[razor4077]

I've been wanting to own a European car for quite a while now. Read: German, Czech. The big 3 Germans were obviously out of my league. Pre-owned specimens were perhaps within reach from a capex perspective, but maintenance costs were the killer. That left the German and Czech cousins. Finally, after years of head ruling over heart (VWs and Skodas aren't cheap to maintain either and aren't exactly the most reliable), I bit the bullet and went for it (you only live once and all that).

Had narrowed down on a one year old Jetta TDI DSG that had done just 11,000 kms and was in pristine shape. Had a whole year of standard warranty left, extendable by 2 more years. Perfect. Made a substantial offer to the owner, at least 1 lakh above the prevailing market rates. He held out for a better offer, which I was confident he wouldn't land. He did. Someone paid him 4 lakhs over the market rate and took the car home. In football transfer lingo, I was gazumped! Was gutted and shelved the idea for a while.

Couldn't really stay away from the used car sites though. Kept a regular eye on the usual ones, searching for Jettas and Lauras. Filters: diesel (2.0 TDI), automatic, under 40k kms. Then one day I came across a good looking Laura L&K specimen. 2012 model, done 37k kms. Unique Rosso Brunello (maroon) colour. Called up the dealer and went to check out the car. Inspected it thoroughly and took a lengthy test drive. Also called the Skoda ASC to verify service history.

Breaking things down:

2012 Skoda Laura L&K 2.0 TDI DSG
Rosso Brunello colour

Done: 37k kms
Source: Cartrade.com (dealer)
Original Asking price: 8.5 Lakhs

Observations/issues:

Exterior:
- Rear bumper heavily scratched/dented. Parking sensor hidden
- Front bumper scratched, number plate cracked
- Rear left fender depressed
- Rear right disc brake in bad shape
- Tyres will need replacing soon
- Overall polishing/detailing required

Interior:
- Rear centre armrest lock broken
- Rear AC vent - some broken slats
- Overall cleaning and detailing needed inside

Resolution - to be provided at no extra cost as part of the deal:
- Bumpers to be repainted
- Full exterior detailing - 3M Paint Sealant (car dealer also owned a 3M dealership)
- Full interior detailing - 3M Germkleen
- Rear centre armrest lock to be fixed
- Number plates to be replaced
- Rear parking sensor to be properly fitted

Final buying price: 7.6 Lakhs
Transfer charges were extra (another 10k, which I think was way too high)
One good thing was that the insurance was valid for another 8 months.

Paid an advance and the car was sent off to get fixed. Delivery was scheduled around a week later. Settled the tab and we took home the car. Enter the five year old Rosso Brunello L&K into our lives - Maroon 5 (add healthy dose of creative license here, lol!).

First Look on delivery day :

[razor4077]

3M treatment did the trick and the car looked mint on delivery, inside out. Colour is lovely and fairly uncommon among Lauras (more common with the previous gen Superbs).

Pics taken after delivery:



TDI with a red "I" = DSG!


Some interior shots:

[razor4077]

Changes/fixes/additions made since purchasing:

• 3M Nomad mats (black colour) fitted at the time of delivery. Have been using them on our ANHC and I really like them. Worth the steep price tag.
• Bought a replacement rear AC vent unit from Aliexpress. Cost USD 27.55 with shipping. Cost a fraction of potential replacement cost at Skoda a.s.s. Perfect fit, good quality. Could fit it myself (The key was taking out the older unit).

• Michelin Primacy 3 ST 205/55/R16 tyres. Stock size of the Laura L&K. Also had the options of the Continental MC5 and Pirelli P7 (both marginally cheaper) but opted for the Michelins. Tread design of the P3ST made it appear wider than the other two, especially the P7. Was almost as if I was getting a +1 upsize :P . Haven't driven around a whole lot yet, but after close to 1000 kms of mixed condition driving (good roads, bad to terrible roads, local, highway, dry, wet etc.) impressions are very positive.

• Changed number plates to European style (with a blue IND strip on the left). Had initially wanted the German style font, but the store guy said the cops sometimes hassled and fined people over these, as they weren't RTO approved. Decided to opt for peace of mind. Euro style plates look sweet as well!

• Purchased an aspherical right wing mirror from EBay UK for about GBP 12. This was the one with a backplate and heating. Thanks to DIY videos on YouTube, was able to remove the existing flat mirror (terribly inconvenient and dangerous as it results in a large blind spot on the right). L&K variant comes with auto-dimming mirrors in addition to heating, but was unable to find a reasonably priced dimming+heated mirror replacement. So auto dimming was sacrificed. Unfortunately, the replacement mirror mount was of a different design and couldn't be used. As a recourse, tried using one of the stick-on fish-eye mirrors (iPop brand from Amazon). Was terrible and I just could NOT adapt to it. Finally, decided to do some juggad, and carefully extracted the EBay mirror from its backplate. Had been stuck on with double sided tape so it was simple enough with a Swiss knife. Also removed the heating elements (two leads and stick-on wiring) and cleaned it up as much possible. Then, using 3M double sided tape (foam type) attached the aspherical mirror on top of the stock flat one. Because of the different curvatures only the tapes on the outside were in contact between the two surfaces. But the join seems solid - fingers firmly crossed. Driving has changed for the better since then - makes a HUGE difference while changing lanes or generally keeping an eye on the right side/rear. One of the must-dos in terms of upgrades in my book.

• Car went for its annual service. Had initially planned to take it to a Skoda a.s.c and had even booked an appointment, but an estimate of 17k + taxes for a standard servicing made me think twice. Asked around and found an independent workshop called Wagenwerkz - was recommended by some BHPians so I took the chance. Called up Jatin, who owns the place and got an appointment for the next day. Work done:
  
  - Engine oil change (Wurth fully synthetic oil of 5W40 grade was used), oil filter, fuel filter and AC filter changed. As per Jatin, filters were of the same standards as VW/Skoda but without their stamp (and premium). Hope he's right.
  - Brakes were checked and found to have decent life left. Rear right disk had some damage as earlier noted, but would be OK for now. Jatin suggested a change after 3-4000 kms (rear disks and pads). Front pads OK to last another 5000 kms at least.
  - Engine bay was cleaned with compressed air
  - Wiper washer water was topped up
  - Brake fluid and coolant levels were checked and found OK
  - Air filter was in good shape so was thoroughly cleaned with compressed air and re-fitted
  - AC filter was very dirty and needed urgent replacement. Flow and cooling much improved since.
  
  - Full scanning done with VAG-COM. Faults found:

  - Fog lamp bulb - this was an old error and didn't show up after clearing
  - AC compressor - not optimal. This meant a potential compressor change in the future. Hoping it won't be anytime very soon though.

  - Also used the VAG COM to unlock some hidden features. Since the L&K has a Maxidot in the instrumentation cluster along with a multifunction steering wheel, many of the features can be switched on directly using the Maxidot+steering controls. Examples: coming home and leaving home lights, auto locking of doors, units for speed, capacity etc, resetting service information etc. There were, however, some features that couldn't be unlocked with the Maxidot, and needed the VAG-COM:

  - Activated DRLs and moved the DRL on/off option to the Maxidot
  - Activated turn signals flashing on emergency braking
  - Activated bending headlights (not sure why this had been disabled)
  - Had initially planned on activating the needle sweep and auto door unlocking on removing the key from ignition, but decided against both.

• Purchased white colour LED bulbs (with CREE chips) from Aliexpress for DRL bulb replacement. OEM DRL bulbs were yellow halogens, which didn't look good at all. There was a confusion online on different forums regarding the holder type - P21W or PY21W. Decided to check it myself. YouTube again showed me how to open the fog lamp + DRL unit and unscrew the bulb. It was actually as simple as using a shoe horn as a wedge to open the unit! Bulb type was confirmed as P21W.

• Ordered 2 bulbs manufactured by S&D, which had good reviews. Wattage was listed as 30W per bulb.

• Since the LED bulbs have a much lower resistance than the standard halogens, a "bulb out" error would be shown on the dash in case I used LEDs for DRLs. As a solution, ordered a high quality clip-on resistor from MotoHID.pl.

Thankfully, everything fitted and worked as expected. Didn't get any errors after installation. The DRL looks very cool, and the white light is much better in appearance than the yellow. In India these are for cosmetic purposes only unlike say the UK, where these are mandatory safety-related kit on a car. And looks wise, this works just fine. The LEDs are very bright and I'll take a call as to whether I need to reduce the brightness (doable via VAG COM). But since they are used only in the daytime, a little extra brightness wouldn't hurt anyone I guess. When the parking light/headlight/fog lamps are switched on, DRLs automatically get turned off. And the convenient option of turning them on/off directly using the Maxidot is good to have.

Here's the final result (not a very good quality pic):

• Have ordered a stainless steel exhaust muffler tailpiece from Aliexpress. It's a clip-on type and won't require any cutting or welding of the exhaust pipe. Hoping they'll fit well and without fuss. Twin exhaust tailpipes look very nice in steel/chrome.

[razor4077]

Wishlist:

• Bluetooth is sorely missed. The Bolero head unit has a provision and button for phone but the Indian cars weren't given the BT module and wiring. Go figure. Currently making do with an external BT unit fitted to the aux in of the HU but it's not very convenient and a better solution is really called for. Have planned to get the OEM VW/Skoda BT module kit (9W7). Expensive but hopefully should be worth it. Since the L&K has a MFD (Maxidot) panel, it makes sense to go for the 9W7 over the 9W2 which is available at a much lower cost on Aliexpress. But not having the option of viewing the contacts, call list etc. (9W2) is a downer, and I am inclined towards the 9W7. I had initially planned to get an Android head unit which would have everything and cost just a tad more than the OE BT kit! But (a) I know they will never match up to the quality and feel of a VAG product; (b) have heard from many that the sound quality is not great, which is a deal breaker for me; and (c) the interface is known to lag at times, including long startup times. Plus, features like the optical parking sensor (OPS) would never work as well in these aftermarket HUs. So, even though they have a very tempting feature set and attractive price points, have decided to stick to the OE unit with a BT add-on. Navigation will still be missing, so will have to make do with Google Maps on the phone for now.

• L&K badges on both sides are missing on the car. Probably got flicked earlier. Thinking of getting replacements, but again - very expensive. Haven't found cheap options either. Other school of thought would be to stay de-badged.

• The car comes with 16" alloys as stock, but to be honest, they look pretty boring. I have plans to replace these with better looking 16" alloys and hopefully sell the stock ones. The tyre shop where I fitted my Michelins was offering only 5000 for the full set of 4. They only had Momo Quantum alloys in anthracite grey. Somehow grey didn't suit the car's maroon colour in my opinion - a light shade like silver works best. So gave it a miss at that time. Had recently come across an ad on TBHP classifieds for a guy selling his Skoda 16 inchers locally. These were actually the stock VW Jetta Highline alloys, which I find very attractive. But he had coloured them grey (again!) and the alloys had some significant scratches and scuffs. Could have picked them up at 10k and repainted them for a couple more, but it was a lot of work. Let them go. In hindsight, probably should've picked them up and got them done at leisure. The alloys were intrinsically ok - I just got turned off by the colour I think. My miss. Currently tracking another seller who is looking to sell his Laura VRS alloys but with tyres. Is also Bangalore based, which makes it more complicated. Have left an enquiry but am not too hopeful. New alloys will cost a minimum of 30k (brands like HR). Momos will cost around 38k. So, big hole in the pocket :(

• A remap in the future, but I can enjoy the 140 horses and 350 NM for now. More than sufficient for Mumbai and the occasional highway run.

Nothing much more really. The L&K is very loaded as it is. Some of the features I appreciate, many of which are exclusive to the L&K variant:

• Driver's seat is electrically adjustable (height, angle, lumbar, fore-aft) and has memory function. Very comfortable and supportive too.
• Leather seats
• Climate control
• Rear sun blind
• Electrically adjustable and retractable ORVMs (also linked to the memory settings) which are also heated and auto dimming (driver side)
• Auto-dimming IRVM
• Auto lights and rain sensing wipers (both work fairly well)
• HID xenon headlights with cornering function
• Maxidot MFD cluster, which provides a ton of useful data on the car and also allows one to adjust the car settings as per preference (as opposed to having to use a VAG COM for any and all changes)
• 12 speaker sound system with amplifier as stock - great sounding for an OEM ICE setup
• Lovely soft touch dashboard and overall very high quality interiors
• Storage under front passenger seat
• Coming home and leaving home lights, puddle lamps
• TPMS (warning is thrown up when pressure falls below a threshold in any of the tyres, which is good enough)
• Trunk is cavernous! Plus it has nifty hooks to hang stuff and a net to hold things in place.
• Optical parking sensors, both front and back, integrated into the Bolero head unit, are very useful
• Isofix provision on rear seats (x2) for child seat securing
• Last but not least, 6 airbags and lots of electronic safety features (ABS, EBD, TCS etc.)

Update on Bluetooth:
Picked up the 9W7 kit from Eurozone Tuning, a US-based site. They sell refurbished kits at decent rates and in good condition. Hope the condition is indeed good. Cost about 15k INR including the harness and foam holder. Will figure out the installation and VAG COM coding when this arrives in a few weeks time.


So far so good then. Loving the car, and it feels great driving a dream European sedan. There has been enough and more feedback on the forum about the brilliant TDI+DSG combo. The power is addictive and the lightning quick DSG shifts are awesome. Have used the manual mode as well a few times and it was super. And of course, there's a sport mode: slot in + depress accelerator = instant uncontrollable goofy grin ... lol! It is fuel economical as well, returning 10+ kms/l in the city and 15+ on the highway. Left foot is happy about not having to dive for the clutch all the time in the city.

Keeping my fingers crossed of course that it won't burn a hole in my pocket! My son loves his "new" Skoda and finds excuses to spend time in it! From my wife's perspective, there's definitely a very premium feel inside (L&K spec helps here), which she really appreciates!

The car is begging for a proper photoshoot, however. Hopefully I'll get that done in the very near future!

[razor4077]

AC compressor failure is fairly common in Skodas and VWs after the 35k km mark. This is a risk I was aware of and took on. Sadly, luck wasn't on my side and the AC compressor is on its last legs. To be more accurate, the AC valve is the culprit. The compressor is switching on intermittently - about 70% of the time I don't get cool air, just the blower. Got it checked at Wagenwerkz and they confirmed the issue. The cheaper option would be to replace the valve with a new one (cost of around 9k plus labour plus gas filling charges). This, however, has a low rate of success as per Jatin and he wouldn't recommend it or provide any warranty on the same. If it doesn't work out then I lose 11k and have to buy the whole compressor anyway. The whole compressor unit change would be for around 25k all inclusive. Would easily cost 40+ at Skoda ASC. Have decided to go for the whole unit and not risk being penny wise and pound foolish. Part has been ordered and will be fitted next weekend. The infamous Skoda cost of ownership and part failure issues cropping up :(



On another note, still looking good from outside though!





UPDATE: some research online has pointed to a possible AC valve replacement recall being issued by Skoda for Lauras of a similar vintage. Have reached out to Skoda via their Facebook page and have received a response that they will be getting back to me soon (no clue what "soon" is in their books!). In any case, the part ordered by Jatin has been delayed due to GST-linked supply issues. It is expected within a week, so I can give Skoda a couple of days to get back with an answer. If by some miracle they do agree to change the valve, I'll be over the moon (money saved = money added to the alloy upgrade fund ). Fingers crossed.

[razor4077]

So while I wait for the AC to get fixed, thought I'd list down some of my likes and dislikes about the car so far.

What I Like:

• Great combination of comfort and performance
• Loaded with creature comforts in the L&K trim
• Excellent safety features, including 6 airbags and a host of electronic safety aids
• DSG gearbox is lightning quick and you don't miss a manual shifter really. Will be hard to use any other type of auto box after this one.
• Engine is powerful and frugal at the same time. Silly speeds are easily attained and the sports mode is awesome! And on the flip side, a light foot can result in some very good FE figures.
• Ride is of good quality and bad roads are dealt with pretty well, barring sharp bumps that do filter through
• Handles very well - typical heavy and planted "European" feel. Stable at high speeds.
• Built solidly inside out. Parts used are of excellent quality and have a premium feel to them. Doors and trunk are heavy and well-built and close with a reassuring thump.
• Lots and lots of modification/upgrade options, many of them OEM. VAG COM/Maxidot console allows unlocking of several hidden features which truly pleases my inner geek! Many aftermarket options as well. Being a popular car in foreign markets, lots of parts available on foreign e-commerce sites.
• Plenty of available reference and help from the online owner communities around the world. Briskoda.com is an excellent forum for learning more about the car, troubleshooting issues and planning upgrades. Team BHP also has lots of info, especially in an Indian context.
• Lots of videos and DIY guides online for mods, fixes and upgrades.

What I Don't:

• Car is undoubtedly more expensive to maintain than the Japanese and Korean rivals of the same segment. Prone to known (and potentially expensive) failures as well, like the AC issue I am facing currently
• Steering is heavy but not really the most responsive
• Ride is a bit harsh
• Skoda a.s.s is always touch and go, and expensive. Finding a good independent garage is a must if the car's out of warranty
• While the car is loaded, it misses out on some now-common features like bluetooth, navigation and keyless entry. L&K variant ticks most other boxes (lower variants miss out on more features)
• Door sills are beige in colour, making them very hard to maintain. Foot marks are inevitable, and monsoons are always challenging! I have plans to buy some sills in black with perhaps an aluminium trim (have seen options on Aliexpress).

Verdict (for now - I hope I don't have to eat my words later!!):
A used Skoda Laura is a good option for those looking to move up to a premium feeling powerful European sedan without spending big. Plenty of them in the used car market, but finding one in good nick is not easy. Even if you do pick up a car in good condition there's always that chance that something may go wrong and cost you a fair bit. Of course this is true for any used car, but the pocket pinch is possibly going to be more if that car is a Skoda (or a VW/any premium brand for that matter). Buying a used Skoda is never going to be a practical decision. But they do make brilliant cars that appeal enormously to those who love to drive, like me. Which is why I am thrilled and excited about owning one

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[sourav9385]

You brave, brave man. There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe just how brave you are.

One liners aside, your acquisition looks great! And that colour is so glamorous! Congratulations! Europeans always make cars that one wants to buy using their heart, no doubts about that. Drive safe, cheers!

[lamborghini]

Congrats on the ride!

We have a 2012 Laura L&K in white, that's done 70Kkm, and trust me - as much as I crib about the car's small niggles and the average service, the only other option in this price bracket and higher that ticks all my needs is this car!
Been thinking about a replacement that is as compact, fun to drive, automatic, and the only choice really is the new Octavia that is down in some features such as the music system.

Even if I go and look at the A4/3/C Class segment, those cars have more compromises that this one does even after so many years.
The only real option is if VW gets the Jetta back.

Going to be following this thread for updates on how WagenWerkz is treating your vehicle's routine maintenance, as well as more DIY mods - in hopes of getting some ideas.

At the moment, I have the remap, LED parking lights, and P3ST tyres along with some VAGCom unlocks.

Do you know if your vehicle has been updated by Skoda India, or is it still running on the original map?

[androdev]

Originally Posted by razor4077

Buying a used Skoda is never going to be a practical decision. But they do make brilliant cars that appeal enormously to those who love to drive, like me. Which is why I am thrilled and excited about owning one

Your thread is an ample proof that you know what you are getting into Hope the car serves you really well. I think Mumbai has a pretty good support for getting these cars serviced outside A.S.S.

I would say don't bother with alloy wheels unless you come across a good deal on some Skoda OEM alloys. Somehow I don't find cars with non-OEM alloys very classy (there are exceptions).

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by sourav9385

You brave, brave man. There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe just how brave you are.

I can think of other adjectives, but let's stick to brave

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Do you know if your vehicle has been updated by Skoda India, or is it still running on the original map?

It's been updated from what I can gather from the service records. Any way to "undo" this? Just a matter of reverting to the original map right? From what I'm told that was a more "fun" map!

Update on the AC:
Skoda replied after I contacted them through FB and put me in touch with the CRM of one of the dealers here. He checked and informed me there were no recalls applicable to my car. A compressor change along with peripherals would be north of 50k. And this is after a (supposedly) 60% discount on compressor cost! What insane margins these guys have on their spare parts!! Seems like I'll be going to get it done outside as planned. Hoping this is completed by this weekend because it's impossible to drive a car in the rains without the AC nowadays.

On another note, the clip on exhaust tail pieces have arrived and been fixed. Looks really nice. The fit isn't completely secure and it's possible to twist them off with a little force. But they won't fall off (hopefully!). Another small upgrade which adds a fair bit to the car

Before:


After:




Better quality pics soon.

[sidhu_hs]

Congrats on the ride!

Just writing in to say the alloys look great! Keep them.

If the upgrade bug still bites, one option is to go OEM way: 17 inch Audi A3 alloys would look great (not to mention PCD and Centre Bore match and centering rings won't be needed)

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by sidhu_hs

Just writing in to say the alloys look great! Keep them.

If the upgrade bug still bites, one option is to go OEM way: 17 inch Audi A3 alloys would look great (not to mention PCD and Centre Bore match and centering rings won't be needed)

Those A3 alloys are hot. But I don't have plans to upsize from the 16" rims right now. Just invested in new Michelins. And I've been looking only at OEM (Skoda or VW) alloys for now. The new Octy alloys are nice and will fit perfectly, for example. So will the Jetta's.

[Rajeev1]

Congrats on your acquisition Razor4077 !

Was curious to find out how you ensured the kilometers shown on the ODO were authentic. Some years back when i was looking out for a used car in Mumbai, i found that nearly all the cars being sold by used car dealers had their ODOs clocked back and in the end steered clear of these dealerships and settled for a car (Skoda) which was relatively high on mileage but was sold by an individual.

And to your point on AC Compressor failure - i experienced the same with my Skoda Fabia when it had clocked around 1 lac and went the ASC route. The ASC charged me nearly Rs.55000 for replacing the AC condensor and compressor ...and this was in 2015. So you did well in not reaching out to the ASC as they would have charged you a bomb for the Laura.

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

Was curious to find out how you ensured the kilometers shown on the ODO were authentic. Some years back when i was looking out for a used car in Mumbai, i found that nearly all the cars being sold by used car dealers had their ODOs clocked back and in the end steered clear of these dealerships and settled for a car (Skoda) which was relatively high on mileage but was sold by an individual.

I checked the service history with Skoda and that confirmed the mileage. The car had gone for a "summer camp" at Skoda ASS recently during which they had also carried out the mandated software remap on the car. So I had a fairly recent confirmed km reading to compare to.