Things you would want to know before getting a Skoda Vehicle in Mumbai

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I booked a Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI AT on 2nd December 2010, after canceling my former choice a Honda Accord AT. Initially, I was hesitant. After all, the horrific stories of Skoda After-Sales & Support is quite popular. Hence my initial choice was Honda Accord 2.4 AT. I also own a Honda City, 1.5 Exi Since July 2000, and their service quality has never let me, or my car down till date.

I had also booked the Accord, but just for satisfying my internal feeling that 'The Accord can't beaten', i went to Autobahn Skoda, and took a test drive of the Skoda Superb 2.0 AT TDI (Diesel).

The result - I was blown away! Skoda Superb is an incredibly fast, stable, luxurious (far more than the Accord), feature rich, strong vehicle. It is a vehicle in which you can be a CEO in the morning, and racer-boy by night. One could drive her for a thousand kiometeres, and neither the car nor you would feel tired. It has the feel you would get in a German make vehicle, and, at a Rs. 10 lakh lesser than the Germans (Mercedes, Audi, BMW).

The suspension setup is perrrrrrrfect for indian roads, and the cabin space, rear legroom, front legroom, are all, by far, the best in its class (rivaling ofcourse, the Mercs and Audis). The Vehicle is feature rich, from an inbuilt bluetooth / touch-screen audio system, to Adaptive Front Head Lights, to Hill Descend Control, and many more, all of which you will not get in the Accord. 

The test-drive guy went so far as to run the car over a medium sized speed-breaker with three other passengers in the car, at 120 kmph! And, there was not even a slight jerk. With its saftety features, it is highly unlikely that a person could die in the event of the car crashing in a bad situation. 

As far as the service is concerned, Skoda Mumbai (Autobahn and JMD) have opened around 5 new outlets to meet with the increasing demand. Thus technically, they can provide a better service than what they used to with only 2 outlets. Yes, the Honda Service is absolutely relaxed, but upon observation, the Skoda Service today ain't so bad either.

The Accord, on the other hand is a more relaxed drive. Its more calm, quiet, and something you wouldn't have the heart to race in, if at all there is place for the feel of racing. The Accord is larger than the Superb on the outside, but on the inside, the Superb is larger, more comfortable, more upmarket, more lively.

 

BUT.....

 

Today is Monday, 28/02/2011.
Three months, and to this day, AutoBahn Skoda has not yet recieved Skoda Superb from Skoda India Pvt Ltd. I've done numerous visits, phonecalls, expressing dissapointment, even repenting my decision now, and to no avail. I don't blame Autobahn, or JMD (I also tried at JMD to see if I could get it earlier here), but Skoda India Pvt Ltd. After they released their Superb in 2009, they could see that it is doing really well. They could have shipped their CKD units from Czech to India in-order to meet up with the demand. or were they fu**king asleep??? The latest i get to hear is that some units "WILL BE RECEIVED IN THE COMING 14 DAYS"

Keeping the Skoda timing record, 14 Days = 20 Days. Also, after Autobahn gets the vehicle, then comes the Registration, Insurance, Road Tax, Blah Blah. This translates to 7 days more

In effect, I should expect my vehicle between the 27th to 31st March 2011.

4 months in total. 

Conclusion:

If you are that type of person who has the money/can afford the loan, for a Rs.25 lakh car, and want to buy a car within 2 to 3 weeks... SKODA IS NOT FOR YOU,

Go for the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, whichever one you like.

 

If however, you can wait for a never-ending time period to get that one car which impressed you, has it all, and your patience does not turn to anger, then the SKODA IS DEFINITELY for you.

 

Peace!

Just about everything on the inside and outsideThe waiting period