[abhinav.gupta88]

They say, "EVERY CAR HAS A STORY"...
So does mine....
Time to grab some popcorn/chips and that chilled can of Coke and let the story unfold.

9th July 2008

My 1st Love Affair began with the acquisition of my Laal Pari - the last Skoda Octavia (MK1) vRS to be sold in India.

Refer: Booked My Beast Finally - The Skoda Octavia 1.8vRs - NOW ARRIVED



I drove and drove and never looked back.
There was no stopping my love for it.

Each time she was away from me, I would be sad

September 2009

I had to move to United Kingdom for my studies.

I still remember how tough it was for me to get out of the car the night before I had to leave for UK.

December 2009

I came back to India for a few days and took part in my 1st AutoCross event.

I had that event won but for a stop box and cone penalty. No regrets though. The connection between the Pari and me had grown to a greater limit that day with all the support it gave me through the cones, the curves and the J turns / 180 degree turns.

January 2010

I went back to UK and then had to come back due to some personal reasons.

February 2010

I took part in some drags. My laal pari helped me thrash a Celica, another vRS and a TPi ( both modded)

The Love Affair began to grow a lot more. It was like we were made for each other.

I kept fiddling with the ICE and spent a lot on it.
I did not touch the performance of the car ( she wanted to remain a Virgin, she told me so.)

November 2012

I bought a new i20 for the household nearby runs ( not for me )

14th February 2013 (Valentine's Day)

I got married and got my Laal Pari (my Wife) home in my Laal Pari (my vRS)

April/May 2014

We had to replace one car to get a new one ( the Hyundai Elantra )

I was hell bent on selling my 2006 Honda City ZX which had been a workhorse for my dad and was starting to show its age. But since he preferred that, I had to literally dil-pe-pathar-rakha (read keep a stone on my heart) and let the Laal Pari Go.

I actually cried the day I sold it, and I still do each time I remember it. (or for that matter see another Red Skoda [ANY] )

I always cursed myself for selling my love.


I had enough of everything, The Elantra is my work horse , but I am not able to show or get the kind of love I did from my Laal Pari

[abhinav.gupta88]

January 2014

Like Good'ole Times, a conversation between my dad and me started.

(Refer : Conversation between my dad and me - June / July 2008 )

Conversation


Me: Dad, Time for a new car.
Dad: Wait till April, will buy in the new FY.
Me: Done, but for that will have to book the car by February 2014
Dad: Done.

The Criteria

• Budget - 15-20 lakhs (+/- 1 lakh)
• Comfortable to drive and be chauffeured around (Dad would also be using the car)
• A Big Boot that can eat up my entire luggage for those regular airport runs.
• Had to be an Automatic (My Left leg has a bad habit of relaxing now)
• Had to be loaded with features (Blame the super loaded Elantra and i20 for this) like
• Had to be stylish yet elegant.
• Had to be a head-turner
• Wifey should like and be able to drive it easily.

The Contenders

• Honda City VX A/T Petrol
• Toyota Corolla A/T Petrol (Still to be launched)
• Volkswagen Jetta Highline A/T Tdi
• Hyundai Verna Fluidic 1.6 VTVT SX Opt AT
• Chevrolet Cruze LTZ A/T
• Skoda Octavia 1.8 Tsi Elegance A/T

2nd Feb 2014

My wife went to Kolkata for her friend's wedding. It was a Sunday so I was free for the day.

A friend of mine wished to see the new Honda City so I thought why not check out all the cars which I had shortlist. Made a plan with him and he was happy to hang along to a visit to all the showrooms I had planned to.

[abhinav.gupta88]

Honda City VX A/T Petrol

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review


Reached the showroom, it was crowded like a fish market (literally). There were 2 test drive vehicles to cater to the people waiting to get their hands on the new refreshed model.

What I liked:

• Start/Stop Button along with Keyless Entry/Exit
• The Feather Touch A/C Controls looks damn amazing but you need to take your eyes off the road to operate it.
• Fuel Efficiency looks great from ARAI Figures.
• Rear View Camera has 3 modes, which is very useful.
• The space is great ( both at the back and in the boot)

What I did not like:

• The drive wasn't very much fun. The Adrenaline rush was missing. Being used to a Turbo for almost 6 years now may have been the differentiator here.
• It just felt like a car made for driving (actually Chauffeured around) from Point A to Point B.
• The design in my opinion had just a minimal change and that change did not make it a differentiator in the crowd.
• A 4 month waiting period also did not ring the bell to me.
• The Chrome grill up front was overdone IMO.

Also the Car I test drove was a Manual.(The A/T wasnt available as a test drive though there was a VX A/T model on display)


Verdict

The car is no doubt a great buy at the price but coming from a car like Octavia / Elantra, it did not excite me enough to buy it.

Honda City VX A/T Petrol

NEXT UP : Toyota Corolla A/T Petrol

[abhinav.gupta88]

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 A/T 2014 ( Still to be launched)

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review

The Old Corolla/Altis was really due for an update and come Auto Expo, it was due to be showcased.

I know one of the Senior Post guy at one of the Delhi Showroom.

Have purchased 3 Innovas and 2 Corolla in the family from the same person.

I simply rang him knowing that there is no point going to the showroom as the car would not be on display or available for a test drive.

He told me that the All New Corolla Altis will be showcased at the Auto Expo.

The bookings will start at the expo itself with deliveries scheduled to start in End May / Start June.

He Promised me the 1st Altis out of that particular showroom if i booked it with him by 15th of Feb.

But without having a 1st hand look, I wasn't going to make a purchase as this was a matter of 4-5 years and 20 lakhs of hard earned money.

So I told him that I shall contact him after the expo for a confirmation


7th Feb - Auto Expo, 2014


I went to the Toyota Stall to see the car in flesh.
The new Altis was actually a refreshing change from the old Altis.

What I liked:

• Rear Reclining Seat
• Feature Laden ( to an extent)
• Electric Seats ( How much i love them in my elantra, gives you just about the perfect adjustment you want)
• Touchscreen with Navigation
• Fresh Young Looks ( No more an executive's car)
• Toyota Reliability and A.S.S

What I did not like:

• Single Zone Climate Control A/C
• No Rear A/C Vent
• Bland Dash design
• The premium feeling to car isn't there anymore. The Trying-to-be-Young attitude of the car has made it lose this.
• Toyotas aren't very fun to drive. I have driven the last generation A/T Petrol and it was a nice sedan but the fun-to-drive factor was missing. ( It is more of a chauffeur-drive car)

Verdict :

Overall it was a nice car but it was only in consideration on an approval basis ( i.e. if I liked any other car out of the options, this would be struck off)

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 A/T 2014 - MAYBE

NEXT UP : VW Jetta Highline Tdi A/T

[abhinav.gupta88]

VW Jetta Highline Tdi A/T

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review


This was one car I really was interested in.

Have heard really good reviews about it from some friends who own it ( though the variants differ from the one i was considering)


What I liked:

• Classic European Design and build quality.
• Front looks very elegant
• Improving A.S.S
• A Good-to-be-in and drive car. A great improvement over the Mk5 Jetta IMO ( Some people will beg to differ but my drives in both the cars were limited to 15 minutes each)
• Refreshed Model feature packed.

What I did not like:

• Petrol engine only a 1.4 and that too only a Manual.
  

The Petrol and the manual was a big setback.
Earlier models did not have the projector headlamps or climate control A/C but that has now been addressed to.
This still wasn't a game clincher though.


Verdict : The car was nice and indeed was a car which was a pleasure to drive and be driven in. But still I preferred the Altis over this just on the basis of the-being new factor, the availability of a Petrol A/T version and The Jetta being only available in a diesel for the Auto Tranny.

VW Jetta Highline Tdi A/T - X

Next Up : Hyundai Verna Fluidic 1.6 VTVT SX Opt AT

[abhinav.gupta88]

Hyundai Verna Fluidic 1.6 VTVT SX Opt AT

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review


We already had 2 Hyundais in the garage and hence the 3rd one wasn't very much the preference.

However it was in the consideration as it is a nice car, has loads of nifty features etc. etc. etc.


Did not need to test drive the car as I have driven my friend's Verna a lot of times. (though that was the manual)



What I liked:

• Loaded with features
• Hyundai A.S.S has been extraordinary in my case (My Accountant knows some people at Hyundais which helps)
• Nice drivability of the Petrol 1.6
• IMO, the best looking of all the cars of its segment (City / Vento / Rapid / Fiesta etc.)

What I did not like:

• 4 Speed Auto Tranny (I mean what was Hyundai thinking)
• Cramped compared to the other options
• Handling, not a strong point of the Hyundai cars.

Verdict

The car is a nice to drive and own car but not the best one to be chauffeured around in. Comparing them over the other cars of the option list wasn't justice to the other cars or the Verna ( barring the Honda City). And since we already had 2 Hyundais in the family, this too was struck down owing to lack of the WOW Factor

Hyundai Verna Fluidic 1.6 VTVT SX Opt AT - X
Next Up : Chevrolet Cruze LTZ A/T

[abhinav.gupta88]

Chevrolet Cruze LTZ A/T

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review


This car again, there wasn't much of a need of a test drive. A cousin of mine owns a Cruze (the one before the 2012 refresh)

I was the one who took delivery of the same ( on occasion of his marriage), driven a lot in the city and have driven it once Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi.

So i more or less knew about it a lot.

What I liked:

• Adequate Feature List ( None a stand out deal clinching one though)
• A good adrenaline rush and great power delivery (and the refreshed model must be even better given the additional power)
• Fully Paid up maintenance package for the peace of mind.

What I did not like:

• The Car seems to be pretty heavy. It feels more like a locomotive especially when the turbo is just about to kick in and when the turbo has just kicked in.
• The much-talked-about Rear Headroom ( I am 6'1" tall, though that wouldn't affect much as I would not be chauffeured around)
• The car is better suited for being self driven than being chauffeured around.
• The car is starting to show its age now ( Common GM, time to revamp it to let it compete in our Indian Market)
• The diesel motor doesn't feel like a very refined one (Is it just me or do others agree?)
  

Verdict :

The car was just in consideration because my dad liked the way it looked (A neighbour purchased one some months back and he had seen it and kind-a liked the design and looks of it)

It was never my preference and it still isn't

Chevrolet Cruze LTZ A/T - X
Next Up : Skoda Octavia 1.8 Tsi Elegance A/T

[abhinav.gupta88]

Skoda Octavia 1.8 Tsi Elegance A/T

Pic Courtesy : Team-BHP Official Review

This was one car I was craving to test drive for long.

I was actually wishing it turned out to be a great

It was back in September 2013, I read The 2013 Skoda Octavia | Views of an Unofficial Expert

This and the Skoda Octavia : Official Review made my desire to test drive the car even more.

On the very same day ( 2nd February, 2014), along with my friend, I entered the Skoda Showroom.

Behold, the next iteration of Laal Pari was standing right there. Or was it?

Comparing it to the original red color offered in the other Skoda Cars and the one I owned, It was more a Rust / Tomato Color than Red. And this was a big setback to my wish of naming this thread " THE RETURN OF THE LAAL PARI".

Alas !!!

Being a Sunday, the crowd was much more than at any Skoda Dealerships I had ever seen.

Nonetheless, people were busy exploring other vehicles and the Octavia was standing there waiting for someone to see her as well, begging me to have a look at her.

There wasn't any sales executive available at the time and I was getting pissed off just sitting in the car exploring it on my own with no one there to explain me about the car or the features (not that I would need anyone to do the same but still, it feels nice if there is someone to attend to your needs when you are planning to spend 20 odd lakhs on a car)

Suddenly out of nowhere, a lady came up to me, offered me a seat at the table and asked me for my query. She was the senior sales manager at the showroom and had a good knowledge about the Octavia (not very perfect but yes excellent enough to sell a car)

Her queries started with the customary "What variant, colour, Fuel type I was looking for etc. etc. etc.

It moved on to the red colour and she told me why I should buy a Skoda on which I told her about my past "GOOD" experiences with Skoda and their dealership (where I used to get my car serviced) and went on to my story of Laal Pari and my love for it (I don’t know if she was interested in it or not but she was a good listener)

Discussed with her about the delivery time, pricing, test drive and some other things.

I, then, expressed my desire to see all the colors and a test drive. Unfortunately the car wasn't there for a test drive right then.

She promised me a test drive the following Sunday (as I told her that I was only available on a Sunday).

So Along with the brochures and the price list, I left the showroom with much to be thought about and finalised. "With my decision almost finalized that is."

A SUNDAY WELL UTILISED.

So, my wait for the next sunday began.

7th Feb , 2014

During that time my wife had come back and we went to the auto expo with a firm decision to finalise a car there itself.

Looked at the Chevrolet Cruze - Wifey did not want it either due to it being running on the streets for more than half a decade.

Chevrolet Cruze - A Final NO

Looked at the Hyundai Verna Next - Did not appeal to her.

Hyundai Verna - A Final NO

Looked at the Honda City then - Wifey did not like this either

Honda City - A Final NO

Looked at the Corolla Altis Next - My Wifey kinda liked the car but still wasn't swept off the feet but there wasn't a negative response either. (My Review/Comments in the separate Altis Post)

Toyota Corolla Altis - Maybe

Next Came the VW Jetta. For the main reason of the absence of a petrol automatic, this too was out.

VW Jetta - A Final NO

And At last, We went to the Skoda Stall.

Another peek into the Skoda Octavia made my love for it stronger.
Wifey loved it. Approved it and hence it was finalised that the Octavia it will be ( Barring we did not like it during the test drive, it would be the Corolla Altis in that case, on approval after the availability of a test drive)


So the final decision stood as:

1. Skoda Octavia - ( On Approval after a Test Drive)
2. Toyota Corolla Altis - (if the Skoda failed to meet our expectations during the Test Drive)

[abhinav.gupta88]

Sunday February 9th, 2014

Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSi Elegance A/T Test Drive

As stated earlier, the Lady at the Skoda Showroom confirmed us a test drive for sunday morning.

On Saturday Evening, I confirmed with her for the availability of the car for Sunday Morning and she confirmed for the same.

My Wifey and I went to the Skoda Showroom, the test drive car just drove in along with us.

We went and looked at the display car ( The Rio Red or rather Rust Red, as I would better call it) Skoda Octavia was standing there. We asked for the keys to fully explore its features.



What I liked:

• Beautiful, Elegant, Stylist - it was in one word, SEXY and HEAD-TURNING.
• Feature Laden ( Memory Seats, TPM, Touchscreen Audio with many vehicle tools)
• Cornering headlamps, DRLs, Projector Headlamps
• 7 Speed DSG ( Ok Ok, I know but I know some guys who have used the gearbox and have only heard praises, and also I was told that the updated gearbox doesn't have much of an issue)
• Excellent Space at the rear.
• Big Boot
• The 1.8 Engine ( how much I loved the 1.8T Engine on my Laal Pari ; Sigh)

What I did not like:

• No Reversing Camera even as an option ( Both my Wife and me are pretty used to it now)
• No Paddle Shifts on the steering ( The Jetta has these , and these can be installed as an OEM aftermarket part)
• No Push-Button Start-Stop ( I am so used to these with my i20 and Elantra now, this though wasn't a deal breaker)
• Tall Hump at the rear makes it more of a 4 seater than a 5.

Both my wife and me test-drove it for a good 15-20 minutes each . We also checked out the other features which were missing on the display car)

And it was a mutual decision.

THE PARI HAD TO RETURN IN ITS NEW AVATAR - THE SKODA OCTAVIA 1.8 TSi ELEGANCE A/T

(Just like the slogan "The Legend Returns”)

[abhinav.gupta88]

Colour Choice

The colour was a major issue in this purchase.

My dad is a very strict man when it comes to the colour of the car.
His preference has always been White with an obvious reason of Easier Maintenance and better visibility of the car to others at night.


All the cars we have owned (since the day I was born) were White or Golden ( The Esteem and Honda City) barring the Laal Pari I had (where there was no option we had though I had preferred the Yellow at that time)


I never go against his wish of colour since he mostly agrees to my car choices. This time though, even my wife's choice was going to be important as she would be the one using the car on a daily basis (my daily office ride would still remain the Elantra, the reason being my office is in Chawri Bazaar and it is a crime to take big cars there. The elantra has been doing the duty for almost a year and is now accustomed to the driving conditions there, and the Skoda is just that big bigger that it will not be spared by the stupid rickshaws and thelas over there)

Before leaving for the showroom for the Test drive of Skoda, I had shown him the colour options of both the Skoda ( Through pics on the internet) and The New Altis ( through the brochure which we took at the Expo)

For the Altis, his colour choices were (in that order) :

1. Super White II / White Pearl Crystal Shine
2. Silver Mica Metallic

For the Octavia, his colour choices were (in that order) :

1. Candy White
2. Brilliant Silver
3. Rio Red
4. Race Blue

Since it was the Octavia which we had finalised, it was going to be either of the 4 colours mentioned above.

However we kept the options open (on his approval) if some other colour looked far superior in flesh.


I had already seen the Magic Black , Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Rio Red in flesh and the Race Blue in pictures.

I was actually awed by the Race Blue and had my eyes brilliantly set on it.
My wife was a bit skeptical about it though she liked it.

On our way to the showroom, her mother (My M-I-L) called her generally and my wife told her that we were going to book a car on which she also told her that I was MAD about even thinking about the Blue - to which I said, the colour would grow on her.

Wifey told her mom to check the colour on the net and suggest on the same.

My M-I-L called when my wife was test driving the car and she too was awed by the colour and suggested me to book no other colour but the Race Blue.

Elimination Chamber

• Candy White: As evident through my signature, both the Hyundais which will be doing duty along with the new one are White and thus the whole family was not in favour of owning another white car. (other than DAD)
  
• The Magic Black was one of the 2 colours (other being Race Blue) my wife and I had our eyes set on. But it was a Big No-No from my Dad. (He hates black)
  
• Rio Red: From the pictures, my wife actually wanted the Rio Red but the moment she saw it in flesh, her reaction was a carbon copy of mine. A Big NO.
  
• Metal Grey and Cappuccino Beige: My Wife and dad did not like these colours ( on basis of pictures seen on the web) and hence these too were rejected
  
  The only 2 options left were the Brilliant Silver, and the Race Blue
  
• Brilliant Silver: This colour was a bit too common so this was stuck off the list as well
  
• The Race Blue: My wife's skepticism about this was cleared by me and my MIL and thus my choice prevailed. The Race Blue it is then.

Race Blue Skoda Octavia 1.8 Tsi Elegance A/T -

Booking

Had taken along a blank cheque as we wanted to book it to get a delivery soon into the new financial year.

Booked the Car the very same day with a payment of 100,000.

Put up my conditions of getting the car insured and financed myself but the lady was pushing me to get this done through the dealership.

I told her that if she gives me a better offer or even match the offer than my regular agent would give, I would happily take the same from her.

She promised me the delivery of the car in April ( mostly in the 2nd half of the month) which I happily agreed. (This is actually the 1st time I have to wait for more than 2 days to get my car).

I also expressed my desire to have the sum total of the 4 digits of the car to be 5 which she confirmed would be done.

She gave me a copy of the cheque and a receipt against the same.

And we walked out with a 1000 watt smile on our face.

[abhinav.gupta88]

Dealership Experience

Since the delivery lead time after booking was 2 -3 months, the wait was definitely going to kill me.

I was being attended to by the Sr. Sales Officer, a gentle lady named Ms. Hema

She was very cooperative and patient during the course of the deal.

I contacted her many a times asking about production / delivery / maintenance / extended warranty etc.

She patiently handled and responded to all my calls (unlike most salesmen who forget the customer during the transition phase between booking and payments)


Come, 18th March 2014


Despite Ms. Hema telling me on 15th that the car wasn't scheduled to be allocated to them until 5th of April ( atleast), I got a surprise call from her in the morning asking how quickly can I arrange the balance payment ( sans the loan amount ) and the documents required for booking etc to which I said within a day or two.

A few more calls later, I was told that a co-dealer had been allocated a Race Blue Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSi Elegance which they were happy to transfer to my dealer only to be handed over to me. I agreed for the same on terms of a delivery and invoicing in the New Financial Year which she happily agreed.


Next up,

INSURANCE AND LOAN

My conditions to Fahrenheit Skoda were very clear forward. I have an agent who gives me excellent insurance and loan interest quotations.

Insurance

I was quoted 59125 by the dealer and 54125 by my agent.
The dealer matched the price of 54125. ( i don't know why they quote such high prices at 1st place, they are earning from the car sales, why try to do the same with insurance and loans)


Loan
I was quoted an interest of 10% on a 3 year Advance EMI loan of 1640000 ( 90% rounded to the nearest 10k) by my agent. That meant an EMI of 52480.

The dealer said that the EMI would be on basis of 10.25% ( translating to an EMI of 52662 but happily reduced the 182 x 36 months in terms of cash discount of 6552 ( Attached is the quotation below) which I agreed.



Got VIN No. from Dealer : TMBBDMNE7DA007617.
Following the Thread on T-BHP regarding VIN Number, I found the same to be December 2013 which was acceptable considering I was told that I might have to wait further till May / June for a 2014 manufactured one , which was a no go for me.

So Closing the deal, I issued them a cheque of 386,040 on 19th of March 2014.

Insurance from the dealer means I would be able to avail the extended warranty when it comes out ( My SA told me that the extended warranty CANNOT be availed if the insurance is done through a third party)


20 March 2014

Loan Documents completed, all forms signed, loan is almost ready for processing. This finally means that the car which is at the co dealer is now mine for the taking. (after approval of inspection.)

The loan is from HDFC Bank and so will be the repayment and hence the whole PDCs and all is not required.

21 March 2014

Some signatures were missing on loan documents and hence they are taken and the job has been done at my end, now up to the bank to complete the financing and the showroom to give delivery to me on my date of choice

I also talked to one of the guys at the registration department regarding a number of my choice which he said that he would try.


Overall Dealership experience - 4.5 out of 5

[abhinav.gupta88]

Delivery Day

I had to take the delivery of the cars in the navratras.

The dates which were considered were 6th and 8th i.e. Sunday and Ram Nawmi Respectively (depending on my free schedule)

Due to some personal reasons, I could not take the delivery on those dates.

On 12th, I told the dealer that I will be taking delivery on the 13th of April and told him to have my car ready by 12.30 pm

13th April 2014

12:30 PM

I reached the dealer along with my wife and my driver. The Blue Beast was standing gleaming and smiling at us, waiting for us to Love it as our child.



I took along with myself the company stamp to complete the formalities and also the T-BHP PDI Checklist (It is the Holy-grail for any new car purchase)

Did the PDI while the documents were being readied, cross checked the VIN with the one that was allocated to me and completely inspected the interiors and the exteriors of the car, the hood and the boot. Scratch-less and Problem-less, I gave them a go-ahead to start the final preparations.

I purchased the Front Mud Flaps and the Body Cover from the dealer. I also wished to get the Door-Sills installed but they were not in stock and hence I gave them a miss for the moment.

The invoice and the Spare Key is still pending and was promised to be delivered at my office in the coming week or two.

Completed the formalities and got a small briefing on the features of the cars and things to be careful about etc.

Like many-on-the-forum have experienced with their Jettas, I too got a Giant-sized Key along with a Bouquet of Flowers and the actual key.



The customary photographs were taken and some gifts (read cash) distributed to the people cleaning the car.

In went me and my laal pari (yet again, read my Wife) and took a SELFIE



Topper her up with petrol from a nearby bunk before setting off to the Temple.

Reached the Sai Baba temple on Lodhi Road and got the pooja done.



Next drove to BK Tyres for the tyre replacement and then to Retro Rraps for Opticoat and Paint Protection Film. ( More on these in another post)

[abhinav.gupta88]

Initial Experience

THE very brief DRIVE

It is too early to post a review of the ownership or the car as yet however here is the experience of the short 100-150 kms i have driven the car for so far.

The car is an absolute gem. The blue colour feels like a head turner in the crowd.

I am restricting my drive to the 1500-2000 rpm at the max and the car is a breeze ( read effortless) to drive. The DSG on initial impressions seems a one-to-die-for.

The car is pretty wide compared to cars i mostly drive and being new to it, I have to be careful at some places especially manoeuvring in traffic.

The gearshifts are very smooth and I have to be really aware to feel the gearshifts. The gearbox is quick to upshift and engages 6th gear even at speeds as slow as 60 kph and 7th for as low as 75-80.

A nice thing i noticed is that when the gear is in neutral or parking mode, there is a green shoe kinda indicator which (according to the manual) represents selector level lock. On my elantra, i can freely move between neutral and drive without having to press the shift selector on the gear, which could cause problems if a fiddling kid accidenly shifts to drive while on a traffic signal. Nothing such can happen in the Octavia. ( A nice nifty safety feature IMO)

The engine loves to rev freely though i am restricting myself. The turbo kicks in very early and there is almost minimal or no turbo lag. The suspension is nice, however it doesn't eat up bumps like a Hyundai does. The height is enough to tackle bumps easily and the front lip under-bumper is safe from the scratches compared to the last Skoda octavia which used to hit the bumps every time.

The steering seems to be just about perfect. The hand feel is nice and is lighter compared to the old Octavia MK1 vRS and even the Hyundai Elantra. It also feels heavier at higher speeds ( should be something to do with the fact that it is Electro-mechanical ) which inspires confidence.

The horns are not as hard as the elantra ( I need to apply more pressure to blow the horn on the elantra). The downside, the signature Skoda horn tone is not there anymore (Grrrr)

Unfortunately, the car isn't equipped with paddle shifts however I have plans to change the steering wheel to the one with the paddle shifters ( the 3 spoke one which is a Plug and Play work ; any reviews or comments on this?)

I cannot comment much on the raw power or other drivability and similar aspects just yet ( will have to wait for a few more kms for that )

Every interior part feels built to last.

It is so silent that it actually makes me recheck whether the car is actually ON or not. ( God Bless Petrol Cars)

The space is actually a pleasant surprise to the occupants who still shiver from the thought of sitting in the backseat of a Skoda ( my brother was skeptical about sitting in the back however he was much more than comfortable in the same). The third person might feel a bit uncomfortable at the back due to the rear hump. But, hey, doesn't matter; I wouldn't be sitting there if there are 5 passengers in the car, so let the 5th passenger have an enjoyable ride )


With the new tyres, the ride is more comfortable and has a very less tyre noise and ride feels very soothing.


All in all, this report is just on the basis of 150 odd kms of driving and hence I will not be able to comment much on the finer details but more on that as I continue driving the beauty.

The car is loaded with Safety kit including 6 airbags, ABS + EBD, ESP, EDL etc. which is necessary in a car with 180 horses under the hood

THE SEATS

The front driving seat has a gazillion adjustments and one gets a good view of the road in front. The rear visibility isn't something to boast about due to the notchback built however the park assist and ORVM make parking easy without having to worry about the IRVM.

The electronic adjustment seat with memory functions makes one grin ear-to-ear.

The 3 memory seats can be configured differently for both the keys differently.

IRVMS and ORVMS

Both the ORVMS and IRVMS have auto dimming feature. I have been used to the auto dimming IRVMs but the auto dimming ORVMs is a pleasant and a nice change.

The ORVMs position is also saved in memory along with the seat position which is a nice thing.

The ORVM gets a bit narrow at the rear but the visibility ain't that bad.\

The fold/unfold with the car locking / unlocking.

The left ORVM can be configured to dip on selection of reverse gear to assist in parking by the road-side footpaths.

AIR CONDITIONING

The A/c cools the cabin pretty fast , however i don't feel much of a difference in the 3 profiles selectable from the HU ( Maybe in the longer run, i might be able to make out but nothing as of now.)

The HU also shows a warning to close the windows if the A/C is running ( a nice nimble feature)

HEADUNIT and ICE

The HU is amazing with all vehicle details, diagnostics, media, bluetooth , park assist etc , though i dearly miss the camera as of now however I am sure I will get used to this more or less.

The sound from the speakers and the tweeters is nice and balanced. The midbass kick in nice ( when not comparing with aftermarket good components with an AMP). The quality does not shatter / deteriorate with an increase in volume. The sound quality is really above OEM standards.

The sound lowers on the use of reverse gear or when the parkatronics are active ( This is adjustable according to preference)

The bluetooth pairs very easily to the cellphone and automatically connects when the phone with the bluetooth on is detected again after a stoppage.

The contacts sync effortlessly and even the pictures saved in the contact cards on smart phones these days are synced. There is an ability to save the favourites also which really helps in calling directly. There is also a keypad to dial that particular number you do not have saved in your contact list.

The last dialled calls can be directly accessed and called back through the help of steering controls with the display of that in the Cluster Display which makes it helpful considering one does not have to shift the eyes towards the HU

The phone songs connected via Bluetooth have not to be operated from the phone itself, they can be controlled from the Head unit which is again a pleasant surprise.

I haven't set up the Tyre Pressure Monitoring just yet but I shall try that soon and post something about it.

I however sometimes accidentally played a song while trying to scroll down the list ( will be habituated to scrolling as time flies by)

The park assist works absolutely flawlessly. The way the Park assist takes input from steering and warns about obstacles in that path, is absolutely brilliant.

THE SUN AND THE ROOF

The car feels very roomy owing to the size of the cabin and the sunroof just adds up to the roominess. The sunroof does not open all the way back as it seems it would but that ain't much of a problem, it is still better than most sunroofs ( at least in dimensions)

The car gets pretty damn hot when it is under the sun. It almost feels as if the steering or gear lever will give you burns for sure if not tackled properly. One saving grace to this is that the sunroof and windows can be opened from the outside from the key itself ( This too can be customised from the HU). This can help one let the hot air trapped inside the cabin to escape a bit before entering the cabin.

LIGHTS

I could not drive much at the night hence did not get a chance to try out the cornering headlamps etc, however the DRLs look very classy and sleek.

Even the bixenon works like a charm and has a good throw, range and visibility.

OTHERS

The Vanity Mirrors aren't equipped with Vanity lights and that is something my wife does not like.

Sunroof does not open all the way back from the inside as it feels from the outside.

The Sunshade on the rear windscreen is a boon in the delhi summers.

I am 6'1" and in most cars I have driven, I had to push the seat all the way back to be in a comfortable driving position.

This time around though, it wasn't that way, I have set the seat to my comfort level and there is still room for the seat to be pushed back furthur.

Also, as has been quoted in the past, there is a very nice rear legroom.

Even if i sit behind the front seat I have adjusted for myself , there is enough space for me to be seated comfortably.

The Boot is gigantic and I am sure, it could be used for travelling that 6th passenger sometimes . The boot can be accessed from the rear armrest and could be helpful in those holidays.

The engine bay is not cramped and has plenty of room for each and everything.

The battery has a very nice cover.

The rear hump feels atleast 2 generations old considering the flat floors on many sub-15 lakh cars as well.

No rear A/C controls.

PICTURES

I know this is what everyone has been waiting for.

So lets not delay this anymore.

Excuse the moderate quality pictures though ( Phone camera giving really poor results off late - the lens at the back seems to have some issue), kindly bare with me on that. I shall upload HD pics in sometime, I Promise !!!

[abhinav.gupta88]

Tyres, Opti Coat and Paint Protection

Tyres

The tyres on the Octavia are undersized ( should be atleast 17" if not more ) The wheel arches feel big and asks for more. It is most probably the Indian roads that Skoda has stuck with 16"

I like the alloys a lot and hence decided to stick with 16" as of now.

I had a talk with Jitesh at BK Tyres. He told me the following tyres were available in the standard size of 205/55 R16 of Yokohama A Drive R1, Yokohama DB V550, Pirelli Cinturato P7, Michelin Primacy 3ST, Bridgestone Turanza etc.

On furthur discussions and explaining my requirements of comfort as well as performance along with low tyre noise, he adviced for either the Pirelli Cinturato P7, Michelin Primacy 3ST with a slight inclination towards the cinturatos.

I was quoted 7500 for the Pirellis and 9800 for the Michelins and a buyback of 6000 per tyre on the Goodyears ( within 100-200kms on the ODO)

He furthur adviced me to buy the Pirelli qouting that they are good tyres and were tried and tested on the VW Passat and the Audi A4 and i could replace the whole set of 5 for a price cheaper than replacing 4 on the Michelins.

So I decided to go for the same upon delivery.

On the day of the delivery ; Had informed Jitesh that I would reach the showroom by about 3/3.30 pm.

Reached there and saw the Pirelli Cinturatos. They looked pretty good.

I always trust Jitesh on his suggestion of tyres and blindly trusted him on the Pirelli Cupertinos ( 205/55-R16 - same as stock)

Got a good deal on exchanging all the 5 tyres. ( 7500 for new less 6000 for old).

Look Ma No Wheels



Pirelli P7 Cinturatos



205/55-R/16 ( Retained Stock Size)



Pirelli P7 Cinturatos




The swap was done in about 40 minutes and off I went to the next pit-stop.

PAINT PROTECTION

RETRO RRAPS

Due to some personal reasons, I wasn't able to take the car to my home just yet. ( No, I am not fighting my family and staying at a different place)

So, decided to get this done the same day itself as I would not be able to drive the car for some days and the car would get a garage for a few days ( since I could not take it home just yet)

I have got done from one of the two owners of Retro RRaps previously (Retro Rides, for some headlight and taillight mod jobs) and he told me to get Opti-coat and Paint Protection Film on the fragile areas ( like bumper / side view mirrors / running board etc) .

Got the same done from them.


I left my car there for a pickup after 2 working days ( i.e. wednesday 16th April; monday being an off day)


The results are fantabulous. The quality of the job is super amazing. They regularly do Premium / sports cars and really know their job very well ( Expect a new thread on that very soon)

Took the car from then on wednesday 16th april as promised by them at the time promised by them )

The results might not look the best in pictures but in flesh, the difference shows.

[abhinav.gupta88]

More Mods and Accessories

Went to Autopsyche to get the scan done for the PLA Parking Unit ( to check if it is compatible or not).
Since he had the VAG-COM, he happily activated the Needle Staging a-la-a Superbikes and Supercars.

Was done in a jiffy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZMH-S4ioHM

Going by the official review thread , i placed an order for 2 bottles of ABRO - Silicon Spray Lubricant for a price of 315 each to keep a check on the Sunroof Rattling.



2 custom keychains built by a member of team-bhp (Chiragh_bir)




Official Skoda USB charger glowing in the night



MDI USB Connector



Octavia III - el. adjusted seat buttons CHROME frame 1PC - KI-R



Skoda vRS Keychain - genuine RS 2013 collection

On My Future Mod / Accessory List

• Skoda Octavia MK3 Genuine Multi Function Steering Wheel with Paddle Shift
  
  
  
  
• Rear Camera - Some or the other way, i am addicted to this now.
  
  
• PLA Parallel Parking Kit if possible
  
  
• Octavia III - hood power damper set KI-R
  
  
  
  Pic From Superskoda.com
  
  
• Octavia III - storage box under the LEFT seat
  
  
  
  
• 3D Mats ( Has anyone got this done yet? I can't find a good quality exact measurement set; I do not wish to go for the Universal one )
  
  
• Llumar Air 80 Sunfilm