[Mr.Boss]

Hey man...! You didn't informed me??

Anyway, congrats dear. Meet you soon, be ready with sweets.

[xtremeshock]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Hey man...! You didn't informed me??

Anyway, congrats dear. Meet you soon, be ready with sweets.

Hey sorry man. Sweets are always ready at my place drop in any time

A small update: Got my registration finally done. I knew my number before-hand, so I had already made a number plate and I went with those number plates to get the registration done, needless to say they were shocked and a little angry as well, as it is illegal. But still got my registration done without a hitch

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

...I went with those number plates to get the registration done...

Hahaha
Same thing happened with our Wagon-R
BTW, eager to know your Reg number. Same as vtec or something similar? PM me.

[puchoo]

Firstly many many congrats on the car , i managed to get a sneak preview of it while waiting to buy my Fabia and really liked the car but had decided by then to not pick up a sedan.

On the antenna - You can check to see if you can unscrew it , the unit on the fabia allows you to do that and i am fairly certain its probably the same type of antenna

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

[*]The radio antenna does not fold down like in the Laura so I am a little scared that it might break each time I put/remove the car cover. Is there a shark-fin antenna replacement? would love to get one of those.

[xtremeshock]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Hahaha
Same thing happened with our Wagon-R
BTW, eager to know your Reg number. Same as vtec or something similar? PM me.

Nope, got it same as our Laura, 5800.

Originally Posted by puchoo

Firstly many many congrats on the car , i managed to get a sneak preview of it while waiting to buy my Fabia and really liked the car but had decided by then to not pick up a sedan.

On the antenna - You can check to see if you can unscrew it , the unit on the fabia allows you to do that and i am fairly certain its probably the same type of antenna

Thanks man. Fabia is also one good car, I love how spacious it is even-though its a hatch-back. Only wish it came with a 1.5 diesel engine and I might have picked it over the Rapid as I needed a good city car.

Had tried earlier to unscrew it but was a little apprehensive, will try it once more. But I am still on the lookout for a shark fin antenna replacement it will not only be hassle-free but also add to the looks, lets see.

[WhiteKnight]

Congrats on the new acquisition xtremeshock.

Would you please do a quick comparison between Octavia and Rapid in terms of
1) Build, sound insulation
2) Ride and high speed poise
3) Space
Thank you

[mempheS.D]

Boy ! Am I glad to read this post from a Skoda fan. In these bashing times of Skoda, an avid fan like yourself is just the encouragement that's needed. Especially after your continued loyalty with Skoda, I have another reason to follow suit. The first reason, of course, being my Skoda Fabia 1.6 MPI.


Wish you miles n more of Obsessed-with-Quality driving.

[urajkumar]

Definetely better looking than the Vento and i second your point. As long as no trouble arises, you will have a lovely experience.

We too had a awesome time with the Superb until it broke down. After which the the pathetic service experience with Gurudev motors has made us re-think of buying a Skoda again.

However you seem to be have been lucky with the Skoda brand like many others i know and so i am sure it would continue!
Cheers

[Alisiddiqui]

I loved the Rapid's looks and Fiesta too. Finally bought a Vento though due to discounts resulting in VW being 70k cheaper and Skoda's A.S.S. having a Polo already further strengthened my stand and the positioning of the 2 brands. A fellow bhpian got Stanley with Passat type stitching which looked awesome. Planned to get it but not convinced on cost. Happy motoring. Loved the shade too

[InfinteLoop]

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another!

Lack of features, I feel the car misses out on park-assist, self-folding mirrors, steering controls, and at-least a better OEM music system, definitely cost-cutting evident, but on the flip side it gives you a chance to install much better quality aftermarket ones though maybe at the risk of the electrical warranty depending on your dealer.

I dont feel it as a con. The electrically foldable/adjustable mirrors are much more expensive to replace when the mad biker/trucker side winds and rips it off the car. I guess its only a con if multiple drivers of differing builds use the car because then you would have to adjust it every time there is a driver change. from what I can make from the vehicle is that its been very thoughtfully built for the Indian market. There is 1 lakh difference between the Ambition and Elegance with no worthwhile addition to it other than the alloys!!). The middle variant is quite well loaded(minus the factory music system,ACC,Alloys and MID).

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

Apart from this I still have this dilemma with respect to I.C.E.
Option 1: Is to get a Witson Unit with an amp and front components mostly Morel Maximo’s .
Option 2: is to get a Pioneer AVH – P8400BH from Canada $700 AVH-P8400BH - <b>NEW!</b> - 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7" Widescreen Touch Panel Display, Advanced App Mode, Built-In Bluetooth®, and HD Radio™ Tuner | Pioneer of Canada - English excluding fitments such as Parking assistance, add-on navigation system, external microphone and universal camera. So this should work out to be very expensive just for the HU. Though I really want the Pioneer as I still have not seen good or bad the Witson unit really is. Any suggestions would be welcome. I need Bluetooth for calling, GPS, rear camera, and then improve the ICE little at a time.

I guess the JVC - KW-AVH846 will full fill all your requirements. Not so sure about your expectation on sound quality as im not an audiophile. I got this unit fitted in my Ambition. Also put in Infinity Reference 6530 components for both front and rear. the bluetooth is built in and the mic supplied with the unit is good. it can be placed nicely on top of the driver side A-Pillar and works like a charm despite the diesel clatter. Set me back 40K for the entire set including installation and decent wiring. didn't go in for the camera setup as I didn't want to drill the holes in the car just yet. you need to tell the installer to be careful when handling the boot release switch on the drivers door. I believe this is the flimsiest part on the car. Mine broke during installation, I realized it when there was a silent discussion with "super glue super glue" undertones. Apparently, superglue works! everything else is such solid quality but i don't know why they overlooked quality control on this part.

[anand_hc]

Congratulations on your new Car! I bought Vento (White) last year Nov. I got Stanley leathehr seats! That price seems little on hig side. Is is full body work ?

Also check out Black seats too, I put black & I like it

I drove Rapid - gearbox is lot smoother than Vento. Not sure about steering feedback on highway. It felt light though. During my last drive I touched 180 and did not feel scary.. !

Enjoy your drive & keep posting.

[rxpaul]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Congrats on the new acquisition xtremeshock.

Would you please do a quick comparison between Octavia and Rapid in terms of
1) Build, sound insulation
2) Ride and high speed poise
3) Space
Thank you

Congrats..Xtremeshock and thanks White knight. This was exactly what i too wanted to know. Is it worth replacing the Octavia with a Rapid. I have had my speed thrills with my 150 bhp monster for the last 4 years (and am getting older) so am wondering whether to change to a smaller city car like the Rapid...

[xtremeshock]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Congrats on the new acquisition xtremeshock.

Would you please do a quick comparison between Octavia and Rapid in terms of
1) Build, sound insulation
2) Ride and high speed poise
3) Space
Thank you

Thank you, it has been some time since I have sold the Octavia, though I will try and answer your query.

Octavia Vs Rapid:

1. Build, Sound Insulation: The build of the Octavia is much better, it truly feels like a German car, the doors are heavy and close with a very solid thud, there was quality every where, be it the window switches or the leather seat covers. Plus the amount of gizmos I got in the L&K trim were just mind-boggling at the time. That car felt it could last a lifetime, and this car is the sole reason why I started loving Skoda's, the Rapid in comparison does feel like there is cost-cutting involved, though the sound insulation is marginally better than the Vento, it still is no where as good as the Ocatvia and mind you the Octavia had the nosier Pump-Duse engines.

2. Ride, High speed noise: The Octavia was stiffly sprung so there were some bone jarring moments but all that was well made up when I tackled a corner at high-speeds. Also, once on the move you could barely hear the diesel clatter and if you carefully listen you will hear the beautiful turbo whoosh which was more prominent than the Laura. The Rapid is very nicely sprung for the city, it is more comfort oriented compared with the Octavia and starts getting better as the speed builds, low-speed ride can get a little bumpy. Once the Rapid is on the move and warmed up, you can barely the engine and the high-speed noise is only due to the crappy Apollos, though I would like to do some more insulation through Dynamat if budget permits. Also would like to mention that the Octavia's high speed poise is much better than even the Rapid, it just felt 'right' in the car, the only thing that was a let down the Ocatvia was a meagre performing engine because the car was capable of so much more.

3. Space: The front seats were very airy and felt the right place to be in in the Octavia, but the rear seating was slightly low, and might be claustrophobic for some as my car came with black leathers, but the leg room is adequate for an average sized adult. The Rapid's seating is higher in comparison for both the rear and the front which gives it the feeling of space combined with the beige interiors. Higher seating also makes it more comfortable for the rear passengers with easier ingress/egress. The boot-space in the Octavia was just too good, and could gobble up anything (in the Laura it only gets better), the Rapid boot-space is just adequate.

I hope I have answered your questions, if you would me to answer anything else just ask. And sorry if it might seem a little biased to the Octavia, but I just love that car

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

Boy ! Am I glad to read this post from a Skoda fan. In these bashing times of Skoda, an avid fan like yourself is just the encouragement that's needed. Especially after your continued loyalty with Skoda, I have another reason to follow suit. The first reason, of course, being my Skoda Fabia 1.6 MPI.


Wish you miles n more of Obsessed-with-Quality driving.

Thanks man, and I hope this honey-moon with Skoda continues.

Originally Posted by urajkumar

Definetely better looking than the Vento and i second your point. As long as no trouble arises, you will have a lovely experience.

We too had a awesome time with the Superb until it broke down. After which the the pathetic service experience with Gurudev motors has made us re-think of buying a Skoda again.

However you seem to be have been lucky with the Skoda brand like many others i know and so i am sure it would continue!
Cheers

Thats sad to hear, what exactly broke down in your car, and who did you deal with, it might help me and some others to stay clear.

Fingers crossed, hope I stay lucky.

Originally Posted by Alisiddiqui

I loved the Rapid's looks and Fiesta too. Finally bought a Vento though due to discounts resulting in VW being 70k cheaper and Skoda's A.S.S. having a Polo already further strengthened my stand and the positioning of the 2 brands. A fellow bhpian got Stanley with Passat type stitching which looked awesome. Planned to get it but not convinced on cost. Happy motoring. Loved the shade too

Yep was planning to get the Vento as well but they did not have the shadow blue shade for 2011 models and I had to get the 2012 model, plus the showroom guys are just so annoying. There is no amount of money that can be paid for a piece of mind, one of the main reasons why we bought another Skoda, as we knew some of the service people.

Yep have seen those seats, they just look plain-cool, but everyone in the family is against black, so what can you do.

Originally Posted by InfinteLoop

I dont feel it as a con. The electrically foldable/adjustable mirrors are much more expensive to replace when the mad biker/trucker side winds and rips it off the car. I guess its only a con if multiple drivers of differing builds use the car because then you would have to adjust it every time there is a driver change. from what I can make from the vehicle is that its been very thoughtfully built for the Indian market. There is 1 lakh difference between the Ambition and Elegance with no worthwhile addition to it other than the alloys!!). The middle variant is quite well loaded(minus the factory music system,ACC,Alloys and MID).

I agree, the middle variant is the pick of the lot especially if you want to change your music system anyways. For the amount of money you save you can get a nice set of alloys with nice Yoko's and a music system to match.

I only chose it cause I loved those Antares, and the top variant came with automatic window adjusts, which have always been a boon to me.

Originally Posted by InfinteLoop

I guess the JVC - KW-AVH846 will full fill all your requirements. Not so sure about your expectation on sound quality as im not an audiophile. I got this unit fitted in my Ambition. Also put in Infinity Reference 6530 components for both front and rear. the bluetooth is built in and the mic supplied with the unit is good. it can be placed nicely on top of the driver side A-Pillar and works like a charm despite the diesel clatter. Set me back 40K for the entire set including installation and decent wiring. didn't go in for the camera setup as I didn't want to drill the holes in the car just yet. you need to tell the installer to be careful when handling the boot release switch on the drivers door. I believe this is the flimsiest part on the car. Mine broke during installation, I realized it when there was a silent discussion with "super glue super glue" undertones. Apparently, superglue works! everything else is such solid quality but i don't know why they overlooked quality control on this part.

Nice informative post. Thanks man, will definitely look into it, have still kept my options open, will first install leathers and then see what to do with the I.C.E.

Originally Posted by anand_hc

Congratulations on your new Car! I bought Vento (White) last year Nov. I got Stanley leathehr seats! That price seems little on hig side. Is is full body work ?

Also check out Black seats too, I put black & I like it

I drove Rapid - gearbox is lot smoother than Vento. Not sure about steering feedback on highway. It felt light though. During my last drive I touched 180 and did not feel scary.. !

Thank you, yep it is full body work, plus they say they have increased their prices this year, sigh...

lol, I have not crossed more than 80 as yet in the Rapid.

Can you send post some pictures of your leather seats or post a link if you have posted anywhere on TBHP, would love to see it.

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Congrats..Xtremeshock and thanks White knight. This was exactly what i too wanted to know. Is it worth replacing the Octavia with a Rapid. I have had my speed thrills with my 150 bhp monster for the last 4 years (and am getting older) so am wondering whether to change to a smaller city car like the Rapid...

Yep it is definately a practical car to switch to, very good for the city, but you will feel slightly disappointed, you will notice a quality difference, and since you had 150bhp petrol model you will have speed-shock when you drive this car or any other car for that matter

Try looking into the Chevrolet Magnum Diesel, very easy car to drive and with a lot of power, but it is very dated. Or keep this car and get a hatchback like the Ritz (this car is peppy with good ingress/egress) for the city/office runs, and on the weekends say hello to your younger side. Best of luck on your decision.

[adimodi]

Congratulations xtremeshock ! I am about to put my money down for a Ambition Diesel Rapid this coming week. I hope I am making the right decision. This would be my 1st Skoda, and infact my 1st car outside of Maruti Suzuki in a very long time (owned an Astra & Corsa at one point).

1. What do you recommend as a seasoned Skoda user for the Run-In optimization? -
as in, the excitement of a new car, it would lead us (my wife and I) to do a long run - say Mumbai - Goa - as soon as we get the vehicle. Is this recommended?
2. What shoe change is recommended? Is it definitely required to start off with, or can happen after 10 - 15k ?
3. What precautions are the be taken so that the ICE & Reverse Sensor installer do not invalidate the warranty?
4. Is it true that if I get a breakdown in Timbuktu (figuratively) I will not be able to find some mechanic easily to sort me out immediately (temporarily)?

Thanks, and pls. post some pictures of the leather install and ICE details once done !

[urajkumar]

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

Thats sad to hear, what exactly broke down in your car, and who did you deal with, it might help me and some others to stay clear.

Fingers crossed, hope I stay lucky.

Check the below thread for our experience with the Skoda Superb.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post2704625