Should I Let My Son Make Laura A Part Of Our Family?

Beeman · 30th December 2005, 16:23

Every company says price hike in jan cause december is a known month for low sales owing to the year change and all that.....

satyamenon · 30th December 2005, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ported_head

The one BSM tested was in Thailand I think, and that was a i-VTEC motor, remember them talking about half a bank of cylinders shutting down when not required.

Sorry for going OT, I believe you're talking about selective displacement. I don't think Honda has launched any cars with this feature yet. I know some manufacturers in the US are experimenting with it. But i could be wrong about this.

vRS · 30th December 2005, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorMom

1. The side mirrors which have indicators on them can’t be opened and closed at the touch of a button (a feature even the 2003 Corolla has) when mirrors are the first thing that get banged at traffic signals and even when the car is parked… Cost of each mirror INR 7,000/-

4. From what one of my friends who was one of the first few to buy the Skoda Octavia when it was launched tells me, the spares of a Skoda aren’t cheap.

You are right about the cost of Skoda spares. They cost a BOMB. The Octavia door mirror costs Rs. 10,000/= paint & taxes included. I believe the Corolla door mirror costs just Rs. 3,500/=. I can bet that with such practices Skoda Auto will have big problems making the lower segment Fabia a success.

ported_head · 30th December 2005, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyamenon

Sorry for going OT, I believe you're talking about selective displacement. I don't think Honda has launched any cars with this feature yet. I know some manufacturers in the US are experimenting with it. But i could be wrong about this.

You can read more about it here, that's where I did: http://www.bsmotoring.com/2003/nov22_1.htm

Insane Devil · 1st January 2006, 04:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBoombastic

Slightly off-topic, but I feel these three points will help those looking to buy a Skoda Laura:

2. The first few 100 or so Skoda Lauras will come with 8 airbags and then the ones sold after those will come only with 6 Airbags. Also, Skoda India will be hiking the price by 30-40,000 around mid -jan.
3. The Skoda Laura brochure is wrong... In India, the Skoda Laura comes with 6 speakers, not 12.

Thanx for the info Boombastic, as per ur comment, i verified this with my uncle, and he said its true that the first lot will come with 8 AIRBAGS.
Regarding the Speaker System, he was telling me that even the further models will be having 12 speaker system for sure.

but one thing the sales person there told me was, that the "Tyre Pressure Monitoring system" might not be there in the further lots of the Laura, but only in the first lot. well this will have to be verified , which i couldnt.

amit · 1st January 2006, 05:48

Quote:

its true that the first lot will come with 8 AIRBAGS.
Regarding the Speaker System, he was telling me that even the further models will be having 12 speaker system for sure.

but one thing the sales person there told me was, that the "Tyre Pressure Monitoring system" might not be there in the further lots of the Laura, but only in the first lot.

Other companies Indianise their products and then launch them. Skoda launches their products and then indianises them!

Insane Devil · 4th January 2006, 09:06

well i have come to know the truth behind this... the first lot that is coming is "2005 Manufactured" and it will be CBU. the next lot - 2006 Manufacture, will then be deprived of the extra features they giving outta India. as they will be coming in as CKD.

ambylimo · 7th January 2006, 02:35

whether skoda's 2L engine is suitable to indian road condition is debatable question all together...the fact that skoda fundamentally is a premium car manufaturers rules out any possibility of it having to roll out cars that are priced below 12LACS....most certainly they have created a niche in the market against murky competition which mainly comes from hondas n mercs who have a long runnin tradition of doin well in the foreign markets...skoda sales figures for the past yrs is indicative of the fact that consumers have identified their choice with elegant styling, rip-off performance.n most importantly doesnt leave a hole in the pocket in the end...so wat a high end conusmer gets is a cool car at relatively cooler price-segment...n with new advanced technologies that accompanies with every new car brings a new wave of esctasy n belief ...with leaders in premium car segment with havin spent only 4 yrs in india n achieved recognition for customer satisfaction is reflected with havin 12 different vehilces in the market today....truly oustanding to say the least skoda is now a benchmarked brand n one which welcomed with open arms n wide smiles all over!!

nitrous · 7th January 2006, 09:36

Quote:

the first lot that is coming is "2005 Manufactured" and it will be CBU. the next lot - 2006 Manufacture, will then be deprived of the extra features they giving outta India. as they will be coming in as CKD.

Then, shouldn't there be a decrease in pricing rather than a hike???

Insane Devil · 7th January 2006, 12:32

unfortunately in this case, its the other way round

the 2005 manufacture model cud be asked a lil premium above the 2006 model.

MrBoombastic · 21st January 2006, 13:05

Even though I admit that the Skoda Laura still tempts me to make her mine and that I've somehow managed to bring myself to terms with the sorry-@$$ 1.9 engine and the name Laura... What really spoils it for me is that the Laura has no power retractable side-mirrors. Many of us living in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru will agree that mirrors get broken so very often even when the car is just parked (and that too by a freak who is walking) and that it would be mighty embaressing to buy a 19lakh rupee car and then walk around the car just to close the LHS mirror on a business outing/ date. How could Skoda miss out on such a vital yet small feature when it comes to a chaotic and over-crowded country like India and that too when the Laura is famous just for the loads and loads of features? Also, let's not forget that the Skoda Superb has this feauture already and I am not asking for too much when I ask for this feature on the Laura too(especially when even the 2003 Toyota Corolla has this feature).

adya33 · 23rd January 2006, 21:18

Hey boom,

saw your post in X-TRAIL topic here

if you are thinking about luxury SUV & are fine with low FE (which you seem to be fine since you were also considering Accord) why don't you test drive Honda CRV ? Check if getting in & out is fine with Motormom

navin · 23rd January 2006, 23:40

If you are being chauffered and you have reservations (listed in your post) i'd get the Accord V6 MT. Should be best to get you to office. If you are going to drive the car yourself the DSG or AT make sense.

MrBoombastic · 24th January 2006, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by adya33

Hey boom,

saw your post in X-TRAIL topic here

if you are thinking about luxury SUV & are fine with low FE (which you seem to be fine since you were also considering Accord) why don't you test drive Honda CRV ? Check if getting in & out is fine with Motormom

Hey, Ady! Thank you very much for having taken the time to have first read the X-Trail thread and then having been kind enough to make a suggestion here. Ady, believe it or not, I first started off with the CR-V before asking you all what car to go in for... The problem with the Honda CR-V is that with my height, the steering caresses my thighs even while driving (this happens even after having adjusted the same to the highest possible position). Also, the CR-V has never looked butch enough for me. Having said that it's not the one for me, I must agree with you it's a nice car, but just not for me. Thanks again, Ady.

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin

If you are being chauffered and you have reservations (listed in your post) i'd get the Accord V6 MT. Should be best to get you to office. If you are going to drive the car yourself the DSG or AT make sense.

Navin Bhai, thank you for having tried to help me and I agree with you that the Honda Accord as such makes good sense... It has the size and the power. The problem with the Honda Accord at this time is that Honda have released a 2006 model abroad with different tail lights and a little more power and the Honda dealers here have no clue when this will come to India and apart from that, the Accord is due for a total in change in a year or two too. Keeping all this in mind, buying the Honda Accord at this stage can be dicey.

dipen · 24th January 2006, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin

If you are being chauffered and you have reservations (listed in your post) i'd get the Accord V6 MT. Should be best to get you to office. If you are going to drive the car yourself the DSG or AT make sense.

is the V6 MT launched in India ?

30th December 2005, 16:23	#46
Beeman BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Treasure island Posts: 335 Thanked: 2 Times	Every company says price hike in jan cause december is a known month for low sales owing to the year change and all that.....
	() Thanks

4th January 2006, 09:06	#52
Insane Devil BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 987 Thanked: 173 Times View My Garage	well i have come to know the truth behind this... the first lot that is coming is "2005 Manufactured" and it will be CBU. the next lot - 2006 Manufacture, will then be deprived of the extra features they giving outta India. as they will be coming in as CKD.
	() Thanks

7th January 2006, 02:35	#53
ambylimo BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: (Toronto) Ahmedabad Posts: 149 Thanked: 0 Times	whether skoda's 2L engine is suitable to indian road condition is debatable question all together...the fact that skoda fundamentally is a premium car manufaturers rules out any possibility of it having to roll out cars that are priced below 12LACS....most certainly they have created a niche in the market against murky competition which mainly comes from hondas n mercs who have a long runnin tradition of doin well in the foreign markets...skoda sales figures for the past yrs is indicative of the fact that consumers have identified their choice with elegant styling, rip-off performance.n most importantly doesnt leave a hole in the pocket in the end...so wat a high end conusmer gets is a cool car at relatively cooler price-segment...n with new advanced technologies that accompanies with every new car brings a new wave of esctasy n belief ...with leaders in premium car segment with havin spent only 4 yrs in india n achieved recognition for customer satisfaction is reflected with havin 12 different vehilces in the market today....truly oustanding to say the least skoda is now a benchmarked brand n one which welcomed with open arms n wide smiles all over!! Last edited by ambylimo : 7th January 2006 at 02:38.
	() Thanks

7th January 2006, 12:32	#55
Insane Devil BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 987 Thanked: 173 Times View My Garage	unfortunately in this case, its the other way round the 2005 manufacture model cud be asked a lil premium above the 2006 model.
	() Thanks

21st January 2006, 13:05	#56
MrBoombastic BANNED Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 253 Thanked: 6 Times	Oh! Laura, let me go, darlin'... You already have my friend, Insane Devil. Even though I admit that the Skoda Laura still tempts me to make her mine and that I've somehow managed to bring myself to terms with the sorry-@$$ 1.9 engine and the name Laura... What really spoils it for me is that the Laura has no power retractable side-mirrors. Many of us living in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru will agree that mirrors get broken so very often even when the car is just parked (and that too by a freak who is walking) and that it would be mighty embaressing to buy a 19lakh rupee car and then walk around the car just to close the LHS mirror on a business outing/ date. How could Skoda miss out on such a vital yet small feature when it comes to a chaotic and over-crowded country like India and that too when the Laura is famous just for the loads and loads of features? Also, let's not forget that the Skoda Superb has this feauture already and I am not asking for too much when I ask for this feature on the Laura too(especially when even the 2003 Toyota Corolla has this feature).
	() Thanks

23rd January 2006, 21:18	#57
adya33 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 1,839 Thanked: 183 Times	Hey boom, saw your post in X-TRAIL topic here if you are thinking about luxury SUV & are fine with low FE (which you seem to be fine since you were also considering Accord) why don't you test drive Honda CRV ? Check if getting in & out is fine with Motormom
	() Thanks

23rd January 2006, 23:40	#58
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,321 Thanked: 9,500 Times	If you are being chauffered and you have reservations (listed in your post) i'd get the Accord V6 MT. Should be best to get you to office. If you are going to drive the car yourself the DSG or AT make sense.
	() Thanks