[ACM]

Originally Posted by magikrider

all I can do is..

Skoda.. please take this seriously if you are reading this.. look at whats happening to the image of skoda.. Please act before its too late and work on your flaws and start giving results..and restore the faith of people again. and you will see that we Indians are also the very forgiving types.

SKODA if I may add you need to spend some money on

1) Restoring confidence of existing customers.
2) Check out that case which you have in court again and see if you are in the wrong out there. Pls get into the truth through independent persons, rather than go by possibly involved employees only. Clearly some wrong has been done from their side, even if they are not responsible for all or the wrong. Appointing and supporting a inappropriate dealer being the place where they errered to start with.
3) Train and monitor your dealer network *** more stringently.

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by ACM

SKODA if I may add you need to spend some money on

1) Restoring confidence of existing customers.
2) Check out that case which you have in court again and see if you are in the wrong out there. Pls get into the truth through independent persons, rather than go by possibly involved employees only. Clearly some wrong has been done from their side, even if they are not responsible for all or the wrong. Appointing and supporting a inappropriate dealer being the place where they errered to start with.
3) Train and monitor your dealer network *** more stringently.

I do not think they need to spend money - just some time and effort on their P.R., particularly in relation to their A.S.S., I personally have not had any problems with the car or the A.S.S. and am more than satisfied with both.

Skoda do make great cars, which are fun to drive. I do not think they are palming off outdated models in India as the ones sold here are pretty much what they are selling in Europe. Yes, the platforms are older than the Japanese counterparts', but then, the Japanese typically have a shorter product cycle. A longer product cyle works fine for me as I keep my cars for very long, a longer product cycle means my car will not become outdated / out-of-production for a longer time. I therefore recommend the cars to discerning buyers.

Cheers,

[magikrider]

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

I do not think they need to spend money - just some time and effort on their P.R., particularly in relation to their A.S.S., I personally have not had any problems with the car or the A.S.S. and am more than satisfied with both.

Skoda do make great cars, which are fun to drive. I do not think they are palming off outdated models in India as the ones sold here are pretty much what they are selling in Europe. Yes, the platforms are older than the Japanese counterparts', but then, the Japanese typically have a shorter product cycle. A longer product cyle works fine for me as I keep my cars for very long, a longer product cycle means my car will not become outdated / out-of-production for a longer time. I therefore recommend the cars to discerning buyers.

Cheers,

That is exactly my point. I also think that skoda cars are tough and good fun to drive and are value for money. they have everything going for them except some issues with the dealers and A.S.S. need to be looked into and sorted out soon. because I have seen many people just deciding against a skoda only because they are scared about the high maintenance and A.S.S. if only skoda sorts these issues, then I guess there is no stoping. tech wise they are already very much ahead than Japanese brands.

[anekho]

a quick search on google landed me on this page (2009 Skoda Octavia - New Car and Used Car Pictures on Lincah.Com) with loads of photos of the 2009 skoda laura.

cheers

[vinaydas]

actually there are not that many problems with skoda owners in bangalore compared to mumbai!!
maybe the main culprit is the management

[magikrider]

but seriously, take a look at this guys.. I mean this looks amazing! now the Japs dont even come any close to this.. (thanks anekho)

Picture courtesy: Lincah.com

also I think I just became a BHPian!

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by magikrider

That is exactly my point. I also think that skoda cars are tough and good fun to drive and are value for money. they have everything going for them except some issues with the dealers and A.S.S. need to be looked into and sorted out soon. because I have seen many people just deciding against a skoda only because they are scared about the high maintenance and A.S.S. if only skoda sorts these issues, then I guess there is no stoping. tech wise they are already very much ahead than Japanese brands.

Originally Posted by vinaydas

actually there are not that many problems with skoda owners in bangalore compared to mumbai!!
maybe the main culprit is the management

Originally Posted by magikrider

but seriously, take a look at this guys.. I mean this looks amazing! now the Japs dont even come any close to this.. (thanks anekho)

also I think I just became a BHPian!

Congratulations magikrider on becoming a TBHPian.

I can vouch for their solidity - the Hyderabad TBHP guys renamed mine 'tank' after it took down a milestone on one of the drives! (Net damage = Rs.414.00).

From the threads here - I understand that some dealers are pretty bad/awful.

About high maintainance - I disagree, if one considers the lack of body damage caused by two wheelers etc. it is a huuuuuge saving. Plus if one considers a longer period of ownership say 7 to 10 years, the cost of maintainance should even out.

[evo]

Originally Posted by amit

Knowing Skoda they may launch the new Laura as an entirely new car.

We may have three versions of the Octavia - Skoda Octavia, Skoda Laura and Skoda Flora.

Hahahaha! Flora. Amazing.

And their dealers will price the common parts on all these cars at separate values depending whether an octavia owner is paying for them or a laura or the new flora!

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by amit

Knowing Skoda they may launch the new Laura as an entirely new car.

We may have three versions of the Octavia - Skoda Octavia, Skoda Laura and Skoda Flora.

Originally Posted by evo

Hahahaha! Flora. Amazing.

And their dealers will price the common parts on all these cars at separate values depending whether an octavia owner is paying for them or a laura or the new flora!

Thanks Amit and Evo for injecting some much needed humour into this thread. I must say you guys are a riot!

Cheers,

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by magikrider

The fate of the octavia is unknown then. It can be priced between fabia & laura or phased out finally and the laura being sold as the octavia just like rest of the world!

As per the latest ACI, Skoda's looking to introduce an all-new Octavia by end 2010 based on a modified Polo or Fabia platform with a longer wheelbase. To cost around 8-10L to compete with the Linea, ANHC and the like. Apparently the existing Octy will need extensive upgrades to adhere to the soon-to-be enforced BS IV emission norms. So Skoda would rather introduce something new than spending on updating the existing model.
This would gel with magikrider's theory of a lesser priced Laura... a cheaper Octy would keep it off its elder sibling's toes.

I've been following the other threads about Skoda's dishonesty and pathetic customer service. And it makes me very sad, simply because I consider their cars to be amongst the best in India. We had an Octavia in the family previously, and were very happy with it.

Now if only Skoda wakes up and smells the coffee, pulls up their socks and provides some quality and honest support & service. It is an absolute must to go with their plans to expand in India.
Oh, and someone please tell them to name their cars better. I mean - "Laura"??? What the hell were they smoking???

[alpha1]

^ Weed.
Gauging by their lack of presence of mind in resolving customer complaints, and in fact threatening them instead to keep their mouths shut.

[magikrider]

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

Congratulations magikrider on becoming a TBHPian.

I can vouch for their solidity - the Hyderabad TBHP guys renamed mine 'tank' after it took down a milestone on one of the drives! (Net damage = Rs.414.00).

From the threads here - I understand that some dealers are pretty bad/awful.

About high maintainance - I disagree, if one considers the lack of body damage caused by two wheelers etc. it is a huuuuuge saving. Plus if one considers a longer period of ownership say 7 to 10 years, the cost of maintainance should even out.

Originally Posted by razor4077

As per the latest ACI, Skoda's looking to introduce an all-new Octavia by end 2010 based on a modified Polo or Fabia platform with a longer wheelbase. To cost around 8-10L to compete with the Linea, ANHC and the like. Apparently the existing Octy will need extensive upgrades to adhere to the soon-to-be enforced BS IV emission norms. So Skoda would rather introduce something new than spending on updating the existing model.
This would gel with magikrider's theory of a lesser priced Laura... a cheaper Octy would keep it off its elder sibling's toes.

I've been following the other threads about Skoda's dishonesty and pathetic customer service. And it makes me very sad, simply because I consider their cars to be amongst the best in India. We had an Octavia in the family previously, and were very happy with it.

Now if only Skoda wakes up and smells the coffee, pulls up their socks and provides some quality and honest support & service. It is an absolute must to go with their plans to expand in India.
Oh, and someone please tell them to name their cars better. I mean - "Laura"??? What the hell were they smoking???

Thanks Ravveendrra. and just like you guys I also consider skoda cars along with VW as the safest and the best cars at their price segment. they are great value for money as well as technologically way advanced compared to their Japnese counterparts. but just the product does not make a brand successful. along with it they have to give right and honest service and support after the sales.

even though the car in itself rocks, if I had been in the market at present, I might go for the Corolla altis just for that peace of mind after spending more then a million buck!

[reppy]

Originally Posted by razor4077

Oh, and someone please tell them to name their cars better. I mean - "Laura"??? What the hell were they smoking???

That's after one of the founders of Skoda - Lauren. The other was Klement (that's why we have L&K version of these cars as the top end!).

So maybe the new one will be called Klemu!

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by razor4077

...... Oh, and someone please tell them to name their cars better. I mean - "Laura"??? What the hell were they smoking???

The same thing that they were when they named two other ladies in the family "Octavia" & "Fabia".

Please try not to use a thick desi accent when pronouncing any of these names. If all Indian accents & languages were to be catered to when naming products - we would have a slew of numbers for names. Does anyone care for a late 2009, 02315B458AX97?

Cheers,

[nkrishnap]

By the way when will the new/facelifted laura be launched?