[newtonMeter]

There are times when you are in a perfect world of bliss but still want to move on to the next level.

This is the story of my Czech Tank, the one I always desired to own. Believe it or not, the next best thing to torque (which I sinfully got from my Vento TDI - a lot) was the DSG. Yes the DSG, which is hated by some of us, but still loved by all. The Direct Shift Gear, which in India has been introduced as Dual Shift Gear (with the new Vento launch - why this change? ).

Anyways, coming back to the good things - I was in love with my Vento (you can see my love here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...vento-tdi.html), but as I mentioned in my opening statement, there was a need to move on - move on to something bigger and smarter (simply clever?).

Well, if you read my Vento ownership, you would see how I hated the Skoda Rapid outright - just for one thing - the interior illumination. The Casio calculator wannabe green dials and lettering was a let down. This was one of the main reasons I chose the VW over its sister.

Selection Process

From the last time I looked at a Skoda (Rapid), things have changed, I have became more sensible and realised that Skoda was definitely more bang for buck compared to the VWs. So having this bias in my head I started looking for options. First, the requirements:

1. Has to be a VAG family car (as I have a fake VCDS cable, I don't want to lose out on my investment
2. Has to be a diesel + DSG (well that makes point 1 irrelevant, DSG=VAG=DSG)
3. Has to be 2.0-litre or more (yes dream on)
4. Pre-owned option for more value, at least newer than my Vento so later than April 2012
5. Extended warranty if possible
6. Spare key - unused

Combining point 1 to 4, I quickly dismissed the CRETA and S-Cross (thank God for that, the diesel auto would have set me back Rs. 15 lacs and that is not where I wanted to be).

So, the shortest list

VW contendors: Jetta, Passat
Skoda contendors: Laura, Superb
Audi: A4

Well, the A4 was the first to go as I realized it's a CVT rather than a DSG.

Next to get eliminated was the Superb - monster car, which looks weird when self driven and my boss would have killed me if I drove in a superb!

Next to go was the Jetta - yes I know, but a 2012 Jetta Highline still offered me Climatic AC and all halogen headlights with no extra features.

So, it was down to Passat vs Laura.

Well, frankly I had made up my mind for the Passat. The 2012 Passat Highline had everything you could dream of, but one issue, not many, bought the damn car. So there were absolutely no good cars in the second hand market (saw some abused company-owned cars) and the ones which were available, were pretty expensive.

I concluded that a decently maintained Passat would set me back by at least Rs. 12-14 lacs. So, with the Passat after sales a mystery and higher investment and risk, I let go of this option which left me with one survivor - the Laura.

So, the hunt began. The 2 models were Elegance and L&K to look for. After all the feature comparisons - the L&K was first on the priority list and Elegance was plan B.

And where did I find my dream car - Cartrade? No, Carwale? No, Cardekho? NO, T-BHP? NOo.., then? OLX! Yes, you heard it right, OLX! Bech de!

More on the deal and the dealer: Well, I was pleasantly surprised with the pre-owned shop situated in Janak Puri (Kapoor motors). They were professional and transparent in the whole process. Will recommend them to anyone looking for pre-owned cars especially D segment onward.

On-road price: Total damage Rs. 8,15,000/-

Extended warranties & service packages - covered by Skoda Shield till October 2016.

The car had all that I wanted. It was a dream. A Candy White Skoda Laura L&K, October 2012, TDI DSG with an unused spare wheel and spare key, with Zero Dep insurance and extended warranty.

The Likes and Dislikes
Likes:
- Solid build quality. For the L&K, the dashboard is fully padded.
- Noise insulation. It really works, on a rainy day, the only sound I hear is the rain drops on the windshield, not a sound from the roof.
- Skoda's simply clever features from things as small as ticket holder, dual headlight switch (high and low tandem) to very useful maintenance features like smart headlight removal. Compared to this, VW headlight removal is the most difficult task in the world
- Superb 2.0 TDI engine and butter-smooth DSG. This is a potent combination. I am amazed with this 2.0 TDI, I guess this should be the engine of the decade for this class. The combination of DSG almost negated the turbo lag, the sweet spot is 1800 rpm and the 3rd gear is orgasmic. The DSG also has a kick-down feature (special button at the end of play of the accelerator pedal) for quick acceleration and overtaking. The DSG automatically downshifts to the best possible gear to give you max power. The DSG also has a sports mode, which makes the car a different animal. This mode is also useful for hill drives to always keep you in the power band on the twisties. It also has a triptonic mode but i seldom use it.
-Each and every of the 31 features, I will mention below! I just love them.

Dislikes:
- Some features omitted like Bluetooth and MDI (though I took care of it by retrofitting).
- No cup holders on rear armrest.
- Boring alloy wheel design.
- Why did they provide a flat OVRM on the driver side (instead of convex)? Solution - need to buy those small convex add on mirrors to avoid blind spot.
- VW/SKODA horn but a loud peep peep instead of paaaaaaaaaah. Solution - save for an year to upgrade to the Rs. 8K Skoda horn.
- Rear seat are tad too upright. Solution - to hell with the back-benchers.
- AC fogs up the windscreen when humid. Solution - visit Skoda service, there is some fix for this.
- No paddle shifters - well I need to live without them.

Specifications and Features
October 2012 Laura DSG TDI - 140 BHP / 320 Nm (1750-2500 RPM)
Official Color - Candy Weiss (white)
16-inch alloy wheels
Dual beam headlights with xenon projection low beam (bending), H4 high beam - halogen

Feature list (not in order of preference)
1. Headlight - range adjustment, automatic / dynamic with fixed and dynamic bending light (AFS 2) with headlight washers (L&K-exclusive)
2. All 4 disc brakes
3. ESP+ESC incl. ABS, EBV, MSR, ASR, EDS, MBA and DSR (go figure)- traction control
4. Rain sensing wipers
5. Auto headlamps
6. Multi-function steering wheel (L&K-exclusive)
7. Skoda Bolero touchscreen music sytem + Skoda sound - 12 speakers + amplifier (L&K-exclusive)
8. Driver, passenger, curtain airbags and side airbags (L&K-exclusive)
9. Small leather package (4-spoke multi-function leather steering wheel for radio)
10. "MAXIDOT" driver information system (L&K-exclusive)
11. 8-way electrically adjustable driver seat with memory (L&K-exclusive) + manually adjustable passenger seat (lumbar and height)
12. Electrically adjustable, heated and foldable door mirrors with auto dimming at driver's side and memory function (with gear down function - reverse gear tilts the passenger side mirror) (L&K-exclusive)
13. Drawer under left front seat
14. Glove compartment cooling system
15. Armrest cooling
16. Heated front seats
17. Dual zone fully automatic AC (Climatronic)
18. Manual roll-up sun screen for rear window (L&K-exclusive)
19. 60:40 split rear seat
20. Automatic dimming IVRM and driver side OVRM
21. Padded dashboard and extra insulation for super quiet cabin (L&K-exclusive)
22. 6-speed DSG with sports mode
23. Trunk nets and hooks for keeping luggage in place
24. Cruise control
25. Low beam assistant with "coming home / leaving home" function
26. Washer fluid level indicator
27. Partially leather seat covers
28. Tyre pressure monitor
29. Front and back parking sensors
30. Puddle lamps on the wing mirrors
31. Hazard lamps on the front doors

I have used the car on the highway, hills, daily commute and boy, the DSG is adaptable to all situations!

Interior space is excellent with lots of cubby holes and spaces - the only gripe being a slightly shallow glove box when compared to the Vento.

The front seats are the place to be with good under thigh support. Both front seats have lumbar support, driver seat is electric with 3 presets. With the steering with reach and rake and the 8-way driver seat adjustment, finding and keeping the best position is very easy. The MID is very useful too. Especially for L&K, the MID also give you access to the comfort and convenience which is normally required - VCDS like DRL, bending lights, travel mode, etc.

Overall Visibility is good with large glass areas. Only the driver side OVRM is an issue due to its flat nature creating blind spots.

The IVRM and driver side mirror are auto dimming. Both the OVRMS are heated and are electrically adjustable and foldable.

The air conditioner is absolutely adequate, tested in the scorching Delhi heat. The rear sun blind is really helpful to cut some heat.

With 12 speakers and dedicated amplifier (situated below the front passenger seat) the sound quality is pretty decent. Though I still love the Vento sound reproduction from the RCD 310 .

Being a Skoda, the car is super practical - the boot is humongous and with the hatch-type boot lid, the space access is superb. The seats fold in a 60:40 ration and can also be folded fully flat. You can access the boot via the central hand rest from the cabin without folding the seats.

Overall, the NVH levels are superb both inside and outside. The L&K also has additional sound damping to keep the sound in check. The engine sounds pretty smooth at cold starts too - unlike the Vento. VW should do something about sound deadening.

Fuel efficiency: In the city, it easily hovers around 14-16 kmpl and on the highway - oh boy - it can give you anything from 18-22. In fact, my tank filled with 55 litres gave me close to 950 kms door to door on my recent trip - Gurgaon-Kasauli-Shimla-Mashobra-Chail-Gurgaon.

Handling is spot on for a average driver like me. I did not have the chance to experience the ESP / ABD yet. The TCS is also not fully explored yet.

Braking is again very effective. The L&K or maybe all Lauras have brake pad wipe system (effective during rains). Saw this feature enabled already in the VCDS.

The Skoda Laura's ground clearance is more than adequate. The 16-inch wheels on L&K and Elegance add to it.

I'll try to keep adding more info as I break into my ownership.

So brethren, here, let me introduce the Tank. I got it showing some features I mentioned earlier

This is my favourite shot of the car, looks massive in white:


The front - xenon bending low beams looks yum with those headlight washers:


Front parking sensors are a real boon in those tight spots:


L&K, well deserve badge for the top of the line:


Plain Jane boot, the hatch opening is really good for loading:


Large windows keeps the cabin airy:


Interior
Multi-function steering with Maxidot display. The steering has elaborate controls for the music system as well scrolling the Maxidot menu. Stalks include standard wiper on right and lights / indicators on left. The left stalk doubles up as cruise control:


Skoda Bolero with park distance display. The Bolero in this car is made by Blaupunkt (courtesy VCDS). 12 speakers, amplifier (Skoda sound system), SD card, 6 CD changer, touch screen. I upgraded it with Bluetooth and MDI interface and disabled the AUX-in. The Bolero doubles up as a display for the Climatronic too and now also has the phone menu. The tracks can be also seen on the Maxidot display:


Bright back-lit display. The needles are lit up permanently with a soft white light:


Waterfall center console with Bolero, Climatronic (note the dual zone and heated seat control). The wood finish looks classy (not fake), but I prefer the ambient brushed aluminium look:


Auto dimming IVRM. The map lights are individually controlled and host a sunglass holder. I have placed the Bluetooth mic in the mesh slot visible next to driver side map light switch:


Boasting the Skoda Sound system (3 speaker per door - bass, mid range, tweeter) + amplifier:


Climatronic (usual controls) with dual zone and heated seats. The row below is for tyre pressure set, forced PDC activation (when reverse gear is not activated) is very useful for tight spots/traffic, traction control On / Off button:


Love at first sight - DSG:


Standard auto layout with S-Sports mode and Triptonic (+/-):


Leather on the doors too for the armrest. The 3 speaker layout visible. The power window buttons though are not the best placed area ergonomically. Petite people might have to reach out for them:


Close-up of the mid range speaker (L&K-exclusive):


Smaller glove box, though lit and cooled. The glove box is fully lined and has smart holders:


Much needed sun blind for the Gurgaon heat:


Curtain airbags:


Skoda Bolero visibility is pretty decent in bright sunlight too:


Auto headlights with auto leveling:


As a human is never satisfied, I went ahead and added these:
1. VW genuine MDI + Bluetooth, a unique module which serves both the MDI connectivity and 9WZ Bluetooth function. This saves money and space for 2 modules. Sourced from: http://www.carsystems.pl/vw-combo-mo...29a,id804.html
2. Replaced the old Skoda logo with the new one
3. Gloss black roof and front grill

Some VCDS tweaks:
1. Enabled easy access for the front seat - every time you enter or egress the car, the front seat moves backward to create more space
2. DRL activation / deactivation moved to MID
3. Staging for instrument needles
4. Corner lamp assist on steering (in addition to bending xenons)
5. Reverse gear engagement also activates front fog lamps for additional visibility at night
6. Tear wipe - additional wipe after windshield cleaning for removal of that last drop
7. DRL deactivation with turn signal (deactivates the DRL on the side the turn signal is on to make it less confusing for oncoming traffic)
8. Headlight activation during rains for traffic visibility
9. Corner fog lamps activation with the turn signal (works when the auto headlights are on, the turn signal side also switches on the fog lamp of the turning side)
10. Activated the Bluetooth and MDI
11. Tried the voice command but deactivated it as it could not understand me

Modification pics are in the next post (due to picture per post limitations).

I have been on long and short drives and trust me, it's turning out to be more frugal than my Vento TDI if driven right.

[newtonMeter]

Adding some pictures due to restriction on the earlier post (limit of 30 pictures only).

Current pictures with the modifications:

Black gloss roof and front grille, also not the new Monogram. These modifications were done at http://ideautoworks.blogspot.in/
the Monograms were ordered from Ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/271547512600...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT:


Close-up, side profile of the grille:


Rear monograms and a chrome slat (my contribution to the design):


Fat boot - I removed the rear mud guards and the car looks much more solid now:


Confirmation of the xenon Bending lights, 70 mm dia:

[Rachit.K.Dogra]

Wow!! Hearty congratulations NewtonMeter!!

Honestly, you did exactly what I want to do. I love my Vento too, but after driving Anshuman's Laura DSG, I just fell in love with DSG.

I prefer the Laura over the new Octavia. More space in the new Octavia is not much of use to me plus its almost 5-6 lakhs more variant on variant from the Laura, which I am not able to justify. I prefer the looks of Laura too.

I like the new Jetta, but then the DSG is only available in the Top Model and makes it very expensive again.

All I wish is if Skoda still continued to sell the Laura. Would be an ideal upgrade from Vento.

Wish you many happy miles with her.

Regards
Rachit

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[patel8585]

Hello there, Congrats for the pre owned Tank with loaded features and you are really lucky to get this master piece with superb condition.

As, I can imagine how much you are going to enjoy this car as already owning this since 2013 and successfully completed 30k kms.

And can you please review more about the 12 speaker audio system as am planning to upgrade in mine as mine is Ambiente model and has 8 speakers. So, can you please do review in detail specially the sound quality and most important vocal and bass.

Waiting for your detailed review!

[mikon]

Congratulations on the feature laden Skoda. The LnK is always the best model in the Laura Tdi & the VRs in the TSi.

After the Vento, I was also hunting for the LnK but did not find any good examples, so settled for a TSi. Now settled for a Cruze post the TSi, but I do miss the Skoda!

Try for a VRs bumper (vagtune).

Enjoy & Drive Safe!

[ACM]

Superb Choice.

Excellent thoughtful modifications.

Now the wheels... You can get 225/55-R16 as well. They will fit and add a lot of comfort and grip. Alternatively if changing rims go to R17 - Will look superb but will make the ride harsh.

[AirWind]

Congrats and I would recommend to get the bumpers and alloys upgraded to a vRS spec ;-) Dont forget the vRS logos.

[vinayrathore]

You are living my dream buddy!! I too had the same cars in the shortlist and the same reasons made it all boil down to the Laura. Desperately want a pre-worshipped L&K but no good options available in the used market here in Bangalore.

Its a steal at the price you have paid. Worth every paisa!!!

A similar example would coast up words of a million bucks here.

Wish you millions of miles on your tank!!

[shankar.balan]

Delicious looking car. A very good buy indeed in my book.
A nice detailed review with some good pics too. Thanks!
Wishing you miles and smiles!

Cheers!

[.anshuman]

Excellent Choice at a good price. My cousin bought a Octavia Elegance, it's a lot more disconnected in terms of drive experience and fun. Yes, it has grown up in size and feature list is good but it has lost the nice steering and flickable handling. One solid reason to keep my Laura DSG is there are no good upgrade options, and i am keeping it for a long time for sure.

My Laura at close to 79k is doing absolutely great, except for the pathetic Skoda support i have no other reasons to not recommend this car.

[newtonMeter]

Originally Posted by patel8585

And can you please review more about the 12 speaker audio system as am planning to upgrade in mine as mine is Ambiente model and has 8 speakers. So, can you please do review in detail specially the sound quality and most important vocal and bass.

Waiting for your detailed review!

Well, the 12 speakers do really make a difference. Especially in the mid range. I am not sure about the 8 speaker setup, but when compared to Vento (4 speaker) setup, there were many sounds especially the high notes which were amiss in vento (no Tweeter). with the amplifier, the Bass could be a overkill but, i have found the sweetspot with my equilizer settings. Another thing i notice, i need to input the volume slightly more than the vento as i think it needs to drive the Amp with more voltage to get that punch. ( i can also step up the sound levels int he Bolero, but kept it to low levels to avoid any distorsion)

I am not sure how will you upgrade from 8 to 12 as it requires:
1. Buying the skoda Amp (if you want to keep is stock) - made by panasonic
2. Skoda swing (assuming you have that) is tuned for 8 speaker setup, so i am not sure if it can support 12.
3. Door pad housing - to host 3 speakers per door, the door pads have a different Design.
4. all the wiring.

Well, i am very sure your 8 speaker set up would sound exactly similar to a normal person, and with the VAG sound quality - i dont think an 8 speaker is in any way a "Low" end spec.

you need to take a call for bang for the buck here.

[patel8585]

Thanks a lot for the review on the speaker setup. As, my car is equipped with Skoda bolero RCD 510, same as in the L&K version. But as u said I need to take help from some professional for an upgrade. Once again thanks for the details on review. Regards.

[newtonMeter]

It was time for some update. Well apart from the 430 NM Tune o Tonics ECU update, most of the changes so far are LIGHTS oriented. More on 430 NM later, still testing the tune.

The Lights targeted -

1. LED DRL - Ordered Error Free

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-...336620391.html

Though these were error free, they still put error on the dash after 5-10 min of use. May be the heat had some impact on the Resistance. To counter this issue and as the DRL run most of the time during the day, i wanted to safeguard this without cutting wires etc. The solution - a high quality intermidiate cable with OEM plugs (VW/Audi/Skoda) from poland

http://sklep.motohid.pl/pl/p/Adapter...%2C-Passat/339

result -


2. LED Position Lamps

Error free out of the box ordered from:
http://www.classicaccess.com/product...-canbus-white/

Result -



3. LED Puddle Lamps

Error Free - same bulb as LED Position Lamps:

http://www.classicaccess.com/product...-canbus-white/

Result -



4. Glove Box LED

Ordered from:

http://www.classicaccess.com/product...ectors-16-smd/

Result:



5. Number plate LED

Error free (needed some coding on VCDS though) ordered from

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-38mm-3-SM...item3f3248ac81

Result:

Video - Click here

6. ALL LED Indicators (Front - Back) matching the Stock LED on the OVRM

Error Free Ordered from
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/4pcs-...322711816.html

I ordered the wrong Base type. The 1156 has 180 degree base clips but the skoda plugs required an angular base BAY9 (150 degree offset). So to make them fit, i had to do some filling of clips.

Result -

Video link

7. LED Trunk Lights



8. Other video -

unlocking with Leaving home

Video

9. Other highlights -

i am super super impressed with the boot space gobling capacity of this tank.

Just an example, i was able to carry a odd shaped luggage (Furniture with ease)

The load


The Carriage

[agambhandari]

Congratulations galore!! This is one hell of a choice, solid car, the best variant and an amazing deal with that.

Your VCDS knowhow (and equipment) is certainly more than enough a reason to get a VAG vehicle. The modifications look great and add good value.

By the way. Do I see something wrong in the Tail lamps? They look a bit dirty in the unlit pics. I'm sure it could be cleaned.