Upgrade Classic to Ambiente

[Octaviafan]

Just got a call from a Czech Auto SE, Alan telling me that they are going to reduce the price of the Classic from S$85,800 to S$77,500/- in two months time to clear the remaining stock of about 20 cars and that being the case, my Classic will "suffer" significant depreciation.

 

He suggested that I should upgrade to the Ambiente now and since being an existing Skoda Owner, CA will give me a cash rebate of S$5000/- therefore, I will "only" have to pay S$84,900 (S$89,900 less S$5000).

 

I said, well that's a good deal, but what's the catch? What is CA willing to take my 8 months old Classic back for and his reply was that dealers are offering S$61,000/-. I told the guy, in a polite way really, that "you think I seow arh!". If I enter into this deal, I will have to cough up an additional S$23,900/- for the Ambiente. Lose money on my Classic and have to pay some more for the Ambiente. He then when on to try and convince me why the Ambiente is better and went as far as to suggest that I shouldn't be driving a car that is going to phase out soon.

 

Anyway, I again poiltely told him that I am a budget conscious buyer and if I really wanted to buy an Ambiente, I would have done so during JTA's time as the price delta was only S$14,000/- (S$89,000 for Ambiente vs S$75,000 for the Classic). Any other Classic owners who have been contacted by CA, please share your experience, especially on the sales tactics they use.

[Skoda_Man]

DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!! Why they still dun want to contact me???!!!!

 

Take my Octy and give me a RS lah.... i will be happy with it liao!!!!!

[Sonnytay]

To be fair to CA, the deal is actually quite ok for those guys who is thinking of upgrading. Assuming your purchase price is 75k and your omv is 12k, depreciation per year will be 6.3k technically. Just by looking at disposal of your current octy,

 

75000 (purchase price of ur octy)

-61000 (dealer offered price)

-------

14000 (loss ??)

- 6300 (depreciation for a year)

- 5000 (discount for new car)

-------

2700 (effective loss for the old octy)

 

Therefore, if you sell your car to the dealer, effectively you will lose only 2700, taking into account the depreciation and the discount. Normally, a new car will lose effectively 10k (excluding depreciation) the moment you try to resell it, even within a year.

 

CA, offer me a buggy pleaseeeeeeee .......

[Octaviafan]

If you look at the offer from your angle, it makes perfect sense. However, you also have to take into consideration the additional cash outlay for the new car when assessing the offer in totality. I guess the bottom line is what is to total cash outlay one has to bear?

[Skoda_Man]

That's one way to look at it on papers lah, but what about bank loan and interest? Work out to be quite a lot.

 

Know how much is my loan cum interest after about 20 months of payment? 67K plus!!!! die liao... like that can never change car. today go Motorimage to look at the 220bhp Rex, KNN say my Skoda cannot sell scrape it better. I think I will have to be crazy to take their deal.

[Sonnytay]

Yep! Agree. Just took my calculator to calculate. Wah biang, total interest is 9.9K, yearly about 1.43K. Question - If you sell car direct to buyer, can you arrange to have the buyer take over the loan, so as not to lose the interest, abate buyer would have taken that into account when offering his buying price.

 

Actually, my point is the deal offered by CA is not so bad, as compared to what you will get if you sell if off outside and get a new car. High cash outlay will occur as long as you are getting a new car, and not due to the deal offered by CA. You will always lugi if you sell off a new car. Which is why unless you kanna windfall like toto or 4d, people will seldom sell their car after 1 year.

 

After 20mths and loan outstanding still 67k !?!? Heh Heh, how much downpayment you paid huh ?? Neber follow gahment regulation isit.

[Skoda_Man]

67K is inclusive of interest lah, wah lau. I get a 76K loan I think, work out to be like almost 90K of repayment in total.

 

True I did pay only 20% DP as compared to 30% required. Then I make a big fus when it comes to the GST portion. Lower DP means higher loan which means higher selling price. So GST also increase and I refuse to pay a single cent more. haha.

 

In actual fact I am not too bad a customer lah, price is 95,999 at that time, so I got 499 dollars off. Add leather seat (no charge), Bonnet insulation (no charge), reverse sensor (no charge, but quarrel for half an hour for this. In the end tell them, charge me and the deal is off, hehe), minus the HU and changer and less 500.

 

So my car on the road is 95K. Add-on, wah lau, too expensive to work out now.

[Hondaskoda_]

Hi Octaviafan,

Why go for the Ambiente? not much of a upgrade is it ?

Do not think the difference in performance is great enough.

 

Go for the 1.8 T

It is where all the difference is,

even Skodaman wants one!

regards

[Fabiaman]

Yes, if one calculate the interest rate, the depn per year figure is a totally diff story! Most people buy new car calculate simply cost of car minus scrap divide by ten... nah... not so simple!

 

Shld calculate your cash payment in total.. for eg... 7 years X 12 months X monthly installments PLUS initail downpayment and then divide it by ten.

 

FYI... I got only enough to pay for the 30% D/P for my Fabia but I choose to bite the bullet to pay it in double quick time... my monthly installment is now $1k plus a little but pay only 4 years. Save a bit on interest cost but my installment jumped from $600 to $1k!

[Octaviafan]

Hi HondaSkoda,

 

You are right, if want to upgrade then make sure it is a significant jump. Like when I went from a Fiat Uno to an Octavia .

 

The Elegance is out of my reach for now. Maybe when I strike the lottery!

 

Regards

[Hondaskoda_]

Hi Octaviafan,

I am with you right there, (dreaming of the 1.8 T)

waiting to strike Toto.

hopefully today!

 

best of luck

Hondaskoda

[Octaviafan]

Hi Fabiaman,

 

Precisely my point. It is the total financial liability that one has to consider especially when taking up a long term debt. Of course, the immediate liquidity is more the deciding factor for most people. If you don't have the up front cash, you need not consider the long term debt.

 

regards

[Octaviafan]

Hi HondaSkoda,

 

I guess you are one step ahead of me. I haven't bought ToTo or Big Sweep for a while now. Maybe I should go buy some during lunch time. Anyway, good luck to you too.

[Skoda_Man]

Kelvin / Greg, have you tried the 1.8T at full throttle??? It is a blast man!!!

 

It is just LPT and the torque comes in very early, but being a LPT the top end is just so-so lah. Imagine in traffic light sprint, the rush is damn happening man.

 

Had the chance to redline the car during JTA's time, 1st and 2nd gear redline, yummy!!! Then got to ease off cause of learner cars are around.

 

Me now hoping to be able to test drive the RS, should be a tad more happening.

[Octaviafan]

Hi Daryl,

 

Nope, not yet. I did ask CA on their launch but they said the Elegance was not available for test drive.

 

LPT = ? Bar (0.5 Bar?)

[Skoda_Man]

WHAT???!!!! Elegance not available for test drive??!!! Never mind lah, just ask them to get a RS for us to test drive can liao.

 

LPT is Light Pressure Turbo, not those big Full time turbo on the Rex, Evo, S13/14/15, etc

 

LPT is more friendly and very much more suited for city driving.

[Octaviafan]

Hi Skodaman,

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear about my question. I know what LPT means, but what I was wanting to know is the boost pressure. I understand that for most LPT, they range around 0.4 to 0.5 Bar, so I was wondering what the 1.8T's boost pressure is.

Edited August 1, 2002 by Octaviafan

[Skoda_Man]

Damn, me no idea man. hehehe

 

Can't really help, I will try to find out can?

 

I am more of a NA engine car, cause there is no replacement for displacement.

 

Hey I love the new icons man, damn freaking nice, too bad there are female members in here, else can ask Gavin to add those 'nasty' icons... hehe