[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Did a TD of both the MT and AT variants today and I am completely sold out on the AT! Yes, I have booked a Carbon Steel Ambition AT by paying a token of 10K today. Dealer said that delivery takes about 20 - 25 days. I could well be buying one of the last lots of the Rapid ever made!


Thank you all for the inputs.

Congratulations to you don't forget to get the insurance price matched to the outside rates or get the insurance from outside if they don't agree.

[eyesice]

Congratulations on booking your Rapid Ambition AT.

Thank you. The final OTR came to ~ 13L (discount of 90K) which I felt was a decent deal. My main priorities were engine, ride and handling, safety and if possible an automatic. I am okay to give up most of the electronic gimmicky stuff that are found in today's cars pushing the prices northward.

I was shopping on a budget hence the Rider Plus AT was my choice. It worked out to around 11LOTR

I think this is a really sweet deal. The dealer said that they don't manufacture Rider / Rider Plus anymore. So I had to settle with Ambition AT.

Was it with KUN Skoda? How was the experience with the new dealer. Pls share your feedback/Review about them.

They have opened it very recently. It's just after the Perungudi Toll gate if you are coming from Tidel Park. The showroom is quite spacious and was very clean. The Sales Rep was also very polite and listened to my requirements. They also came with a TD car immediately the next day.

They are just completing the Service center - opposite to the showroom and he said it will be opened the next week. Like you said earlier, Skoda's monopoly ends in Chennai and this is even better news for people in and around South Chennai as well!


On a side note, were you able to negotiate any freebies as well? The sales rep said he will try but wanted to see if I can get some useful accessories as well.

don't forget to get the insurance price matched to the outside rates or get the insurance from outside if they don't agree.

Thank you! The dealer was okay when I suggested to get insurance outside. Can you provide some pointers on which insurance to opt for?

[sameer sultan]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Thank you. The final OTR came to ~ 13L (discount of 90K) which I felt was a decent deal. My main priorities were engine, ride and handling, safety and if possible an automatic. I am okay to give up most of the electronic gimmicky stuff that are found in today's cars pushing the prices northward.

I think this is a really sweet deal. The dealer said that they don't manufacture Rider / Rider Plus anymore. So I had to settle with Ambition AT.

They have opened it very recently. It's just after the Perungudi Toll gate if you are coming from Tidel Park. The showroom is quite spacious and was very clean. The Sales Rep was also very polite and listened to my requirements. They also came with a TD car immediately the next day.

They are just completing the Service center - opposite to the showroom and he said it will be opened the next week. Like you said earlier, Skoda's monopoly ends in Chennai and this is even better news for people in and around South Chennai as well!


On a side note, were you able to negotiate any freebies as well? The sales rep said he will try but wanted to see if I can get some useful accessories as well.

That’s a good deal you have got on the Ambition AT. All your priorities are going to be fulfilled with the Rapid 1.0 TSI AT as the ride is smooth handling is solid safety is good and the engine is just amazing.

No I did not get any freebies as again on the Rider Plus the dealer wasn’t forthcoming with any.

I think I was lucky to go for the booking/Purchase last month otherwise I would have to either cancel my plans or increase the budget grudgingly by another 2L to pick up the Ambition AT instead of my first choice Rider Plus AT.

It was good to read your review of KUN Skoda. Thank you.

[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Thank you! The dealer was okay when I suggested to get insurance outside. Can you provide some pointers on which insurance to opt for?

Well all the major insurance companies are fine, I have taken/experienced many insurance claims and haven't faced an issue till now. You can check policybazaar and see the various prices. Go digit is a newcomer but the prices are a bit low and the services are very good. You should check their website as they have explained all the covers very nicely.

When searching keep the IDV at 95% of the ex showroom price, select covers like zero depreciation/nill depreciation, consumables, Road side assistance, tyre protect, engine gearbox cover if you live in flood prone area, and return to invoice, this one is optional (you get 100% of the car value in case of total damage of the car or theft).

Make sure the insurance provider has a cashless tie-up. Just talk to the the customer support of your selected insurance company and they will let you know.

Once you get the price either you can get the insurance yourself or the showroom folks would match the price. For bargaining price and accessories you have to bargain between different dealerships of your city. Like you were given 90k discount right, so you could have gone to the other dealership and told them that you are getting 90k off, what's the the best that you can offer.

In most cases they do, either more discount or some accessories. Repeat this process between different dealerships till they stop giving you further discounts. I know it sounds silly but that's the only way to get discounts in the market.

[ridehard]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Thank you. The final OTR came to ~ 13L (discount of 90K) which I felt was a decent deal. My main priorities were engine, ride and handling, safety and if possible an automatic. I am okay to give up most of the electronic gimmicky stuff that are found in today's cars pushing the prices northward.

That seems like a decent quote, and thanks for the update about the new Perungudi showroom. Gurudev motors are so unresponsive and not really interested in selling Rapid anymore.
Btw, did you get a chance to check the final OTR of Rapid Ambition MT, with all the discounts? And was the Onyx variant available?

[eyesice]

Originally Posted by ridehard

Btw, did you get a chance to check the final OTR of Rapid Ambition MT, with all the discounts? And was the Onyx variant available?

Even KUN is not very interested to sell Rapids. However, the dealer kept telling me that there are only a select cars left and that Skoda has officially stopped production of the current Rapid from 5th Jul onwards. Not sure if it's a marketing gimmick to close the deal faster.

He did mention he had an Onyx MT and Style MT with discounts.

[R_Gowardhan]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

For bargaining price and accessories you have to bargain between different dealerships of your city. Like you were given 90k discount right, so you could have gone to the other dealership and told them that you are getting 90k off, what's the the best that you can offer.

In my experience, Skoda VW has a very strict policy on this. The moment you mention to a dealer that you have a better offer from another dealer, they will ask you for the quotation being provided. Once you provide the same, they will escalate the matter to the company as the offers have to be standard across showrooms & dealers.

Better not to mention another showroom and see what each showroom offers individually and bargain from there on for the best option.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Did a TD of both the MT and AT variants today and I am completely sold out on the AT! Yes, I have booked a Carbon Steel Ambition AT by paying a token of 10K today. Dealer said that delivery takes about 20 - 25 days. I could well be buying one of the last lots of the Rapid ever made!


Thank you all for the inputs.

Congratulations

The AT is fantastic to say the least, zero turbo lag. Completed 7000 kms in mine this weekend and each of them has been awesome. I was very disappointed with the turbo lag of the MT. 100m in the AT and I was sold.

[eyesice]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

Congratulations

The AT is fantastic to say the least, zero turbo lag. Completed 7000 kms in mine this weekend and each of them has been awesome. I was very disappointed with the turbo lag of the MT. 100m in the AT and I was sold.

Thank you!

I had the same feeling. I was almost ready to book the Style MT at the same price point, but I thought why not drive the AT just for the sake of it and immediately fell in love it.


Question to fellow owners: Has anyone installed floor mats from external vendors? If so, can you share some pics, material along with approximate costs?

[eyesice]

Zac reaffirms the fact that there will be a new sedan unveiled at the end of the year that will be positioned higher above the Rapid. He has not explicitly stated that the current Rapid will be discontinued. Just trying to read between the words - Link.

[headbanger]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Zac reaffirms the fact that there will be a new sedan unveiled at the end of the year that will be positioned higher above the Rapid. He has not explicitly stated that the current Rapid will be discontinued. Just trying to read between the words

My only concern is if the new sedan also gets the same treatment like Kushaq-some visible cost cutting coupled with a Skodaesque price.

If Skoda wants to price at a premium, let it be but don't allow the skirmishes of cost cutting ruin the overall perception of the car and question the pricing then.

So if someone from Skoda is reading this, please don't dilute the vibe of the car.

[eyesice]

Now that Skoda is planning to stop production of the Rapid, how much of a hassle will be to maintain the car (read spare parts) for say 7 - 10 years down?

1. Since the rapid shares a lot of parts with the Polo and Vento, will this be an issue?
2. How much of part localization is done for the Rapid in India?

[heartonwheelz]

Originally Posted by eyesice

Now that Skoda is planning to stop production of the Rapid, how much of a hassle will be to maintain the car (read spare parts) for say 7 - 10 years down?

1. Since the rapid shares a lot of parts with the Polo and Vento, will this be an issue?
2. How much of part localization is done for the Rapid in India?

Every manufacturer is legally binded to support it's product for atleast 10 years, after the product has been discontinued. So you should be good.

[eyesice]

Finally got my Czech beauty delivered last week and I am head over heels with it. Took her out for a spin yesterday on the ECR and she is an absolute delight to drive.Once again, thank you to a lot of BHPians in this thread who helped me in finalizing the decision to go with the Rapid!

[Shom]

Wow! What a beauty! Congratulations!!

I have a question to all Rapid owners out there. I stay in Gurgaon at a place that gets easily and often flooded during heavy rains, so much that sometimes the water is knee high. I am planning to replace my Swift (petrol, 2015) with an able and possibly better car. Naturally, the Rapid is a strong contender. How is its water wading capabilities? I own a Ciaz too, and during the recent heavy downpour in Gurgaon (end July'21), the water rose to such an extent that the Li-ion smart hybrid battery unit kept below the front passenger seat just conked off. I had to get a new one fitted from the dealer.

I am aware that my question might sound stupid. After all, with such water logging problem, you would say, why go for a sedan at all ? But the Rapid is capable of doing this to you. So, I would love to hear from anyone who can instruct me on this.