Team-BHP - Yet another Octavia owner struggling to upgrade! What Car?

IF you really want to upgrade your Jetta then honestly you will have to compromise on some or the other requirement. If you simply want to enjoy a new car then why not get yourself an Amaze CVT for when you can't be bothered to drive for example within the city during peak rush hour times, and enjoy the experience of owning a brand new small, simple and reliable Honda. It ought to suffice unless the itch to own something new also means that it has to be more expensive and replace the Jetta.

Honestly I think you need to be more realistic on your expectations too. Unless you are open to used car market, the most expensive MT sedan you can get now is Slavia 1.5 (hope I haven’t missed anything). Though Slavia definitely has a better performance than Jetta 1.4, it is a downgrade in all other terms.
I feel you might have to compromise on MT and go for an Octavia. It is definitely a good replacement for Jetta. Don’t compare yesteryear’s price with current, cars have really become expensive in last couple of years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shahbaz63 (Post 5475929)

Nope bro, still holding onto it. It seems extremely difficult to get something good in my budget, even though the pre-owned market is skyrocketing.

I think we are on the same boat. Except that my last drive was lemon Harrier. We both have a similar budget for an appropriate replacement. Here is my thread FYKI https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...ml#post5475930

While I am yet to TD the Tiguan which I will be doing it shortly, its really a sad state for consumers in India not to have the freedom of choice in any price bracket. Be it 10L or 5cr. Desired brands like Ford, Fiat, GM, Mitsubishi have pulled out. No options from existing desired brands like Nissan, Honda, Renault. VAG cars are not true VAG's sub 30L and >30L except for Tiguan (not worth 40L) and Kodiaq. Other desired brands like Mazda, Subaru don't have presence in India.

Hey shahbaz63!

Going to keep my answer short and crisp here.

Considering that your mind is 100% set and that you really want to upgrade, there is no point in discussing repairs, custom upgrades, touch-ups etc.

And the fact that you could not connect with an A4 (rightly so as you already own a Octy) and that your budget is between 35-40L, the outgoing Superb would be a good option.

The Tiguan and Kodiaq are awesome cars but I feel they are priced even more highly in the current overpriced car market. The Tucson would be a compromise, just my opinion.

Pre-owned VAG cars are a NO for me.

The Superb would be an awesome addition for your long distance touring requirements in the specified budget bracket.

If you wish to really buy a Superb, you will have to pull the trigger soon as the rumoured discontinuation deadline is around the corner.

Do let us know what you decided on eventually and happy purchasing. :)

I got to tell you that your requirement isn't fully realistic unless you make some decent compromises. MT and Luxury don't go hand in hand in the India market. In the last 5-10 years, I don't think we have seen premium/ luxury cars with MT transmission, unlike it being offered in the western markets. And honestly what's the deal with MT ? I mean in the choices you are looking at, these are after all well engineered products with good Auto transmission so I don't think you are going to need that kick of MT. Just slot them to sports mode and use the paddles when in mood but a lot of us folks rarely use paddles as the drive mode usually serves a good amount of power.

Some of my choices for used cars in this bracket would be ( very reliable and no DSG woes as they all come equipped with TC transmission)

1. S90 D5 - Should be able to get a good model at 35-40L. Its no Octavia like handler but is a comfort oriented saloon and will sound like an upgrade when it comes to ride quality ( rear air suspension) and creature comforts ( massaging seats, amazing stereo etc)

2. V90 Cross Country ( if you can get hold of one at all)- Estate version of S90 with a grater ground clearance and AWD. Very rare to see and get one but may be you can find one in Mumbai. Handles really well compared to the S90 and is even more practical ( retains all of the creature comforts from S90)

3. S60 Polestar or S60 Cross Country AWD- The former is performance oriented and petrol only. Can beat the Octavia's ride and performance. The latter is Diesel with a cross over like stance. Brisk performance and comes in a AWD guise. Again a great contender.

4. Used 330i/ 330li - I saw some very tempting prices in the used markets recently for the 2019 model. Even BBT has some some very good options.

New options- Only 1 I can think of close to your price bracket.

New Superb - before its gone. You can command some discounts I suppose. With this option still in place, I wouldn't look at a used superb unless the delta is more than 20 lacs.

Good luck with your hunt!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sedanlover (Post 5442140)

Thanks for all the responses, have decided as of now to retain the Jetta.

Hello, welcome back to the Jetta club!! I am a proud owner of VW Jetta too, mine is 2014 version and I have done nearly 70K kms. Jetta is quite unique and doesn't have a replacement at least in India. It's the sturdiest sedan without going into the Merc/ BMW category. I believe the Jetta engine is the same as Audi, so it's a luxury car without having to pay for the fancy tag of Merc and BMW, which are more to announce that you've arrived.

I think in today's market, the best replacement is VW Tiguan. However, if you are too used to Jetta ride, I don't think you'll get the same ride quality (especially riding over bumps and ditches in Indian roads) in SUV though Tiguan is a breeze and solid to drive.

I am telling myself that I would wait until we have more electric options. I recently saw a Volvo EV on display but it costs an obscene 55L..!!

Hi, I am likely to face the same dilemma in a couple of years time. I have the Octavia 1.8TSI 2018 model. I have already invested quite a bit to make it even more exciting- bilstein B6s, 17” alloys, Michelin PS4 225 45 R17 tyres , new intercoolers & air intakes & a stage 1 tune.

When my gearbox starts misbehaving (like it is doing in yours), I may consider upgrading to the DQ250 from TVS Engineering. Hopefully that would keep be happy for the next 5-6 years at least. I have set aside a budget for this eventuality…it is a wet clutch box and capable of handling much more power & torque than what Octavia produces

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sedanlover (Post 5442140)

Thanks for all the responses, have decided as of now to retain the Jetta.

The Skoda Octavia ticks all the right boxes in many ways for me- Luxurious, spacious, Boot Space, sturdy, NO Sunroof ....

But the issues for me are ,the Skoda after sales, pricing, no MT option and the fact that the vehicle is likely to be discontinued soon.

If only they had a variant with a lesser engine 1.5 or 1.8 TSI with MT at a lower price point,would have straight away gone for it.

Guess sooner or later looks to me that I have to join the SUV bandwagon

Hi sedanlover!

Your thoughts on the 1.4 jetta? Worth buying a used 10y.o 1.4 jetta today?