time. Although the Innova is a great car, its developed a Taxi image allround. I suggest you consider the following 1. Fortuner - if budget permits - you'll love it till the end, the kids will have a great time. 2. Captiva - Any thoughts on it? 3. Chevrolet cruze - Its a notch above the Optra, very well designed. 4. A Linea - extremely good car for the money All The Best
	() Thanks

30th May 2009, 14:16	#23
loving_alaap BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 808 Thanked: 9 Times	Sonata IMO is one segment higher than Laura. Laura falls in civic / corolla category (but overpriced) Sonata falls in around accord category (but highly underpriced)
	() Thanks

1st June 2009, 21:19	#25
AirbusA340 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 131 Thanked: 30 Times	The Laura has also been the choice for the Autocar report this month compared to the Altis, Accord and the Jetta. Only the top end L&K version has the ultimate goodies but get ready for a missing sunroof! All said and done, the Skoda after sales service and the expensive parts(which has been a horror for many owners) should be the only worry. Think about it before you fix up on the laura. Otherwise it is a truly amazing car.
	() Thanks

2nd June 2009, 01:15	#26
Ravveendrra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,391 Thanked: 446 Times View My Garage	The Laura is a great car to drive and the equipment list is really long. Most complaints are about the A.S.S., if you have a good A.S.C. in your city or a good independent, you will do fine. Electricals/electronics are complicated and will brook no attempts to modify or interfere with them. A 1.9 Laura with a Pete's box fitted is truly amazing. If, I was to buy a Laura now, it would be the 2.0 L&K. The car is built like a tank and still returns a decent FE. Cheers,
	() Thanks

8th June 2009, 14:29	#27
CJP BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 106 Thanked: 228 Times	Folks, Thank you all very much for the effort and time you have invested in helping me make a decision. I think I'm far away from the Laura decision now, the more I read, here and other forums, the more am convinced that Skoda is one manufacturer to keep away from. There are strong rumors in the blogosphere that Toyota is bringing the diesel version of the Corolla Altis to India. The rumor is that the D4D 2 litre engine, 20 kmpl with legendary Toyota quality and reliability - makes great sense. Am waiting eagerly for this one. In the meanwhile, there is the Chevy Cruze - I was excited when I started reading in the blogosphere about the car, saw some pics. But right now with the US GM going Chapter 11, my enthusiasm has diminished somewhat. Even though a very close friend is a GM Dealer. So here are my options / choices 1. Corolla Altis Diesel - still waiting for a date 2. Chevy Cruze - Sept. 2009 3. Sonata Transform - not excited about this one, not a very popular car, could have downstream issues with spares etc. 4. Jetta - distant fourth - way too expensive given feature set and capabilities. Also current volumes are not encouraging. Comments? Thoughts? thanks again, everyone P.S. While this discussion in on, my trusty Accent CRDi has crossed 90K kms. Last edited by CJP : 8th June 2009 at 14:47. Reason: Spelling and PS
	() Thanks

8th June 2009, 15:16	#28
diffsoft BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 773 Thanked: 404 Times	CJP Among the options listed (other than waiting for Altis Diesel), Chevy Cruze is the most attractive to me. Rudra Sen, on the the Moderators had an impeccably maintained Optra in Bangalore and seemed extremely satisfied with it. Tells me that Cruze will be more fun and yet equally reliable. I am glad you got off Skoda's products - my bad experience tells me that's one car maker to avoid! Best
	() Thanks

8th June 2009, 16:19	#29
loving_alaap BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 808 Thanked: 9 Times	CJP, Your preferences are correct. But for corolla diesel, you have to wait for lonnnnnnnnng; otherwise, there is no option to it. Wait for curze, TD or else, Transform.
	() Thanks

8th June 2009, 20:55	#30
AirbusA340 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 131 Thanked: 30 Times	Hi, Keeping the original peace of mind with Hyundai in view, the transform is a great car. It may not have the dashboard and the goodies like the laura but the reliability and after sales with hyundai is THE BEST. I have been so happy with the hyundai workshops(various ones) with all my Accents for a long time now. I went for the Laura because the goodies attracted me and I was not a member of Team-BHP then. Had little info about it and two contacts told me that the car is great. When i test drove it, it felt good. Believe me, I have put up my Laura for sale now for various reasons and one of the primary ones is that I'm scared i'll have to start my trips to their service center I'd rather have peace of mind and some other brand in the garage. anyways, not to go off the topic too much... The Cruze would be nice from the reviews but GM's state is not very promising. I would raise my eyebrows if you are waiting to buy that car. Jetta comes from the same plant as Skoda. The dealerships maybe different but they are miniscule in number and there is hardly any information on how they are attending to real time needs of the customers. All said and done, it shares the same goodies and technology like the Skoda and nobody would really assure you that it would perform without a glitch for years to come. BUT if their service is decent and without fraud, if you do not mind the spare and maintenance costs of the 'VW', I suggest you go for the Jetta. It has so many small things which will keep you engaged. Overall, with the options you enlisted the Sonata transform is a great buy. Its sturdy and spares are not a problem. I recently got a new Viva bumper for my car. It took about 5 days but it had arrived in spite of the model having long gone off the showrooms. Thats Hyundai! If you were too interested in a particular brand, then you would buy it irrespective of the problems hidden. You would consider them manageable. Since you want an overall car, waiting--> go for the altis diesel, immediate buy--> go for the Transform. all the best! Last edited by AirbusA340 : 8th June 2009 at 21:03.
	() Thanks