[ronin]

Maan. After all these advices, I wonder if you will still go for it. But if you are still interested, then here is a list of stuff that went wrong on my 2006 L & K Laura, Manual.

Turbo failure
Clutch failure @ 5000km and @45000km
Horn failure -thrice
A/C compressor failure
EGR Valve failure
Devolopment of bubbles in tyre - On 3 OE tyres,The 4th one burst.
Cracked Alloy

And the worst one is no one is buying it from me now, which in turns means ridiculous resale value. One guy even offered to exchange it with a Ford Fiesta.

[prateekm]

Originally Posted by ackyash

Prateek, this particular Laura you are liking is what year of manufacturing and how many kms has it done?

Well, I have 3 options basically :

1-> Laura A/T (Feb 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.5l
2-> Laura M/T (Dec 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.3l
3-> Superb A/T Petrol (Jul 04)- 34k - 7.0l

I was basically interested in a Laura as it is a diesel and my daily running will be 80+ kms. Never driven a auto but when I TD it, it was aswesome (The DSG gearbox is the best I have ever seen till date)

Superb is also nicely maintained, but tires need to be replaced ASAP and insurance has expired. Does the Superb have more maintenance than the Laura? Basically, I am not thinking about the Superb because of the FE probs.

[Ajay]

Sincere advice, Please keep away from the used Superbs' & the Lauras'.
If you want a Skoda, pick an Octavia off the showrooms new, far more reliable. You stay in Mumbai, what is the on road price of an Octavia TDi.

Did you test drive the Chevy Cruze too?

Cheers

[hiren959]

A big No No to used cars especially if it would be a Skoda, as their cars having some serious electrical failures. In my city a new Octavia got fire during the run, not once but twice after restoration of the first burning issue and there is a tough escape for a driver.

Your daily running is 80+ so IMO you should go for a new Linea MJD or Verna CRDI if you are not a driversentric.

[shatrughna]

It appears to me that you are smitten by Skoda and of course its a beautiful car IMHO.

If you still want to give it a try, please, do check all the papers, service history thoroughly. If you know any good garage- pls take someone from there for a thorough inspection. The price you have quoted for AT is good , I feel but many people have had bad experiences. The DSG replacement cost is whopping (approx 3 Lakhs). Get the electronics checked thoroughly, the xenon lights are also costly. Get the sunroof, suspensions, brake pads, wheels all checked. What is the condition of leather seats? Till here all negatives.

The positive sides- its reasonably good value and if you can get it from a trustworthy source- it will be worth it. The built quality, dynamics, safety features and comfort is all top class. FE is good, driving pleasure is unlimited. It will not make you feel tired easily and as its you are getting it at half the price, so for you, depreciation in 3-4 years will be reasonable- comparably less.

By the way, how many years you intend to keep it- or how many kms? Engine is said to be robust and good enough to last 3 lakhs kms at least. I have read somewhere that a taxi driver's skoda had 6lakh plus kms on odo( couldnt have been Laura- it was Octavia)- non PD engine.

With its parent company VW being here, Skoda wont go Kaput and spare parts availability should also not be an issue as Jetta too uses many parts from the same bin.

If your head, heart and wallet- all are nodding for a Laura- I would say then go fot it- all the best. Keep some change standby for any immediate repairs that may be needed and consider it as part of the initial cost. Feb 06 models, insurance renewal would also be due soon. At 40K kms, tyre change also wont be too far. Refer to the checklist / advice on buying a used car on this forum.

But if you want sheer comfort, sheer VFM , or high tech stuff or sheer performance - there are better options available in the market.
Wish you all the best in your decision. But compared to Superb AT- (petrol and non DSG) , Laura AT would be better ( diesel & DSG)

At the end of the day- you should be happy with your decision and if it can give you the satisfaction that you seek for it- I would suggest go for it. Analysis should not become paralysis.

Originally Posted by prateekm

Well, I have 3 options basically :

1-> Laura A/T (Feb 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.5l
2-> Laura M/T (Dec 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.3l
3-> Superb A/T Petrol (Jul 04)- 34k - 7.0l

I was basically interested in a Laura as it is a diesel and my daily running will be 80+ kms. Never driven a auto but when I TD it, it was aswesome (The DSG gearbox is the best I have ever seen till date)

Superb is also nicely maintained, but tires need to be replaced ASAP and insurance has expired. Does the Superb have more maintenance than the Laura? Basically, I am not thinking about the Superb because of the FE probs.

[prateekm]

I know a dealer around Mumbai and he says he sells cars not for the sake of selling but as a passion. He buys the cars from the individuals and then sells them. This is a bonus since I don't think he will buy a damaged Laura as that will dent his chances in selling it. I saw a few pics and it seems to be in a good condition

Will keep you guys updated

[Ajay]

Originally Posted by shatrughna

If your head, heart and wallet- all are nodding for a Laura- I would say then go fot it- all the best. Keep some change standby for any immediate repairs that may be needed and consider it as part of the initial cost. Feb 06 models, insurance renewal would also be due soon. At 40K kms, tyre change also wont be too far. Refer to the checklist / advice on buying a used car on this forum.
.

At 40k kms, does the Laura need a timing belt + water pump replacement?

[GTO]

The Laura fares poorly in reliability ratings. What makes the situation worse is that the parts are killer expensive. Stuff does go wrong, and it isn't cheap to set right.

If you are keen on Skodas, I would highly recommend an Octavia diesel to you instead. Its way simpler, mechanically robust and is an extremely reliable machine.

Not too many other D segment diesel options in the used market (unless you find the rare Sonata diesel). How about a new Chevy Cruze?

[Takumi-san]

Dont do it mate. While you may think that only bad news sells and there are lots of satisfied Skoda consumers , do you really want to take the chance? Their A.S.S. sucks and whats more they lie to customers (case in point is the email that a gentleman was sent mistakenly - read up on all Skoda threads). You have a good budget, you can get several choices of an entirely new or used cars. Dont take the chance when you have so much options. This company doesnt care for its customers at all.

[jigbarai]

The Octavia diesel (new) would come to about 11 L OTR in Mumbai.

I would go with the opinion that if you do really like the car (no reason anyone wouldn't) and you can get full details of its service history, do seriously think about it. If things look good, get it doubly checked at say a authorized service center and an independant - just for your peace of mind, to make sure it isn't a lemon being passed over.

Pick it up for close to 9 L and keep the remaining 2 L spare on a fixed deposit, just incase you run into some 'reliability' issues being highlighted here.

No comparision between a well maintained Laura L&K DSG and a base Octavia manual.

As already highlighted, yearly maintanance costs will be a tad higher than 20k (say max - double it out). But this is true for any 'used' luxury cars (Accord included).

If the DSG box has done well for like 3 years and 40k, with regular servicing, no reasons to believe it will go bonk anytime soon. (The recent DSG reliability issues were reported for almost 'new' cars.)

Yes, even I have heard a few stories (outside this forum, on the street as you may say) about Laura A/C compressor issues, but else nothing apart from that.

Let me also add that you are for sure going to get far more 'nay's here on this forum for anything 'Skoda'. Like why would you blame the car for cracked alloys ? They just dont break by themselves, do they ?

Well, you have to take the final call here. If you do decide for a 'new car' eventually, I'll conclude with my starting statement..

The Octavia diesel (new) would come to about 11 L OTR in Mumbai. Cheers & good luck.

[Fabiaous]

Originally Posted by prateekm

Well, I have 3 options basically :

1-> Laura A/T (Feb 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.5l
2-> Laura M/T (Dec 06) - 40,000 kms - 9.3l
3-> Superb A/T Petrol (Jul 04)- 34k - 7.0l

I was basically interested in a Laura as it is a diesel and my daily running will be 80+ kms. Never driven a auto but when I TD it, it was aswesome (The DSG gearbox is the best I have ever seen till date)

There are couple of good threads which are inclined to make you buy a skoda car. Otherwise this is not the place to get a positive response on skoda.

So you need to consider the negetive opinons in this forum and analyze why you should not buy a skoda period.

Try to base your opinion using link Classic Skoda Owners Skoda Discussions - Classic Skoda Owners at BRISKODA.net - BRISKODA - The Skoda Forums

After sales service and cost of spares are turn away topics from buying and maintaining a skoda .
So if you are fine with these then go for skoda else and go for another brand.

You wont find positive reviews here as tired owners have called it quits here , ex Netchef whose posts were the best.

I am expecting some decent criticism if this post is cleared by mods.

[shatrughna]

I would differ from your impressions. There are no criticism for any positiove or negative experiences that are shared here for any car or manufacturer. The richness of the content here at TBHP lies in the fact that there are genuine experiences of car lovers who like to share and learn from each other. I have also shared my experiences which sound in favour of skoda and never faced any undue criticism- so dont worry, feel free and voice your opinion. No one has ever said that Skoda makes bad cars- this can be gauged from the fact that skoda car was displayed on the home page and still features on many pages. People voiced their opinions against it more for the reasons of poor after sales, exhorbitant cost, lack of encouraging or positive response despite selling at such huge prices and some of the acts by their dealers and staff which was nothing less than daylight robbery, cheating and to make matters worse, even threatening the forum/administrators with adverse consequences.

This was something which couldnt be tolerated in the interest of our rights as a customer, free citizens who in their rights, must voice their opinions freely. It was something that was unheard of so far and no responsible business would have responded/ reacted in such manner.

The opinions are fair, unbiased and definitely valuable. Sharing is caring and thats what you would also agree when you have spent some time and got involved here. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Fabiaous

There are couple of good threads which are inclined to make you buy a skoda car. Otherwise this is not the place to get a positive response on skoda.

So you need to consider the negetive opinons in this forum and analyze why you should not buy a skoda period.

Try to base your opinion using link Classic Skoda Owners Skoda Discussions - Classic Skoda Owners at BRISKODA.net - BRISKODA - The Skoda Forums

After sales service and cost of spares are turn away topics from buying and maintaining a skoda .
So if you are fine with these then go for skoda else and go for another brand.

You wont find positive reviews here as tired owners have called it quits here , ex Netchef whose posts were the best.

I am expecting some decent criticism if this post is cleared by mods.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Fabiaous

After sales service and cost of spares are turn away topics from buying and maintaining a skoda .
So if you are fine with these then go for skoda else and go for another brand.

You wont find positive reviews here as tired owners have called it quits here , ex Netchef whose posts were the best.

I am expecting some decent criticism if this post is cleared by mods.
[/i]

Fabiaous,

Unfortunately, you are making some very sweeping statements on this community. And I do not appreciate that. Clearly highlit reasons for avoiding the Skoda Laura:

1. Suspect reliability. An overwhelming majority of our ownership reports have submitted problems with the DSG gearbox, air-conditioner, electronics etc. And hey, its not about the brands we own or not own either. I own a C220 and will be the first to accept that there are inherent reliability issues with the car.

2. Expensive parts : Complex Euro machinery. Its obvious.

3. Shoddy aftersales : A majority of Skoda's after-sales service centers suck. Thats a fact. Sure, there are good ones and as an example, we from Bombay go out of the way to recommend JMD.

You have probably missed the posts where we have patted Skoda on the back for the good work they've done, or the dealers who do take care of their customers, or even their cars (I do think all their Indian cars, save for the Fabia, are excellent machines. Especially the Superb).

By submitting such messages, it is you who is biased and not us. No offence meant. If you don't like the way this forum is run, or its user comments, feel free to debate on the points objectively. But passing such a sweeping statement is not getting anyone anywhere.

[shatrughna]

Hi Prateek- longtime no update from you as yet. Did you decide and buy any car as yet or still contemplating.

[MadRash]

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

Contrary to the popular opinion here, the Laura is a great car. (Period).

None of the others come close to it for handling and ride + the Laura is built like a tank. The FE is the icing on the cake, as the Laura returns a FE of about 13 kmpl in the city, on Diesel!

There are a fair number of satisfied, make that delighted, Laura owners here on TBHP but, like they say in the newspaper trade - bad news sells! A satisfied and happy owner is not 'news' particularly if the car is a Skoda, so those threads are rarely visited except by other Skoda owners.
Cheers,

Rightly said Ravveendrra.

prateekm:
I own a Fabia and contrary to most of the "so called" reviews, I'm very much satisfied and happy with the car. I don't think any other hatch would have satisfied me to that level. Except one or two cases, I found all the Fabia owners are really happy with their car.

In my hometown, Skodas are very popular among the business community from the begining. My brother in law bought a 2nd hand Laura 6 months back and he is really happy with the car's performance. His family owns 3 or 4 Skodas and they are all running without any issues.