Mitsubishi 'Lancer' Cedia test driven EDIT - Altis TD on Pg2

imp! · 23rd February 2010, 10:04

Hi Nikhil,

I replied to your PM with my mobile number. Feel free to give me a call, I will be happy to help. The way I look at it, you are looking for a good drivers car, that is going to be chauffeured and so must be comfortable in the rear, along with a remote control for the music from the rear. Here is my take on the Laura, in your case.

1) If your driver tends to half clutch a lot, The Laura clutch will fail faster than any other car, however, if it happens after two years, you can easily replace with an after market sports clutch.

2) The rear seats become infinitely more comfortable if leather seats are put into the car. I can give you the name of my contact at Stanley, he will design an incredibly comfortable or sporty package for you (depending on what you want)

3) The car handles much much better with 16" wheels than the stock 15"

4) I don't know if you can install an IR receiver for remote access to the music system from the tear but here is an option for you.

Put in a touch screen hud which has a remote, this will also give you integrated bluetooth option and it is possible to have steering mounted audio controls as well. The only thing you need to make absolutely sure of is that your installer doesn't mess with the wiring harness (The touch screens can be installed without splicing any wires, dunno about the steering mounted audio controls though)

Leather and ICE mods should run to Rs 60,000 - 1,00,000 depending on your ICE preferences, but, with 1 lac in savings on the car currently, it may be worth it.

In conclusion,
I get an average of 9 - 12, depending on who drives the car more; my dad or his sons

If I needed a chauffeur driven, drivers car, I'd probably buy the Civic. Your driver can abuse the car as much as he wants, maintenance will still be cheap.

If the driver is going to be driving the majority of the time, and you already have a car that you enjoy driving, I would take a very very careful look at the Innova. I have one, and while I will be the first to admit that nothing about the car even begins to excite me, it is far far more comfortable than most sedans that are available in India)

Cheers!
imp!

imp! · 23rd February 2010, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

What I did not like was when I told them on the phone that I will be taking the car to NICE road, they didnt say a word. When the salesman drops in today with the car, he says it's against company policy to drive a TD car on NICE road. This is because a Superb 1.8 TSI was totalled there some time back.

When was this? I test drove Laura from them on Nice road before buying. Who was the salesperson?

Nikhilb2008 · 23rd February 2010, 11:55

imp! - Thank you so much for your inputs!

The salesman was Ravindra.

I think they totalled the Superb 1.8TSI recently. So, they must have introduced this new rule recently.

Innova is definitely ruled out. While it is comfortable, we would like a bit of excitement as well! The NHC is the car we have now which we all enjoy driving, but the steering is pathetic in that.

The civic seems to the best bet in terms of overall peace of mind, driving pleasure and rear seat comfort.

I'll be very honest in saying that my heart wants the Laura 1.8 TSI. My dad absolutely LOVEd it! More than the Cedia, Altis or the Civic. However, we both are still wary of Skoda. I know the 1.8 doesnt have too many electronic things to go wrong, but I'm still wary.

Frankly, that is the only thing that is worrying us. The rear seat comfort, as you rightly mentioned can be easily made softer. The remote part is also manageable.

Also, a question to sivadas and imp.

How do you check your mileage? Do you rely solely on the onboard computer readouts or do you measure it the old fashioned tankful-tankful way?

Vid6639 · 23rd February 2010, 12:06

Regarding the rear seat comfort, there is a general observation which I have noticed.

If the seats are soft, they seem comfy once you get in but after a long drive when you get out, you realise that the soft seat does not provide the same support.

The firmer seats provide better support which you realise only after a long drive. In short drives they feel firm but once you get used to it, you'll hate the cars with softer seats.

Nikhilb2008 · 24th February 2010, 23:37

Tada!

Mitsubishi 'Lancer' Cedia test driven EDIT - Altis TD on Pg2-image0016.jpg

Mitsubishi 'Lancer' Cedia test driven EDIT - Altis TD on Pg2-image0015.jpg

Mitsubishi 'Lancer' Cedia test driven EDIT - Altis TD on Pg2-image0017.jpg

Mitsubishi 'Lancer' Cedia test driven EDIT - Altis TD on Pg2-image0018.jpg

Delivery tomorrow evening or Friday morning.

That sales exec came to my dad's office and within 10 mins had the cheque, papers, etc... He must have been thinking, "Oh boy! A quick sale!".

But then, I arrived at the showroom with a loong checklist!

I was initially shown another car which was manufactured later but didnt like it due to minor dirt particles which were very hard to remove. There was a tiny tiny tiny scratch as well. To be honest, nothing to complain about, but I was just being silly.

I agreed anyway as they promised to clean it properly. That tiny tiny scratch was invisible unless you pressed hard and kinda widened the gap between two panels.

I told the sales exec that when they give the car, it should be in the condition of the car on display in the showroom.

A few mins later, he said, "Sir, we'll give you this only".

Agreed and made a note of the VIn no and Engine no.

Maibaa · 24th February 2010, 23:44

Congratulations Nikhil :-) Eager to know what shoes your new ride is going to get ;-)

Nikhilb2008 · 24th February 2010, 23:51

Nothing too fancy.

Dad wants something more comfortable now after the Advan Neovas.

So, 205/65 R15 Conti CPC2 is what I'm aiming for.

Ravich · 24th February 2010, 23:53

I responded with a long reply (to your message on the TSI) on the virtues of the TSI , only to realize you have bought the Civic !. I guess thats the right choice
Congratulations and enjoy the Civic.

Ravich · 25th February 2010, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabynag

Looks like a lot of BHPians are now driven towards Laura TSi - a new trend is emerging. It is interesting - all Skoda did is a price reduction and a very aggressive advertisement campaign in web and in print media highlighting the reduction in price. Suddenly, people are no longer talking about poor A.S.S., dealer problems and all other complains that filled pages after pages in T-BHP - yet another proof that Indians are highly price sensitive and can forget everything else if the price is mouth-watering. I myself lost a few nights' sleep (and it is continuing) - my Indian mind says "go for it, it's a steal", while my rational mind says "none of the basic ground realities has changed except the price. Was it Rs 1 lac delta that prevented you to buy this car two months back ?" I still don't have an answer.

I would strongly think its the sheer magic of the engine thats drawing us rather than any price reduction. Atleast in my case it was.

Nikhilb2008 · 25th February 2010, 00:04

Ravich,

It would be a pleasure in any case to read your views.

It may not help me, but it will certainly help lots of other people.

The main reason we turned away from the Laura was due to the Skoda name.

This car will be chauffeur driven 5 days a week. We cant take a risk with such a powerful and relatively complicated machine with our driver. If his technique isnt good, we could have loads of problems. And running to the service centre is painful as we live in Jayanagar. The other end of the world from K R Puram where Vinayak's service centre is located.

And if something happens, I honestly dont trust Skoda to help me.

It would have still been worth it if it was self driven (like you guys), but this is mainly chauffeur driven.

I honestly adore the engine in the Laura 1.8. It's a pity it's a Skoda.

iTNerd · 25th February 2010, 00:19

Congratulation in advance, Nikhil! But why 'V'? Heard you mentioned somewhere about the 90K price difference hard to swallow for fog lights, leather seats and cruise control.. Any freebies/discount?

lifeonwheels · 25th February 2010, 13:19

Congrats! Nikhil on the new buy. Looks very good in white. Civic IMO has the best-in-class interiors and I'm sure you'll enjoy driving as well as being chauffered in this car. Honda reliability should surely keep you tension free for a long time to come

csateesh · 25th February 2010, 14:11

Hi Nikhil,

Congrats on your purchase.

Wishing you miles of happiness

Regards

Sateesh

shreeps · 25th February 2010, 14:59

Hi Nikhil,
Congrats on the new purchase. I think it was a very well considered logical decision. AFAIK, the Civic is a good choice which gives almost everything except GC.
Umm, by the way, Why the"V" version instead of a "S" plus after purchases upgrade?

suhaas307 · 25th February 2010, 19:42

Congratulations big man! Wise choice! Wish you many many miles of laughter, straights, corners and happiness!

Looking forward to your initial ownership review!

23rd February 2010, 10:04	#76
imp! BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 776 Thanked: 468 Times	Hi Nikhil, I replied to your PM with my mobile number. Feel free to give me a call, I will be happy to help. The way I look at it, you are looking for a good drivers car, that is going to be chauffeured and so must be comfortable in the rear, along with a remote control for the music from the rear. Here is my take on the Laura, in your case. 1) If your driver tends to half clutch a lot, The Laura clutch will fail faster than any other car, however, if it happens after two years, you can easily replace with an after market sports clutch. 2) The rear seats become infinitely more comfortable if leather seats are put into the car. I can give you the name of my contact at Stanley, he will design an incredibly comfortable or sporty package for you (depending on what you want) 3) The car handles much much better with 16" wheels than the stock 15" 4) I don't know if you can install an IR receiver for remote access to the music system from the tear but here is an option for you. Put in a touch screen hud which has a remote, this will also give you integrated bluetooth option and it is possible to have steering mounted audio controls as well. The only thing you need to make absolutely sure of is that your installer doesn't mess with the wiring harness (The touch screens can be installed without splicing any wires, dunno about the steering mounted audio controls though) Leather and ICE mods should run to Rs 60,000 - 1,00,000 depending on your ICE preferences, but, with 1 lac in savings on the car currently, it may be worth it. In conclusion, I get an average of 9 - 12, depending on who drives the car more; my dad or his sons If I needed a chauffeur driven, drivers car, I'd probably buy the Civic. Your driver can abuse the car as much as he wants, maintenance will still be cheap. If the driver is going to be driving the majority of the time, and you already have a car that you enjoy driving, I would take a very very careful look at the Innova. I have one, and while I will be the first to admit that nothing about the car even begins to excite me, it is far far more comfortable than most sedans that are available in India) Cheers! imp!
	() Thanks

23rd February 2010, 11:55	#78
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	imp! - Thank you so much for your inputs! The salesman was Ravindra. I think they totalled the Superb 1.8TSI recently. So, they must have introduced this new rule recently. Innova is definitely ruled out. While it is comfortable, we would like a bit of excitement as well! The NHC is the car we have now which we all enjoy driving, but the steering is pathetic in that. The civic seems to the best bet in terms of overall peace of mind, driving pleasure and rear seat comfort. I'll be very honest in saying that my heart wants the Laura 1.8 TSI. My dad absolutely LOVEd it! More than the Cedia, Altis or the Civic. However, we both are still wary of Skoda. I know the 1.8 doesnt have too many electronic things to go wrong, but I'm still wary. Frankly, that is the only thing that is worrying us. The rear seat comfort, as you rightly mentioned can be easily made softer. The remote part is also manageable. Also, a question to sivadas and imp. How do you check your mileage? Do you rely solely on the onboard computer readouts or do you measure it the old fashioned tankful-tankful way?
	() Thanks

23rd February 2010, 12:06	#79
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,728 Thanked: 43,463 Times View My Garage	Regarding the rear seat comfort, there is a general observation which I have noticed. If the seats are soft, they seem comfy once you get in but after a long drive when you get out, you realise that the soft seat does not provide the same support. The firmer seats provide better support which you realise only after a long drive. In short drives they feel firm but once you get used to it, you'll hate the cars with softer seats.
	() Thanks

24th February 2010, 23:37	#80
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Tada! Delivery tomorrow evening or Friday morning. That sales exec came to my dad's office and within 10 mins had the cheque, papers, etc... He must have been thinking, "Oh boy! A quick sale!". But then, I arrived at the showroom with a loong checklist! I was initially shown another car which was manufactured later but didnt like it due to minor dirt particles which were very hard to remove. There was a tiny tiny tiny scratch as well. To be honest, nothing to complain about, but I was just being silly. I agreed anyway as they promised to clean it properly. That tiny tiny scratch was invisible unless you pressed hard and kinda widened the gap between two panels. I told the sales exec that when they give the car, it should be in the condition of the car on display in the showroom. A few mins later, he said, "Sir, we'll give you this only". Agreed and made a note of the VIn no and Engine no.
	() Thanks

24th February 2010, 23:44	#81
Maibaa BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 307 Thanked: 92 Times View My Garage	Congratulations Nikhil :-) Eager to know what shoes your new ride is going to get ;-)
	() Thanks

24th February 2010, 23:51	#82
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Nothing too fancy. Dad wants something more comfortable now after the Advan Neovas. So, 205/65 R15 Conti CPC2 is what I'm aiming for.
	() Thanks

24th February 2010, 23:53	#83
Ravich BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 207 Thanked: 76 Times	I responded with a long reply (to your message on the TSI) on the virtues of the TSI , only to realize you have bought the Civic !. I guess thats the right choice Congratulations and enjoy the Civic. Last edited by Ravich : 24th February 2010 at 23:56.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 00:04	#85
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Ravich, It would be a pleasure in any case to read your views. It may not help me, but it will certainly help lots of other people. The main reason we turned away from the Laura was due to the Skoda name. This car will be chauffeur driven 5 days a week. We cant take a risk with such a powerful and relatively complicated machine with our driver. If his technique isnt good, we could have loads of problems. And running to the service centre is painful as we live in Jayanagar. The other end of the world from K R Puram where Vinayak's service centre is located. And if something happens, I honestly dont trust Skoda to help me. It would have still been worth it if it was self driven (like you guys), but this is mainly chauffeur driven. I honestly adore the engine in the Laura 1.8. It's a pity it's a Skoda.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 00:19	#86
iTNerd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imphal/Noida Posts: 1,241 Thanked: 1,214 Times View My Garage	Congratulation in advance, Nikhil! But why 'V'? Heard you mentioned somewhere about the 90K price difference hard to swallow for fog lights, leather seats and cruise control.. Any freebies/discount?
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 13:19	#87
lifeonwheels BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Delhi Posts: 90 Thanked: 2 Times	Congrats! Nikhil on the new buy. Looks very good in white. Civic IMO has the best-in-class interiors and I'm sure you'll enjoy driving as well as being chauffered in this car. Honda reliability should surely keep you tension free for a long time to come
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 14:11	#88
csateesh BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 551 Thanked: 168 Times View My Garage	Congrats Hi Nikhil, Congrats on your purchase. Wishing you miles of happiness Regards Sateesh
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 14:59	#89
shreeps BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 271 Thanked: 20 Times	Hi Nikhil, Congrats on the new purchase. I think it was a very well considered logical decision. AFAIK, the Civic is a good choice which gives almost everything except GC. Umm, by the way, Why the"V" version instead of a "S" plus after purchases upgrade?
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 19:42	#90
suhaas307 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 8,830 Thanked: 12,251 Times	Congratulations big man! Wise choice! Wish you many many miles of laughter, straights, corners and happiness! Looking forward to your initial ownership review!
	() Thanks